Players who've stopped playing Rics?

[Beedster]

I've been nosing around t'internet getting some info on Rics, and it seems that it's a bass that a lot of well known players[i] used[/i] to play. I guess Geddy is the most famous, but there seem to be quite a few more; I even saw a pic of the young Stanley Clarke playing one. Just wondering what people's thoughts were on why this is the case? OK, the obvious answer is that they didn't get on with them, but there's a hell of a lot of guys who've played them on some of their definitive recordings before dropping them, and you'd guess that if they didn't get on with them, they'd have found out before they got into the studio?

[Clarky]

Chris Squire, Lemmy and others have used them through their career and continue to do so. My guess is that, if players have moved on, its because of the singular, characteristic sound of Ricks - precisely the same reason that the likes of Chris Squire and Bruce Foxton still play them today I am guessing

[mart]

I got the BGM Rickenbacker special and that was fantastic because when they went to profile famous Ric users, almost all were actually ex-users.

The other classic in there was when they talked about the distinctive sound of the Ric bass. And then when it came to actually recordings featuring Rics they said you had to be careful because some sounded like they were Rics but actually weren't. So not actually that distinctive then!

Why did people stop? I don't know, but my best guess would be it's because of how distinctive it is (despite what I've just written ). Most creative types want to keep moving. Just like Pino had a really distinctive fretless sound in the early '80s, and very quickly moved on to a much less distinctive sound, to avoid getting pigeonholed.

[lemmywinks]

[quote name='Clarky' post='1263002' date='Jun 9 2011, 05:59 PM'].... its because of the singular, characteristic sound of Ricks - precisely the same reason that the likes of Chris Squire and Bruce Foxton still play them today I am guessing[/quote]


I though Bruce Foxton played Precisions more nowadays?
In most of the recent clips i've seen of him he's playing a Fender, still gets that same sound though!

[Clarky]

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1263090' date='Jun 9 2011, 07:08 PM']I though Bruce Foxton played Precisions more nowadays?
In most of the recent clips i've seen of him he's playing a Fender, still gets that same sound though![/quote]
I saw Bruce Foxton on the cover of BGM a couple of years ago with an all-black 4003 (Jetglo with black scratchplate) but yeah its true he plays Fender more

[dc2009]

Anyone who is at a stage where they play professionally for a number of decades is bound to change most things over the course of their playing career. Guys like Geddy and some of the others who have been named are in the kind of position where a) they can afford to buy a million different instruments, they'll get instruments thrust at them, to try, and hopefully then endorse. The same goes for amps and all the other paraphenalia. People get tired of the same sound though, so even if geddy was happy with his ric or whatever, i'm sure he tried the next bass which just sounder fresher and nicer etc etc. It's like any of us, we all fancy something new after a while!

[Beedster]

[quote name='dc2009' post='1263100' date='Jun 9 2011, 07:16 PM']Anyone who is at a stage where they play professionally for a number of decades is bound to change most things over the course of their playing career. Guys like Geddy and some of the others who have been named are in the kind of position where a) they can afford to buy a million different instruments, they'll get instruments thrust at them, to try, and hopefully then endorse. The same goes for amps and all the other paraphenalia. People get tired of the same sound though, so even if geddy was happy with his ric or whatever, i'm sure he tried the next bass which just sounder fresher and nicer etc etc. It's like any of us, we all fancy something new after a while![/quote]

Yep, agreed, so how about I rephrase the question: why is it that established bass players don't seem to gravitate[i] towards[/i] Rics?

[dc2009]

[quote name='Beedster' post='1263167' date='Jun 9 2011, 07:56 PM']Yep, agreed, so how about I rephrase the question: why is it that established bass players don't seem to gravitate[i] towards[/i] Rics?[/quote]

There are better basses, and I would say that no massive amount of pros gravitate towards any particular brand. Fenders are the mainstay of mainstream bands, your boring indie sh*te etc. Warwicks seem to go down well in the metal world etc but there's by no means an exclusive bass for a playing style or genre, which is what keeps all the brans in business!

