Please tell me why I should avoid getting a Rickenbacker!

[gareth]

4 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

£900 might be cheap for a ric, but it is a lot for a second hand bass.

i would also say that might be pressing hard on the rules of not advertising rics for sale on this forum!

Never understood that second hand comment. Apart from the chip in the binding the bass looks like new to me. 

I am not selling the bass and have no affiliation with the seller

Edited August 19, 2018 by gareth

[gareth]

13 hours ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

A 2nd hand bargain does not negate the fact that Ricks are hideously expensive these days.

And that example has one of the worst burst finishes I'vd ever seen.

What's wrong with the finish? Got in photos of what you consider to be a better finish?

[Cosmo Valdemar]

1 hour ago, gareth said:

What's wrong with the finish? Got in photos of what you consider to be a better finish?

I don't have any to hand but a quick google of fireglo Ricks will show some better examples. The one in your link looks like it was applied by a beginner with a spray gun.

[Al Krow]

16 hours ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

The one in your link looks like it was applied by a beginner with a spray gun.

I shouldn't laugh, but couldn't help doing so! 

[gareth]

On 19 August 2018 at 00:42, gareth said:

^{Look at this!}

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F263882692380

2nd time listed, you could get it for £900

so don't moan about ricks being expensive

£948

[Rich]

20 hours ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

I don't have any to hand but a quick google of fireglo Ricks will show some better examples. The one in your link looks like it was applied by a beginner with a spray gun.

Quite  I thought the whole point of a 'burst-type finish was that it was supposed to be a gradual fade? The colour change on that one is so pronounced, it's almost a line.

This is about a million times better:

 

[Bridgehouse]

I believe in common parlance that is called a "Target Burst" and very handy for practicing darts for the local pub team

[BassManGraham]

My first decent bass in early seventies was a Fireglow Rickenbacker 4001. I liked the look and the slim neckthru body design. Loved that Chris Squire crunchy vibe at the time and played through my Hiwatt and later Acoustic 220/406 rigs it was truly awesome. I had a bit of a Yes, Jam, Rush thing going on back then, (which is probably the reason for my type 2 diabtetes later in life)

Always thought they were a bit of an amazing one trick pony, and it eventually made way for Aria SBs, Fenders and a Wal. Always regret selling it to buy a Technics HiFi system which was consigned to a car boot sale long ago whereas that bass is probably worth a few grand now!!!!

On reflection Rickys are more flexible than I originally gave them credit for. However the bridge pickup assembly is awkward and crazy. Bridge and intonation adjustment is not easy. Mine used to have a solid chrome metal pickup cover, but I was horrified to find that on more recent models this is that horrible ubiquitous plastic substance!  Think how many sea turtles these will endanger! 

I do suffer from chronic G.A.S, but despite undue encouragement from muso friends I have never had the urge to reacquire a Ricky.

Without wishing to start a brand lawsuit They do seem to be the ultimate Marmite bass. So if you like one get a pre owned, preplastic era  model and remember that hall rhymes with tool.

Edited August 20, 2018 by BassManGraham

[tomthebass]

Hi folks,

Had fun reading this...a week after buying my first Ric! A midnight blue 4003 from 2017. Lots of compliments on the look from non-musos and my teenage kids which is interesting!

Like many people here I suspect, I had always found the looks a bit weird, but always drawn in by the Chris Squire sound.

Having finally found one to have a go on, I was amazed at how playable it is, and versatile. The neck and slightly shorter scale make it very fast, and the tone is full of character, easy to get punchy tones but with a voice. I'm saying this being a regular player of Sadowsky, Modulus, Tobias etc and so I surprised myself falling for this!! And...it sounds bitchin' when slapped, really brings out the honk!

The only downside so far for me is the bridge pickup cover, which it turns out is exactly where my fingers want to be. I've removed the cover obviously (and yes it is a horrid lump of plastic), but now have a gaping hole and sharp metal edges for my fingers to get used to. Thinking I might make up a cover out of sheet metal, but not sure if I'll be able to do that with nice shiny chrome to preserve the look. Any tips welcome from folks who have come up with a solution to this!

Cheers

Tom

[Cosmo Valdemar]

42 minutes ago, tomthebass said:

 

The only downside so far for me is the bridge pickup cover, which it turns out is exactly where my fingers want to be. I've removed the cover obviously (and yes it is a horrid lump of plastic), but now have a gaping hole and sharp metal edges for my fingers to get used to. Thinking I might make up a cover out of sheet metal, but not sure if I'll be able to do that with nice shiny chrome to preserve the look. Any tips welcome from folks who have come up with a solution to this!

