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Why I sold my Rickenbacker Bass


Bronner

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[quote name='blue' timestamp='1426905818' post='2723403']
I own and gig with around 9 different bass guitars, mostly Fenders & Gibson models.

The only bass I own that has a unique and inherently different sound than any other bass I own is my German crafted Hofner Club bass. You can't get that Hofner "thump" anywhere else. The Contemporary Hofner series made in Korea don't have it.

Am I remotely on topic?

Blue
[/quote]

No argument from me that the Hofner is a great bass. Plugged in direct it is warm and sounds like a bass. Adapts to many types of amps. Easy to play. Good for anyone that doesn't want a heavy instrument. It doesn't have a lot variety in the tone, but what it does it does better than any other bass.

Edited by Bronner
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I don`t think i have ever seen so much anger from someone who doesn`t like a bass. I am happy that some people like Rick`s. It makes things so much more interesting than everyone owning a Fender. I have seen threads where people have been disappointed with a Rick, but never with so much venom towards people who like them.

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[quote name='timmo' timestamp='1426913291' post='2723411']
I don`t think i have ever seen so much anger from someone who doesn`t like a bass. [/quote]

Isn't it delicious when someone criticizes the build quality and price of a product and the overzealous people that bought the shoddy product, and can't admit it, *prove* its greatness by criticizing the person that criticized the product. ( It's called an [i]Ad Hominem[/i][i].)[/i]

Do you know how owners of Wal and ACG and prove those are nice instruments? They put up audio clips. They don't need to form an attack-cult.

The [b]Mickenbacker Award[/b] of excellence for you.



[color=#ff0000][size=4][u][b]Edit[/b][/u]: I just checked the price of new Rickenbacker basses in the UK: [font=arial, sans-serif][b]₤1,500 !!!!!![/b] ([/font][font=arial, sans-serif]or $2,242 USD). Absurd.[/font]
[font=arial, sans-serif]Anyone who thinks they cannot get a better new bass for that price, is in error, in my humble opinion.[/font][/size][/color]

Edited by Bronner
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[quote name='Bronner' timestamp='1426921955' post='2723424']
Isn't it delicious when someone criticizes the build quality and price of a product and the overzealous people that bought the shoddy product, and can't admit it, *prove* its greatness by criticizing the person that criticized the product. ( It's called an [i]Ad Hominem[/i][i].)[/i]

Do you know how owners of Wal and ACG and prove those are nice instruments? They put up audio clips. They don't need to form an attack-cult.

The [b]Mickenbacker Award[/b] of excellence for you.


[/quote]

Disney to sue John Hall :ph34r: :o :lol:

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[quote name='simes' timestamp='1426923051' post='2723429']
Guy I know plays an unmodded Rick through a Marshall head and 1x15 and 4x10 cabs.

It sounds.............bloody amazing.
[/quote]

For the [font=arial, sans-serif][size=4]₤1,500 new price tag of a Rick, tell him he can have three quality basses or a custom bass by one of the great builders on this site. [/size][/font]

[font=arial, sans-serif]Or even better, for the price of a Rick, he can fly to Japan, get a higher quality bass for [/font][font=arial, sans-serif]₤200 and still be better off[/font][font=arial, sans-serif] . [/font]

Edited by Bronner
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I have heard the arguments, comments, criticisms etc etc for years but one day in the future when I have some money spare I am just going to buy one.

Nothing looks as cool as a bassist with a Ricky !!

I hear the same argument from MX5 and numerous other car model owners ( fabulous cars so please don't shoot me down ) about how they are the sensible choice above an MGB

I know it's not the sensible option but I love my MGB

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I used to get an incredible sound out of my 1978 4001 with flats and through a monster valve amp, it was pure bliss playing that.

I sold a Ric to a top notch session player back in the 90's, he prefered Jazz Basses but Richard Ashcroft said he had to use a Ric as he loved the tone. Im not saying Mr Ashcroft is an authority on bass sounds, NONE OF US ARE, just that Ric's clearly have their place as with any other bass that has been used by pro's consistently and with great exposure. Obviously.

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[quote name='tonybassplayer' timestamp='1426923547' post='2723432']
I have heard the arguments, comments, criticisms etc etc for years but one day in the future when I have some money spare I am just going to buy one.

Nothing looks as cool as a bassist with a Ricky !!

I hear the same argument from MX5 and numerous other car model owners ( fabulous cars so please don't shoot me down ) about how they are the sensible choice above an MGB

I know it's not the sensible option but I love my MGB
[/quote]

I agree with you. They look cool. And if you want it for that reason, nobody can disagree with you. More power to you.

