prowla Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 I kindof like them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 2 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said: Difficult to criticise without playing one, It's not difficult watch, they are junk! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Strange really, from my own point of view, as a friend of mine recorded a fantastic jazz/rock album in the 80's ( i still have it ) and he used a 4003 and the sound was ace. You'd think i would have one I really hate the look, though. Not a fan of chunky necks either. I sacked an ex girlfriend for the same problem 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 2 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said: I think they’ve lost the plot personally. They look like really bad (Ali-Baba) Chickenbackers. I'm assuming they're not NAMM prototypes/vanity pieces or anything? We're drawn to things visually, by association, by memory. Those are horrific. If I saw one of those hanging in a shop I think it would be difficult not to laugh out loud. They look like toys. I reckon there'll be some hardcore Rickenbacker nuts that'll buy these and retrofit them with stuff to at least make them look like their 4001/4003 brethren. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 I'd be very tempted if my finances allowed (which they don't). I like the look and sound of Rickenbackers, and the slim-bodied proportions (I started on an Ibanez faker), but the daft metalwork and lack of an effective 5-string put me off, and the 4004 loses too much of what I like about the looks IMO. So this does tick all of the boxes, the walnut model especially. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 (edited) - Edited March 1, 2022 by Jus Lukin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 47 minutes ago, Jus Lukin said: I know there's a lot of default Ric hatred here, but I thought that amount of vitriol over a shot of the headstock was pretty bloody minded! Having now seen the whole thing, it's not my cup of tea- but then neither is the 4004. What they have done, to be fair, is split the difference between the 4003 and 4004 from a visual standpoint. That may be as close as Ric ever get to trying to appeal to a broader market! Those pickups: Technically there is no reason to house a pickup in anything but the usual rectangle, beyond a bit of a gimmick. However, those ovular Delanos get a pretty good rap, presumably because people tried them and liked them. Visually and sonically, I like the normal Ric pickups, but I am intrigued as to what they've done here, and why. Certainly, I'll reserve judgement as to whether they're any good for when actual reviews start coming in, or even when I've had a chance to try one myself. This particular model won't shift my desires away from a 4003, but then I like the look, sound, and anachronistic features. For those who don't, it seems that even dealing with the big ones (pointless Ric O'sound, annoying bridge, annoying bridge pickup mount, uncomfortable binding) isn't enough. Agree, and compared to the latest range from Fender, Ric are at least being a little different. It's been said before and it'll be said again, most of the people who talk about Rics being crap have either never played one, or only played one that had sat around a shop without being set up, with dead strings etc etc. Get a good Ric, set it up to your liking, learn its idiosyncrasies, and 9/10 you will be a very happy bass player. They've been played by a whole lot more players than is generally believed, and in a lot more genres than those we generally associate them with (watched TOTP from the late 70's the other day and pretty much everyone from punk through prog through disco was playing a 4003). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Exactly. Surely the whole point of the Rickenbacker bass is that it isn't a clone of a P or J? BTW before 1980 they'd have been playing a 4001... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 I wonder if they've trademarked the pickups. I think they're a bold, interesting design; for me, however, the different neck, pickups and bridge means that they shouldn't be a 4003. It'll be interesting to see how they sell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12stringbassist Posted January 25, 2018 Author Share Posted January 25, 2018 These are prototypes (which they will sell for big $, I guess). I think they will see the feedback on the pickup shape and revert to a normal shape, then the world will be happy. Thank God they have sorted the bridge out. They need to start offering it on 4 strings, too. It does amuse me though, when so many people say that Ric don't ever change anything.... and then when they actually DO... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 2 minutes ago, 12stringbassist said: These are prototypes (which they will sell for big $, I guess). I think they will see the feedback on the pickup shape and revert to a normal shape, then the world will be happy. Thank God they have sorted the bridge out. They need to start offering it on 4 strings, too. It does amuse me though, when so many people say that Ric don't ever change anything.... and then when they actually DO... Yep - I think they're kindof cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 I think it’s just the pickups being dairylea slices that bothers me about the appearance. whenever i see one I do feel a draw, but I must admit I wouldn’t buy another - though a 4004 would sway me possibly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Pickups are a bit unusual, but so were the originals (imagine if they came to market with the horseshoe now). The key thing in this discussion is that as far as I'm aware none of the contributors have played one or even heard one, and they're really the more important factors when it comes to a bass. Those PUPS could be game changers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chiliwailer Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Woah, I wasn’t expecting to see those pickups!!! ^ lets hope you’re right Chris! