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The form.wont let me enter my date of birth :( I really want to enter because ive only used a second hand £50 brandless bass so itd be nice to win a good bass
When I was much younger I had a very cheap fender P-bass knockoff that played absolutely awfully. I had the chance to play a Rick and was immediately in love, but obviously my basis for comparison was deeply flawed. Haven't played one since.
I guess because at SBL they're very Motown, Funk, Pop, Jazz centric. James Jamerson for example, has certainly been a great in his field and you can learn from all styles. But it's nothing that has ever been relevant to me. Chris Squire, Geddy, The Ox, Pete Trewavas, Cliff Burton, Billy Sheehan John Deacon etc. etc. are more relevant for me.
There's a reason Paul McCartney, Chris Squire, Geddy Lee, and Lemmy Kilmister used Rickenbacker Basses... The one of a kind sound you can get with them! No other Bass sounds like it.
@davidgtsi Tell that to McCartney; the Rick he was gifted became his main studio bass from '65 to -68, then he received his Jazz bass and then after that he went straight back to the Hofner and Rick!
4001s were originally meant to have flatwound strings on it. If you bought a new one back in the day, they came with flatwound strings. With the combination of the mute and flat wounds, it was meant to sound like an upright bass. With round wounds, it has that classic bright and nasally rattle we all love.
Mine doesnt sound anything like that. he plays neck pickup and says it sounds glassy but his sounds articulate. I can hear slides and twangs. Maybe he means the bridge pickup because that thing is very treble based. However when I move mine to neck pickup I just get full bass and no bright at all
a lot of what people are crediting the rick for was speaker tone imo. back when i owned a 1976 rick , when i ran it through my GK stack (which used GK speakers) the thing sounded like a two headed fire breathing devil beast. however when i ran it through my 12" 120 wt peavy combo amp it sounded like a fat kid just had a mild case of gas. so here's my general breakdown what affect tone the most in my experience Speakers =65 % Strings = 20 % the space you are in (room , outdoors ect ect) = 9% kind of pick ups in your bass = 5% Amplifier = .99999 % Other shit people love to claim is the soul cause of your tone .00001% (maybe)
My 4001 cost £477 new in 1978 in the UK. Still got it and it still sounds good. Fell in love with the sound that Chris Squire used to get. Unique to the instrument.
I had one in 1973 ,I waited 3 months for it to arrive...cost £400 then ,it was the stereo one in black .. took it back on the following Monday and swapped it for a Jazz bass .. the problem on reflection was my amp ,I had an HH transistor amp. stupid boy.. I am 75 years old and just bought a Harley Benton style rick bass ,, I love it Conan
@@conanhayle Mine is the same stereo in black. I had a HH VS bass amp and 2 x 15 cab. HH was all the rage at the time. It was a step up from the Vox T60 that I had before. Unless you could afford a Fender or Ampeg, there wasn't a huge choice at the time and also, valve amps were considered a bit old fashioned. Glad to hear you've found your way back to the sound, Harley Benton are turning out some very respectable guitars at affordable prices.
I bought mine early in '78, too! I got it for somewhere shy of $500 US. Mapleglo, brand new off the music room floor. I still have it. All I've replaced is the bridge because the original corroded. The rest is still all-original, but it definitely has battle scars. Btw, to get the CQ sound, use round wounds, roll the tone all the way down on the bridge pickup, and all the way up on the neck pickup. It turns the bridge pickup into a midrange control. The mix of the two lets you dial in that killer Squire sound.
I’ve had a Rickenbacker for 3 years now, and it’s easily my favorite bass, tone to kill for, easy to sing with, and just the most comfortable neck. Just a legendary bass that kills live and in the studio
I find it interesting how much opinions can differ. I haven’t played a Rick in years but I HATED the feel of the neck. I’m sure I’d get used to it if I owned one but it would have been more of a pain in the ass for me to get over it. I can’t deny that it looks amazing and that many of my favorite bassists have used it to great effect.
wait till yours needs maintence. then you'll discover why vintage Ricks don't cost nearly what vintage fenders and gibsons do. the things are a nightmare to fix any problems on them.
The lack of respect Lemmy gets from the bass community is astounding. Say what you want but he had his own unique style no one could copy and he played with passion. For him not to get mentioned in a Ricky video.. sad he was a rock monster
The Ricky bass was ubiquitous in the '70s. It played through so many genres. Some times it is best not to meet your heroes, but, if you can get over their quirks you too can look cool.
