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FS: Ritter Roya 5-String -- *Sold*
£2800

Shinrin-yoku

By Shinrin-yoku,
in Basses For Sale

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Shinrin-yoku

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*Sold*

[color=#222222]> Located in Ireland[/color]
[color=#222222]> One previous owner[/color]
[color=#222222]> Signed certificate of authenticity[/color]
[color=#222222]> Signed headstock (back)[/color]
[color=#222222]> Embroidered Ritter case[/color]
[color=#222222]> Collection preferred (though open to discussion)[/color]
[color=#222222]> PM any offers/enquires[/color]

[u][color=#222222]Specs.[/color][/u]

[color=#222222]Serial No.: 0508[/color]
[color=#222222]Body - Wood: Ash[/color]
[color=#222222]Body - Top: Quilted Maple[/color]
[color=#222222]Body - Colour: Captain Silver[/color]
[color=#222222]Body - Finish: Grandpa's Natural Larchbalm[/color]
[color=#222222]Neck - Wood: Mahogany[/color]
[color=#222222]Neck - Finish: Grandpa's Natural Larchbalm[/color]
[color=#222222]Fingerboard: Ebony[/color]
[color=#222222]Pickup Covers: Ebony[/color]
[color=#222222]Scale: 35"[/color]
[color=#222222]Bridge: Ritter 3D[/color]
[color=#222222]Tuners: Gotoh 510 HAP[/color]
[color=#222222]Nut: Bone[/color]
[color=#222222]Strap Buttons: Schaller Security Locks[/color]
[color=#222222]Electronics: RITTER MASTER Parametric[/color]
[color=#222222]Pickup - Bridge Position: RITTER MASTER Triplebucker[/color]
[color=#222222]Pickup - Neck Position: RITTER MASTER Triplebucker[/color]
[color=#222222]Weight: 4.2kg / 9.24lbs[/color]




Here's a review of the Ritter Roya taken from [i]Bass Player[/i] (US). (The instrument reviewed was the same spec. as mine.):

"Basses and food have a lot in common. The bleary-eyed ecstasy of an incredible meal - whether a transcendent four-star dinner or the perfect cheeseburger and fries - is not unlike the soul-tickling bliss of an amazing bass. The Ritter Roya bass is like that four-star feast; it won't make you a more sophisticated player, but each toothsome pluck of the expertly cooked bass is a joy unto itself. Working closely with his customers, Germany's Jens Ritter painstakingly crafts each bass to be a no-holds-barred realization of his customers' sonic fantasies. Each of the Roya's design ingredients is a result of Ritter's disciplined and inspired brand of lutherie. Ritter crafted our custom instrument to have an exceptionally clear and versatile tone and to show off his super-low setup.

"If there's a more double-take-inducing chunk of figured-maple on the planet, I've yet to see it. In person, the Ritter's AAAAA quilted-maple top is AAAAA-wsome. Ritter's masterful finishing skills wring out every last rippling streak of the Roya's gorgeously figured woods. Unlike the jet-black dye jobs found on many ebony fingerboards, Ritter wisely left his 45-year-old board alone, leaving the wood's natural grain exposed. The beautiful Macassar ebony pickup covers and quilted-maple headstock round out Ritter's wood-figure fiesta. The gold hardware - a combination of top-shelf aftermarket components and Ritter's own materials - is well suited to the finish. Each component was solidly installed and glisteningly polished.
"It may look haphazard, but to Ritter the ten-bolt neck joint is an essential part of each bass's tone. Ritter asserts that the "multi-screw" design decreases the absorption of string energy into the body, resulting in faster attack, longer sustain, and better mid-frequency response than a conventional bolt-on or neck through. Ritter's coil-tappable Master Bar pickups utilize phantom coils to eliminate hum in single-coil mode and are inserted at mathematically derived angles for balanced string-to-string response. The fully adjustable brass bridge utilizes custom-made ferrules which Ritter says contribute to clarity and definition, particularly when playing chords. A matching wood cavity cover would be attractive, but Ritter prefers a slow-cast aluminium cover with pure copper foil sheilding inside for optimum prevention of radio-frequency interference.

"I was particularly enamoured with the Ritter's incredible setup. It was low-action perfection, devoid of the fret buzz, uneven response, or dodgy intonation of a less accomplished job. The exemplary fretwork in due in part to the PLEK fret treatment that all Ritter basses receive. The PLEK is a computer-controlled machine that scans and dresses each fret, taking into account the diameter and tension of each string tuned to pitch. Utilizing sophisticated computer-drive formulae, the resulting fret dress is more precise than the human eye would allow. The Ritter's beautiful, curvaceous body melded perfectly to mine, making for excellent strapped and lapped playability. The shallow-C-profile neck was comfortable, and the deep cutaway provided exceptional access to the high frets.

"The Ritter's extensive electronics help fuel the Roya with an astounding selection of good tones. At its heart lies Ritter's massive triplebucker pickups, which are coil-splittable for hum-free single-coil operation. Ritter's 18-volt 3-band preamp features a passive mode with an accompanying passive tone knob. The robust, clear sound of the passive mode is a useful addition to the active sound - a testament to the bass's superb natural tone. The EQ's frequency centers were well chosen, and the coil-tap profoundly and easily changes each pickup's tone, but the dual-concentric knob, dual-switch layout requires extended exploration for optimum results.

"I took the Roya out on several funk, rock, and pop gigs, but I started with our Soundroom's Demeter/Crest/Eden rig to get to know the Roya's toner palette. With the preamp engaged, both pickups in humbucker mode and blended, and the EQ flat, the Ritter has a rich and supple tone with a crystalline top-end and even bass response. The clarity and definition throughout its register are impressive. The B string sounded focused and felt tight, while upper-register notes shimmered with brilliant elegance. Dialing in the bridge pickup and switching it to the dead-quiet single-coil mode resulted in an extremely growly, J-style tone that was perfect for fast fingerstyle. Chordal players will love the Ritter's fabulous string-to-string definition; even typically muddy four-note chords in the low registers sound acceptably clear and distinct. Through an Ampeg SVT-5PRO and 8x10 cab, I filled the room with boom by dialing in the neck pickup and rolling off the tone in the passive mode. At a funk gig I played the Ritter through an SWR SM-900 head and SWR Goliath III 4x10 cab. The punchy Roya begged to be slapped and I obliged, using the neck pickup in humbucker mode with a slight bass boost. The Roya's slap tone is sizzly, but dynamically sensitive and natural sounding. For a grinding midtempo tune, I palm-muted and played with my thumb; the Ritter's thick syrupy sound bobbed heads and put smiles on faces - just right for the dance band.

"Most gourmands could probably point to one uniquely inspiring meal or dish that forever hooked them on fancy food. If you've yet to experience the bass equivalent, an encounter with the Ritter will undoubtedly seduce. Yes, it's expensive and nearly too pretty to touch, but the Ritter's inspiring sound and exquisite craftsmanship may spoil you for life."

~ Johnathan Herrera (Editor)

Edited by Shinrin-yoku
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