Rickenbacker - versatile or not?

[CamdenRob]

I think they are pretty versatile, you can either have clank or clang...

[BetaFunk]

I saw Jamaaladeen Tacuma play a Rick with Ornette Coleman's Prime Time around 1980. It was probably the last bass that you'd choose for that type of music but it sounded great.

[simon1964]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1379413011' post='2212269']
I think they are pretty versatile, you can either have clank or clang...
[/quote]

Which of those did McCartney do with the Beatles? I don't remember any clank or clang there.

[Norris]

Mine is versatile, just don't expect it to produce a 'P' thump - it can't (at least not without heavy EQ).

But everything else is there in the controls.
- Use a single pickup for extra clarity, or both for more of a complex Gibson/humbucker type of sound
- Treble to the max and switch to vintage sound for clank, tone right down for smooth, full-on, bladder-loosening lows

My favourite 'default' sound is switched to use both pups, neck on full tone, bridge on min

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='simon1964' timestamp='1379418070' post='2212363']
Which of those did McCartney do with the Beatles? I don't remember any clank or clang there.
[/quote]

Left the flats on it.

[Annoying Twit]

I don't own a Rickenbacker. However, I own a bass which might politely be called a Japanese, ahem, 'tribute'. I've spent some time trying to find any difference, visual or sonic, between mine and a real Ric. I haven't yet been able to do so. I haven't had an opportunity to play a real Ric but I'm going from demos such as: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsRvPivoXww

Whatever others think of my bass, e.g. blasphemy, I just love the sounds I get from this bass. Everything seems to sound good. Playing near or over the neck, or near the bridge, with fingers or a pick, strings played gently or really attacking the string. With effects or without (I got some really nice distorted sounds - though I did so through a non-bass Roland Microcube on headphones - last night). It just seems that whatever I do with this bass, it sounds good. (Must fix that earth problem sometime though). There seems to be tons of versatility. If this isn't a versatile bass, could someone please recommend a bass I should try out to see what real versatility is?

I'm only guessing that the same will apply to a real Ric, as when I listen to real Rics they sound the same as what I have (minus modern push-pull cap).

[Green Alsatian]

I owned a 1982 Rick 4001 for ten years (1992-2002) and found it to be just as versatile as every other two-pickup bass I've owned. It didn't do the burpy bridge-pickup soloed sound, but the Fender US '62 AVRI Jazz that I had from 1998 didn't do the plummy neck pickup sound.