Ricky 4000

Isn't "record" just an abbreviation of "recording"? Therefore "vinyl" is actually more descriptive, and short for a vinyl record... ing. 😁

Literally LMFAO. 😁

I love that tune (and the video). Here's a bit of trivia from Bootsy's Wiki:

Town Called Malice, oo, great song. There's a Jam documentary on Sky Arts right now as it goes. 👍

* Reassuringly expensive. 😁

I suppose publishers don't give a hoot unless there's real money being made... they probably see it as good publicity... like the old saying goes: "Ain't no writ without no hit". Whether let's say, a successful Queen trib band should pay up to Sony - I dunno... I dunno if they already do... as my honourable friend from Worcester suggests - that's probably for a different thread.

So, nobody should play what they didn't write themselves? Or just pretty young ladies shouldn't? Or if they do, they shouldn't appear to be "happy" about it? 😁

If you don't like how they look, or sound - and they haven't changed the uncomfortable ergonomics - then I think I can save you 2 grand by saying with some certainty, that you still won't like it. 😁 Sorry about this, Mr Hall. 😌

Trivia note: Apparently, hearing Good Times was what prompted Queen to come up with AOBTD. I'm surprised Nile Rogers didn't want 50% of it. 😁

I'm sure you realise that I started this as a daft / light-hearted counterpoint to the Stingray - Underrated thread. But seriously for a moment, I'm glad you like your Ric. One of these days I must try out a new / modern version. Many years ago, mine rescued me from constantly chopping and changing basses in search of the 'right' sound. Although the decision to buy it had nothing to do with sound. I'd always wanted one. Visually. Since I was a kid. When I saw this one up for sale in a rough n' ready music shop, I was in my 20s, and it was the only affordable (to me) Ric' I'd ever come across, because it was already old (at the time, 70s unfashionably old, not 60s desirably old), rather battered, and with non-original Grover tuners. I didn't know I'd keep it, but the cure for "always another cheap bass syndrome" just happened to me right there and then. Over the next nearly 30 years, I never really thought about changing it, and until coming on here, I never really thought or worried about the "faults" (tricky to adjust bridge, low string break angle, neck dive, chunky neck, painted neck!). I just always tried to play it like I wanted it to sound. And trust me, if you're new to the studio side of things, most of the sound you want (or don't want) comes from how you play, not what brand of guitar you have. Anyway, it must sound OK, because over the years it's been borrowed for recordings and performances (apparently the E string sounds particularly good!), and a couple of times it's been recorded on the very Neve console that Queen recorded Rhapsody on in the 70's (one of those times with me playing it!). Well now it's old, and probably needs a complete overhaul (like me!), but my relationship with it has been great. Although it's not comfortable to play sitting down (for the right hand or forearm). But there's no other bass I'd rather look at... except maybe one with two pups, four knobs and a chequerboard binding. That would be cool. 👍

Yeah, but it's all about the look... Rickenbackers LOOK great. That is all you need. 👍

My God you're right... of course, it must have been Elwood who sold the Caddy... I had that so wrong - incidentally, like I do with most chord changes.

I think it was Jake who sold the Caddy to buy a microphone..? Yeah, that happened while Elwood was in prison. 👍

I sold my Impreza to buy a microphone. That's not strictly true, I sold it because I was given a van - but it is similar. 👍

Welp, what I generally like to do is listen to a recording, and once I more-or-less get the idea of the bass part (usually wrongly, because what we hear and what we think we hear from the bass are often different things)... (bass is funny like that)... anyway, it doesn't matter if you're a fret or two out (especially at the "bassy" end where it's harder to tell). (I once spent all day listening to a tiny bit of a whole afternoon of rehearsal, because there was one teeny bit in one of the songs that I thought sounded good - yet I couldn't replicate it... eventually the drummer came in, and decided it wasn't me, so it must have been a guitarist) (dammit). Anyhoo, further tips: 1. Don't ever feel comfortable. That is the moment before you realise you haven't moved your fretting hand ready for the next note in a really simple bass line* and you're screwed. b. Don't concentrate on the next bit - you'll mess up the bit you're playing. 3. Don't concentrate on the bit you're playing - you'll mess up the next bit**. 4. Don't worry about horrible fret buzz and finger noise - apparently it doesn't come out on recordings (like a vampire doesn't appear in a mirror - weird eh?). 5' There are 2 types of bass fills: The ones everybody in the room is expecting (you have to have a go at those), the ones that nobody is expecting (you don't have to do those), and one other type... I thought of it just now, but it's gone... 5a. People may tell you that fills are best unrehearsed, wrong, random, loud, and half a beat late - this is not true. 6" People may tell you that uncomfortable / embarrassed glances from other band members is jealousy - this is also not true. 7. As you're already a guitar player - you must know all of this already. Hope this helps! 👍 * Don't ever play something that people think is easy, or something that sounds easy. It's more embarrassing to mess that up. ** see "b."

Because she's clearly playing it (or learning to mime it that exactly would mean she could play it anyway). And, she's a lovely young lady. I'd rather pick up basslines from her than somebody that looks like Lemmy. 😁

She deserves the hits IMHO.

Yep, every day, Dad! I figure I've between 1-10 years left on this planet, and I might be as good as her by 3021. 😁

I think so, my lips are about an inch and a half further out than normal... is that about right? 😡 Actually, I'm beginning to think that the "small girl" above is a bit of a hustler... she can also play Mt Everest (What Is Hip). 😌

No, not really... differently rated, yes. It's like, there are bass players, and then there are Rickenbacker bass players. People think Rickenbacker players are the sort of folks who drive a Subaru Impreza (stereotype - yawn)... well that is simply not true... if it were a Japanese import Impreza, running at least 400/400, then yes, you're probably right. But please don't go judging every Subaru owner to be a Rickenbacker player. It could be a farmer FFS, and everybody knows a farmer would play a Fender. Thank you for your time. 😁

This... not as naturally easy (for me) as it looks... Why does my playing sound so "wooly", when that small girl can play it just fine?? Where's my short scale bass... 😌

So would you say a Jazz is "better" than a MM then? 😁 To be honest, this smacks of "My Dad drives a Vauxhall, so Fords are crap". I want at least one of everything to be fair. Except a Gibson. I hate Gibsons. 💩

Thanks for your reply, Marc. 👍 Yes, I think if I'm going to become serious about getting a Stingray, more research is necessary! It's just the locality of that particular example is tempting me... but although I'd like to contact the seller to check it out, I don't want to end up buying the thing just because it's close to home - if it's not the best choice for me... and of course, I wouldn't want to pay over the odds either... Presently, there's my old (1973) Rickenbacker (which feels like it's become more of an antique than a modern player*). Then recently, I bought a Westfield P bass for £60. that I'm ridiculously happy with. I just can't stop playing / fiddling about with it*. Most recently I bought a fabulous miniture short scale J bass* from a superb chap and member on here - for no other real reason other than he had one and I didn't. Now I feel I need: J basses - A cheap one, and an expensive one*. An expensive P bass*. A Stingray*. Oh, and a Warwick*. * This is all since I've been "active" on Basschat. I was quite sane before that. 😁