Huge rickenbacker fan and I’m glad to see they’re getting some recognition on SBL finally. However, Scott’s 4003S has a feature they didn’t go over, if the treble tone pot is pulled out, it activates a capacitor that makes it sound like the old 4001’s
@@carpediemarts705 i can't argue with you. Their customer support is a whole other topic. Which puts a bad taste in many mouth's. They cater to the delears as their customer. People like us don't matter. However their guitars are historic and amazing in many ways. But, if you have an issue it's not what anyone wants. If they listened to their customer's they wouldn't have waited so long.
I believe the model Scott has is actually the 4003S. Standard 4003 has the binding and shark fin inlays. I’ve got one and the tone is something special! Takes a lot of time to get used to though
Rickosound give you an extra bow in your arsenal. A pain to get right, but when you have both signals going out, one clean the other with effects and maybe putting the neck pic like up through a powerful guitar amp it really sets you apart.
I have a Jazz, and consider myself a loyal Fender player, but I have recently gotten a Rick, and I must say, the Rick has some of the best tone I have ever heard.
I used to have a 4001S and played soul/R&B, reggae, hip hop with it. Rickenbacker is so known for punchy rock, but the smooth, deep beautiful tone I got from mine blew people's minds. Play close to the fret board with the tone cut down and the bass turned up and it's just gorgeous
Rick James never recorded any of the basslines for his songs, nor was the Rick used by his bass player. He posed with it for the Street Songs album because he thought it looked cooler than any guitar.
@VicNic Rick Sanchez was the sound engineer for Street Songs, and he confirmed it was always a Fender bass going direct on the record, with the Rick being mostly decorative. I trust a public figure who was directly involved in making the music more than a random guy on youtube whose source is "trust me bro". I'm sure he played it obviously, but in terms of recordings? It was Oscar Alston using Fender or Sting Ray basses.
I think Ian and Scott are fuckin soul mates made in heaven. I hope I can be in a friendship as wholesome as theirs someday. Y’all are so cool man!!!!!!!
The models they are playing were designated back in the day 4001 "S" for Standard. They were the export models. The ones we know with the bindings and sharks-teeth inlays were the Deluxe model, available in The States. McCartney, Squire, Entwistle and Lynott all played "S" models, with dot fret markers and no bindings.
I had a black 4001S back in the 80s, complete with bindings and 'shark teeth' inlays...one of the best basses I've ever owned... Hook it up with an old school Marshall amp and you're in bass heaven!!! Biggest mistake I ever made was letting it go...(for a song literally) 😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢.
I adore the 4003. I think the best sound I ever heard was a friend playing a 4001 through an SVT and a custom 21" bass cabinet. They have made 5-strings and 8-strings, too.
It’s a 4003S, with dots but without binding. The 4003 models have mono/stereo outputs while the 4003S comes in mono only. All Rickenbacker instruments are made in one plant in Santa Anna, California. Rickenbacker has no beginner, Asian-made, versions like Gibson has Epiphone and Fender has multiple plants across the Pacific… Anyways, Ricks are pricey but they’re a totally unique product, period! I started playing bass back in the 70’s, high school, and Chris Squire was my hero. My current bass is 2015 4003S that’s basically been converted to a 60’s type like Squire. And, yes, my 4003S has been converted to stereo, the only way to run a Rickenbacker! Great video, thanks for posting!
In case it hasn’t been mentioned already, the picture at around 3:30 that you said was of Adolph Rickenbacker was actually of F.C. Hall, who bought the company from Adolph.
My cousin before he passed used to have a rick. It was the first time i ever saw one in person. As soon as i get some debt paid off, Im so getting myself one. Gorgeous bass
I have a completely stock 1974 4001 that I have owned for 35 years. Original pick ups and everything. I've playsed a million gigs with it . I absolutely love it. It has the best and fastest neck of any one of the 20+ basses that I own. It seems that players either love them or hate them. No in between. Great vidoe.
Chris Brubeck has been playing a 4001 fretless since 1969 ! I have seen him perform in several groups with it . He always gets great tone to support the music .
I've always had a huge love of Rickenbackers thanks largely to all the bands Scott named like The Beatles, Rush, Metallica, Yes and other guys like Motörhead and Pink Floyd (since Roger Waters used one during the Syd Barrett era of the band) and I actually bought a Rick 4003S (specifically the same one that Scott has since I've always loved the red sunburst/Fireglo finish on these basses) over the summer of 2021 at a local guitar store here in Toronto (it was also the only one they had in stock at the time since the store doesn't have many Rick basses come in, mainly just Rickenbacker guitars), it's definitely the best bass I've ever played next to my Music Man StingRay and it's my go-to bass when it comes to recording stuff for either myself or college and I just actually played it last night when my band got to open for a Led Zeppelin tribute band, which was absolutely awesome (it was also our first paid gig, so that was also a bonus)
I find I can get a very similar sound to JPJ on my 4003w, especially on some of the bands earlier stuff, that’s awesome you got paid for covering some zeppelin , what was the set?
