What don’t you like about Rickenbackers?

[brianrost]

I've played two fretless Rics and both were incredible. Without the frets, they sound totally different. The fatal problem is the side dots (on every fret location...so over 20 of them!) don't line up with the dots on the fingerboard, makiing it a total PITA to play in tune...for me, anyway. Why they inlay the fingerboard dots in the first place is beyond me.

 

[wmhill]

I like a good one (but not enough to want to own one). Unfortunately, you don't find the good ones that often. It seems like a lot of the ones out there are owned by folks that really wanted a Ric via its legendary status, not because they picked it up and really fell in love with it for what it did in their hands. Because of that, most that I've played were not all that great as far as the way they played. The construction/finish is the typical hit & miss that has become standard for Ric in later years, but the fanboys overlook it because they now own a legendary Ric of their own.

 

[Michael Simpson]

The only thing I have against mine is that it needs a refret. Hardly an issue on a 46 year old bass though

I feel they get an unnecessarily hard time by people who don't have a thing for Rics. Sure the newer ones can be a hit or a miss and I'll be the first to admit I don't care for the neck profile on the newer models. But mine fits my hand great!

Also, the binding that a lot of people seem to dislike isn't an issue. Sure if you drape your wrist over the edge it may get uncomfortable, but if you keep your elbow a little more upright it's perfectly comfortable.

 

[maxschrek]

4001V63 owned and kept but almost never played. Great bass but I like these better:

 

[The Mogpipe]

I’ve never owned a Rickenbacker, and have only managed to play one in a store once, very briefly 10+ years ago. That being said, I really dig the sound they get, and the look of them and would one day like to get one, BUT...I often read people here saying they got one and didn’t like it at all for “ergonomic” reasons, which is horribly vague.
So, my question is, what are these reasons that people don’t like them, specifically?

(Poll included to gauge how many people are actually speaking from experience.)

Never owned one. And yeah, their 'janked' up bodies are interesting and/or attractive. It sounded good when I played one at the music store. But it felt like a toy. I know less weight is a good thing, but it felt so small. And maybe even fragile. Prob just my mind.
("You don't know my mind!" Critter)
My immediate inclination was to put it down and try the fretless Squire Jazz that was near by. Another first for me, the fretless. It felt great and sounded awesome!!! Someone from across the store journeyed over to see what kinda bass was being played, it played so nice!! So I learned that day; 1. Ric's look cool but feel like a toy. 2. Fretless Squire Jazz may be on my shortlist!!!!

 

[wishforbass]

Well I can talk about 3 things I do not like about it .
1_The weight is high for me .I usually prefer much lighter basses so with the weight over 9lbs ,the bass is in my no no zone .
2_The sharp edge on some models are really annoying. I like round edges so I can play the bass comfortable and sadly I can see many good bass manufacturers are producing their product with sharp edge for example new Ibanez BTB ,schecter and rickenbacker older versions have that kind of edgy sides which is not my taste.
3_The sound is kind of too much same for me .I mean yeah it sounds good but for this price range I prefer my bass has much more different sounds availble.I like the idea of separate out put and ...but still same sound .

Bounce,The bass price range and what it actually is not my choice .I did not grow like many people to see my heros play it so I do not have special connection to it .Logically I can recmmend much more valuable basses .Another annoying thing is the availability of the brand which is very poor here and doesn't not worth the effort for owning one .

 

[Darbitrator]

Walked into Manny's in NYC in April 1978 and got my lefty Mapleglo 4001 w/ Ricko-Sound for $495. Still have it and love that my cutaway on the headstock is on the bottom (same as Macca). For this reason alone I will never sell. Still fits like a glove against my body. Although over the years it's been a challenge to sound guys attempting to enhance the low end. Very treble-ey.

 

[DanAdams]

I had a beautiful Autumnglo 4003 in the early nineties. I had it because I thought it looked cool, and I still think that.
It was second bass, and my first "nice" bass. it replaced an inexpensive 80s Cort.
My bass parts were not coming through in recordings. I went to a store and compared it to a few other basses to try to find something more clear and concise.
Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING in the store got me closer to where I wanted to be, which ended up being a MusicMan Sabre.
At that point I knew I was never going back to Rickenbacker.

Now I can't believe that in the early 90s, on a dishwasher salary I owned a classic Ric 4003, then a pre EB Sabre, and then a Antigua jazz bass... All for a few hundred bucks each. I'm richer now, but own nothing worth a third of any of those.

 

[Claymore]

So, from what I gather after reading the responses, it would be a real crapshoot ordering one online? Best to physically lay hands on one before purchasing so you don't end up with the "firewood" variety? I realize you could probably say this about any bass but other manufacturers seem to have more consistent QC than what has been mentioned here. I've never actually seen one in a music store so that's what makes try-before-you-buy a bit tricky.

 

[Spupilup]

I got a Jetglo 4001 in June of 1973. I loved everything about that bass. I sold it in the early ‘80’s when I finished school and started me career. I also sold my G&L L1000 purchased in December of 1980 as well as my GK amp and EV TL cabinets.

