4000

Here are my ‘72 Rics, both with full-width crushed pearl:

I always find not gigging is the absolute worst for GAS. Gigging, certain things work and many don’t, so I just want the things that work for me. When you’re not gigging, suddenly that 18 string medium scale makes sense, because...well, why not? I was the same as you with small combos. I never considered one until my current acoustic band started in 2012. We did a spot on a well known tv programme, in a tent outside. I had to borrow a friend’s guitar combo, which was less than ideal, so immediately afterwards I bought a used Hartke 1x10 Kickback. It was a revelation. The only downside was it struggled with gigs, so I eventually replaced it with 2 X Tech21 VT500 heads and first one, then another Barefaced One10; a great, portable, fabulous-sounding rig. I still miss the Hartke though, as it was so versatile. Strangely it ended up with a friend, but I don’t think he’s keen to sell.

If you Google Rickenbacker basses you’ll see the features have varied hugely over the years. Body proportions have changed several times, neck size and shape have changed many times, pickups have changed many times, some have binding, some no binding, some chequered binding, inlays have gone from full width to full width crushed pearl back to different full width to smaller spoured resin and back to full width again, truss rod cover materials have changed, pot values have changed, etc etc. I’ve had about 20 Rics from late ‘60s to recent and no two have been exactly the same. If you really want to go down the rabbit hole and find about more about your bass, go to the online Rickenbacker Resource Forum, or buy Paul Boyer’s great book.

Here’s one of Mike that definitely caught my eye back in the day:

Isn’t it nice that he finds something to do in between turning water into wine and raising the dead?😂 Being serious, massive influence and I thought he looked cool as around that time.

Great player obviously, but not a look I ever considered emulating.😉

Lem was my most important early influence but I can’t remember a specific image that drew me in, off the top of my head. Maybe the pic on the inside of Space Ritual....

I don’t believe in guilty pleasures. Own it! 😉

Love RTF, my favourite fusion band. Thanks!

I’ve played quite a lot of Thumbs over the years. I remember when the first ones appeared in the Bass Centre in the ‘80s, I couldn’t get my head round them at all. I’d never seen an oil/wax finished instrument before, for a start, and it felt so strange. The one thing I have found is that I much prefer the earlier ones, pre-‘90s. Thinner necks, thinner bodies IIRC, generally lighter weight, and to me they just sound better. I was watching YouTube the other day and there was a guy playing a fretless Thumb 5 (think it was a 5, could’ve been a 6) and it just sounded sublime.....not that I’m currently after a fretless. FWIW my preference on every fretless I’ve ever played - not just Warwicks - has been a Wenge neck.

Off the back of the Matt Garrison above, I’ve been breaking out the fusion again the last few days whilst having to work from home. Garrison, Scott Kinsey, Janek Gwizdala, Chick Corea, Hadrian Feraud Etc. Always worrying because as soon as I start listening to fusion for any length of time I want to play it, and I don’t currently have any basses that are really great for it......which of course means I start wanting to buy something......

I love the fact that it’s it’s had a bit of a life. Looks way better to me. I like Laklands. Really nice basses. Not keen on the DJ, but otherwise, great.

I moved from a BDDI to a VT Bass. Way better for what I want. I liked it so much I bought 2 x VT500 heads, which are easily my favourite of all the Class Ds I’ve tried.

That’s the exact opposite of my experience. Everyone’s body is different. 😉

I’ve had a few Warwicks before - 2 Dolphin Pro 1s (‘91 & ‘96) a Dolphin Pro II and a Streamer Stage 1 (‘91 IIRC) off the top of my head - but the necks on the early Thumbs are my favourites because they’re so slim. The Dolphin Pro II Pro II was quite similar. I also have an old Alien acoustic with a similar super-slim neck, nothing like the later ones I’ve played.

I sit down anyway, so the standing/strap position is really a non-issue, thankfully.

See it’s the sound and the neck, I love ‘em. Must admit I wonder where my original ‘91 Dolphin went. The bassist from 100 Reasons bought it but I saw it a few years later on eBay again. That was a great bass, if a bit heavy.

I can only imagine your storage facility covers a similar amount of acreage to Heathrow. 😉

See, I like how they look. Obviously your mileage definitely varies.😉

Well, this isolation is playing havoc with my GAS. And what do I have GAS for? A few things, but I’d really love an early Thumb bass (around ‘87, ‘88 period). It’s a while since I played one but all the ones I’ve played over the years have had fabulous pencil-thin necks, punchy midrange growl, and have been relatively light and extremely tactile. And it’s one of the few basses a I’ve lusted after and never owned. So why not buy? Well, the neck sticks out about 400 yards and they can be head heavy, and the string spacing is a bit wider than I like (cant remember what the Schaller equipped ones adjust to but I think it’s something like 17mm minimum). But otherwise, awesome. So, give me reasons not to buy one, money aside (that’s a separate stumbling block)!

Love Fishbone.

Absolutely. And of course one man’s clank could be another man’s buzz and vice versa.😉

IIRC Wolverinebass likes his action a fair bit lower.😉

Have a look at a typical shred guitarist; that kind of how I play, bass allowing. 😉