@@brodycopple6034 We actually weren't allowed to play any Zeppelin since we were the opening act but our set was AC/DC - Let There Be Rock (which we unanimously decided would be our opener), Pink Floyd - Money, Rush - Closer to the Heart (we wanted to cover some classic Canadian music), Foo Fighters - Everlong (which we dedicated to the musicians we recently lost like Jeff Beck, David Crosby and Taylor Hawkins), Van Halen - Runnin' With the Devil, Iron Maiden - The Trooper (which we jammed on during our first rehearsal when figuring out songs and added it then) and ended it with the band that gave us heavy metal, Black Sabbath - Paranoid
I loved it when roger waters said he used a whole years terms grant to buy a rickenbacker. Doing things like sliding ball bearings up and down the strings, lol.
I got a Rick because I loved the tone that Paul McCartney got when he started using one. But when I started playing it, the most noticeable thing was the sustain with the first neck-thru design I ever had. I could play a low note, and it would just go on forever. Plus the tone with the stereo effects was very different than other basses at the time, and the playability of it was great, easier than Fenders at the time, at least for me. The neck-thru allowed me to easily hit high notes that were not as easy to get to with a bolt-on. And I had that bass for years.
The Rickenbacker bass was an important part of my youth. The first time I heard Bruce Foxton playing one in The Jam I fell in love with the sound, like their music, the bass had the energy and the articulation. Always wanted a bound 4001 but as yet, never actually owned one :( They may have a few flaws that you have to work around but then so has my wife but I still love her to bits ;)
There isn’t much acknowledgment of players from that era on SBL given that Bruce Foxton. Barry Adamson of Magazine, Paul Simenon, and Peter Hook all played Ricki’s early in their careers
I learned how to play on a '4003 '81 rick I picked up used for $300 in early 80's...I made mods to it and it was all I owned until stolen in late 80's. Went through many other brands but I picked up a '86 4003 about 10yrs ago. It's not my #1 as my style has changed but I do revisit it often to connect with my youth. They are Iconic but the new ones don't feel the same to me as the older ones with bound fretboards, block inlays etc....yes they have some minor annoying issues but they sound great are really fun to play!!! Great video!
I bought my 4003 around ...40 years ago for £150 - I replaced the bassist in this band & he just wanted rid of it.I was only a kid & bought & sold numerous basses, motorbikes, cars etc to raise the cash.I loved & treasured that bass for most of my younger years, had kids then got back into playing in bands..One night I came home to find that some arsehole had broken in & stolen numerous electronics & most heartbreaking of all, my beloved Ric.😭.I've never had the cash to replace that bass..maybe one day..I used to play through a Y splitter into 2 amps, sounded amazing..I still play but miss my Ric every day...
Is that actually a 4003? That looks like a 4003S. The S model has dots, no binding, and no stereo jack; the regular 4003 has triangles, binding, and "Rick-O-Sound" stereo.
Is a 4003s not still a 4003? The differences are just cosmetics and an additional out that you need an external device that is rarely implemented anymore, so people usually just ignore it. Same wiring, pickups, and woods otherwise.
Rics are the best basses ever made and the Bass (neck) pickup adds the huge bass to the sound. The "deluxe" model with binding and the "S" (special order) model without binding both date back to the early 1960s, though there have been gradual changes and improvements over the years, including the re-brand from 4001 to 4003.
Gotta give some credit to a company that has NEVER done import instruments. Every instrument made in the USA since day 1. Have to respect that level of commitment. I think Rickenbacker are equal amounts genius and quirkiness.
