First time Rickenbacker owner! (review)

[Gilmourisgod]

@Aceonbass
Do you have any idea what Mark used for a signal chain on those videos? I dont hear any effects, but maybe a little dirt in there? There's always people in the comments asking, but I'm late to the party, so to speak, maybe asked and answered long ago.

 

[staurosjohn]

...Sweet! Do you still have that,(looks like), series 400 bass rig? Mine was just a single 2x15, and never got to run it @2ohms with another cab. Must have sounded monstrous~ Not super-high power, but essentially bullet proof!

Welp the Peavey rig is looooong gone - along with my strong back ! I also had a TNT 1-15 combo (is still being used at my church ) I can’t remember the model of the rig in the photo - but, yes, it did sound really nice! I, sometimes, used the Ric-O-Sound jack and ran the neck p/u thru the Peavey 4x15’s and ran the bridge p/u thru a Sunn head with a Sunn 2/15 cab… that was thunderous This is what I’m using these days (kinda slummin’ it)

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Here's the other pretty convincing set of Squire tones by the Band Geeks guy, he's been touring with John Anderson. I'd rather see them than the Steve Howe Cover Band called Yes. He uses Helix software, which is pretty pricey. I think he's using a stomp pedal version on tour. Great player, and at least he uses a Ric, unlike Billy Sheridan in the Howe band.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

I tried Ric-O-Sound back in the Day of Lead Sleds, it sounded Epic, but I got sick of lugging two amps around pretty quick. I ran the treble pickup through the guitarists spare Sun and the bass trough an SVT. My back hurts just thinking about it. It seems a lot more viable now using two lightweight Class D amps, but I think the vast majority of Ric owners aren't bothering.

 

[woodyng2]

It’s Billy Sherwood. (Not Sheridan). He’s taken to using Ibanez basses that sound a lot better than the Spectors he was using before.
The Yes Official group is getting tighter and better than a few tours back, but still not a patch on Jon/Geeks, who are truly spectacular.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Without Squire and Anderson, it’s not Yes in my book. Billy is a good musician. but doesn’t seem to care much about sounding like Chris.

 

[Iridescentone]

I read somewhere that Uri Geller plays bass. Is this his signature bridge?

 

[BigBoneRed]

This is what I’m using these days

Nice rig... Do I spy Jazz necks on those P bodies... (The best of both worlds..)~

 

[Aceonbass]

@Aceonbass
Do you have any idea what Mark used for a signal chain on those videos? I dont hear any effects, but maybe a little dirt in there? There's always people in the comments asking, but I'm late to the party, so to speak, maybe asked and answered long ago.

I don't have a clue what was used. It's been years since we've been in contact. I picked up a copy of a CD he made years ago (lots of content from that bass) and then saw him sitting on the jury in an episode of Law and Order.

 

[staurosjohn]

Nice rig... Do I spy Jazz necks on those P bodies... (The best of both worlds..)~

Yup! Here’s a pic of my current stable… since the previous pic - I’ve ‘changed’ the waterslides to be ‘P accurate’

 

[NotHereNow]

I’ve never even seen one irl, let alone tried one. Ill definitely give one a shot if I ever get the chance, but tbh I don’t really care for the aesthetics.

 

[BigBoneRed]

p! Here’s a pic of my current stable… since the previous pic - I’ve ‘changed’ the waterslides to be ‘P accurate’

Awesome..!! That's a lot to digest... do you do all the upgrades yourself?

 

[staurosjohn]

Awesome..!! That's a lot to digest... do you do all the upgrades yourself?

I did do all of the ‘work’ myself! I sold my RIC in 2010 - began procuring & assembling parts in 2012 - as I realized I ‘needed’ thinner, narrower necks - due to arthritis & hand fatigue. They each have dated neck plates denoting ‘birth year’

 

[billdeg]

I finally bought a 4001, but after getting what I really needed first. To know where I am coming from, I believe you should first have one quality bass that handles most situations, maybe two, before you get a Rick or Steinberger or Gibson SG bass, etc. My workhorse is a Fender Jazz 5 because it's so versatile. I also have a Tobias Killer B and a few others. If you don't like the Jazz there are many middle of the road basses like the Fender P bass, etc. My point is that a Rick, vintage 4001 in particular, is a specialized bass and I see no point in trying to neuter it by making it sound more mainstream. Embrace the Rick sound and all its inconsistencies for what they are, IMHO. Make sure the caps are good and the wiring is solid but otherwise put a sansAmp or something like that on it if you want to change the tone. Avoid surgery on what is an otherwise in-spec Rick. If you really hate it, sell it while it's still factory/original and buy something else.

