Why do you play a Rickenbacker?

[eriky4003]

My first 'real' bass, like a lot of you. Loved Geddy's tone and was further supported when I heard Chris Squire used one as well. The closest music store to our home carried a Univox Rickenbacker copy for the longest time (this was around '76) so I also fell in love with the shape. I purchased my Rickenbacker in '84 at the height of when Steinbergers and their copies were all the rage.

 

[west al]

I like the feel of the neck, 4003's are well balanced. The sounds are right on, and I just like the looks of it too.

 

[Searay]

I would say Machine Head as well. My first band had a tab songbook that had more pics of the bass. Then, my first road band bass player used a walnut finish 4001 and the sound through the pa was so cool to me. Not exclusively Ric, but will always have at least one.

 

[Skullie]

Very cool story, Karl Rico. Super jealous of the personal tour. Plus I love those Vans. The faded red checkerboards are one of my favorite Slip Ons Vans has done in the past few years.

 

[ScottTunes]

My first real Bass was a Ric, and I bought it because my favorite band's bassist (Chuck Panazzo - Styx, don't judge me). Got rid of it because my jazz worked better in the studio every time I A/Bed them.

As a neutral observer (that was 30 years ago), it's interesting how many people list either looks, or their bass hero used one as the primary reason.

My first "real" bass was a '72 Fender Jazz, purchased in 1976. I couldn't afford a Rick, and the J was recommended (I was converting from guitar to bass). I sold that Jazz to get my next "real" bass, an '80 Carvin LB50 (in 1980 - still have the LB50).

As luck would have it, my 1st Rick was a 1985 4003 FG (purchased in 2002, I believe). Best, most versatile bass I'd ever played! AND it was my bass hero's choice in the '60s, as was a Hofner. I have both of those now, and very happy with them! I stupidly sold that 1st FireGlo, believing all Rick necks would be the same! Oops! It took several more Rick purchases (and subsequent sales) to find another great neck! I'll hang on to this one, this time!!

To my ear, the Hofners and my Rickenbacker 4003v63 come the closest to sounding like a stand-up bass. That is the sound I typically chase, when I can. But the Ricky can otherwise dial up every sound I need.

As a side note, I never missed that Jazz bass (even bought/sold another Jazz in 2013, to be certain I didn't miss it). It was also nearly 13 lbs of ash body and maple neck! Gave my spine a little curve too, after playing it every night, for 5-6 hours each! My heavy Carvin (11 lbs of "Eastern Hardrock Maple") felt light by comparison! And of course, the 4-5 lbs of Hofner is a joy!

Here are 2 favorites:



Wish I still had that Ricky too! One of 3 I'd had with smaller necks... Got an offer I couldn't refuse!

 

[Spidey2112]

Because it's one of the few things which still fit me, after +35 years...

... wouldn't trade it for the world, especially these days... I'd lose out on that deal.

 

[Root 5]

1) Very unique/distinctive, versatile tone.
2) They're beautiful.
3) They can be set up to play like a champ.

However... it would be great if Rickenbacker updated the bridge for more adjustability ( Hipshot makes a great replacement ). I'd like to see 5-piece necks for better stability, heck even add graphite rods.

 

[the harp unstrung]

The title of the thread made me think of this quote...

 

[4StringAxe]

For me, I've always loved the look and tone.
I've recently discovered I love the feel too.

 

[PWRL]

It seemed like the thing to do. And it was.

 

[holdfast]

I would like to play a Rickenbacker again. Technically, a Rickenbacker was my first bass. My brother gave me a long term loan of his before I owned any basses myself. Just the feeling of it in my hands made me want to play it. It fit me perfectly. I loved the sound too. It was easy to play and never went out of tune. It's back with my brother now. The electronics are dodgy. I attempted to re-wire it, but did not do a very good job. I know where I went wrong, and have offered to tackle the electronics again, but he's not interested in having me take a whack at it again.

 

[j.kernodle]

I enjoy the inherent risk of injury that comes from playing a Rickenbacker that no other bass can provide. Lots of stabby, bruisy and cutty parts on a 4003. They also look amazing and sound very nasty.

 

[Starford]

I'll chime in early and be brief;

Deep Purple Highway Star - Recorded December 1971 Montreux, Switzerland. Released March 1972



Deep Purple - Highway Star (Isolated Bass)

Oh wow, thanks for sharing this. And this isolated track is awesome! This was the album that got me on the serious rock bass playing road. Growing up in Canada, by the mid (?) seventies, this album & pic of BTO convinced my about getting a JG Ricky. I've had an all white 4003 but stupidly sold it in '96. Now my goal is to get the JG with white binding.

 

[GeorgeBassPlay]

Sounds great, resonant, feels good in my hands, looks cool… Best Bass I've known

 

[Polkatronixx]

My first bass was a Peavey Patriot bass - I got it for xmas 1987. A couple of years later (summer of 1989), I was staying with my sister in Gainesville, FL for a couple of weeks. One of her friends was selling his Rickebacker 4001 and unbelievably agreed to sell it to me for $350 (the amount of the tax return I had just got). It was beautiful - burgundy glo or whatever it was called. I ended up stupidly trading it for a Precision bass a few years later (I love P basses, but the one I ended up trading it for had all sorts of hidden issues and I got ripped off).

In 2008, I bought a Jazz bass. I never liked it. Then, about two years ago, I joined a bass sell/swap group on Facebook and a guy was looking to offload his new 4003s. I cheekily offered a swap for my Jazz bass and he accepted. So I now have a red 4003s.

I was initially attracted to the Rickenbacker bass because Mike Mills of REM played one, as did Bruce Foxton of the Jam and the guy from the Vapors. And Peter Hook played a copy in his Joy Division days. As I got mine early in my bass playing years, it's what I essentially learned to play on. And it just feels right to me. I love the neck and find it way faster than my Jazz bass was.

 

[Axstar]

I play a Rickenbacker because I've wanted one since I first picked up bass. My first bass was a Squier Bronco, and since that bass I've tried in various ways to chase that grindy Rick tone out of other basses. I've routed for additional neck pickups, I've re-wired basses with stereo outputs and interesting capacitor setups.

I think one of the reasons I wanted to play bass stems from listening to Close To The Edge through good headphones when I was a teenager. That climbing bass line on the intro shows what a Rick can really do. You get that solid, unwavering low-frequency foundation, and that grind over the top. I've found basses that do the solid bass thing (like Gibson EB-series basses and many hollow bodies with pickups at the end of the neck), and even my Bronco could do the treble half of that tone. However only my Rick really marries the two things together.

My Rick doesn't support my band like a P bass can. That reassuring bump in the low-mids isn't there. Instead you get massive lows that sit in and around the kick drum, and high frequencies that are fighting off the guitars. This will be a learning curve for me.

 

[Skybone]

Growing up listening to Rush, Deep Purple, Hawkwind, Motorhead & Black Sabbath ("Never Say Die" Tour video where Geezer used Glenn Hughes Fireglo 4001). Love the look, retro, yet still modern, almost Art Nouvau / Art Deco.

After years of wanting one, but never being able to find one I could afford, I bought a Jetglo 4003. Took a little while to get used to it, but it looked great, played great, and sounded great.

Had to sell it, went back to a Fender, regretted it, sold it. Bought a Faker.