4000

Well both my 1972 Rickenbacker 4001 basses have still got the original frets on them. They both had roundwounds on when I got them and the one I’ve had longest - since 1993 - has had Rotosounds on for most of that time. Admittedly there’s not much left of the frets now as it’s had a few dressings in that time and I do both fret and pick very lightly, but even so, I wouldn’t be worrying too much if I were you.

No.

I’m a bit baffled as to why people should have to prefer the ‘old’ Peppers or the ‘new’ Peppers. Can’t you like both?

This! How do I get a good sound out of a Jazz? Give it to someone else to play. 😂

With most people - including me, although it doesn’t actually bother me - it’s more the forearm. I don’t float my arm so much, I often rest it on the body. I guess it depends on the position of your right arm, how high/low you wear the bass (maybe if you wear it very low it could affect the wrist) and possibly whether you play with pick or fingers.

Some of those bassists may have been capable of more but chose not to add more and to instead serve the song in the way they thought best, I.e. by keeping it more simple. It’s not just about being held back by someone else, although I’m sure that does happen.

I really like it. But the transition from the early funk rock band to the later more song-orientated one is something that never bothered me. Venice Queen is my favourite CPs song, as much as I love the early stuff; not much funk or rap in that.

I’ve played seated for the past decade or so (I’ve had back problems since the ‘90s). It started because another member of the band at the time when we first got together had a serious health condition and had to sit, he simply couldn’t stand. The cajon player was also sitting, obviously, so the rest of us thought “what the hell”. It can bring its own set of problems but it’s definitely a vast improvement in most ways. Of course we were lucky being an acoustic band; we weren’t exactly required to be the RHCP onstage anyway. YMMV.

A ‘comfortable’ action will vary a great deal from player to player. It’s how it feels to you that is important. As an example, If those measurements are in mm, that’s at least twice my normal action height. But then you might not like an action that suits me. Others might prefer it much higher than that. Work with it and see how it feels.

I suspect some of this is how you were brought up, although I’m sure there are many other factors, not the least of which are time, inclination and, as already mentioned, confidence. Growing up, I don’t think I ever even saw my dad - or mum for that matter - change a plug. If anything needed doing in the house, a ‘professional’ was brought in. My partner’s family was completely different. Her dad - and mum to a lesser degree - will tackle pretty much anything, even fairly major (by my standards) building work.

I think most of the time it was just a ploy to make sure you didn’t even bother trying to set up your guitar and simply took it to them….

I know back when I first started playing (1980) you were actively discouraged from trying to do your own work on your instruments. Guitar shop techs used to put the fear of God into you; “don’t touch the truss rod, it’s really easy to break it if you don’t know what you’re doing” and suchlike. Now of course it’s different.

I think for many it’s simply a confidence thing, not necessarily not knowing how to do it.

You removed your eyes??????😳

My taste in other people’s tone hasn’t changed at all. But I alter my tone and style to fit the music. I have a fairly consistent approach to tone in my current band because I made a conscious choice to use that approach and sound at the start, but it’s certainly not the sound or style I would use in every musical scenario. In fact I remember a friend who first saw me playing in a power pop band being a bit taken aback when I turned up at a Moffat Bass Bash playing completely differently. Tbh, I thought that was the norm. 😂

Yes, but I don’t do fretwork or some nut work on expensive instruments. That’s something I’m hoping to learn and rectify at some point.

Anything that costs is a big investment risk if you’re not sure you’ll actually gel. 😉 At least with a Ric the resale value is usually pretty high. I’ve had Custom or boutique basses that cost way more than Rics that have immediately been worth about half as much once you’ve paid for them. Custom is the worst investment risk! Anyway, back to technique….

I bought a slab-bodied ‘68 Tele bass a few years back. It lasted a day. It absolutely crippled me.

Up until relatively recently I generally rested my hand on the bridge when picking - I do on most basses. It’s the most comfortable for me. None of my Rics have covers, although that’s how they were when I bought them. I may replace the covers at some point as I do tend to favour the sound playing nearer the neck for most stuff these days, but I generally just float my hand over the strings. When I first started playing I used to rest my hand on the cover but after my first Ric was stolen, the ones I bought subsequently didn’t have covers.

I play mostly with a pick whatever instrument I’m playing - so obviously that applies to my Rics - but it depends what I’m trying to achieve.

I have cervical spondylosis and prolapsed discs that affect (amongst other things) the nerves in my arms. A pronounced forearm chafer aggravates my nerve issues/pain. But many other things do too. I can’t play Ibanez SRs because of the body contouring, and by rights they should be really comfortable; and yet a bound 4001/4003 is no problem whatsoever. But that really is my point; it might be uncommon, but that’s how things are for me. Everyone is different. That’s why someone complaining about the ergonomics of an instrument because they don’t get on with it doesn’t mean that everyone else will have the same experience.

It’s all so personal. I love the ergonomics. And I actually find the bound basses more comfortable than the unbound ones. In fact I had to sell my otherwise fabulous 4004 because of issues with my right arm caused by the contouring. Obviously others find they can’t deal with the binding, or the body shape, which for me is possibly the most comfortable out there. Most basses with a severe forearm contour I can’t play; I’m in agony in seconds.

I’ve seldom heard a bass on the Andertons videos that doesn’t sound pants IMO (to honest I can say that about 90% of YouTube store demos). Whatever it is they're trying to do with the sound, it’s generally the opposite of what I aim for.

That’s really interesting. I saw them in Blackpool on their first, brief warm-up tour (as The Law IIRC) and Bob was using his usual choice, a P Bass, into an Ampeg and 8x10. I watched the soundcheck in the afternoon and he was deafening. The room was literally shaking. So much so that Randy very politely said “Bob, don’t you think you’re a bit too loud?” 😂😂