Ricky through a Markbass amp

[Mr Fudge]

I am thinking of getting a Rick 4003.

Will it make much of a difference sticking it through my SA450, or should Ricks ideally go through Valve amps? I didn't even consider this until I had a conversation with a bass player I know about it and he pulled a face at the thought og Ricks through Markbass heads.

Is the difference in tone negligible or drastic?

Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

[alanbass1]

You just have to try it and find out. If it sounds good then that is al that matters - the tone difference between even solid state amps can be wide (my TC amps sound very different to my Markbass amps, and my Eden different to both of these) so it is not just a Solid State versus Valve thing. Most people associate the classic Rick sound with all valve amps though.

[KevB]

I'm sure a ric was played through a marbass amp at the recent Nottm bassbash, sounded fine. I've never played mine through an all valve rig and it's always sounded immense, cuts through like nobody's business. I'd forgotten how good it sounds until I heard it from a proper distance being played by someone else at a jam session the other week.

[Prime_BASS]

[quote name='KevB' post='1043457' date='Dec 1 2010, 10:22 AM']I'm sure a ric was played through a marbass amp at the recent Nottm bassbash, sounded fine. I've never played mine through an all valve rig and it's always sounded immense, cuts through like nobody's business. I'd forgotten how good it sounds until I heard it from a proper distance being played by someone else at a jam session the other week.[/quote]

Yeah!!
I can't remember whose Ric it was but I played through my amp (in my sig), and I'm sure someone else played theirs through it aswell.

It sounded great to cut a long story short.

My guess is your friend is rather snobbish since the markbass amp you mention is as SS, and maybe he has a preconceived about how rics should sound.

The thing about Markbass amps is that they are very transparent, in terms of as what you put in you get out, a bit nasaly in the mids but that about it IMO.

When I played a RIC at the bassbash it sounded very full and was very impressed with it's sound (I'm not a passive kinda guy) and I didn't think "this would be better with an all valve amp"

Best thing to do, try a RIC out on your rig to let your self decide.

[Mr Fudge]

My friend is more technical and a much softer player than me from what I have seen. I am a very aggressive finger style player, that's just the way i play, no great technique etc ... and I'm usually the first to post on here saying that tone is all in the fingers. I think for me that's definitely true.

These posts are encouraging but could be expensive

cheers

[paul h]

[quote name='Mr Fudge' post='1043402' date='Dec 1 2010, 09:52 AM']I didn't even consider this until I had a conversation with a bass player I know...[/quote]

I'm the only bass player you know.

[chris_b]

[quote name='Mr Fudge' post='1043507' date='Dec 1 2010, 10:57 AM']....My friend is more technical....[/quote]
....and prone to making silly statements by the sound of it!

[KevB]

[quote name='Mr Fudge' post='1043507' date='Dec 1 2010, 10:57 AM']My friend is more technical and a much softer player than me from what I have seen. I am a very aggressive finger style player, that's just the way i play, no great technique etc ... and I'm usually the first to post on here saying that tone is all in the fingers. I think for me that's definitely true.

These posts are encouraging but could be expensive

cheers[/quote]

Aggressive fingerstyle might not be the best approach with a ric, you might have to adapt a bit. Tendency to hit the pole pieces (which on rics protrude above the body of the pickup like a metal stud) with the strings if you're not careful. Have a good tryout before you buy on this.

[Mr Fudge]

[quote name='paul h' post='1043510' date='Dec 1 2010, 10:58 AM']I'm the only bass player you know.[/quote]


Sorry mate .... I've moved on.

I tried a rick about a month ago and it blew me away. I'm going back in a few weeks to give it another good workout and will take my MB with me.

Guitar, Guitar do 0% interest and I will convince Mrs Fudge it is an investment for our future given current Bank of England interest rates.

[icastle]

[quote name='Mr Fudge' post='1043402' date='Dec 1 2010, 09:52 AM']I am thinking of getting a Rick 4003.

Will it make much of a difference sticking it through my SA450, or should Ricks ideally go through Valve amps? I didn't even consider this until I had a conversation with a bass player I know about it and he pulled a face at the thought og Ricks through Markbass heads.

Is the difference in tone negligible or drastic?

Any thoughts greatly appreciated.[/quote]

Unfortunately some valve amp fans are prone to a degree of "snobbery" and treat anything that works without glowing as massively inferior.

Only my take on it, but I personally think that the vast majority of them are the music industries version of the pretencious "just a hint of oak with an undertone of raspberry combined with a smooth mellowness of caramel" wine tasting crowd.
They've read a pile of gumph about tone and feel the need to spout it to either underpin their self proclaimed expertise or justify to themselves why they've spent a fortune on an amp that doesn't sound hugely different to the MOSFET one that Fred round the corner bought for £xxx less.

Others are far more realistic in their attitudes and advice and understand that there is no "one size fits everyone" (the overwhelming majority on BC it seems!).

I'd say try out your SA450 - if it sounds "right" to you, then it's right.
If it doesn't then get yourself down to your local music shop with your Ric and have a play on different amps.

[ead]

I play my 4003 through a Gallien Kruger MB500. Nobody has stabbed me yet . I use different EQ settings for Ric and it seems fine to me although solid state amps not as easy to overdrive imo.

