Skybone

Like many, I've owned a fair few different basses over the years, from a dodgy Kay P bass to Westone to Aria Pro through to EBMM & Fender, but always lusted after a Ric. A few friends have owned Ric's of various vintages, and I've been able to get a shot on them, but never actually got around to owning one myself until about 6 or 7 years ago when I managed to pick up a Jetglo 4003 from 2005. I admit, it did take me a while to get used to the neck, as they are so glaringly different from the traditional P or J style neck, it's worth putting the playing time in to get used to it though IMO. Last year, due to the economic situation, I had to sell my 4003 ( ), so the hunt was on for a replacement. The Fender Modern Player Jazz had been getting some good reviews in the guitar press, looked good, and having owned a few Jazz & Jazz inspired basses over the years, I bought one to replace the Ric. Initially, the MP felt & played nice, but there was something wrong. I wasn't getting on with the neck and so started looking for alternatives. The main contenders where a Fender/Squier P bass (preferably with the P/J pickups) or a Yammy BB. Having never played a BB before, I tried a BB424 in a local shop, and it felt good, though the finish of the neck was a bit rough. While looking for good deals on either a Fender P/J or a Yammy BB424, I stumbled across a gorgeous looking Rockinbetter. It ticked the boxes more than the others, so I bought it. When it arrived, it looked better in the flesh than in the pics, and it not only had the look of the bass it's emulating, but the feel of it as well. Very happy with it indeed, cracking bass. There's a couple of things I'd like to change, but they're very minor indeed, and purely cosmetic (like finding a copy of a certain "Born to Lose" sticker). For anyone who says that I bought it because I can't afford a real Ric, you're right, I can't afford a real Ric, I had to sell my old one because I couldn't afford to keep it. But in the absence of an official Rickenbacker budget line along the Epiphone/Squier model, the Rockinbetter not only fits the bill, it's a cracking piece of kit in it's own right.

I bought a black one last year to replace my old 4003. Well built and decent sounding, but at the end of the day, I just couldn't get on with it.

I bought a Rockinbetter the other week, and it's absolutely fine with no issues at all... apart from a dead spot on the 2nd string (D in traditional tuning) around the 10th fret. Can't believe how good these things are, I had to sell my 4003 last year due to the economic climate etc, replaced it with a Fender MP Jazz (MIC), which frankly just didn't cut the mustard after the 4003. Even though I've had Jazz basses & Jazz inspired basses (with Jazz style necks) over the many years I've been dabbling, I couldn't get used to the neck after the Ric. Got the Rockinbetter, and felt right at home again. I've had some brand new, big name guitars, straight out of the box, that have had not only bad setups, but dodgy electrics. Remember having to take one guitar to bits to sort it out properly, before taking it back & trading it in for something else that worked.

AFAIK: All Aria guitars & basses up to the mid-late 80's were built in Japan, even the budget lines. I've had a few Aria's during the late 80's/early 90's, and they were all MIJ. The Elite I & II were basically single & twin pickup SB 900/1000's, with different fret markers (ovals instead of dots), and finished in red, white & blue as opposed to the clear finishes that the SB series usually had. The SB 900/1000 and the Elites were through neck designs, with a vaguely J bass feel to them. Both the SB's and the Elites had gold plated hardware and active electronics. The basses that Cliff Burton used were called the SB Black'n'Gold I & II, and were surprisingly black with gold hardware. The reason that the 80's basses seem pricey these days is because of the acceptance that MIJ instruments during the 70's & 80's were of pretty high quality and most have stood the test of time (blowing the "Jap crap" argument levelled by some out of the water), and also that they have Artist association, the SB's with bands like Duran Duran & Spandau Ballet, the Elites/Black'n'Gold's with Cliff Burton and other rock/metal bands of the period. I've had an SB Speciall II (passive/bolt neck - sold and then bought another years later), SB 900 and an SB 1000, all were great guitars at the time, but all were turned around for something else when the GAS set in, though the Special II is the only one that I regretted selling (both times) and the only one I'd consider getting again. I do kick myself for missing out on the Elites that I've seen gathering dust in various shops over the years, but missed out on them I did. Check out: [url="http://www.matsumoku.org/guitars.html"]http://www.matsumoku.org/guitars.html[/url] for more Aria Pro II & other Matsumoku built guitars from the period (had quite a few MIJ Westones over the years as well, and I really, REALLY regret selling my old Thunder 1A!)

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1336147712' post='1641725'] Cynically I am guessing the reason it doesn't have a DI/XLR is so it doesn't massively undermine the Sansamp franchise [/quote] Erm... Tech 21 make SansAmp's. IIRC, the VT Bass was released as a pared down/cheaper version of the Bass Driver DI. If you want the DI, get the Bass Driver.

[quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' timestamp='1353958586' post='1880295'] Remember them on that channel4 programme ECT.It was very funny.The mic wasn't working, So the singer was looking like a giant goldfish,) .Warlock were great tho'.they too had sound problems. [/quote] Remember that one as well... followed Venom IIRC (who's sound was awful as well IIRC), singer was on a Cherry Picker up above the stage and looked like a right knob! Funny though!

My second ever bass, bought on Grand National Day 1985, in red & graphite grey. Let's say that it was a HUGE improvement over the Kay Precision that I had up to that point!

I bought a 4003 a few years back, after lusting after one for over 20 years... definitely a keeper (but it could be a tad lighter! ). One regret I have about gear, is passing up a chequer-bound Jetglo 4001 with a lot of playing wear in the late 80's when the shops could barely give them away. Ah well...

