Rickenbacker Bass Gets Outed For What It Is

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited February 25, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[ahpook]

[quote name='kodiakblair' timestamp='1501534447' post='3345389']
Dave's Rickenbacker story here.

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4ODN1c_6ik"]https://www.youtube....h?v=z4ODN1c_6ik[/url]
[/quote]

Thanks

[goingdownslow]

So glad I saw this, he has certainly convinced me in to not ever buying such a piece of sh1t.

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

[quote name='kodiakblair' timestamp='1501534447' post='3345389']
Dave's Rickenbacker story here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4ODN1c_6ik
[/quote]

Knowing what he knows now, I wonder what he would make of that particular instrument had he not destroyed it on the road? There are only a limited number of issues that can cause strings to break continuously and I think they're all pretty much curable, so it seems a bit of waste to me.

Edited August 1, 2017 by hiram.k.hackenbacker

[BigRedX]

I don't mind my luthiers being opinionated and a bit grumpy, but please be eloquent and interesting at the same time. Stephen Delft and John Birch both managed it in the 70s so why can't this guy? Instead we get almost 11 minutes of fairly disjointed rambling and swearing while he attempts to set up someone's Rickenbacker bass. I hope he didn't charge the customer for that half-arsed job.

Also I don't get why he would want set-up specifications from Rickenbacker. Surely any competent luthier sets up the instrument by feel based on the customers wishes and not by some numbers supplied by the factory? Why is the pickups having different output levels a problem? If you want them the same output adjust the relative heights until they are the same. Maybe they aren't supposed to be the same. Again it's should be a customer choice. Also why is only being able to get the string wrapped twice around the machine head post a problem? If you've strung it up properly two turns are all you need. It's not a Fender where getting a decent string break angle is dependent on being able to wind loads of string around the post.

There seems to be just so much vitriol being spouted against Rickenbacker basses. If I was a new player this amount of hatred would make me want to own more than ever.

Edited August 1, 2017 by BigRedX

[ahpook]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1501585029' post='3345654']
...we get almost 11 minutes of fairly disjointed rambling and swearing while he attempts to set up someone's Rickenbacker bass.
[/quote]

That's the bit I enjoyed the most

I don't think his intention is a reasoned discussion of the bass, it's as much about 'Dave' as the bass, so if you don't enjoy his patter then you'll not enjoy the video.

Each to their own of course. I know very little about Ricks, having played them so briefly that I'd hesitate to say I have an opinion of them, but Dave's video hasn't swayed me against them.

It did make me laugh tho.

Edited August 1, 2017 by ahpook

[stingrayPete1977]

If someone wants to spend a couple of grand on a badly made bass to try and upset some people on the internet they've never met I think they've got bigger issues than not liking this guys banter!

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

I'm not gonna argue with any of what you've said BigRedX. Dave's his own man and makes a living doing the stuff he films. He has about 84,000 more followers than I do and gets to tinker about with guitars and basses all day day. Sounds like the ideal job to me. Good luck to him.

This did make me laugh though. Apparently the local Greek community got wind that he sets up stringed instruments and he took custody of two Bazouki's.

Not every day you hear Smoke on The Water played on a Bazouki.

http://youtu.be/HMskiFvU0hI

[jonsmith]

Hmmm. Dave obviously doesn't like them - a lot of people don't and I understand that. I do like them, but accept that opinions on what make an instrument enjoyable to play are extremely subjective. They obviously click with some people though (Chris Squire used his - albeit not exclusively - for 50 years).

I've got basses & guitars made by several different manufacturers, some mass producers, some smaller scale. A few of these are Rickenbackers and (certainly on the new or nearly new purchases) the fit and finish on the Rickenbackers has been extremely good, but I've seen a few horror stories from other people over the years. Obviously there are a few turkeys around, but I've seen that from plenty other manufacturers too. I think I've only had to adjust the intonation on one of my Ricks, so haven't been too upset about what is admittedly a pretty poor bridge design. Stringing a 12 string with an 'R' tailpiece is definitely an experience that lingers unpleasantly though! Replacements are available for stock bridges. There's an argument of course that an instrument at that price should not require a replacement bridge, but I've managed to stick with the stock bridge on all my Ricks. In contrast only one of my Fenders has the standard BBOT and I'm not keen on that design either. Twin truss rods are fine if you know what you're doing and arguably offer greater fine tuning than a single one, should it be needed. Never had a problem with puny output on any Rick made after the early 80s - in fact only my active basses have a higher output.

Incidentally, the 4004 model that addresses many of the concerns that people had about the 4001/4003 design is a lower selling model than the 4003, so I can see why Rickenbacker have chosen to be fairly conservative about the 4003 design, however flawed it may be.

I'm not convinced that the only reason Paul McCartney plays a Rick is because he was given one (although it's true he was). I suspect he has sufficient funds not to be restricted to free instruments.

