4000

I understand that completely. It’s not uncommon.

When I used to order strings from them - admittedly several years ago now - I always used to find them a nightmare in terms of response to emails or calls. Having said that, I’m sure they’re very busy.

I used to play the B Quad 4 they had in the Gallery every time I went down, many years back. Sublime neck - even though I don’t normally like a Jazz taper - looked great, reasonably light too. Didn’t like? For me the severe forearm contour was an absolute killer, and I didn’t really like the tone that much (that goes for most carbon fibre-necked basses though). It was ok fingerstyle but I really didn’t like it with a pick. Didn’t get on with the piezos either, but again I never really do. They were sooo harsh.

Well there aren’t exactly hundreds of 21 fretters either but I’ve had one of those. 😉 It may have been, it may not. Who knows? They insisted it was, that’s all I can go on. And Ric have built far more oddities than they have decent records for….however tbh having seen the picture (there wasn’t one in the ad) I wouldn’t want one anyway. All the proportions are waaaaay off. Not good. 😂

My first Ric 4001 cost £295 new in 1980.

I nearly bought one once. It was for sale in a shop somewhere in the UK(I forget exactly where) well before the Internet, in the ads in the back of one of the guitar mags of the time. Unfortunately they weren’t set up to take credit cards over the phone, I didn’t have the cash and it was the other end of the country so it didn’t happen. I did wonder later whether it was actually a 21 fretter (one of which I later did get and which has the bridge further forward) and they just assumed it was short scale, but maybe not. I think Ric are about as keen to do a cheaper line as Wal are. 😉

I started on a Ric, played them on and off whilst buying and selling all sorts of other things (Fenders, Alembics, Warwicks, Statii, Jaydees, Wals, Seis, a Pedulla etc etc - many many thousands worth) and currently - apart from my acoustic bass - only have Rics. The ones I have just work for me. But the rest of it has been an absolute blast. 😁

No. Playing other basses generally reinforces how much I prefer my main bass (well, all my basses really, which are cut from similar cloth). I tried loads of basses in the Gallery last week and I had my main bass with me. Nothing came remotely close.

I guess it’s a Jazz-esque nut width; typically not my preference either. I don’t really spend a lot of time down there though. 😉

That’s really interesting. I nearly tried one they had in the Gallery but a quick feel of the neck put me off as I thought it was too big!

Actually, looking at those I much prefer the tin opener headstock. Interesting though…

Both. I don’t like round necks. I like thin, flat ones.

All the G&Ls I’ve played have had what to me are hideous round baseball bat necks. I’m assuming they must do others?

Yes, I’m sure we had this conversation before!😁

I’ve seen Hackett relatively recently and although I enjoyed it ironically found his band not authentic enough for me (I think we’ve discussed this before). I’d sooner see Genesis, regardless of what the performance may be like, simply because they’re one of my all-time favourite bands and this may - who knows - be one of the last opportunities to see them. So it’s no contest for me in that respect. 😉

As some may know, Hackett and Genesis are playing the same night in Manchester (Hackett’s was rescheduled from last year, IIRC after we’d bought the Genesis tickets). We were initially told that, given the circumstances, the Genesis ticket would be good for either night, but my friend has just spoken to the venue and that isn’t the case, it’s definitely the Friday only. I’ll be going to see Genesis as it’s a once-in-a-blue-moon gig, but it’s pretty disappointing. I do wonder what the chances of a Hackett refund are. Anyone else with the same problem?

I have to check all the time when other people are cooking. It must drive them nuts, but when they’re doing stuff like cooking spuds in goose fat, it has to be done. And the amount of “As a veggie you can still eat fish though, can’t you?” I have to deal with boggles the mind. 😂

The thing is though, when you’re making an ethical choice, you don’t then want to find out that something has snuck past you, as in it turned out you’d eaten an actual ham & cheese sandwich!

I’ve had to do that with various things over the years, when they taste rather more authentic than you expect.

Because that actually isn’t the case. I didn’t give up eating meat because I didn’t like the taste of it. Why do people always assume that? I gave up eating meat because I could no longer reconcile the taking of an animal’s life for my pleasure, given I didn’t need it to live. And the point is, everyone seems to care, as per my earlier post.

It seems that’s the hardest part for a lot of people!

My usual response these days to the interminable “but it tastes good” comment is, “Babies. I bet babies taste great. Tried eating one of those? I bet they’re delicious.” It occasionally gets the point across. Where it doesn’t, there’s always the mention of sex and travel, or hospital food. 😉

The problem is often that people who don’t think it’s a serious issue can’t see why anybody else should be so passionate about it. They need to understand that if someone feels that “meat is murder” they’re likely to be passionate - and yes, sometimes belligerent - about it. After all, it really is about life or death. I have to justify my vegetarianism daily, often ridiculed - at least until my inevitable (belligerent!) reaction - or having to put up with comments like “but animals taste good” whilst being met with horror if I actually (excuse the pun) bite back. I’ve worked with so many people who complain about vegetarians / vegans “going on endlessly about it” whilst completely failing to grasp that they’re doing the exact same thing about eating meat, day in, day out, and who also completely fail to understand that ridiculing people for making moral & ethical choices is not acceptable behaviour.

That story doesn’t fill me with confidence as I was asking about the scale length of a bass at BD over the phone yesterday! Congrats on the bass though!