I know MD's bought a J-Station, but... The PODxt only came in Guitar [b]OR[/b] Bass Versions, though model packs are available for purchase & download through the Line6 Monkey application (free from Line6). The updated version of the PODxt was the PODx3, which actually had Guitar [b]AND[/b] Bass amp sims on board, as well as other sims/models specifically for acoustic guitar & vocals (IIRC). The x3 was available as the desktop "bean", the rack mount "Pro" and the floor board "Live" versions. The PODx3 has now been superseded by the POD HD series (to my knowledge, there's no Bass specific variant available yet). Last time I looked at them, there were only 3 Guitar specific, floor board only models available. Again, I think that there are model packs available for purchase & download, but no bass specific variants. [b]EDIT:[/b] OK, so there's about 5 versions of the POD HD available, 3 floor boards, the bean and a Pro version.[b]</EDIT[/b] Saying that, some of the PODxt's "Guitar" amp models sound better with a bass than they do with a guitar. IMO. I had a Bass PODxt for a while, but was so unimpressed with the sound, I sold it and went back to using my old red PODxt instead.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1328060511' post='1521331'] Go Matamp. And tell them I sent you.[/quote] +1

D*A*M Meathead.

[quote name='thumperbob 2002' timestamp='1327486896' post='1511961'] I do remember a red haired girl in Liverpool dancing madly only to realize it was that scott aitken and waterman chick with the massive cheeks-( cant remember her name but she was very nice )[/quote] Dat wus our Sonia dat like. Straight outta Anfield.

musophilr might not get using FX on bass, but quite a few other people do get the use of FX on bass. It'd be a boring world if everyone had the same bass sound wouldn't it?

When will house Sound "Engineers" learn that the PA is for vocals, and maybe the drums. Bass and guitar amps can fill the space adequately enough ta very much. Why else can a bassist justify running that 200/300/400/600w amp, if it's not to "fill the space"? Why not just run a DI into the PA, and save yourself the expense and backache? Cos big bass amps, like big guitar amps SOUND GOOD.

First Bass Amp: Marshall Bass 20 combo Second: MacGregor 100w 1x15 combo Third & Last: Ampeg SVT15T 1x15 combo. Very short list! Traded the Ampeg in quite a few years back for something I can't remember, I wasn't using it, and had switched to guitar. Had a good few guitar amps over the years, but you're not interested in them!

Many moons ago when I was first starting out on guitar, I only had an old Ampeg combo (SVT15T), and no guitar amp. Ran the guitar into the Ampeg with a Zoom multi FX. Needless to say, it sounded awful, though I can't remember whether this was down to the player, the multi FX or the amp. Probably a combination of all 3! Now it's the other way round, don't have a bass amp, but I use a POD if I want to plug the bass in.

Good memories... my second ever bass was a Westone Raider, Explorer stylee with a split P-bass style pickup and two-tone paintwork, though thankfully not as garish as some that were available at the time! Mine was the red/metallic charcoal version. Think I paid about £100 for it. My second Westone was a truly superb Thunder 1A (with old style script on the headstock), sounded amazing with the full 18v active circuit in play, think I paid about £40 for it from a mate of mine. Sold it a few years later to another mate for about £50. Need to get in touch with him & see if he's still got it!

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1326328493' post='1495689'] Think in effect it is like a stereo amp run in bridge mode. At a guess the output transformers are same as a 4 EL34 amp, and within range but not ideal for 4 KT88. Transformers were even tougher to get new then than they are now. At the time there wasn't UK demand for valve bass amps, everyone was rocking Trace I guess, the demand was in the States, and was enough that the US distributor was taking an EL34 Matamp and bodging in 6550 and calling it a bass amp because 'everyone knows' bigger valves is more. What you actually get is more exploding because the whole thing is unsuited, and they were getting sent back as warranty repairs. Everything all went wrong because of that and this bass amp design in progress got caught up among it, lots of shouting in northern, I'd guess prolific use of the C word. [/quote] I spoke to Jeff about this quite a while back, and that was basically what was happening, the then US Distributor was taking GT heads, revalving and selling them as bass amps. Loads failed due to the "non-factory approved modifications", leading to warranty claims, gaining a bad reputation, not helped by the distributors rantings on various websites. Also to add fuel to the fire, he then claimed the Matamp name as being owned by him, and not Matamp in the UK. Also from Jeff, their development of a bass amp came about after the departure of Dave Green from Matamp, because he "refused to build a bass amp", which is ironic, as he now works for Ashdown, designing/building their "Hayden" line of amps. I went over there to pick up a new faceplate for my guitar amp, and asked Jeff about the circuit diagram he was working on.

[quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1326279718' post='1494758'] Made by a luther with a lazy eye.[/quote] Lax Luther?

I mainly use the HiWatt & Plexi amp models, with a mixture of 4x10 & 4x12 cab models. There is always the Fender Bassman model if they don't do anything for you, it was originally a Bass amp anyway. But as with any amp/modeller, get in there, mess about with various settings/models/cabs, and find something that sounds good to you.

[quote name='smurfitt' timestamp='1326035795' post='1491323'] Hi all, need some info: Which has the skinniest neck and shortest in length (the ric looks pretty darn long to me yet both have 20 frets). Which is better for a wide variety of music[/quote] Sounds like you already answered your own question. If that's your search criteria, then just try out loads of different Fender Jazz Basses.

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' timestamp='1326182117' post='1493284'] get whichever one is right for you[/quote] Thumbsup, nods in agreement, etc, etc.

To quote an infamous Twisted Sister video: "What do you want to do with your life?" "I wanna ROCK!" But without the 80's cheese...