@@profile2047 Genius referring to the design influence from Roger Rossmeisl (who doesn't love a german carve top every once in a while?). I can't get over how many different design elements were cohesively brought together in the 4001/4003 basses among his other designs. The chrome elements, the elliptical shape that is formed by both of the cutouts, the unique pickups... Somehow it feels like it shouldn't work but to me ends up being one of the definitive basses I think of when I think of Rock & Roll. Precision and Jazz are great and have their place but Rick designs always feel so much more experimental but also functional. Think of the sounds we would miss out on if there were no Ricks... Lemmy, Chris Squire, Paul McCartney, Jim Smith of Cardiacs etc etc. I say genius because almost every spec. and feature of their instruments are different than most conventional instruments, they think outside of the box and every instrument they make has a personality which may or may not mesh with each player. Start with a blank piece of paper and try designing a bass; I'm amazed at the creativity in design, aesthetics and a unique tone that is instantly recognizable. They don't do things like everyone else; they carved out their well deserved spot in music and instrument building without having to conform to what everyone else was doing. Not to mention what Rick has done for the design and popularization of the pick-up and electric guitar in general. To me they are the definition of Rock & Roll; being creative, not conforming and kicking ass not to mention they are still around today. Pretty awesome, and I don't think they could accomplish what they have without a bit of genius. I could go over specific design elements of each instrument and what makes them awesome but that's probably better left for a hypothetical video. Sorry for the rant lol
@@8Junio76 Best instrument is subjective. Not cutting costs and focusing on in house production instead of outsourcing is admirable. There are already enough import instruments out there for those that want them. I didn't say Rickenbacker is the best because that is subjective, but sticking to making things "at home" is commendable no matter how you look at it. My favourite instruments tend to come out of Japan but that doesn't mean I go around saying they are the best. Just like Japan, instruments made in the USA carry a certain amount of expectation in quality. I find Rick's are a good example of American quality, even if its not for everyone. Didn't say best.
Fantastic to see Royston Langdon getting a shout-out here. Such an underrated bass player. Not only is In The Meantime an awesome bassline, but the guy sings at the same time as playing it! He was one of my inspirations for once owning a Ricky too, along with John Entwistle.
Oh man, exact same thing for me. I remember having such a high standard for Ricks in my head for years. I idolized them so much because of players like Squire, Lee, Burton and so on. One day I finally had a chance to try a 4003 at a Long and McQuade (The Canadian Guitar Center) and man....I can't tell you how disappointed I was. Outside of their overall aesthetic and look, there wasn't a single thing I could find on it that I liked. I have not been a fan ever since LOL
Yup.. I saved up to buy one for a while and finally bought one online. Had such high expectations, but it was uncomfortable, the pickups were anemic, it was heavy, the bridge pickup is much louder than the neck, you have to remove the annoying cover, the neck is WAY fat and awkward with no tapering toward the nut, couldn’t adjust the truss rod, the adjustments for the foam kept falling out, you can’t really palm mute on it, I could go on. I just couldn’t bond with it for over a year so had to sell it. That’s how I learned the feeling I get when I get a bass that isn’t for me. I just don’t bond with it.
@@christianfazari2053 Was the one you tried set up? L&M in my area every bass has strings half an inch away from the fretboard. Rick's feel different for sure but give them a few tries and make sure they are reasonably set up. Even an amazing instrument with a poor setup will still feel bad. Even the $9,000 Dingwall at the store I frequent wasn't set up AT ALL. If Rick's aren't for you that's understandable just want to make sure they are given a fair shake.
Ian is extremely correct about just getting used to a bass and making it work, rather than seeking a bass that's inherently perfect for you. And incidentally it is only by that mentality that one can adopt the Rickenbacker bass. Because they fit no one perfectly lol. You have to just be like ok this is my bass and I'm going to commit to it. I did that for many years with mine. Ultimately my tastes changed and I moved on from it but I learned a LOT just by needing to make that Rick work in different styles of music.
i picked a bass that had a pickup selector, and individual tone and volume controls. it sounds dreadful in most classic bass scenarios, but coming from 20 years of guitar, it is perfect for me: fat neck, heavy strings, easy layout, takes a pounding, and sounds raunchy. i tried playing a high end "x-wing" active jazz-bass type and i was lost. it sounded too clean, too easy. i need to fight my instrument. i'll stick to my bloody harley benton ricky copy. it's the best bass i've ever played. and one day i'll own a true ricky, but i'll beat it to hell and back. those basses are meant to be fought
Would absolutely love to own a Rick. As a fan of 70s prog it's all over early Genesis, Yes, and Rush - and props to the guys for mentioning that Spacehog tune, fantastic bassline. Feel like Bruce Foxton is another Rick player well worth mentioning. Not massive on The Jam but his bass playing is amazing.