In a live band situation the difference for the purists will probably be dimished, although I'm sure I'm about to be told otherwise

[simon1964]

[quote name='KevB' post='1043457' date='Dec 1 2010, 10:22 AM']I'm sure a ric was played through a marbass amp at the recent Nottm bassbash, sounded fine. .[/quote]

That was my Ric through my Mark Bass Jeff Berlin combo. Sounds great to me - I set the vintage loud speaker knob thingy to twelve o'clock and everything else flat. With the Ric on the bridge pickup setting it gives a great rock tone.

I'm sure it would sound even better through a massive valve stack, but my back is much happier lugging a Mark bass to gigs...

Edited December 1, 2010 by simon1964

[Mykesbass]

FWIW I used to use my Yamaha BB500H at a jam night - it could take anything that was plugged into it.....except a Ric.

[paul h]

[quote name='Mr Fudge' post='1043595' date='Dec 1 2010, 11:46 AM']Sorry mate .... I've moved on. [/quote]

Yes. Of course you have. How silly of me.

More importantly...is it the the black one your after?

[Mr Fudge]

[quote name='paul h' post='1043692' date='Dec 1 2010, 12:51 PM']Yes. Of course you have. How silly of me.

More importantly...is it the the black one your after?[/quote]


yes mate , the black one

[JMT3781]

the bass player he knows was in fact me in this situation...

so thanks for all the kind words about my opinion...

"rather snobbish" and "prone to making silly statements" were my favourites..

[paul h]

[quote name='JMT3781' post='1043743' date='Dec 1 2010, 01:34 PM']the bass player he knows was in fact me in this situation...[/quote]

I am so, so sorry. How on earth did you meet that reprobate? Some kind of group therapy session I imagine?

[Mr Fudge]

[quote name='JMT3781' post='1043743' date='Dec 1 2010, 01:34 PM']the bass player he knows was in fact me in this situation...

so thanks for all the kind words about my opinion...

"rather snobbish" and "prone to making silly statements" were my favourites..[/quote]


Sorry mate, I seem to have opened up a can of worms. I'm still a bit confused. the best thing to do will be to hopefully try the Rick that might come into your shop through your MB gear.

cheers.

[JMT3781]

[quote name='paul h' post='1043747' date='Dec 1 2010, 01:38 PM']I am so, so sorry. How on earth did you meet that reprobate? Some kind of group therapy session I imagine?[/quote]

im just the local music shop/rehearsal room monkey..

[paul h]

[quote name='JMT3781' post='1043755' date='Dec 1 2010, 01:43 PM']im just the local music shop/rehearsal room monkey..[/quote]

He used to ask me for advice you know :sniff:

To be honest, knowing Mr Fudge like I do, a Rick through a valve amp would be ideal.

[Doctor J]

My 4003 always sounded like a 4003 no matter what I plugged it into. If it's a decent amp, no matter what gender or orientation, it'll sound like a 4003.

[JMT3781]

[quote name='paul h' post='1043768' date='Dec 1 2010, 01:49 PM']He used to ask me for advice you know :sniff:

To be honest, knowing Mr Fudge like I do, a Rick through a valve amp would be ideal.[/quote]

yeah.. have only seen him play in the shop and listened outside the rehearsal room, and i agree... but the one thing you can be assured of, that through a markbass amp, it will definately sound like a ric!

[Mr Fudge]

[quote name='simon1964' post='1043688' date='Dec 1 2010, 12:47 PM']That was my Ric through my Mark Bass Jeff Berlin combo. Sounds great to me - I set the vintage loud speaker knob thingy to twelve o'clock and everything else flat. With the Ric on the bridge pickup setting it gives a great rock tone.

I'm sure it would sound even better through a massive valve stack, but my back is much happier lugging a Mark bass to gigs...[/quote]


yeah .. I've just got to try it. My back is very happy with my SA450 and 2x12 Bergs

I will play in shop but will never really know until/ if I do get a Ric and gig it in a band scenario. the way I play bass in a shop and in the heat of battle after a few shandy's is a very different animal.

[Prime_BASS]

[quote name='simon1964' post='1043688' date='Dec 1 2010, 12:47 PM']That was my Ric through my Mark Bass Jeff Berlin combo. Sounds great to me - I set the vintage loud speaker knob thingy to twelve o'clock and everything else flat. With the Ric on the bridge pickup setting it gives a great rock tone.

I'm sure it would sound even better through a massive valve stack, but my back is much happier lugging a Mark bass to gigs...[/quote]
Yeah same RIC through my MB littlemark tube.

I agree to some extent that all valve is best for O/D sounds, which for one reason or another people relate to RICs

[algmusic]

[quote name='Prime_BASS' post='1043485' date='Dec 1 2010, 10:41 AM']Yeah!!
I can't remember whose Ric it was but I played through my amp (in my sig), and I'm sure someone else played theirs through it aswell.

It sounded great to cut a long story short.

My guess is your friend is rather snobbish since the markbass amp you mention is as SS, and maybe he has a preconceived about how rics should sound.

The thing about Markbass amps is that they are very transparent, in terms of as what you put in you get out, a bit nasaly in the mids but that about it IMO.

When I played a RIC at the bassbash it sounded very full and was very impressed with it's sound (I'm not a passive kinda guy) and I didn't think "this would be better with an all valve amp"

Best thing to do, try a RIC out on your rig to let your self decide.[/quote]

+1000 do believe the hype, listen and try it with your ears. If I had a MB rig then bought a RIC, I'd try it out for a while.. I love both SS, Valve and hybrids, they all have something different to offer.. Not all valves are great neither the others, you have to try them.. blanket opinions about brands and type don't really wash these days there is so much out there.. You can't say that..