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Wondering if I should return my Ric

#121
Well, if the OP is considering returning his brand new Ric, then any mod other than taking the pickup cover off (or adding a "Zero Mod" rest) is highly inadvisable.

Yes, Ric's aren't for everyone, yes, they do have "foibles". Can you live with them? If you like the sound that they make, then definitely learn to live with it. I think we've all been guilty of keeping hold of various instruments for far longer then we should have because it looks great, or it plays great, or it sounds great, but none of the others. Two out of three aint bad? But three out of three is better if you're spending a fair amount of money on something and you're looking to use it regularly.

A 4004 is a slightly better option if you're wanting the Ric experience, but without the idiosyncracies of a 4003. The only mod that I'd do would be to replace the selector switch with a second volume pot or a blend pot.
 
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#124
I say return it. I went through the same thing when I got my T bird. I love the look of them (still think they are the best looking bass) but it never felt as comfortable as my other basses not matter how much I wanted it to. I even made it my main bass to force myself to get used to it and just couldn't do it.
 
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#125
JMacBass65 said:
I thought this, but found the humbuckers really dark an "honky" sounding. Hated the tone.
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It's not the pickups,it's the mismatched pot and capacitor values. It kind of sucks to need to change them,but as Rickenfixes go,it's relatively inexpensive,and makes a world of difference. The hb1's are great sounding pickups,and have wiring flexibility for hb and tapped sc operation.
 
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#130
I have a 2016 Fireglo 4003. When I first bought it, it played ok, and I liked the sound of it so I kept it. But at the time, I wasn't thinking I would use it for gigs. I like Fenders and I really didn't think any more of it. One night I was surfing eBay as I usually do, and I came across the thumb rest that everyone is talking about. I thought why not, so I bought it. Of course, when I went to install the rest, I started playing it and thought, this thing needs strings. So, since I've turned into quite a flat freak, I put a set of TI's on it. Now, I never really set the bass up, never touched the truss rods, bridge any of that, so when the action became butter with the TI's, I played more and more and thought, I'm going to take this to rehearsal and hear it at volume. My mates loved the sound of this thing and I can say it is really comfortable to play so, it's my main player now. I just love playing it. The neck, action, tone is like nothing else. But keep in mind, I didn't think of this way to start with. I know these things aren't for everybody, but it sure turned out for me. I bought the hipshot bridge but, mine plays so well, it's still in the box. Maybe I'll change it, maybe I won't. Certainly don't need too. One thing though, I ended up having to shield the bass in copper as those single coils pick up a lot of 60 cycle hum. It helped a great deal. The bass is pretty quiet now.

A lot of times these things don't play well out of the box. And sometimes, it takes the slightest tweak or change and it's the best ever. Don't sell yourself short. You have 45 days, give it a chance. You can always bring it back on day 43. I intend to add a 4004 to the toolbox, but probably not this year. Good luck, I hope you have the same luck with that Ric as I had with mine.
 
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#131
jmattbassplaya said:
Alright guys. I'm about 99% certain that I'll be returning the Ric tomorrow. It has been fun but I don't think it's the right fit for me. I'll give it one more night, but I'm thinking its hours are numbered.
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It takes bigger balls to know it's not for you than to just try and force it. I know "balls" and "force it" should never be used in the same sentence, but neither should "bass" and "isn't working out". Do what your gut says. It will forever look pretty in your mind, and be forever ugly in your hands.
 
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#132
Didn't read the entire thread so this might be moot...

I was head over heels with my Ric last year around this time. Changed the strings, and it threw things off a bit. Couldn't adjust the neck myself cuz I couldn't get a wrench to fit. Had it adjusted by a tech. Still in love. Needed to adjust the neck again shortly after... found an inerchangable screwdriver did the trick with the driver head taken out. I was ecstatic.

Ric needs a neck adjustment again... screwdriver handle isn't working. Won't fit on one of the nuts now - no idea why it did and now doesn't. It hits the wood. I'm pissed. Don't want to pay to have my neck adjusted - it's stupid. Don't want to drop $50 on the only wrench I believe will do the trick, either. My Ric now sits unplayed. And I have Ric resentment.

I love my Ric when it's set up how I like it. I don't love it when it's not. That means I have to tweak it from time to time, and I can't.

Will probably wind up dropping that extra $50... I'm sooooo not happy about that though.
 
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#133
a thin walled 1/4" nut driver should do just fine & won't cost you $50

DYN2809-2.jpg
 
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#136
Joe Nerve said:
Find me one and I'll buy it. Went through several already that didn't work.
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the secret is "thin walled"
your local auto parts store should have one

4c1ea53250e83_17095b.jpg



The one I used with my RIC looked just like this:
prod_1739847412?hei=245&wid=245&op_sharpen=1&qlt=85.jpg

I just checked & it's a Craftsman.

Sears.com
 
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#137
jmattbassplaya said:
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?
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Bought my first Ric in 1977, could never bond with it, so got rid of it a few years later, it was difficult to play coming from a fender and it had a cap in the bridge pickup circuit that sucked all the bottom (and presence) out of that pickup and the bass. There were also a lot of little things I didn't like about it so I waited about 10 years and bought another one, a fretless in 1990, bought a fretted in 1992. I've owned many since then and own 2 now. I'm playing a lot of blues lately so I'm using a P bass with flatwounds on it but still love the Rics. If you keep it you will love it eventually, especially the quirks kind of like a girl that has something about her you don't really like at first but end loving because it's part of what makes her unique, know what i mean?. It takes some time sometimes but it will happen. All the things I disliked about them have gone away. The bridge pickup cover, once it's gone it's gone and it's not THAT hard to take it off, will take you 30 minutes at the most, once it's set up it will stay where you set it up to as long as you don't do a drastic change in strings. My 79 4001 still plays like butter and sounds great and it's been through hell. Rics look cool with the pickup cover off too, don't cover it. One more thing, if you get rid of it, you will always have this nagging thing in the back of your mind that will make you want another one.
 
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#139
guy n. cognito said:
This. Even then, many have complained that those STILL don't fit, and they have to modify the bass to make it work......
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Maybe on an old 4001 that has had heavy strings on it for years as the ends will dip on them but the new 4003's are very simple to adjust, I've owned many Rics over the years (more than 30 I believe) and have had no problems with them, you are perpetuating a false tale.
 
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#140
petrus61 said:
Seems like an awful lot of work for something that is more easily accomplished with readily available tools on 99% of any other bass ever. I suppose the Ric is truly a labor of love.
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To adjust the necks on both my Fender Jazz and my Fender Precision I have to take the pickguard off or nick it with the screwdriver, now that is a bigger pain than any kind of maintenance on a Ric bass that I can think of.
 
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