Not sure it's a good advert for Dave that he destroyed an instrument because he was having repeated string breaks. It wouldn't give me a lot of confidence in him setting up my instruments to be honest. I've broken a few strings over the past four decades, most of them on basses featuring the previously mentioned BBOT. Rather than trash the instrument, I've sought to address the problem. The videos are amusing in places, although somewhat disjointed and rambling. I'm sure in general Dave knows his stuff though.

Edited August 1, 2017 by jonsmith

[KevB]

That's always going to be an issue with the youtube channel thing, folks start becoming internet 'celebreties' and it becomes more of a performance for the camera, though I'm sure Dave was probably a bit of a crotchety git to begin with. The guy I used for anything I needed over last 8 yrs or so was never full of the joys of spring but he was far more personable than Dave and did a decent job. Interestingly he was far more into the trickier jobs (though I never took him my Ric) because he could take time over them and charge a decent amount, last time I saw him about 3 years ago he had pretty much given up doing the quick £30 set up jobs, held no interest for him.

[scalpy]

Never come across this YouTube channel before- thank you. He's a damn sight more cheerful working a 3 bolt 80s G&L wunkay. The fanboi in me can't help pointing that out!

[Roger2611]

I used my CMI Rick at a rehearsal last night it was horrible to play and true to form after about 10 minutes the neck pickup stopped working, yet today it works perfectly again......a truely accurate copy!

[kodiakblair]

It's called "Dave's World of Fun Stuff" for a reason, the YT videos and guitar set ups are something he does in his spare time.
He works as a movie and TV special effects man.

[drTStingray]

There doesn't seem to be a lot of love for the Rickenbacker on this forum so I can see why a lot of people like this video.

However he doesnt appear to have noticed the highest profile user of all, or that Larry Graham is pictured playing one on Thankyoufor etc etc etc. He does say the tone is unique and excellent - something I never realised until I saw someone testing one fairly recently - easily as flexible in tone as a Jazz - much more than a Precision. And some elements of those owe their engineering to prehistoric 1950s also.

I also do wish people would learn to pronounce the name properly - Backer as in back door - not barker as in chief barker - or bocker as in knickerbacker (sic) glory!! 😁

Edited August 1, 2017 by drTStingray

[artisan]

Dave's the man 😁
Never heard of him until I read this thread but I've had a good old laugh watching the videos,so thanks for that.

Plus even though they may be crap,I still fancy a nice blue one.

[Geek99]

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1501594767' post='3345748']
That's always going to be an issue with the youtube channel thing, folks start becoming internet 'celebreties' and it becomes more of a performance for the camera, though I'm sure Dave was probably a bit of a crotchety git to begin with. The guy I used for anything I needed over last 8 yrs or so was never full of the joys of spring but he was far more personable than Dave and did a decent job. Interestingly he was far more into the trickier jobs (though I never took him my Ric) because he could take time over them and charge a decent amount, last time I saw him about 3 years ago he had pretty much given up doing the quick £30 set up jobs, held no interest for him.
[/quote]
slight diversion; I found a useful guy for setups in Sutton IN ashfield.

[pfretrock]

[quote name='jonsmith' timestamp='1501591995' post='3345727']
I'm not convinced that the only reason Paul McCartney plays a Rick is because he was given one (although it's true he was). I suspect he has sufficient funds not to be restricted to free instruments.

[/quote]

Bit of an odd choice for someone who spent a lot of time on short scales. I think super-rich people like free stuff. He also had it refurbished for free at the factory. The most amusing thing is I heard Hall originally gave him a right hand model!

[SpondonBassed]

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1501660091' post='3346217']
slight diversion; I found a useful guy for setups in Sutton IN ashfield.
[/quote]

Is he in that music shop two doors down from the party shop?

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited February 25, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[KevB]

Isnt macca's model effectively an 'upside down' neck anyway though (even in RH format)? I'd never really noticed until they brought out the C64 model or whatever it was called.

Edited August 2, 2017 by KevB

[Geek99]

Hardy Smith ?
no- just inside the borders of [s]Mordor[/s] Mansfeld - near the Sir John Cockle - he normally works on acoustics but he made a lovely job of my Stingray - Anthony Dixon

[pfretrock]

[quote name='Jus Lukin' timestamp='1501668613' post='3346357']
That's a hell of a refurbishment- couldn't they just have swapped it for a lefty!
[/quote]
I believe they did swap it for a lefty. Later refurbed

[pineweasel]

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1501669878' post='3346377']
Isnt macca's model effectively an 'upside down' neck anyway though (even in RH format)? I'd never really noticed until they brought out the C64 model or whatever it was called.
[/quote]
They only brought in a proper left handed headstock with the 4003 in 1980. Prior to that they had used RH necks on the lefties.

[12stringbassist]

At 5.30 he had practically bored the balls off me and I gave up on the video - life's too short..
He seems incapable fo stringing a whole paragraph together.
Ok, he doesn't like the bass.

[12stringbassist]

[quote name='SICbass' timestamp='1501561802' post='3345492']
I've never understood the appeal of Rick's. I'd love to see this guy in a round-table discussion with John Hall.
[/quote] That would be marvelous.

I have had none of the issues he describes, except the odd weak neck pickup.