 

[BigBoneRed]

I did do all of the ‘work’ myself! I sold my RIC in 2010 - began procuring & assembling parts in 2012 - as I realized I ‘needed’ thinner, narrower necks - due to arthritis & hand fatigue. They each have dated neck plates denoting ‘birth year’

~Very nice collection!!

 

[rickdog]

That's good to know! I stand corrected, I've read that they were Non adjustable in multiple locations, including here on TB, so apparently it's a misconception that gained a lot of traction.

Is it possible you're confusing the adjustable new pickups with older ones? The "transitional hi-gain" bridge pickup (roughly 1968-72) had slotted-head machine screws for pole pieces that definitely were not intended to be adjusted. The coil was wound around a piece of electrical tape wrapped around the screws, turning them chewed through the tape and then through the fragile coil wire, which I found out the hard way in about 1978. I have a reissue horseshoe in my 4001 now (after playing it for many years with a bodged-in DiMarzio Jazz bass pickup).

Also, I've read assertions here on TB that the pole pieces on the new pickups are... extremely resistant to being turned. This might have given the impression they're not adjustable.

 

[rickdog]

Oh, and a comment related to my vote in the poll: my band has told me in no uncertain terms that if I try to bring three basses (I always have a fretless and a fretted) to a gig they will definitely stage an intervention . My 4001 mostly goes to the studio, but occasionally makes an appearance at a gig when I'm in the mood.

 

[birminghambass]

Is it possible you're confusing the adjustable new pickups with older ones? The "transitional hi-gain" bridge pickup (roughly 1968-72) had slotted-head machine screws for pole pieces that definitely were not intended to be adjusted. The coil was wound around a piece of electrical tape wrapped around the screws, turning them chewed through the tape and then through the fragile coil wire, which I found out the hard way in about 1978. I have a reissue horseshoe in my 4001 now (after playing it for many years with a bodged-in DiMarzio Jazz bass pickup).

Also, I've read assertions here on TB that the pole pieces on the new pickups are... extremely resistant to being turned. This might have given the impression they're not adjustable.

The newer poles are definitely adjustable. They are super stiff from the factory but turn and adjust pretty easily once you get them moving.

 

[TeeSee]

Shielding job on my first Ric clone. I traced the cavity outlines onto a paper template and then used that to make one-piece fitted foil sections. The foil adhesive is conductive, but I always check for conductivity with a multimeter anyway, sometimes you need to use a drop of solder at foil seams connect them electrically. The pickguard took a couple pieces, I just overlapped them a little.

Note the green tape on the pup wires near the the three-way switch. In rare instances, those wires can get fouled up in the three-way switch leaves, so it's good practice to tape them down or use some small cable-ties.

There is a TB'r named @Aceonbass who builds custom harnesses to order if you don't have the soldering skills to swap pots. he carefully matches pot values and uses better components overall. Now that you are a Ric owner, check out the Rickenbacker Club thread for everything you could possibly want to know about Rics. There is also the Rickresource Forum, which is also an excellent technical resource, but it's a Fanboi site that doesn't appreciate much in the way of negative or less than gushing comments about Rics, so just keep it to tech advice.

Not a rick owner but just passin through. I've got to admire your shielding, I can never get mine as flat as that but at least like you all my guitars are shielded, it's the first thing I do, even if there's humbuckers in them just in case I or anyone else wants to put single coils in in future. Plus - I just enjoy it! I've had fenders, cheapo's and not one guitar I had had full copper shielding... Excepting one. Which was a Retrovibe Telenbacker I bought a couple of years ago. When I came to tear it down I was bitterly disappointed that the guy who makes them had already beat me to it!

 

[ryco]

About tone: Never heard of a Ricky bass not getting enough treble tone = everything from sharp crispy treble to fat poofy lows. My '80 4001 was my main in punk bands because it could cut through two geetar Marshall stack sludge so well. Get that Chris Squire treble bite off the bridge pup and then dial in some fat bottom with the neck pup.

Used to run Ric-0-Sound with the highs (bridge pup) thru a Sunn 200s to the 12" in a Sunn 8028 (12+18 EV), and the lows (neck pup) thru a Concert head into the 18". Puncy solid state bass lo and dial in a tubey warm hi end with a little distortion.
The good ol' days!!