Cheers

Tom

http://www.rickysounds.co.uk/Bezels.html

 

Pricey, but worth it. Congratulations on your new Rickenbacker!

[White Cloud]

 

Nobody gives good reason to avoid Ricks quit like Dave lol. 

[tomthebass]

24 minutes ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

http://www.rickysounds.co.uk/Bezels.html

 

Pricey, but worth it. Congratulations on your new Rickenbacker!

Exactly that. Thank you so much!!! 😘

[ezbass]

43 minutes ago, tomthebass said:

Exactly that. Thank you so much!!! 😘

Had the same problem and fitted one of those bezels - all fixed.

[martthebass]

19 hours ago, tomthebass said:

Exactly that. Thank you so much!!! 😘

Glad you got sorted Tom. Those bezels are great - had one on mine from day one, very functional.

[Twincam]

I would love a squire/epiphone, type Rik thing. Or maybe even something on the lines of the old USA musicman sub line, if they want to keep it truly in house. 

I actually think it would be a very good money maker for them. Although it would have to be reasonably priced, maybe around the traditional mim (or whatever it's called now) range. 

[Skybone]

21 hours ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

http://www.rickysounds.co.uk/Bezels.html

 

Pricey, but worth it. Congratulations on your new Rickenbacker!

You can also get the flat bridge pickup mounts. Someone on the Ric Bass FB Group was making wooden replacement pickup rings, though he seems to have gone quiet recently.

[tomthebass]

Thanks y'all!

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

On 13/06/2017 at 19:23, Jack said:

Because the guy who runs the company is proper tool. Buy one second hand if you like them.

Where to buy second hand since here it is taboo?

[Jack]

15 hours ago, Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati said:

Where to buy second hand since here it is taboo?

It is now yes, although I can't remember if it was when I wrote that. Well even that is John Hall's own fault, by stymieing the sales of his instruments second hand that means that fewer beginners and people with a lower income will be able to buy their first Rick, which means they'll be less likely to buy a new one in the future.

 

Facebook groups would be your best be I suppose.

[ezbass]

16 hours ago, Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati said:

Where to buy second hand since here it is taboo?

I sold mine, on commission, through The Gallery. Maybe check them out.

 

Mods - I hope this was OK.

Edited October 24, 2019 by ezbass

[4000]

On 19/07/2018 at 23:13, Woodinblack said:

 

I look of the rockers of today - I still see les pauls and strats, I see stingrays, I see fenders. I don't see rics.

That’s because they (guitars and basses) are mainly being played by Indie/pop bands IME. Snow Patrol, Bombay Bicycle Club, Editors, Radiohead, Kasabian, Tame Impala, Warpaint, Etc Etc. Of course there are also Al Cisneros (recent signature model too) and the guy from Clutch. I always see quite a few at Glastonbury. The only things I see far more of are Fenders and Gibsons. I probably see about the same number of ‘Rays. I see far fewer Warwicks or Ibanezes, but I’m pretty sure loads of people still play them.

[drlargepants]

Annoying isn’t it ? I want to get rid of mine but I can’t do it here. 

Are they still being bells about this sort of thing ? (Ric)

[prowla]

9 hours ago, drlargepants said:

Annoying isn’t it ? I want to get rid of mine but I can’t do it here. 

Are they still being bells about this sort of thing ? (Ric)

Facebook, gumtree, ebay. 

[Skybone]

I know that the Rickenbacker Bass FB Group (mostly Septics) were having a right old moan about BC having a ban on selling Ric's here.

Facebook, Gunmtree, eBay, Reverb, etc.

[andruca]

I like how they sound. And after playing MANY thru' the years that's all the good things I can say about them. Don't like how they play, hate their bridges, dual truss rod crap (and many other terrible design decisions), and also hate how little R&D they put into it. Not only it's about time they start changing that abominable highly obsolete bridge, in general, it's about time they improve products throughout their lifetime (not frantically, simply fix what you do wrong and gets proven wrong with time, because there's many a thing). Yes, I know, the new 4003/S5 has a decent bridge, but also has these b/s triangular pickups, incompatible to anything. I'll probably never own a RIC (if you've held, say, a Musicman and a RIC side by side you will never be able  pay more for a RIC than a Musicman, I mean, the RIC feels CHEAP). But hey, people keep buying them, so no need for Rickenbacker to evolve a thing. And, contrary to the latest overhyped "woke" tendencies these days, I still think a free market to be a good idea and telling others how to buy feels both pointless and authoritarian to me, so to each their own, even tho' I think Dave's got it 100% right here...

 

Edited October 28, 2019 by andruca