Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Rickenbackers - Overrated?


Ricky 4000

Recommended Posts

18 hours ago, WHUFC BASS said:

Guitar tech is NOT happy with Rickenbacker basses:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQgAv2jcmcI

Oh lawd - that one again.

Despite all the grumbling, he seems to set it up pretty well in the end and half of his trouble seemed to be remembering which gin bottle he'd left his tools behind.

(I wonder if he complains about Gibsons & other tune-o-matics too?)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

58 minutes ago, prowla said:

Oh lawd - that one again.

Despite all the grumbling, he seems to set it up pretty well in the end and half of his trouble seemed to be remembering which gin bottle he'd left his tools behind.

(I wonder if he complains about Gibsons & other tune-o-matics too?)

To be fair to him, that bridge design is just plain old stupid. I can't for the life of me imagine why they thought that would be a good design.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

oh no the gooched man.Here,s my observations over a long period of years,I have seen pictures of rough ones out the factory but have never saw one in the flesh.

After 35 years or so it,s still my go to bass and I have a few, when it comes to shoddy build I,ve come across a few corkers but all the Ricks have been good.Some of them needed a set up but you learn to do it yourself.I would recommend a Hipshot bridge apart from that alls well.

Embrace the clank it cuts through the mix

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, prowla said:

Yes - that was one to dodge - there was video of the bloke smashing it into the floor and chucking it about on stage; the fact that it survived is noteworthy!

I didn't see the video, but I had looked at his facebook posts and he said about a month ago that he had intentionally thrown it from the stage and he was impressed that it didn't break, so i figured it was one to avoid.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

I didn't see the video, but I had looked at his facebook posts and he said about a month ago that he had intentionally thrown it from the stage and he was impressed that it didn't break, so i figured it was one to avoid.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a gorgeous 78 4001 that was lovely to play. It suffered from a mild lack of beef in the low end which was shame. Had another V63 that was a lot thumpier (esp with flats) but the neck was never happy.

I really like Rics but have yet to find the right one. The thing I found about them was that they make you play in a very different way. It's the subtly shorter scale length and the narrow/parallel feel to the neck which is so unusual. Someday I want to bring the right late 70s or early 80s jetglo 4001 into the fold or even a later V63.

Also, always played mine with a pick. They're just utterly cool instruments in my book. 

Edited by Cairobill
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Cairobill said:

I had a gorgeous 78 4001 that was lovely to play. It suffered from a mild lack of beef in the low end which was shame. Had another V63 that was a lot thumpier (esp with flats) but the neck was never happy.

I really like Rics but have yet to find the right one. The thing I found about them was that they make you play in a very different way. It's the subtly shorter scale length and the narrow/parallel feel to the neck which is so unusual. Someday I want to bring the right late 70s or early 80s jetglo 4001 into the fold or even a later V63.

Also, always played mine with a pick. They're just utterly cool instruments in my book. 

I fitted a push-pull vintage/modern pot to my '78.

But it is a very expansive, thick sound to it.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 I'm currently playing around with a modern 4003S. Feels great - light, contoured....but I'm a bit torn on the tone. I've owned new and old Rics before - but the modern tone is quite dark compared to the older sounds. We'll see down the line if it's a keeper or not!

Edited by spongebob
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, spongebob said:

 I'm currently playing around with a modern 4003S. Feels great - light, contoured....but I'm a bit torn on the tone. I've owned new and old Rics before - but the modern tone is quite dark compared to the older sounds. We'll see down the line if it's a keeper or not!

Pull the treble Tone knob and job's a good 'un!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got myself a fireglo last summer. Have been waiting to find a good project to use for it. So, I decided I was going to use it in a progressive metal project I'd joined. Turns out it's in C# standard. I used it with my trusty Tech21 Dug pedal. Brilliant. Just totally killed. 

It's far from being my go to bass, but it's really good and I love it. Admittedly, the neck had a back now when I got it (new I hasten to add) and one of the feet on the case got broken in transit, but I still think it's a great sounding bass.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, spongebob said:

 I'm currently playing around with a modern 4003S. Feels great - light, contoured....but I'm a bit torn on the tone. I've owned new and old Rics before - but the modern tone is quite dark compared to the older sounds. We'll see down the line if it's a keeper or not!

Not only are the current pickups hotter than the vintage ones, the pot values are different too. Putting 500k tone pots in may help, but for true vintage tone you may have to rewind or replace the pickups, assuming that's what you prefer.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

38 minutes ago, Wolverinebass said:

I got myself a fireglo last summer. Have been waiting to find a good project to use for it. So, I decided I was going to use it in a progressive metal project I'd joined. Turns out it's in C# standard. I used it with my trusty Tech21 Dug pedal. Brilliant. Just totally killed. 

It's far from being my go to bass, but it's really good and I love it. Admittedly, the neck had a back now when I got it (new I hasten to add) and one of the feet on the case got broken in transit, but I still think it's a great sounding bass.

Was that a back bow easily sorted by a trussrod adjustment or something more sinister?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

53 minutes ago, 4000 said:

Was that a back bow easily sorted by a trussrod adjustment or something more sinister?

The way it was set up was that the strings were a bit high and so I went about setting it to my liking. Once I got the action set up, I noticed a rattle. Basically, the neck had a slight backbow so after a quarter turn of each truss rod and lowering of the bridge pickup all was good and the buzzing on the 1st to 4th frets stopped.

I can't get it as insane low as my buzzard, but it's good enough and still probably lower than most people will play.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/02/2019 at 20:10, Cat Burrito said:

For any Ric hating going on, all I can say is that I took my 4003s out last night for a Creedence Tribute show and it totally delivered. I just need to get a bezel so I can get shot of that annoying pickup cover!

 >picture<

Great picture. What is this bezel you speak of? If it replaces the chrome "letterbox" pup surround - I'm interested. Was thinking of trying to make one from a scratchplate, or some delrin sheet. 👍 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I adore my 4003s. I love the sound it makes, the shape and the light(ish) weight.

Annoyances were limited to the awful paint finish on the back of the neck that goes sticky after about twenty minutes playing and the lack of anywhere to anchor a thumb while playing the E string.

The sticky neck thing is apparently well known and affects some basses and not others. I fixed mine by rubbing the back with very fine sandpaper and basically removing the top paint surface. It's made the back of the me know very dull but i don't care as the bass is now all-evening playable. The thumb thing I've sorted with a thumb rest that i made.

What was a beautiful looking and sounding bass, spoilt by some poor design/finish issues is now my favourite instrument. You could argue that for the price this should all be sorted at the factory - but i like the fact that this is my bass and it's customised precisely to my taste.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, 4000 said:

Not only are the current pickups hotter than the vintage ones, the pot values are different too. Putting 500k tone pots in may help, but for true vintage tone you may have to rewind or replace the pickups, assuming that's what you prefer.

Few years back I imported a set of Classic Amplification pickups from the US, and had them fitted to a (IIRC) 2011/12 4003. That helped a little as well, gave it a bit more cut.

With both the pups on full, I just find the newer basses have a bit of a kind of mid-scoop.....needs a bit of amp fiddling to push it through the mix.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...