How to get a sound like a Rick, without a Rick?

[alyctes]

I'm beginning to hear the reasons people like them. But I'm not likely to have the dosh any decade soon. So, if I want that sound, what;s the best way to do it?

Any info/recommendatrions received with interest. Thanks

[Fionn]

The sound of a Rickenbacker can be accurately replicated by sucking the old dead gas of long-decayed sin directly from Satan's anus.

The sound is exactly the same, but the look is more aesthetically pleasing.

[CamdenRob]

A similar sound can be attained by purchasing a pair of drumsticks and hitting them together...

[BigRedX]

Which Rick do you want to sound like? Paul McCartney's? Chris Squire's? Lemmy's? Mani's?

[stingrayPete1977]

I find it's all in the neck dive, tip a P bass up and see how it sounds, if something is missing try slicing your fingers on your right hand until they bleed a bit!


Man they look good though!

[Happy Jack]

At the risk of offering a serious suggestion, and thus impeding the torrent of piss-taking heading towards the OP, I'd start by lowering the action to the point where the strings are routinely clanking against the fretboard.

No, really I would.

Then I'd set the EQ on my amp to remove almost all of the bass.

I'm not trying to be funny.

[Gareth Hughes]

There's a great pedal by Wren &Cuff - the Suppa Phat Phuk. You can set it to remove some lows, overdrive the signal and add upper harmonics. To me it's a convincing enough Rick sound like Chris Squire or Geddy Lee, but without the talent.

[PaulWarning]

most of the Ricks I've heard sound very knocky, so boost the mids around 600 Hz, having said that Macca's didn't sound like that and most people want the opposite, hence the smiley EQ

[chris_b]

[quote name='alyctes' timestamp='1472772718' post='3124230']
if I want that sound, what;s the best way to do it?
[/quote]
Sit in a darkened room until you feel normal again?

[HowieBass]

Surely it's all in the fingers?!?!!

[Highfox]

Imo, only a Rik will get you there. It is a unique sound, combination of pups, neckthru and woods

I had one but didn't really get on with it, like a lot of others on here have.
I now use a faker that is easier for me to play lighter, cheaper, sounds a bit different (tho with the neck pickup isolated it gets close) and I just prefer it to the real thing, there you go.

[Highfox]

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1472804422' post='3124337']
Surely it's all in the fingers?!?!!
[/quote]
It's funny because I'am normally one to say that
A lot of it is, but choice of axe will have it's own accent, guess a bit like what pre amp, box or amp you use? Maybe.

[karlfer]

I love all this "Rick sound " stuff.
Who's?
Geddy, Squire, Lemmy, Entwistle, Burton, McCartney?

They all use different amps, cabs, live effects, studio effects,strings, techiques etc.
Live sound, throw an (undoubtedly excellent) engineer in to the mix ( )

I can get most P's to do a passable Rick sound IF SUCH A THING really exists.

[Beedster]

[quote name='Highfox' timestamp='1472804495' post='3124338']
Imo, only a Rik will get you there. It is a unique sound, combination of pups, neckthru and woods

I had one but didn't really get on with it, like a lot of others on here have.
I now use a faker that is easier for me to play lighter, cheaper, sounds a bit different (tho with the neck pickup isolated it gets close) and I just prefer it to the real thing, there you go.
[/quote]

That's the truth of it, there's tricks to getting [i]one[/i] Ric sound for sure, for example Squire's, Maccas etc, but to get all of them, which all Rics can do because despite what people say, they are extremely versatile instruments, you'll need a Ric. IME there is no instrument that has quite such a unique set of tonal characteristics.

[Beedster]

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1472804976' post='3124342']
I love all this "Rick sound " stuff.
Who's?
Geddy, Squire, Lemmy, Entwistle, Burton, McCartney?