[Beedster]

[quote name='dc2009' post='1263172' date='Jun 9 2011, 07:58 PM']There are better basses, and I would say that no massive amount of pros gravitate towards any particular brand. Fenders are the mainstay of mainstream bands, your boring indie sh*te etc. Warwicks seem to go down well in the metal world etc but there's by no means an exclusive bass for a playing style or genre, which is what keeps all the brans in business![/quote]

Fair point, but I can think of lots of players who've gone from another brand to Fender, or to Warwick, to MM or Wal etc, but none that have gone [i]to[/i] Ric? Perhaps I've missed them?

[Delberthot]

[quote name='Beedster' post='1263167' date='Jun 9 2011, 07:56 PM']Yep, agreed, so how about I rephrase the question: why is it that established bass players don't seem to gravitate[i] towards[/i] Rics?[/quote]


Cos they're uncomfortable, the bridge is badly in need of an upgrade, if you play without the pickup cover you lose the skin off your fingers on the sharp edges, from the ones I've had they're simply not worth the money in terms of fit and finish versus the cost and waiting time.


Compare it to the simple Precision or Jazz - comfortable forearm contour and belly cut, easy to adjust string height and intonation, you can rest your thumb on the pickup, no mucking about with twin truss rods that have to be adjusted differently from most other basses made.

If I was a pro player and really wanted to get a Rick sound then I'd try different amps, effects etc rather than getting another one.


Oh aye - Bruce Foxton also endorses Waterstone semi-acoustic basses

Edited June 9, 2011 by Delberthot

[stoker]

if memory serves phil lynott used a 4000 on 'the rocker' and i've heard rumours that bill wyman used a 4001 for a bit.

[Clarky]

The bridge and pickup 'hole' problems are easily dealt with - Hipshot bridge and Pickguardian pickup surround (which Foxton had by the way on his black 4003) - and I didn't find the slab body a problem. Like I said on another thread, if I wasn't spent out I would be lobbing money the way of BCer Squire's beautiful fireglo 4001v63 thats FS.

To the re-phrased question, I suspect a lot depends on familiarity/cosiness for those that move from a Rick to a Fender, and the impact of trends cannot be overlooked- Geddy went from Rick to Fender but via Wal IIRC and his Wal phase was at a time when Wals were the hottest thing out. If you spend any time on the Rick forum, there's a huge pro-US bias there and Rick appear to be seen as more of a US-centric franchise than the global brand that is Fender

[risingson]

[quote name='Beedster' post='1263178' date='Jun 9 2011, 08:03 PM']Fair point, but I can think of lots of players who've gone from another brand to Fender, or to Warwick, to MM or Wal etc, but none that have gone [i]to[/i] Ric? Perhaps I've missed them?[/quote]

Chris Wolsenholme went from Pedulla to Zon to Rik. Ricks are distinctive instruments and I think they've been tied, perhaps wrongly, to rock music, aethetically as well.

[Delberthot]

Rodger Waters used an RM1999, John Deacon briefly used a 4001 prior to joining Queen.

The one I remember Stanley Clarke using was a black 4000

Pete Trewavas (sp?) used a 4000 as well.

[Stag]

The mighty fuzzwah master himself, Mr Cliff Burton used his BG Ric for the formative years of Metallica then went on to use Alembics and Aria Pro's. But he made his name playing that Ric the way he did... much like a few of the above mentioned names.

[3below]

Not that I am a great bass player but having had one I now find I can get a near enough Ric sound with my G&L. The G&L also does other stuff. It is also better built, has not started to fall apart and suffer vast amounts of paint sinkage unlike the 79 (approx) Ric I had from 1980 to 1990 or so.

When they have :

A better bridge for comfort and adjustment

A better bridge pickup surround for comfort

I might consider another one.

