Please tell me why I should avoid getting a Rickenbacker!

[Woodinblack]

37 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said:

You could apply that to Burst Les Pauls, Stingrays (to a lesser extent) and quite a few other iconic guitars & basses. 

Not really. I can go out and get an epiphone burst Les Paul for a few hundred quid that is a fine guitar, and the image is fine. In fact I can get a gibson studio for not much more.

Stingray? I can get a SubRay again for a couple of hundred. Not the same, but the image is the same, and if I did that, when I got more money I would just go up the stingray route. I could see my idol and get something that basically looked the same.

Gibson actually discontinued the Les Paul in 61 because it was too old fashioned. It was only the (primarily british) rock stars of the day playing them that made them bring them back in 68 - because people saw their 'heros' playing them.

When I was a kid into Led Zeppelin, I had a Les Paul that wasn't real but looked it. I had a Ibanez double neck that looked like both Jimmy Pages and Alex Lifesons.  I had an Ibanez Rick copy that was like Geddy Lees. None of those were real, I didn't have the money, but when I did I could get the real ones. If I had been a rock star I would have carried on with those instruments, and people would have likewise copied me.

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.

Edited July 19, 2018 by Woodinblack

[Bridgehouse]

Just now, Woodinblack said:

Not really. I can go out and get an epiphone burst Les Paul for a few hundred quid that is a fine guitar, and the image is fine. In fact I can get a gibson studio for not much more.

Stingray? I can get a SubRay again for a couple of hundred. Not the same, but the image is the same, and if I did that, when I got more money I would just go up the stingray route. I could see my idol and get something that basically looked the same.

Gibson actually discontinued the Les Paul in 61 because it was too old fashioned. It was only the (primarily british) rock stars of the day playing them that made them bring them back in 68 - because people saw their 'heros' playing them.

When I was a kid into Led Zeppelin, I had a Les Paul that wasn't real but looked it. I had a Ibanez double neck that looked like both Jimmy Pages and Alex Lifesons.  I had an Ibanez Rick copy that was like Geddy Lees.

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.

No, you've misunderstood. It's the aspiration - young rockers still play Strats, and offsets, and indeed lots of Epiphones - but they don't have the aspirations that us young 'uns had in the 70's 80's etc..

[White Cloud]

Owned two 4001's at separate times. Loved them both, very niche basses - and I found them to be a bit "one trick pony" soundwise - but, what a trick. 

If you want one then get it. 

[spongebob]

I had a good number - 4001/3/4.

For years, I didn't feel right without one. Thought it was my bass, even though far from all nailed 'the' tone. 

In the end, I play what I want rather than what I feel I should be seen with. Stopped chasing a tone which wasn't particularly achievable or appropriate for my usage. Never gone back. 

QC was for the price point, in many cases, appalling. I've detailed over many posts since I joined BC the individual problems mine came with. But it wasn't good in most cases. I must have been mad. 

Trouble is, 'the' tone is so varied....from Macca to Squire. The former is easy, but the Squire/Geddy thing...their tone wasn't achieved by just plugging in. 

...and of course, half of 'Permanent Waves' (in Geddy's words at the time) and 'Moving Pictures' was the Jazz. How many Rics got sold on the back of 'Tom Sawyer'? At least a couple of mine! 

[Wolverinebass]

Funnily enough, I actually went to the dark side and got one the other day. Neck is quite shallow in comparison to others I've played, but my only gripe is the bridge won't let me get the action quite as supernaturally low as I would like. 

So far nothing has fallen off or failed so I guess I'm lucky that I've got one that isn't a "Friday special."

[Cosmo Valdemar]

1 minute ago, Wolverinebass said:

Funnily enough, I actually went to the dark side and got one the other day. Neck is quite shallow in comparison to others I've played, but my only gripe is the bridge won't let me get the action quite as supernaturally low as I would like. 

So far nothing has fallen off or failed so I guess I'm lucky that I've got one that isn't a "Friday special."

Tell us more!

[Wolverinebass]

Here we go. It's really good fun. Did the stereo recording the other day. Great sound. Lots of bite.

 

[Cosmo Valdemar]

1 minute ago, Wolverinebass said:

Here we go. It's really good fun. Did the stereo recording the other day. Great sound. Lots of bite.

 

Awesome. I'm starting to get the itch again. I must be firm.

 

Get rid of those wretched stickers though! 

Edited July 21, 2018 by Cosmo Valdemar

[Wolverinebass]

Just now, Cosmo Valdemar said:

Awesome. I'm starting to get the itch again. I must be firm.

