Smash Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Just thinking about buying a new bass next month or sooner and would like something different from my usual Jazzes. I thought about a Rickenbacker 4003 but only see people play them with picks which I don't use. I wondered if there is anybody here who uses a 4003 playing finger style (no slap) on them. The trouble for me is I use the front pickup on Jazz basses to rest my thumb and can't see where this would be possible on this said bass, anyone tried? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AussieBassman Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 I do, thumb rests on the end of the neck sometimes but usually I play with a "floating thumb" technique. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magee Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 I play a 4003 with my fingers. Either I play on the neck side of the pick up cover and the thumb flies free, or I play between the pick up cover and the bridge and rest my thumb on the pick up cover. If you do decide to go for one I have one for sale here: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=43797"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=43797[/url] All the best, Matthew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wizbat Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Geddy Lee from Rush used to use a ric and he,s a big fingerstyle player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirkThrust Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 I used to have one and played it with my thumb resting on the big chrome cover over the front pickup. I found it to be a very comfortable playing position. If I'm playing a J or P type then I will rest my thumb on the front pickup so on the Ric it would mean I was playing a bit further back but I never had a problem with that, in fact I preferred the extra string tension there. A Ric is such a different feeling beast to a Jazz anyway I don't think you'll get away without some modification of your playing technique. In the end I sold mine because the sound didn't work with the band I was in but I was quite happy switching between a Fender and the Ric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smash Posted March 16, 2009 Author Share Posted March 16, 2009 Cheers for the replies... I seem to have a love hate relationship with these, would love to give one a go but there aren't any around my area (Norwich). A few people tell me they sound clanky/brittle which isn't my sound, anyone here could tell me their thoughts it would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirkThrust Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Not too sure where the clanky/brittle description comes from. My absolute favourite Ric sound is Glenn Hughes on Deep purple's Made in Europe album and I bought one on the strength of that sound. I naively thought that a 4003 would get me that sound ignoring the fact that he played with a pick though an overdriven valve amp and that he was also playing a 4001 which sounds quite different. It's difficult to describe the aural reason I stopped using the Rick but in my case and in the band situation at the time it just didn't seem to have the same bottom end grunt as a Precision. At the time I blamed the bass but it could just as easily have been my amp setup or the room. I found the sound kind of drifted in and out of the mix and it just didn't speak with the same authority as a Precision. When I changed over to a Precision the drummer commented that it sounded like I had gone from a £9.99 Argos special to a real bass. Not very scientific but you probably get the idea. It could have been down to so many different factors that it's difficult to give relevant advice based on my own experience. You really have to try one out for youself in your own situation. The thing that sold me on the Ric in the shop was the fantastic neck, but again that is so subjective you really have to try one for yourself and make your own mind up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonsmith Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 (edited) Pedant corner: Glenn Hughes was using a Precision by the time Made In Europe was recorded. It does sound great though. There's more of an evolution in sound over the life of the 4001/4003 bass, rather than a distinct difference in tone that relates directly to the change between the two model numbers. A mid 70s 4001 will sound pretty similar to a 2009 4003 with the tone cap bypass disengaged, although some might argue that the less robust neck of the 70s model adds some resonance. Rickenbackers can be clanky, if that's what you want, but with the correct choice of strings and EQ, it's possible to get quite a different sound (e.g. compare Paul McCartney's sound with Chris Squire's). Edited March 16, 2009 by jonsmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adee Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Chris Wolstenholme from Muse is another Ric player usually with fingers. I've had no 'clank' or 'brittleness' from my Ric sound ever, it all depends on the EQ settings as it does with any bass. I think the 'Clank' is a bit old hat now, probably relating more back to the seventies. I've found mine punchy, full with plenty of bottom and just sounds superb. Infact I was so unimpressed by my USA P-Bass compared to the Ric I sold it to buy a Guild B-301 Rickys are a bit of a 'Marmite Bass' you must try a couple before [u]you make up your mind [/u] Don't let anyone try and sway you either way, it personal taste and half of the people who make comments (not necessarily on Baschat) about Ric's probably havent even owned one ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 You'll find everything you need to know on here - [url="http://www.rickresource.com"]http://www.rickresource.com[/url] I am a Rickenbacker nut - you'll never catch me with anything else. I have also had some other bassists who have said to me that a Ric is not a 'real' bass as you need to use a pick. Of course, those people and opinions are simply nuts. Across the board, you'll find a real mix of Ric players who favour either finger style or pick. Geddy was a finger player....one of the most famous Ric owners! It all comes down to personal preference, and if you want that Ric sound. I've never had any complaints about using mine - it's all a part of the sound I bring to the table...and as I said, I'll never use anything else. Then again, if you can find a decent one at a sensible price......good luck!! There is currently a 2 year plus waiting list on new ones, and with the pound/dollar problems, I believe that prices have risen again to nearly £2000 for a 4003. This may also be raised by the time of delivery if rates change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smash Posted March 16, 2009 Author Share Posted March 16, 2009 Thanks for the info guys plenty to think about now. I never really liked them until someone offered me one in a swap deal which I declined, stupidly, it was all red with black hardware really stunning, it would have worked out to be £850. One of my fave bands uses a Ric (Death from Above) which with distortion sounds really good to me ears. Gonna have a proper think it's either this or a Status.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adee Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 [quote name='Smash' post='436091' date='Mar 16 2009, 01:58 PM']Gonna have a proper think it's either this or a Status....[/quote] Your right !Your going to have to have a proper think, 'cos your looking at both ends of the bass spectrum ! Good luck and enjoy ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirkThrust Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 [quote name='jonsmith' post='435990' date='Mar 16 2009, 12:38 PM']Pedant corner: Glenn Hughes was using a Precision by the time Made In Europe was recorded. It does sound great though.[/quote] Ha. So that explains why it sounded different Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 [u][b]"When I changed over to a Precision the drummer commented that it sounded like I had gone from a £9.99 Argos special to a real bass."[/b][/u] ....and there's me normally arguing against the normal drummer jokes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wizbat Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Hey smash, I,m in spalding in lincs which is not a million miles away from norwich and you,re welcome to come and try out my 4003 of you wish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean.Robinson Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Hi, personally i love my Ric, no other bass i own or have played can touch it. That said like people say you definetly have to play one first as what i love about it i could easily see someone hating. The main thing to me is the neck and comfort to play (and i play with fingers). The neck is lightening fast and i play with a moving anchor technique. I tend to play over the bridge pup and when i play the E i rest my thumb in the gap between the opening of the pickup surround and rest it on top of the pickup. I dont know if that sounds a little odd but it is incredibly comfortable. With the neck i think the most noticeable thing is that it is the same depth all the way down, at first i just thoguht it felt different and took me a while to work out why but in short i love it With regards to tone i would never discribe the bass as clanky or brittle and thats with an incredebly low action, it is still very clean. I find the tone to be very full and smooth and the bass sounds brilliant with a very slight bit of valve distortion to it. Hope this was some help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stag Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 (edited) I adore my Ric. It holds a special place for me because a lot of people in my family (some of whom arent about anymore) contributed to it for my 21'st birthday many moons ago, so ill never be getting rid of mine either! I got one basically because they look cool and my hero at the time (a certain Mr Cliff Burton, who also was a fingerstyle genius) played one. I havent been disappointed... its done more gigs than I care to mention now and is showing some of the effects of that, but it still sounds the business. The neck thing is a bit of an issue (particularly on the old 4001's) so I would certainly advise trying it out for a while first. Particularly if you play in F a lot. lol Edited March 21, 2009 by Stag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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