Yes, that song by Spacehog... I remember first time ever hearing it in 1996 on the radio, I thought it was a new one from RUSH. Especially since I knew that they had a new album due around that time, which would be Test For Echo. I've been meaning to learn that song, but gotten so wrapped up in my own playing, I forget to learn it As for a Rickenbacker bass... if you can find a mid to late 70s model 4001 that's in good condition and not too pricey, get that instead of the newer 4003 models. The construction between the two is quite different with the 4001 being superior to the 4003 in my opinion. The 4001 weighs a little more too. And those oriqginal 4001 pickups can't be beat
Got my hands on a brand-new Ric 4001 in 1973 because Chris Squire was my hero. Played it with a gold Herco pick and strung it with light-gauge Roto SwingBass strings. Kept it for 30 years. Sold it because my playing changed to fingerstyle over the years and by then I owned an Alembic S. Clarke Signature. In my old age I wish I still had the Ric.
As an owner of an OG 4001 Rickenbacker, I frickin' LOVE this bass! It sounds incredible! CONS: It actually has TWO trust rods so the neck can tilt (advantageous?), and they are crippling the bass! It's hard to replace them without going to a specialist, but the overall sound of this oddly specific, yet versatile instrument is incredible (I put it through a DS-1 guitar pedal the other say with a bit of delay, and that sounded awesome!).It's an incredible workhorse!
I always loved the Rick sounds of McCartney, Geddy Lee, and Chris Squire, but for me it was John Camp from renaissance on “A Song For All Seasons” that defined the ‘Rick’ sound, that ‘stringiness’ that just cuts through, making it sound louder and more biting than anything else would in the mix.
The part you left out on the iconic "Frying Pan" guitar- it was a steel guitar with strings well elevated off the neck to be played with a slide. The history of this first electric guitar is that after the "Hawaiian boom" the steel guitar was crazy popular and, already louder than the standard acoustic guitar, became an important lead instrument decades before the fretted guitar became a lead instrument. As such the "Frying Pan" guitar was created so that the steel guitar could compete with horns and get over the drums
I played a 4001 with binding played it a good 25 years it was a very reliable bass for me . I got so many compliments all they had to was just see it. Love the sound.
I have a Rickenbacker 4003W and I love it. I took the plastic pickup cover off and put Joe Barden humbuckers in it and it sounds amazing and plays really well. I like to play it with both pickups on but the tone rolled off a bit on the neck pickup. It sounds huge that way especially when you use the stereo output.
I have an interesting relationship with these basses. I've had three of these so far. I love them, they look and sound awesome, but when I got to a point in my life when I had to decide which of my basses should I sell for any reason, I'd always chosen the Rickenbacker. They are cool, but my old P basses were always closer to my heart, and honestly, they sound better in most scenarios.
Fun vid! I just got my first ever 4003 today! Couldn’t be more excited, as this has been a grail base for me. I wanted one for years. Even with the shortcomings or frustration points that you mentioned in the video, there’s not a base in the world I would rather have.
Good work boys,I love the sound of a Rickenbacker Bass,the"Smoke on the Water" bass line that Roger Glover played on a Rickenbacker is so good and different 👍👍👍👍
In 1971 I was mourning the loss of my early 60's Fender Precision Bass in a traffic mishap when I was just 17 years old. I bought it when I was fifteen for $150 but never wrote down the serial number because I thought it was my "forever bass". In 1971 I travelled with a band mate from Lewiston, Maine to Boston as he was to pick-up the Les Paul he ordered from E.U. Wurlitzers. While there I thought to check out what they had in the used department. I spotted a black Victoria case on a top shelf thinking it might be a Fender so I asked to see it. The salesman seemed annoyed but got the ladder and brought the case down I discovered a 1967 Rickenbacker 4001! It was made before "Rick-O-Sound" and had "Roto Sound 66" strings on it. At that time no music store in Maine sold the brand. It turns out during our conversation we discovered the we at one time we lived within five hundred feet of each other on Ninth St. in New Auburn! He gave me a price of $300 and all I had on me was $35. Bob Cavanaugh was that salesman and told me that if I coudn't meet the deadline he'd refund my money. As it turned out my "Step-uncle" was working in a T.V. Radio Repair shop on Mass Ave where we parked about five blocks away from Newbury St. After Don, bought his Les Paul we walked the five blocks back to his van parked in front of my uncle's shop. He was back from his lunch-break and we showed him Don's brand new Les Paul and told him I may be back to see him in a few weeks to buy the bass I had just put a hold on. He knew I didn't have the money and said "come with me" where he led me to a back office, he opened a file cabinet drawer and pulled out a wad of cash and counted out $300 and said "Go buy your bass!" I literally ran the five blocks back to Newbury St. whereas Bob Cavanaugh asked me if I had just robbed a bank. I explained to him that my uncle just worked five blocks away and loaned me the money. I got all the "Case candy" as well as being told it was the shortest "lay-away" he ever experienced! Upon returning to Maine to following week that Ric caused a stir!! Yes, I did pay Uncle Louie back in short order and the Ric caused other bass players in Maine to rush to Boston to order their own! I loved the slim neck and the sound but actually wore the bass out after nine hard played years! The binding on the bottom of the neck was seperating as well as the fret markers and the cost of repairs exceeded the bass's worth. I wish I still had it today! o
13:15 - such a good point! Creativity comes out of a process of someone getting used to limitations. For a period I had to try playing with a broken finger and I've written some ideas I'd never have written otherwise because I had to rethink how I'm playing and what I'm playing.