They all use different amps, cabs, live effects, studio effects,strings, techiques etc.
Live sound, throw an (undoubtedly excellent) engineer in to the mix ( )

I can get most P's to do a passable Rick sound IF SUCH A THING really exists.
[/quote]

Yep, fair points Karl, but the Ric sound [i]does [/i]exist. In purest form - noFX, tone wide open - it has a pipey quality, especially from the front PUP (it's what Macca's mid-era Beatles tone was defined by). Yes, plenty of players have used a lot of amplification and effects to extend that tone, but I think there's something about the core of that tone that led those players to use Rics in the first place. Let's face it, it certainly wasn't ergonomics

[karlfer]

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1472805071' post='3124343']
That's the truth of it, there's tricks to getting [i]one[/i] Ric sound for sure, for example Squire's, Maccas etc, but to get all of them, which all Rics can do because despite what people say, they are extremely versatile instruments, you'll need a Ric. IME there is no instrument that has quite such a unique set of tonal characteristics.
[/quote]

Exactly Chris
They are daft versatile, which is why I always chuckle when I hear the phrase "Rick sound".

[Beedster]

... and when you hear pure Ric tone, you recognise it. There's a few seconds of Ric on a Taylor Swift track - I forget which - played with a pic, both PUPs open, and it just screams "RICKENBACKER BASS' at you The only way to get that tone without a Ric is to use a synth, I've genuinely never found another bass that can do it.

[karlfer]

In fairness Chris, you are much more experienced with Ricks than I am, but, for me, the original core Rick sound was fingerstyle with flats.
In my world, the 1st one I noticed to expand on that was Chris Squires, although I know he was only one of many experimenting.
As I understand it, he used a guitar amp for "treble" pup, bass amp for "bass" pup.
He really took it a long way from the core sound.

Yet many folk call his sound The Rick Sound.
Even the difference between pick and fingers is massive.

And whats the matter with ergonomics? Don't you like wrist slashing binding and most of the chromework off a Cadillac Eldorado

Edited September 2, 2016 by karlfer

[Highfox]

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1472805620' post='3124352']
... and when you hear pure Ric tone, you recognise it. There's a few seconds of Ric on a Taylor Swift track - I forget which - played with a pic, both PUPs open, and it just screams "RICKENBACKER BASS' at you The only way to get that tone without a Ric is to use a synth, I've genuinely never found another bass that can do it.
[/quote]
Same thing with Paul Gray on bass with the Hotrods and the Damned, unmistakable Rik for me. That soft clank
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twBjYX8ni4I

Edited September 2, 2016 by Highfox

[PaulWarning]

Gareth Holder aka Brian Helicopter from the Shapes is who I think about when someone mentions the Ric Sound
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrAEkvWuK8A

[Highfox]

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1472806734' post='3124359']
Gareth Holder aka Brian Helicopter from the Shapes is who I think about when someone mentions the Ric Sound
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrAEkvWuK8A[/media]
[/quote]
Like that.
How could you get that sound with a P or Jazz? I don't see it.

[bartelby]

[quote name='Highfox' timestamp='1472805807' post='3124355']
Same thing with Paul Gray on bass with the Hotrods and the Damned, unmistakable Rik for me. That soft clank
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twBjYX8ni4I[/media]
[/quote]

You gotta love PG.

2 reasons I'd love a Ric: Paul Gray and Cliff Burton...

[bertbass]

Pickup placement plays a big part in the Ric sound. Copy the placement and use single coil pickups and you're mostly there. I've done it with jazz pickups, roundwounds and a pick. That's for my version of the Ric sound anyway.

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='Highfox' timestamp='1472805807' post='3124355']
Same thing with Paul Gray on bass with the Hotrods and the Damned, unmistakable Rik for me. That soft clank
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twBjYX8ni4I[/media]
[/quote]

I love it when an expert bass player announces "and you can hear that lovely clear piano tone" before playing a few notes that couldn't sound less like a piano if you hit it with an adjustable spanner.

[HowieBass]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1472817974' post='3124494']
I love it when an expert bass player announces "and you can hear that lovely clear piano tone" before playing a few notes that couldn't sound less like a piano if you hit it with an adjustable spanner.


[/quote]

I thought EXACTLY the same!