I thought about getting a fake, then I realised that went against my artistic principles. I think I've been lucky in getting a good one as quite a few of the ones I've played previously, weren't great at all.

[drlargepants]

Here’s mine (again!) early 2000s so doesn’t have the push/pull knob  

i noticed a tiny bit of finish checking today so it’s startint to show it’s age.  

I cant remember what strings are on it but they’re bloody awful. Suspect Rotosounds lol!

 

 

[drlargepants]

From way back when, when it still had the string mutes, pickup cover and no insert around the bridge pickup.  

It’s rather lovley looking 

[Bridgehouse]

@drlargepants - you are sounding sentimental!

[drlargepants]

I know. It’s a dangerous state to be in here 😉

[Bridgehouse]

1 minute ago, drlargepants said:

I know. It’s a dangerous state to be in here 😉

Either that or you are trying really hard to justify hanging on to that Ric

[drlargepants]

I can’t sell it, and I really can’t justify why. 

I was considering using it as a backup for live stuff, but the AVRI Jazz I have is night and day better. 

It cost me less than a decent Mexican Jazz does now, so I’ll just keep hold of it and occasionaly curse at it taking up space until the kids grow up. 

Is I really like the colour a good enough reason ?!

[Bridgehouse]

Just now, drlargepants said:

I can’t sell it, and I really can’t justify why. 

I was considering using it as a backup for live stuff, but the AVRI Jazz I have is night and day better. 

It cost me less than a decent Mexican Jazz does now, so I’ll just keep hold of it and occasionaly curse at it taking up space until the kids grow up. 

Is I really like the colour a good enough reason ?!

I’m not sure I could justify keeping a bass long term that didn’t earn it’s keep one way or another (so to speak) unless it had sentimental attachment. 

I do tend to adopt the “not been played for 3 months rule” - hence why the AVRI P is up for sale

[miles'tone]

It took me years to finally part with my 70's 4001. I loved and hated it in equal measure. When I did eventually sell it, all I experienced was a great sense of relief. Like that crazy nutty erotic girlfriend that you know is no good for you but still you hang on for the ride. 

[drlargepants]

26 minutes ago, miles'tone said:

It took me years to finally part with my 70's 4001. I loved and hated it in equal measure. When I did eventually sell it, all I experienced was a great sense of relief. Like that crazy nutty erotic girlfriend that you know is no good for you but still you hang on for the ride. 

Oh gosh, that is so true re the girlfriend lmao !

[Skybone]

I had to sell my old 4003, as much as I didn't want to, at the time, I had no choice but to sell it. Do I regret it? Yes & no. Yes, because it was a great bass. No, because the money I sold it for got me out of a pickle, and I managed to get a new bass as well (the fact that it wasn't the right bass for me at the time, and was soon sold on, is neither here nor there).

Which kind of brings us back to the "budget" Rickenbacker argument. As stated previously, companies such as Fender & Gibson have their own "budget" brands, like Squier & Epiphone. Add to that, upstart companies like PRS, EBMM, G&L, etc. all have "budget" lines, for the people who aspire to own & play their top line instruments, but can't afford to. These "budget" manufacturer's produce high quality instruments, in line with the parent companies Quality Control guidelines, and so can and do, produce excellent instruments that feed people's desires to own a quality product for less, but also help to feed their desire to own one of the "premier" products when they can afford to.

Hence why I play Fakers. I can't afford a Ric, as much as I'd like to. Even importing one from the US is not an option, as although they're relatively cheap to buy over there, then you have to factor in shipping & then import tax.

A Faker is as close to a Ric as I can afford just now, but also, I can have a few of them for far less than the price of a real one.

My old Jetglo 4003

No.1 Faker (Rockinbetter)

No.2 Faker (Bass Collection Californian with Retrovibe pickups)

The point? I like really like Rickenbacker's.

Edited July 22, 2018 by Skybone

[Grahambythesea]

So are the fakes as heavy as the originals - 9lbs+?

[Skybone]

Not quite, but close. Especially if you get a through neck Faker.

[4000]

On ‎22‎/‎07‎/‎2018 at 18:21, Grahambythesea said:

So are the fakes as heavy as the originals - 9lbs+?

My 2 x '72 4001s are about 8 and a half pounds each. Rics can vary a fair bit in weight. For instance my first CS was way heavier than my 2nd CS.

[gareth]

^{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

[Cosmo Valdemar]

38 minutes ago, 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

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.

[Woodinblack]

£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!