I often wonder whatever became of that Ric. It was a thing of beauty both visually and sonically with toasters and checkerboard binding. Every now and then I’ll see one on Reverb and wonder if it could be my old bass.

I’ll own another one, soon enough. I bought a CLF L1000 about 2 years ago to fill the void left by my original G&L so, it’s only a matter of time.

 

[backin82]

I have never owned one, and never played one. I have no interest in owning or playing one. I think they look old, heavy, and weird. I imagine that people who like them also own or would love to own 1950's Cadillacs or Thunderbirds for all the same reasons they would enjoy Rics.

 

[Chad Michael]

... the way they sound in my hands.

However, if you handed one to Chris Squire or Geddy lee - they brought out the magic in a Ric

 

[PennyroyalWe]

So, from what I gather after reading the responses, it would be a real crapshoot ordering one online? Best to physically lay hands on one before purchasing so you don't end up with the "firewood" variety? I realize you could probably say this about any bass but other manufacturers seem to have more consistent QC than what has been mentioned here. I've never actually seen one in a music store so that's what makes try-before-you-buy a bit tricky.

That’s what I was thinking. Best to try in person first, but it’s impossible to try one before buying. That’s why I’m thinking, if anything, buy from a seller who accepts no questions asked returns, and be prepared to send quite a few back until you get a good one.

 

[Ooba Tooba]

Friend of a friend brought one over and it was the first time I played one. A 4001 mapleglo. My first impression was that there was just waaaay too much gloss on the neck. I thought they looked very cool, and I like the treble thing. So I stuck with my tried and true F Jazz’s until I found the right Jazz. 5 string Elite with Aguilar pickups. I will never sell it. But I got the Ric gas and ordered this one.

its definitely a different animal, but believe me the quality is there. It’s an extremely well made instrument. The satin finish all over was a big selling point. A few who have played it both remarked that it pretty much plays itself. You just don’t want to put it down. I have to dial in my sound with it. I got rave reviews from my band mates in the one practice I took it too, but I need more alone time with it and my rig to fully bond with it I think. Poster earlier mentioned a skinny lover. Been there and it’s kind of accurate, but not uncomfortable to me. Just different.

 

[MichelD]

I liked mine when I had it and played it in a cover band in the 1970s.

Sounded pretty darn good when we played "Already gone" by the Eagles, Linda Ronstadt's version of "That'll be the day" or "Running on empty."

But starting in the 80s I regressed and started playing more rootsy, old time country and folk music, got an upright bass and sold it with no regrets. Still have no regrets.

 

[ElectricBass72]

In my opinion, Rickenbackers are superior to Fenders. Taste is subjective... I just like the tone of Ricks better than Fender P's and J's.

 

[luciens]

I think I've owned more Rick 4003's than multiple copies of any other bass; I lost count at 5 over the years, but it's not as many as 8, I don't believe.

The things I don't like about em are the bad ergos on the strap - they have mild neck dive, and the upper horn is a long distance from the body. It digs into my chest, forcing the neck down somewhat. Just makes it a bit painful to play in the lower registers. Seated, it's ok.

The other good news/bad news thing is the tone, which is notoriously kind of "thin" in terms of low bottom, as compared to its main competitor the Fender P and J and other FSO's. Only bad if you really need a lot of grunt like a Jazz bass, but great if you like the grindy trebly tone. Nothing else sounds as bad or good, respectively.

The bridge was finally updated in 2020, so the my old complaint about the bridge has basically been fixed. The rear pickup mounting is also goofily complicated, a hangover from the Horseshoe pickup days. Now it's just a single coil PU, so the big "bathtub" route and the super complicated mounting bracket is a lot of machinery for a much simpler job. OTOH, if it were changed, it wouldn't be a 4003 anymore.

I also never liked the binding on the 4003 and prefer the more plain jane look of the 4003s.

Everything else is likes, though...

L

 

[Stranger Danger]

I love their style but they are like a really skinny, bony lover. All knees, ribs and elbows.

Sorry if that was weird, but it was the first kind of accurate comparison my brain came up with.

No man, you nailed it

 

[gpTron]

I'm not a fatass so the binding doesn't "cut into me" and I play with a floating thumb technique so I don't have the "hurr durr I don't know where to anchor my thumb" issue. My Ric 4003 is the most comfortable bass I've ever played.

 

[Iridescentone]

I tried to like them back in the day when they were THE bass to have (along with the reverse T-bird).

In the end, after three separate attempts, the only features I actually liked were the scale length, the "crushed glass" fret markers, and the checkerboard binding. They long ago disco'd all that cool bling, so all they have to offer me now is the scale length.

That's not to say that I'd pass if an old horseshoe 4001 fell into my lap for cheap! There's still something to be said for having one each of all the iconic basses. The 4001 def qualifies (even if I detest the damn things).