It played very well, stayed in tune impeccably, and I really liked the tone. I just keep listening to Deep Purple, showing my age.

Why do players leave them? like bicycles, guitars and amps you can not have enough.

[4000]

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1263090' date='Jun 9 2011, 07:08 PM']I though Bruce Foxton played Precisions more nowadays?
In most of the recent clips i've seen of him he's playing a Fender, still gets that same sound though![/quote]

He does, and the sound is a million miles away!

[4000]

[quote name='Delberthot' post='1263182' date='Jun 9 2011, 08:06 PM']Cos they're uncomfortable, the bridge is badly in need of an upgrade, if you play without the pickup cover you lose the skin off your fingers on the sharp edges, from the ones I've had they're simply not worth the money in terms of fit and finish versus the cost and waiting time.


Compare it to the simple Precision or Jazz - comfortable forearm contour and belly cut, easy to adjust string height and intonation, you can rest your thumb on the pickup, no mucking about with twin truss rods that have to be adjusted differently from most other basses made.

If I was a pro player and really wanted to get a Rick sound then I'd try different amps, effects etc rather than getting another one.


Oh aye - Bruce Foxton also endorses Waterstone semi-acoustic basses[/quote]

Oh God, not this familiar sh*te again.

[Delberthot]

[quote name='4000' post='1263355' date='Jun 9 2011, 10:10 PM']Oh God, not this familiar sh*te again. [/quote]


How is it sh*te?


This is from experience - if you had a choice of something comfortable and easy to adjust and something with hard edges and harder to adjust then I know which one I'd go for.


And yes, you can get the Hipshot bridge (didn't they have to stop making them because of RIC?) and the Pickguardian thingy for the pickup surround but I wouldn't want to spend £1600 on a bass only to find that I had to buy extra bits to make it easier to adjust

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='4000' post='1263355' date='Jun 9 2011, 10:10 PM']Oh God, not this familiar sh*te again. [/quote]
I best not join in then.............. Ha

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='Delberthot' post='1263412' date='Jun 9 2011, 10:59 PM']How is it sh*te?


This is from experience - if you had a choice of something comfortable and easy to adjust and something with hard edges and harder to adjust then I know which one I'd go for.


And yes, you can get the Hipshot bridge (didn't they have to stop making them because of RIC?) and the Pickguardian thingy for the pickup surround but I wouldn't want to spend £1600 on a bass only to find that I had to buy extra bits to make it easier to adjust[/quote]
And still cut into your arm and still have neck dive! Sorry I wasn't going to join in was I?

Edited June 9, 2011 by stingrayPete1977

[Starless]

[quote name='Beedster' post='1262992' date='Jun 9 2011, 05:51 PM']it's a bass that a lot of well known players[i] used[/i] to play. I guess Geddy is the most famous........[/quote]

Yeah, probably. I can never remember that bloke's name from that 60's Liverpool band.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='Starless' post='1263419' date='Jun 9 2011, 11:05 PM']Yeah, probably. I can never remember that bloke's name from that 60's Liverpool band.[/quote]
Not THE bass Macca is known for though is it?

[Starless]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1263423' date='Jun 9 2011, 11:07 PM']Not THE bass Macca is known for though is it?[/quote]

It is in this house. Around 90% of the Fabs' recorded output from Rubber Soul onwards, and then 10 years solo/Wings? Joe Public might only see him with a crappy wee German thing round his neck, but the reality is different.

And add me to the list of ex-Backer wielders. Fender and Musicman these days. Ricks really are the most expensive novelty bass on the go, but still people get sucked in (until the novelty wears off).

[stingrayPete1977]

Which Macca bass would fetch the most at an auction? Strangely the Hofner fiddle is one I like playing even less than a Ric. Funny old world.

I too have been known to play a Ric in the past but never again, I even turned down a nice 1978 fire glo 4001 (?) for a very very good price. We couldn't shift it even though it was mint!