Wondering if I should return my Ric

[franvarin]

Well, it's a difficult thing to comment on. I have a whole fleet of basses and only recently have added a 4003. My suggestion... keep it! Realize this instrument is likely not like anything you've played. It's hard to describe them really; they sound great but, they are certainly not "conventional" by any means. There's something to be said for a design that essentially has remained unchained for decades just like the Precision and the Jazz Bass. The difference? Well, Fender went a different route making less expensive versions of the same instrument. Nothing wrong with that, just different. Rickenbacker chose to stay the course, stay on the small side, more like a boutique manufacturer. I have to respect that, I think the same thing of Mesa Engineering... And yes, I play Mesa amps and cabs. I would advise that you just take it for what it is and don't try to make it otherwise. Here's a link to part of my story that involves Rickenbacker basses, maybe it will help you a bit...

The Rickenbacker Club Part Twelve

 

[joker820]

If you don't bond with it, bring it back.

 

[electracoyote]

I only read the OP, but it definitely sounds like the Ric is not right for you. I'd return it.

To answer your last question, yes, I learned to love these little oddities, quirks and all. For most of us who ended up bonding, they do feel a little different at first. They are a labor of love, but it really doesn't feel like that much labor to me. The rewards have far exceeded the effort involved.

 

[bolophonic]

I sometimes want one, but I would never get one unless I had money just falling out of my behind.

 

[Mastermold]

Someone took this pic last week--4003 Jetglo. Got nice complements on the tone. It's going out again tonight. I've had this one since 2008 and a '72 4001 since 1984. They're both lifers. But that's me, you may not find them your thing.

Link Removed

 

[mikeyjm2]

I've learned to love my 4003. The chunky neck took some getting used to. Removed the pickup cover and installed one of those bezels like a lot of people do. I ended up bonding w/ it but I know a lot of folks don't. To add a caveat to my post here though, I've not done any kind of truss rod or bridge tweaking on mine. But hey, if you don't like it you don't like it. Fortunately there is a good return policy.

 

[Krebsy]

return it & wait to find a 4004 for the right price

I have a 4004 for the right price

 

[shoulderpet]

Id return it, is a lot of money that you could spend on another bass more suited to you

 

[RyanOh]

I apologize in advance if this has been posted numerous times on these pages, but this is priceless; the guy has to stop filming 3 times he's getting so angry at Rick...

I like Dave. Stick-in-your-backer. Irony is he played one for a long time, according to him.

 

[prowla]

I apologize in advance if this has been posted numerous times on these pages, but this is priceless; the guy has to stop filming 3 times he's getting so angry at Rick...

That was brilliant - I was genuinely LOL-ing!
The bit where he said he smashed his to bits to avoid someone else having to own it was classic.

 

[prowla]

Well, other than the annoying to source truss rod socket, hard to remove covers, strange to adjust bridge, heavy, sharp edged body that hangs at a weird angle and digs into body parts, no place to anchor your hand if you're used to playing any other bass on the planet, and iffy customer service, they're pretty awesome.

But seriously, it's almost like a different instrument. Personally I'm happy I have a friend who has one I can use to record if needed, and I have. I'm not even convinced his works right, one of the pickups is way quieter than the other (yes through the normal output), is that a bug or another "feature?"

I'm really just goofing around, if I had some F U money I'd certainly pick one up, but the Ric is too fickle a character for this end user to worry about. Get your tools, dig in, and learn to work with the beast, or you're probably better off returning it.

Is there anything which says that both pickups have to have the same volume?

Actually, the reason for it is that the "vintage" sound has a bass-cut capacitor in series with the treble pickup, which obviously cuts its volume. The more recent models have a push-pull treble knob which can switch that in/out to select vintage/modern.

Now, with the stereo output, you can route the pickups to separate amps, but actually I like them mixed as they are.

However, when I was gigging my '72 Ric in the clubs, I did have an issue with its treble pickup and I put an SD one in. It's also got a Hipshot bridge on it.

But nobody complains if people swap Fender parts out, right? So why not on a Ric?

 

[fhm555]

I had the opportunity to try one and i could never find a comfortable way to play it so i never got any further in to exploring sound options and such. I gave it my full attention for a week because the guy who let me borrow it was absolutely in love with his Ric's and was always talking about what a fantastic bass they were, and since he was much further along in his evolution as a bass player and could flog the health out of one, i assumed it must have been me when i couldn't gee and haw with it. No matter what i tried it never stopped feeling awkward so i returned it to my friend.

I still call on them when one pops up on CL but strictly on the chance i might be able to make a little flipping it.

 

[Nickweissmusic]

Is there anything which says that both pickups have to have the same volume?

Actually, the reason for it is that the "vintage" sound has a bass-cut capacitor in series with the treble pickup, which obviously cuts its volume. The more recent models have a push-pull treble knob which can switch that in/out to select vintage/modern.

Now, with the stereo output, you can route the pickups to separate amps, but actually I like them mixed as they are.

However, when I was gigging my '72 Ric in the clubs, I did have an issue with its treble pickup and I put an SD one in. It's also got a Hipshot bridge on it.

But nobody complains if people swap Fender parts out, right? So why not on a Ric?

Well, yeah, I think it's perfectly reasonable to expect pick ups on a $2000 instrument to be somewhat balanced.

