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So why is the Ricky so 'special'


molan
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Ricks are beautiful basses. i went through a phase of buying basses that looked good only to find out they were a pig to play. the most amazing one i have ever seen was actually one of mine:



It is actually the 2004 colour of the year - Blue Boy. the first batch of these was actually a nice pale blue but as they went on they got more and more green until some of them appeared minty green.

Phenomenal looking bass but the design meant that after a gig I felt like I had arthritis in my right hand. One day I will get round to trying a 4003S with the contoured body.

There are so many famous players have used Ricks - Queen's John Deacon originally played one although I believe he had already began using Precisions by the time 'Queen' the album was recorded. Rodger Glover from Deep Purple used one for years. Roger Waters from the Floyd had what I believe was a 1999 model in the early days

In the right colour they are amazing basses visually but I could never get a good sound out of any of mine - I've had the Blue Boy, a MID 4003 with the famous bleeding paintwork, a Jetglo 4003 and a 1979 4000. Always fancied trying a 4004 as they look a lot more comfortable to play.

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  • 2 years later...

[quote name='OldGit' post='352892' date='Dec 12 2008, 05:49 PM']And that Roundabout line was doubled on a Gibson 6 string gu1t@r ... :)[/quote]

Not wanting to resurrect a zombie thread here, but I keep seeing this bit of information popping up on various threads. The guitar only doubles the riff at the very end of the track, around the seven minute mark, and it is quite blatant. The rest of the track is clearly straight bass - unless the guitar was dropped to bass tuning there would be a clear octave effect, as can be heard at the end of the track.

I seem to recall reading an interview with Mr Squire about him overdubbing the bass part with the guitar, I can only assume he is referring just to the final part of the song.

The rest is just classic Rickenbacker grind. No secrets or tricks.

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[quote name='OldGit' post='352892' date='Dec 12 2008, 05:49 PM']And that Roundabout line was doubled on a Gibson 6 string gu1t@r ... :)[/quote]
[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' post='1254870' date='Jun 3 2011, 12:09 AM']Not wanting to resurrect a zombie thread here,[/quote]
Wherever he is, I'm sure OldGit will be enjoying that particular juxtaposition :)

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[quote name='Delberthot' post='352860' date='Dec 12 2008, 05:14 PM']I couldn't get mine to sound anything like the Rick you hear on recordings.

It seemed to sound more like a Stingray. Conversely my Stingrays seemed to sound like Jazz basses, my Warmoth '57 sounds like a Rick and my gold Warmoth sounds like a Stingray since I made it active.[/quote]

Gremlins eh

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[quote name='Beedster' post='1255880' date='Jun 3 2011, 07:58 PM']I think I love my Ric more than any bass I've owned. I'm not really sure why though :)[/quote]

This +10000

Never played a bass I feel more at home with than my Ricky. Look / feel / clunk, its all good for me.

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Wow - I don't even remember posting this, must have been through a cocktail induced haze :)

I still love the look and sound of a Rick though. I owned a late, post checkerboard, '73 for a while but never really got on with it.

Still fancy having another go at one though at some point :)

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[quote name='skankdelvar' post='1254884' date='Jun 3 2011, 01:16 AM']Wherever he is, I'm sure OldGit will be enjoying that particular juxtaposition :)[/quote]

Had a sad little moment when I saw OG's post on P1, but thats made me smile :)

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[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='1256032' date='Jun 3 2011, 10:38 PM']If I had a gig for a Ric I'd be really keen to buy one, but I see them as a 'pick sound' bass and I rarely use a pick.

Very pretty basses though.[/quote]

I was in a similar boat to you. My band just didn't suit Ricks (or is it the other way round?).
Now I am temporarily bandless I decided to chase the tone I've been after for years and bought a brand new Mapleglo 4003. I generally don't use picks, and although the Rick sounds great fingerstyle, I find myself gravitating towards using a pick whenever I play it - it just feels right on this bass, and the growl is utterly wonderful.

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Tried one in early 80's, bought it but couldn't take to it and sold again. Found it quite limiting and thin on the tonal front.
Nice neck and feel though.
Loved the look and still do - i can feel GAS.

Couple of my mates had them and they were far better than mine. Quality control ??
One was a very old original same as Chris Suires from 70's and the other an early 80's.
Maybe down to style of playing. They used picks where-as i use fingers.

Couldn't quite narrow it down to anything specific - just didn't fit the bill for me.

Cheers
Dave
:)

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[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' post='1256630' date='Jun 4 2011, 04:40 PM']I was in a similar boat to you. My band just didn't suit Ricks (or is it the other way round?).
Now I am temporarily bandless I decided to chase the tone I've been after for years and bought a brand new Mapleglo 4003. I generally don't use picks, and although the Rick sounds great fingerstyle, I find myself gravitating towards using a pick whenever I play it - it just feels right on this bass, and the growl is utterly wonderful.[/quote]

If I was to get one it would be mapleglo. That mapleglo fretless with front dot markers that has been for sale here a couple of times is one of the best looking basses I've ever seen.

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[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='353510' date='Dec 13 2008, 02:01 PM']The consequences of the wife finding a pair in your jacket pocket?[/quote]

O god all those panic sweats are coming back now!

Edited by gub
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[quote name='thebeat' post='353501' date='Dec 13 2008, 01:39 PM']the bass playing equivalent of wearing my girlfriends pants.[/quote]
I love wearing your girlfriends pants.
And for the record, don't put on a girls leggings while she's out of the room and pose, she'll get really angry while you laugh like a schoolgirl.

Love ric's, nowhere near my budget and I'd have to get the real mccoy, one day though.

Edited by Ross
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[quote name='Ross' post='1258129' date='Jun 6 2011, 10:14 AM']I love wearing your girlfriends pants.
And for the record, don't put on a girls leggings while she's out of the room and pose, she'll get really angry while you laugh like a schoolgirl.[/quote]

Also avoid your girlfriend's mini dresses if you're 6'3" and she's 5'4". Doesn't work.

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[quote name='Beedster' post='1255880' date='Jun 3 2011, 07:58 PM']I think I love my Ric more than any bass I've owned. I'm not really sure why though :)[/quote]


[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='1257629' date='Jun 5 2011, 07:17 PM']That mapleglo fretless with front dot markers that has been for sale here a couple of times is one of the best looking basses I've ever seen.[/quote]

Yep :)

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