Rickenbacker... 5s?

[Salt on your Bass?]

Hi guys
Thinking about a rick but I play in dropped tuning - B standad.

I can't see any 5ers a available on their site and having emailed a couple of weeks ago had no response.

I wondered if anyone had dropped the standard tuning on theirs to a b standard set up and how that was panning out, or whether there were any ideas....

Appreciate the input.
Cheers

[AndyTravis]

They've done 5's previously but stopped a while ago. I'm lead to believe they just added a string to their 4's

[Happy Jack]

There are a few 'home conversions' into fivers out there, too.

Can't comment on quality or playability though.

[Salt on your Bass?]

Yeah I think that's my concern Jack. I don't want to layout a significant sum for something that is a gamble or requires home customisation beyond a set up to be honest

[kodiakblair]

There's a fella over in the States,Jeff Rath, converts Rics into 5 strings,you could maybe ask him. When he started posting about them on the RIC forum John Hall took it badly :-)

Jeff's email is on his page.

http://www.3dentourage.com/425/jeffbass.htm

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1506762876' post='3380924']
There are a few 'home conversions' into fivers out there, too.

Can't comment on quality or playability though.
[/quote]

I could have a good guess

[Beer of the Bass]

Given that they have narrow string spacing as a 4-string, the 5-string conversions must take a bit of getting used to. It does look like Rath's conversions are better thought out than RIC's own though.

[Beedster]

[quote name='Salt on your Bass?' timestamp='1506761804' post='3380911']
Hi guys
Thinking about a rick but I play in dropped tuning - B standad.

I can't see any 5ers a available on their site and having emailed a couple of weeks ago had no response.

I wondered if anyone had dropped the standard tuning on theirs to a b standard set up and how that was panning out, or whether there were any ideas....

Appreciate the input.
Cheers
[/quote]

I love Rics but a 5 is a step too far given rarity, meaning you'd be unlikely to play before you buy, and QC issues, meaning if you get a bad one it will be BAD (something that is of course multiplied significantly with a 5). This is all in the context of my having heard generally negative things about the few 5s Ric did produce, especially the B. Have you tried a 4 strung B-D yet, that would have to be the logical start point?

[Skybone]

Yes, most Ric 5 strings were 4 string conversions. IIRC, the current 4004/5 has a wider than standard neck, but they're not only bloody expensive, but also rare as rocking horse doings.

Retrovibe made a few 5 string Fakers that had a good reputation, but again, because they're Fakers, rare as rocking horse doings again, but at least they are reasonably priced.

If you're after the Ric look, but with a low B, find a Faker 4 string & put the low strings from a 5 string on it.

[Woodinblack]

[quote name='kodiakblair' timestamp='1506765530' post='3380944']
When he started posting about them on the RIC forum John Hall took it badly :-)
[/quote]

Really? Well, there is a surprise

[thodrik]

The stoner/doom scene is full of four string Ricks being tuned to B and below. It would just need a good setup and strings to suit.

I have seen a few five string Ricks but I think that they were discontinued a while back so it would be tricky finding one. Converting a four string to a five would lead to really narrow string spacing.

[Salt on your Bass?]

Yeah I was coming to that conclusion with a 4string with b set up.

Some interesting stuff above thanks guys.

Anyone got a low b going on here on a rick then?

I haven't come across one and just keen to understand if it does or doesn't hit the spot in terms of reproducing the rick tone nicely on the b.

Also is the qc really that variable? Anything g to look for?

Cheers

[thodrik]

If you want to hear the sound of a low tuned Rick, listen to Sleep and/or Om. Al Cisneros has been using low tuned Ricks for over 20 years.

Also try stuff like Greenleaf and Dozer. The bassist in that band uses a Ricked turned to drop B.

Even if you don't like the music the sound of the Rick is still there to my ears.

[Salt on your Bass?]

Love om and sleep - that's part of the appeal. I ay in a trad doom band. didn't realise om and sleep was tuned to b.

[thodrik]

Sleep were usually tuned to C, but it is close enough to b. Not so sure about OM.

I think that the guy in Yob used a RIck for a wile, they are tuned to A a lot of the time.

[Skybone]

The original bassist in Yob used a Ric (Isamu? From Elaborations to Quantum Mystic), not sure what the latest bassist uses.

You should also check out any of the Steve DiGiorgio vids on YT where he's playing a Ric, most of the time, it'll be tuned somewhere below the standard E.

[Roland Rock]

Looks like Jon Shuker has embraced the challenge in the past , and you know it'll be top quality

http://www.shukerguitars.co.uk/customgallery.html

[spectoremg]

Have to agree with the comments re BEAD. I've used one for years. We talk about the dusty end on here; IFAIC the G is the dusty string. I also think that modern bass shapes look better with 5 strings - the older 'classic' shapes look hideous.

[Musicman20]

I tried a 5 string Ric yearrrrrrsssss ago! Maybe when I was 15?! It was pure awful.

[Graham]

[quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1506790171' post='3381169']
The original bassist in Yob used a Ric (Isamu? From Elaborations to Quantum Mystic), not sure what the latest bassist uses.

[/quote]

I saw Yob on the Clearing The Path To Ascend tour and the bassist was playing a Ric - it was probably the best bass tone I've heard live.

Though I think he may have switched to EGC now.

[bartelby]

[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1506863901' post='3381567']
I saw Yob on the Clearing The Path To Ascend tour and the bassist was playing a Ric - it was probably the best bass tone I've heard live.

Though I think he may have switched to EGC now.
[/quote]

yeah, last time I saw them he had a gorgeous EGC...


Back to Ric 5s, I've only ever seen one guy play them. Al Cisneros:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKqoNrZ00Bg[/media]

Edited October 1, 2017 by bartelby

[prowla]

[quote name='Meddle' timestamp='1506808182' post='3381315']
I'm guessing that is the guy on Talkbass that posts billions of photos of his weird DIY basses for the most tenuous of reasons? Or is he the other guy who posts copyright information underneath each photo?

I don't understand what makes that guy tick. He converted one of those 4003W basses to a 5er when they were brand new. He then tried to sell it on Ebay for the RRP! No thanks, pal.
[/quote]
Yes - that's him; I almost blocked him.

There was a thread where someone had received an original Ric 5-string to do some work and they shared pictures of it with some rather shonky customisations, along with some choice words; well, the chap in question was the one who did it and he got a bit offended. But, based on that, I would probably not have him work on a guitar of mine.

(But I've just stepped away from TB anyway, so problem solved...)

[Skybone]

[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1506863901' post='3381567']
I saw Yob on the Clearing The Path To Ascend tour and the bassist was playing a Ric - it was probably the best bass tone I've heard live.

Though I think he may have switched to EGC now.
[/quote]

Only followed them up to Midian, heard the Yob follow on and was not impressed. Overlong songs that didn't go anywhere.

I only go on Talkbass because I can't get on here at work.

Edited October 1, 2017 by Skybone

[Graham]

[quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1506872409' post='3381660']


Only followed them up to Midian, heard the Yob follow on and was not impressed. Overlong songs that didn't go anywhere.

I only go on Talkbass because I can't get on here at work.
[/quote]

Clearing The Path.... is well worth checking out, it's a superb record. When I saw them they played it in full, for good reason :-)

[Graham]

I vaguely remember reading that Jon Shuker had built a couple of 5 string Ric copies, don't know if anyone knows about that? Or if I made it up in my head.