His Ric is only a couple years old, and I was aware of the push pull as well, I don't really remember what the resolution was, but it was never "normal." But I guess you don't buy a Ric for that.

 

[JMacBass65]

Anyone buy their first Ric and learn to love these oddities? Anyone buy one and ended up saying the juice wasn't worth the squeeze?

Love the oddities? No. But the juice was well worth the squeeze.

Mind you, I was able to test drive the one that ended up being mine, as well as three others, for a few months well before spending a dime. They were all at my house. In the end it came down to two, both from the mid 80s (this was 1991).

So anyway, I was able to figure out that I could put up with the quirks because it looked bada$$, and sounded cool too. Beer helped a fair bit as well.........I was young when I bought it.

It was my main gigging bass during the 90s, period. It isn't now because for what my band does, I prefer a Fender, but I use it for a few songs from time to time, and play it at home quite a bit. With the right band, I'd bring it out to play full time.

As for setups and stuff - I am a tinkerer, but once dialed in, I like to "set it and forget it", I have been able to do that. Haven't touched the bridge or truss rods for I don't know how long.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

Do you love the way it sounds? Can you get that sound with any other bass? Do you like the unique feel of it? These are the questions you want answered within your 45 day time limit. Once you get the strings and setup to your liking,you typically never have to change settings again.
I am completely not handy with setups,but i just did my first-ever trussrod adjustment,in over 40 years of Ric ownership. Sweetwater has a $4 Taylor tr tool that worked just fine on the Rick.
(Btw,i recently had to take advantage of that 45 day no questions asked policy on a used Schroeder cab i bought from GC). It started making wonky sounds after a couple of practices,so back it went).
And lastly,PICS OR IT DIDN'T HAPPEN!

I "get" most of your post but don't get the Schroeder and GC reference. Was the Schroeder defective? That almost seems like another post. No offense intended.

 

[Ric5]

Hey TB,

I bought a 2016 MapleGlo Ric last week from my local GC. It was a used model that they had for a good price, and I was even able to haggle them down another $100.

It's a really cool bass. I love the look and the fact that it inspires me to play differently than how I normally play on my Jazz or Ray. That said, I'm not in love with it and I wonder if it'd be smarter to return it while it's still in it's 45 day no haggle return window.

I like to tinker and do my own setups, and the Ric isn't easy to do this on. I'm a little perturbed that these basses don't come with their own truss rod tool, and the process of installing and removing the pickup cover is a small burden. The bridge is another matter all together with its floating saddles.

Anyways, I wanted some opinions. Anyone buy their first Ric and learn to love these oddities? Anyone buy one and ended up saying the juice wasn't worth the squeeze?

What I love about Rickenbackers

- The look
- The tone
- dual truss rods


What I hate about Rickenbackers

- pickup covers
- the bridge tailpiece mechanical mute assembly
- the fact that they don't make a 5 string bass

I like the S models and the 4004 models

 

[GIBrat51]

I've had these two - a Desert Gold 4003, and a Jetglo 4001 - for quite a while now. Personally, I like them just how they come from the factory. But, I also like to play them the way (IMO) they were intended to be played; using the built in mute, between the pickups, with a pick. My Fender P-Bass has the mute in the bridge cover, and heavy flatwounds... but I'm an oldies kind of guy, and I have other basses I can play when I don't want to live in the past. Yes, Ricks are fiddly and time-consuming to set up; but, as others have said, they usually don't need to be messed with any more after that. Mine certainly haven't. That said - if you are a compulsive tinkerer, a Rick is most likely not the bass for you. It will be a lot of time-consuming work, with not much to show for it. IME, Ricks are what they are, and reward tinkering with little, if any, improvement. Taking the pick up cover off, and maybe replacing the bridge (and the replacements have their own problems), is pretty much all the tinkering there is with one of these. Once a 4003 is set up to your preference, changing the strings will be a major occasion in your life...

 

[ezra1]

Rick's are a specialized tool in your arsenal.
That's why hammers are hammers and screw drivers are screw drivers.
Don't look the same.
Don't feel the same.

 

[prowla]

Well, yeah, I think it's perfectly reasonable to expect pick ups on a $2000 instrument to be somewhat balanced.

His Ric is only a couple years old, and I was aware of the push pull as well, I don't really remember what the resolution was, but it was never "normal." But I guess you don't buy a Ric for that.

I've got a sports car: you have to be a contortionist to get into it and almost Houdini to get out, it rattles and jars your bones if the road is even slightly bumpy, it's got no room to store anything and it leaks a little bit, the air-con doesn't work and one of the doors doesn't close if it's cold out. It is bloody fantastic!

If you want a comfortable relaxing homely bass then it's probably not a Ric.

But if you want something which has character and a bit of attitude, then that's a Ric. It'll take you places you wouldn't otherwise go.

Just like my Lotus.

 

[woodyng2]

I "get" most of your post but don't get the Schroeder and GC reference. Was the Schroeder defective? That almost seems like another post. No offense intended.

The OP has a 45 day no hassle return trial period to decide if he wants to keep the Rick. I also had the same option with the Schroeder cab,which i ended up returning. Someone commented on the return policy in a way that made it seem like the idea was fabricated. I was just providing an example that showed it was a real GC used merchandise return policy. That's it in a nutshell.
Edit....and in my original post i mentioned the Schroder was making scurrilous noises,(besides the ones i was responsible for),so that was the reason i took it back.