But for the average player, who maybe buying their first bass, I'd just say look around before you buy a Rick because [color=#282828][font=arial, sans-serif]₤1,500 will buy you a lot of bass elsewhere. [/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=arial, sans-serif](And to the guy who said Ricks sound great through Marshalls, so will a Japanese bass, and practically every other guitar or bass, with the added benefit that you can afford to own the Marshall amp and another brand bass for the same price as a Rick.)[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=arial, sans-serif]The Japanese Greco Jazz bass is about [/font][/color][color=#282828][font=arial, sans-serif]₤150 ( 1/10th the price of a Rick); and it's a beautiful bass. For the price of a Rick you can have a free trip to Japan, buy a Marshall, and get a bass that sounds better than a real Rick (which sound 'clanky' as someone else pointed out).[/font][/color]
[color=#282828][font=arial, sans-serif] [/font][/color]
http://www.tcgakki.com/search/?result&cp=4&kw=Greco

Edited by Bronner
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[quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1426926230' post='2723452']
How do cheap Ric copies fare in this?[/quote]

Much better depending on country of origin. Japanese copies are better than real Ricks at 1/10th of the price. Japanese engineering (of all things) is well known for quality.

The Chinese ones are just as good because Ricks were never known for quality build or design. The price of real Ricks is justified only be the cult of personality that evolved when in the 1960s few options were available to bass players so well-known ('famous') players like John Entwhistle, McCartney, Peter Hook, and Roger Waters played (and later abandoned) the Rick bass because it was simply available.

McCartney got a free left-handed bass in the 1960s; that's the story behind his.

Edited by Bronner
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[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1426927951' post='2723471']
I would so love to see John Hall post in this thread.

Comfy chair, popcorn...
[/quote]


John Hall, Kinks.

First, you'll have to ask him to put his vintage Fender bass down ([i][b][color=#008000]which he [u]still[/u] plays[/color][/b][/i]) so he can type with both hands. :P

[url="http://www.jamble.it/le-chitarre-di-jimmy-page/"][/url]
Jimmy Page also played a Futurama, the 6 string equivalent of a Rickenbacker bass in terms of build quality and design (i.e., a heap of junk): What does it prove by saying that in the past a guitar player owned and abandoned a guitar? So we should all run out and buy Futuramas?

Edited by Bronner
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I`ve played a couple of Rickenbacker basses, never owned one. If the metal pickup covers are removed I find them great basses to play, if not, well they`re smack in the way for me so no good - would be the same with a Precision as well though.

Interestingly I went to a pub gig once where there was a provided rig. The only bass to not get a good sound from it was a Rickenbacker - and here`s the bit we don`t expect - boomy, unarticulated, mushy sounds, no definition. I reckon the bloke must have had all the tone controls set off, as it was nothing like I`d ever expect from a Rick.

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[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1426929728' post='2723491']
I don't like rice pudding. It doesn't mean that no-one else should enjoy it :)
[/quote]

[color=#282828][font=arial, sans-serif]₤[/font][/color][color=#282828][font=arial, sans-serif]1500 for rice pudding? To use your analogy, it's like a cult of personality that surrounding these poorly made basses that hypes up [/font][/color][color=#282828][font=arial, sans-serif]₤[/font][/color][color=#282828][font=arial, sans-serif]1500 tins of rice pudding. My point, that same money will get you more pudding elsewhere at 1/10th of the price for the same quality.[/font][/color]

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[quote name='Bronner' timestamp='1426930647' post='2723502']


[color=#282828][font=arial, sans-serif]₤[/font][/color][color=#282828][font=arial, sans-serif]1500 for rice pudding? To use your analogy, it's like a cult of personality that surrounding these poorly made basses that hypes up [/font][/color][color=#282828][font=arial, sans-serif]₤[/font][/color][color=#282828][font=arial, sans-serif]1500 tins of rice pudding. My point, that same money will get you more pudding elsewhere at 1/10th of the price for the same quality.[/font][/color]
[/quote]

Nobody forces me to eat rice pudding. Don't buy a Rickenbacker if you don't like them.

I'm not too keen on caviar either

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Can we just clarify Bronner, are you saying:

(1) Don't buy a Ric, they are sh!t;
(2) Don't buy a Ric unless you really really like it, because they are sh!t;
(3) I once owned a Ric that was sh!t, and further anecdotal evidence leads me to believe that all Rics are sh!t; or
(4) Something else we've all missed.

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