silverfoxnik Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 Hi Folks Through lockdown I've been working on writing and recording some original music - first time I've done that for about 25 years - and it's been absolutely brilliant fun... Don't get me wrong, I'm really missing rehearsals and gigging at the moment, but in absence of those two staples of my musical diet, going back to writing and recording has been nothing short of a revelation for me. One of the projects I'm working on is re-recording a whole bunch of songs from my very first band, which started in 1978 - right in the era of punk and post-punk - and it finished in 1981 when I believe we finally split up over 'musical differences', band image , or girls or something.. 😁 Anyway, to try to cut this long story short, in those days I used a Hondo Ricky copy on some of our early recordings before buying a proper Ricky 4001 when I finally had enough money to do so (that bass is sadly long since gone..). I still have the Hondo but it's virtually unplayable.. It turns out that, although most of the old songs sound great played on my present collection of basses (BC Rich Eagle and Xotic Jazz in particular) , on a few of the tunes it turns out that nothing short of that unique Ricky sound will do! So, I'm putting a shout out here on Basschat to see if anyone has a Ricky or decent Ricky clone that they'd be prepared to hire out / loan me for a few days so I can get this project finished? An uber-big ask I know as our basses are like our children, right?.... But if anyone can and would like to help me out with this, it'd be very much appreciated! I'm based in West Sussex near Brighton, but the recording is taking place near Diss in Norfolk, so I could collect and return the bass somewhere along that M23/M25 /A12, Sussex, Kent, Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk corridor. Please PM me if you might be able to help and I'll be happy to discuss hire fees, insurance etc, etc. Thanks for reading as ever! 😊 Nik 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 Nick, when is the recording taking place? I have one of the really good 70s copies that you are most welcome to borrow but, Sod's Law, it is going in today for a little fettling. Should be back in a week or so. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxnik Posted September 7, 2020 Author Share Posted September 7, 2020 Hi Paul, Thanks very much for your offer of help - that's brilliant! 😊 The recording project is happening over an extended period of time as there's a lot of back catalogue to be done so roughly, I'll be doing the journey up to Norfolk on a monthly basis for the next 6-9 months or so.. Whereabouts are you based Paul? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 I'll default to PM, Nick. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxnik Posted September 7, 2020 Author Share Posted September 7, 2020 38 minutes ago, Paul S said: I'll default to PM, Nick. Thanks - and replied! ☺️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 Hope you’ll be putting a couple of tracks from this project up on here Nik, really interested to here them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxnik Posted September 7, 2020 Author Share Posted September 7, 2020 56 minutes ago, Lozz196 said: Hope you’ll be putting a couple of tracks from this project up on here Nik, really interested to here them. Will do Lozz! 👍😊 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 Nik Assuming you want 'that' Ric tone Get a Precision (although it can be done on a Jazz but Precisions as ever are just better) Take the action down. Doesn't matter how low it is now, take it lower Give yourself a bit of scoop on your (all-tube) amp, although a Mesa Titan will do the job Hit the new, but not too new, round-wound strings hard with a pic And this is the really critical bit........................ .........close your eyes and imagine you're playing a Ric (it will not, repeat will not, work unless you do this) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxnik Posted September 7, 2020 Author Share Posted September 7, 2020 11 minutes ago, Beedster said: Nik Assuming you want 'that' Ric tone Get a Precision (although it can be done on a Jazz but Precisions as ever are just better) Take the action down. Doesn't matter how low it is now, take it lower Give yourself a bit of scoop on your (all-tube) amp, although a Mesa Titan will do the job Hit the new, but not too new, round-wound strings hard with a pic And this is the really critical bit........................ .........close your eyes and imagine you're playing a Ric (it will not, repeat will not, work unless you do this) Thanks Chris 😁 That'll be an interesting challenge for me when I turn up at the studio with a very Fendery looking bass and the guys in the band and the engineer say: 'Oi, bass player Geek - Where's the fookin' Ricky? ' To which I shall reply... ' Look Guys, trust me on this one... Uncle Beedster on the Basschat Interweb Forum for Sad Bass Geeks said... ' 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxnik Posted September 7, 2020 Author Share Posted September 7, 2020 ... I expect that'll be when the sampler and bass synths will suddenly make an appearance, whilst I get shuffled off to make t'tea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 Well it worked for Bruce Foxton Nik...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 All joking aside, if I still had my C64, it would be on its way to you right now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxnik Posted September 7, 2020 Author Share Posted September 7, 2020 14 minutes ago, Beedster said: Well it worked for Bruce Foxton Nik...... True, but he were a proper bass player Chris, with cool 'aircut, clobber and everything! 😁 12 minutes ago, Beedster said: All joking aside, if I still had my C64, it would be on its way to you right now Thank you! 👍😊 Actual the ever so kind @Paul S has offered me the loan of his very cool 70s Ricky copy, so I think that I might be sorted for this project... 😊 Yet another example of the Basschat community spirit in action!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 You’ll be needing a bi-amp rig then 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxnik Posted September 7, 2020 Author Share Posted September 7, 2020 3 minutes ago, Beedster said: You’ll be needing a bi-amp rig then You're a very good/bad influence Chris.. That's all I'm saying.. 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 All joking aside (although truth be told, I wasn't joking), sounds like a great project Nik, hope to hear some of it. C 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxnik Posted September 8, 2020 Author Share Posted September 8, 2020 1 hour ago, Beedster said: All joking aside (although truth be told, I wasn't joking), sounds like a great project Nik, hope to hear some of it. C I refer you to my previous comments Chris! 😁 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 (edited) 13 hours ago, Beedster said: Nik Assuming you want 'that' Ric tone Get a Precision (although it can be done on a Jazz but Precisions as ever are just better) Take the action down. Doesn't matter how low it is now, take it lower Give yourself a bit of scoop on your (all-tube) amp, although a Mesa Titan will do the job Hit the new, but not too new, round-wound strings hard with a pic And this is the really critical bit........................ .........close your eyes and imagine you're playing a Ric (it will not, repeat will not, work unless you do this) I would disagree about scooping the mids, I'd argue you need to boost the mids & have a fair bit more treble than bass to get something resembling the "classic" Ric sound. Edited September 8, 2020 by Skybone 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 1 hour ago, Skybone said: I would disagree about scooping the mids, I'd argue you need to boost the mids & have a fair bit more treble than bass to get something resembling the "classic" Ric sound. Mmm, I'd agree re the treble, but keep in mind I was suggesting that Nik use a Precision, so given that's a pretty mid heavy instrument, I'd still scoop to get the Ric sound that's in my head*. Whilst in many tracks the obvious contribution of the Ric is in the highs, the quite powerful lows are there, which is why they're so bloody popular in certain genres (and why they're so good in three-piece bands in my opinion) *Of course the Ric sound that's in my head and the Ric sound that's in your head might differ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 (edited) Your Classic Ric Sound May Vary... I think the Ric is a very mids oriented sounding bass, though probably the higher miss. IMO it does sound great in a 3 piece because of the mids. For me, a P bass is more 'low down' thump, great for bands with more than 1 guitar, or guitar & keyboards. It does of course, excel in most situations, but there again, I don't play a P bass. Nik could always buy that Tech21 YYZ pedal in the For Sale section. 😀 Edited September 8, 2020 by Skybone 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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