RICKENBACKER OBSESSION

[geofio]

As a few of you guys know i was diagnosed with a nerve condition affecting my neck and was advised to give up playing bass!!!, i have always had a rickenbacker 4003 with me the past 30 years, sold the ones i had on basschat. but as the weeks went past i just had to have a rick in the house i cant explain. so managed to get a new 4003 today only manufactured 3 weeks ago!!! first time mapleglo for me and i must say the quality is outstanding as is the tone and i am fussy. this one came direct from the Rickenbacker rep in the uk . it is just flawless, i feel normal again i was getting all frustrated not having a 4003 in the house lol, glad to see it back.

Edited September 21, 2012 by geofio

[gub]

So are you going to be playing it or is it just going to be in the house ? Bugger if you have to give up playing alltogether !

[rogerstodge]

Even if you just play sitting down at home, better than giving up altogether, bass playing becomes part of us. Lovely Rick mate.

[geofio]

Cheers guys, i will be playing sitting down, and will play as long as i can, better than not playing at all, and the rickenbacker is a beauty, i feel normal again lol, i tried using a cheap bass, just was not the same.

[BottomE]

Your new bass looks gorgeous. I wish i liked the sound of Rics because i think the design is so cool. Enjoy it.

[dmz]

I'd love to have one again one day - preferably a 4003S.

Anything different about the 2012 model - Or is it generally the same spec as the 2010 ?

[Cairobill]

I am beginning to fetish Rickenbacker 4001s. Seriously. I have been very close to pulling the trigger on the BG 4001 on the sales board. Trouble is, I already have a BG Ric 4001. My thought is to have one with flats and one with rounds. That's obsessional. I also want a Jetglo badly...they are such beautiful instruments...

[Cairobill]

I have been discovering how good they sound over the past couple of years. With flats they occupy this perfect slot in a three piece sound. As a result the sound my band makes has this incredible clarity and stability. I've been auditioning other basses and nothing is working as well as the Ric. Ironic really given how often people complain about Rics being hard to mix. FLATS...bass nirvana...

Edited September 19, 2012 by Cairobill

[Cairobill]

What's the neck like on your new 4003? Skinny?

[Cosmo Valdemar]

How's the E?

[Mr Fretbuzz]

[quote name='rogerstodge' timestamp='1348074147' post='1808947']
Even if you just play sitting down at home, better than giving up altogether, bass playing becomes part of us. Lovely Rick mate.
[/quote]

+1 :-)

What's the difference between 4001 and a 4003?

[Black Coffee]

Lovely basses.
Sounds fantastic on every Motorhead song ever played. But then thats Lemmy.

I have owned three in the past but just couldn't get comfortable with them without pulling palm rests off and tweaking them.

Had a 4003FL maple, a gorgeous fireglo / maple fretboard, gold hardware Laredo (in photo) and a 4003 maple.

I've been tempted to go there again but I am obsessing over a fanfret bass called Dingwall. Can't put her down.

Sorry to hear about the nerve injury. I would hate to be unable to play, it becomes part of you.

Edited September 19, 2012 by bassman344

[cloudburst]

Have you thought about getting a second opinion regarding this fairly serious medical condition?
Not your neck - I mean the fascination with Ricks. :-)
Just joking. Best wishes with it.

CB

[AntLockyer]

[quote name='geofio' timestamp='1348075195' post='1808965']
Cheers guys, i will be playing sitting down, and will play as long as i can, better than not playing at all, and the rickenbacker is a beauty, i feel normal again lol, i tried using a cheap bass, just was not the same.
[/quote]

FWIW When I saw Jack Bruce he sat down for a fair amount of the gig. Didn't detract at all.

[Beedster]

[quote name='Cairobill' timestamp='1348082789' post='1809118']
I am beginning to fetish Rickenbacker 4001s. Seriously. I have been very close to pulling the trigger on the BG 4001 on the sales board. Trouble is, I already have a BG Ric 4001. My thought is to have one with flats and one with rounds. That's obsessional. I also want a Jetglo badly...they are such beautiful instruments...
[/quote]
[quote name='Cairobill' timestamp='1348082959' post='1809122']
I have been discovering how good they sound over the past couple of years. With flats they occupy this perfect slot in a three piece sound. As a result the sound my band makes has this incredible clarity and stability. I've been auditioning other basses and nothing is working as well as the Ric. Ironic really given how often people complain about Rics being hard to mix. FLATS...bass nirvana...
[/quote]

I have my 4003 strung with Ric 4005 flats and my (uhum) Faker 4001 strung with rounds. The're two completely different beasts in that combination. I'd totally agree re the three piece thing also; I don't think I've ever played a bass that sits between drums and guitar as well as my Ric, and given that I was a 100% Precision guy at the time I made that discovery I took some [i]serious[/i] convincing. In a four of five piece I'd possibly take a precision or a Jazz, in a three piece it would be the Ric every time, it just does the job.

Geofio, good for you mate. You are obsessed, but so what? Just hang on to this one a while eh

[Beedster]

[quote name='AntLockyer' timestamp='1348088127' post='1809241']
FWIW When I saw Jack Bruce he sat down for a fair amount of the gig. Didn't detract at all.
[/quote]

A lot of drummers seem to also?

[geofio]

thanks for all the comments guys, i appreciate them. the neck on this one i would say is fairly skinny, i had tried the limited run of walnut burst models and those necks were really chunky my opinion, the grain on the neck is just incredible the caribbean rosewood, the E string is spot on on this bass also, always a worry on rics. honestly no complaints with this bass growling straight out the case, all i had to do was raise the treble pickup slightly and restrung with rotosounds. excellent bass. very happy to have a rickenbacker at my side, i had great fun today playing and was pain free. thanks guys. George

Edited September 19, 2012 by geofio

[geofio]

i intend to beedster, i have realised they are part of me , just feel lucky to have a great example. cheers

[bertbass]

As Antlokyer said, Jack Bruce plays sitting and if it's good enough for him it's good enough for you.

[geofio]

cant argue with that.

[spongebob]

Hope it doesn't appear in 'For Sale' soon!! Make sure to keep this one!!

[4000]

I can't not have one. I have to have two.

[bassmachine2112]

Great stuff,ship back on an even keel.
I,d be lost without my Rick,nothing like them.
I,ve had damage to my shoulder/neck as well as wrist and fingers,nothing worked to relieve the pain.
I got a copper bracelet.
It took about 6 weeks to start kicking in but it works for me.Doctor couldn,t give an explanation but I was off prescription painkillers.Haven,t had any for 20 years now.
Maybe it,s in your head about copper but they have been using them since the greek empire ,the romans found the copper in this country was highly prized for it,s qualities.

[geofio]

my problem is mechanical, the nerves coming off my spinal cord are being crushed by bone so no cures, it is too dangerous to operate on so physio and pain killers are my only option. my mind is settled now i am happy to have a rick and had great fun playing last night, that bass is just a pleasure to play. before it was the thought of the cost of the 4003 versus use!!! i dont care now happy to have the bass and enjoy it when i can. thanks for all the comments guys. George

Edited September 20, 2012 by geofio

[geofio]

this one will be staying with me spongebob. cheers