Skybone

My main bass is my Rockinbetter RickenFaker (the one in the avatar). I bought it brand new, and it is my "go to" bass (though the Bass Collection Californian Faker is a close second). Would I swap it for a Ric 4003? Yes, but it'd have to be a good one.

What about a digital modeller? A Zoom B3 would be perfect, it has not only a DI XLR on the back, but it's also got a USB socket that you can use as a recording interface on your PC. If you play guitar as well, you could look at something like the Line6 HD500x. It also has DI outputs, but it also has the USB socket, and can be used for recording. You will need to buy the HD Bass pack, but it is a great all round tool for guitar & bass. Sounds good too (yes, I have one and use it mainly for the bass). The Boss GT-10B does the same thing, and there are others that are equally as capable.

Watched it, enjoyed it, maybe a tad too long, but there's plenty of movement through the piece to keep you interested. Bizarrely, I thought a few sections were more of a nod to various influences of his, than his than the Foo Fighters, but overall, an interesting watch. He really does come across as a genuinely decent bloke you'd go to the pub with & generally talk mince about music, being listening to or playing. I hope that it really does inspire young people to pick up instruments & start playing.

Compensated...

Was going to say white pearloid, til I saw ead's post. White/Cream pearloid. But if you're just after a quick/cheap fix, the white/cream parchment one.

Certainly cannot beat 40. Only have 3, planning a few others, but that's as far as it gets.

Pre-ordered

Great story, congrats on the record deal & any forthcoming success.

Definitely worth a punt, if the price is right. Factor in the cost of parts, especially the bridge. Allparts have a pattern Ric bridge for a reasonable amount.

It is Pod. He used to work in Electro Music in Donny. IIRC, the other members of Bravado worked there too.

Not too keen on the new one piece strap button / screw arrangement.

No complaints of the old design Schaller's here either. Have them fitted to all my guitars & basses.

The Guitar Gallery Check out the Guitar Gallery, loads of info on Matsumoku era Aria's, inc. catalogue scans.

Nope, he's Pod. Used to work for Electro Music in Doncaster, but now works for Rich Tone in Sheffield. He's still got a couple of Rush notation books of mine!

I used to say that the power would probably blow before the amp, and if it did, the PA would be useless. They still insisted on it though. Never had it with the guitar though.

There used to be a great Rush tribute band based in South Yorkshire, called "Bravado".

I remember having the same discussion with the house sound guys when they put a DI box in front of my bass. The stock answer back then was "in case the amp blows". It never did blow though.

Tried an Octave Mandolin a few years back, been fancying one for a while, but can never find an inexpensive one.

I've got both a Polytune and a Unitune. Bought the Poly years ago for a good price, but it's tendency to 'lose' the E string & drop into polytune mode became annoying. Picked up a Unitune last year, it's quick and accurate, and doesn't lose the E string.

Mr Wire is known for using Ric's as well, so I think it would more than likely be a mod to a standard J, so that he can get Ric-like sounds out of the J without changing basses. Just a theory though.

I must admit that I love their aesthetics. I never thought that my old 4003 gave that "classic" Ric sound (it was a pre-Vintage Circuit model), but it still sounded superb to my ears. More "plummy" than any Fender or Fender derived bass I've played over the years (though that may or may not have been down to slightly changing how I played). Would I have another? In a shot. But they're still overpriced outside the US, and the second hand market is buoyant, new instrument discounts are very rare (I did hear that Rossetti used to "police" the retailers, and threatened to remove the Ric franchise if the retailer was "caught" discounting a Ric instrument - whether that's Urban Myth or what I don't know, but there would appear to be very few Ric's on discount anywhere outside the US). Guess I'll just have to be happy with my Faker's for now.