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 (edited) They do look like bad copies. I would also agree, if they had been different basses, not a 4003 7 minutes ago, Beedster said: The key thing in this discussion is that as far as I'm aware none of the contributors have played one or even heard one, and they're really the more important factors when it comes to a bass. Are they? Is that why we all play the same bass? Edited January 25, 2018 by Woodinblack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 To clarify my position on Rics why we need to be insulted as to say we've never tried a good one the shoddy frets, shoddy binding,shoddy body colour finish bleeding into the white binding (every blue one I've seen), the shoddy bridge, shoddy sharp body edges, shoddy neck dive, shoddy splits in the head between the laminates, shoddy pickups with shoddy sharp edges has almost put me off trying them but it didn't, I've actual gigged one a couple of times before giving back. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 (edited) 4 hours ago, BigRedX said: Exactly. Surely the whole point of the Rickenbacker bass is that it isn't a clone of a P or J? BTW before 1980 they'd have been playing a 4001... I'm surprised you like them, the guy who said he wouldn't buy a 5 string bass that didn't have 2+3 tuners to keep the B and E on the same side giving more room for the smaller strings on the opposite side and a straight string lye, I'd be upset with that Ric5 layout if I'd made it in my shed, you're the first to poo poo Fenders but they've made a much better job of mine. Edited January 25, 2018 by stingrayPete1977 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Of course Leo didn't design it, they stole it from here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 11 hours ago, jonsmith said: A different bridge too, so they've obviously made an attempt to deal with some of the concerns people had (as voiced above). Visually, it's not doing it for me though, in fact I think they would have been better doing this on the 4004. Are they trying to win the "ugliest bass ever made" competition contest at the Namm ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 I don't actually mind the look of them tbh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 On 23/01/2018 at 15:23, discreet said: Surely the make-do, cobbled-together look IS the essence of 'Rickness'? Rrrowl! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 2 hours ago, stingrayPete1977 said: I'm surprised you like them, the guy who said he wouldn't buy a 5 string bass that didn't have 2+3 tuners to keep the B and E on the same side giving more room for the smaller strings on the opposite side and a straight string lye, I'd be upset with that Ric5 layout if I'd made it in my shed, you're the first to poo poo Fenders but they've made a much better job of mine. I think the ric headstock looks poor as that A string tuner is out of line with the others, but the 4/1 of a fender just looks like a last minute afterthought as it was going out the door 'Oh stinky poo guys, we haven't got enough room for the 5th tuner' - 'no worry, just throw it on the other side'. Couldn't put up with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 2 hours ago, stingrayPete1977 said: To clarify my position on Rics why we need to be insulted as to say we've never tried a good one the shoddy frets, shoddy binding,shoddy body colour finish bleeding into the white binding (every blue one I've seen), the shoddy bridge, shoddy sharp body edges, shoddy neck dive, shoddy splits in the head between the laminates, shoddy pickups with shoddy sharp edges has almost put me off trying them but it didn't, I've actual gigged one a couple of times before giving back. The Rics I've owned have been excellent, high quality instruments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 20 minutes ago, Woodinblack said: I think the ric headstock looks poor as that A string tuner is out of line with the others, but the 4/1 of a fender just looks like a last minute afterthought as it was going out the door 'Oh stinky poo guys, we haven't got enough room for the 5th tuner' - 'no worry, just throw it on the other side'. Couldn't put up with that. Yep - I think the 4+1 headstock makes it look like the extra string was an afterthought, which it was. That' just me, speaking as a Ric owner and other brand 3+2 and 4+1 5-strings too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12stringbassist Posted January 25, 2018 Author Share Posted January 25, 2018 I've got 4 4003's and the only issue i have ever had with mine is with the Midnight Blue finish bleeding into the binding. It stank of paint when I opened the case and while the paint felt fine at the time, it obviously wasn't and I got sticky hands a lot from it. The discoloured binding wasn't the issue as much as the utter sh*t I got from John Hall for asking about it on forums, including his. The bleed was a known problem. The bass was a total keeper, though and the bleed is just a bit of mojo, I suppose. I have never had tail lift, bad frets, poor action or anything. The neck pickup is normally set weaker on a 4003 and I wish it wasn't but them's the breaks. I always play with both on and everything set to 10 on the Rics and they just sound great. I'm not a snivelling Ric fanboy. They have made some right dogs, but fortunately, I haven't ever played one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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