tried a rickenbacker....couldn't get on with it.... hard to set up.... gibson thunderbird was fucking awful.... back to the stingray 5....can't beat em....
It's cool that you kept Cliff Burton in the list of famous users but I see why you wouldn't want to demo his work - he had the horseshoe off his and was running a Morley PFW, but to remove it would have taken an annoying thing off the list and also made it non-original/not a wall hanger anymore (also you have to be concerned about setting precedents/giving advice when you have 1M+ subs). I remember the mutes were broken on our school's electric bass and you had to jam something in there to disable them, which wasn't bad because it was a lever system - the upside to the threaded version was they don't break and the pads don't wear out as quickly if you're not enable/disable them all the time.
He only played a real Ric during 1977 , briefly using an Ibanez copy , then settled on his P Bass during '78 onwards. Also used an Epiphone Rivoli on "Start !" .
I can't believe you didn't talk about taking that cover off of the pickup. I know on early ones it was sort of part of the pickup and changed the sound if you took them off but on the later ones you should try it. There were a few other things about these basses that I'm surprised you didn't talk about. Double truss rods, two outputs, the glossy fretboard, more about the unique tone, the neck shape, playability.
I find it interesting that you didn't call out that the two Ricks you were playing had different neck pickups. Ian's has a toaster pickup and Scott's has a high-output pickup. (At least those are the names for the equivalent guitar pickups.)
The Atlanta Rhythm Section was good for the Ric sound as well. In 1982 the cost was $650. Also, if you wanted to get the older Ric 4001 sound, they put in a switch in the pots to pull up and down. This turned on a capacitor to bring back the thinner 4001 sound. They do have a binder on 4003, but they have what you are holding now without the binders on it and also 4003S ment stereo or Ricko- Sound. Although on some Rush albums the Ric was played and yet a Fender Jazz was played. Same with YES. If you look with some of the music, a Fender was played in some songs. It depends on what sound you want. These basses have that dirty and warm sound at times. The split in the bridge pic-up guard was a modification to allow the strings to go through without messing with the pick-ups or taking the guard off all of the time. 4003 does not have this feature. It was on the 4001CS Bass. To be honest, it is not a funk bass. It never was. The sound that was for the most would be Progressive Rock. You hear a lot of this even in the Prog Band Renaissance.
All this slapping and DI is kinda like taking a Fender Esquire, plugging into a Boss Metal Zone pedal, going straight into a DAW, and then complaining that it doesn’t do Reign In Blood very well.
Yep, it is THE Prog bass. Squire and Geddy, of course, and also - as you mentioned - Jon Camp from Renaissance. The dude in Spock’s Beard. If you’re a bass player into Prog, like me, you want a Rick. This is not an R & B bass for slapping.
Running a Ric stereo is a game changer but few people do it. I run the bridge signal straight into a darkglass microtubes and from the neck into a sansamp and a bunch of pedals into a power amp. Now if I buy a new bass I mod it with a stereo jack to do the same thing.
I bought a 1978 4001 and had it for several years before selling it and buying a 2017 4003W. I bought a hipshot bridge, a pickup surround cover and swapped the white pickgaurd and truss rod for black.
If you put flatwounds on a jazz bass you can get in the ballpark of Paul's Rickenbacker tone, i did that on mine, and soloing the neck pickup gets that nice smooth sound
I always LOVED the Mike Rutheford Double Neck Rick bass with old Genesis !!! The sounds he could get out of that were some of the best prog bass still today. I do need to replace my Fender Squire Jazz... hmmmm maybe win one of these?? Wow sure hope so!
Back in the '70's I was playing 5 to 7 nights a week. I bought a Rick based on the hype. I changed the strings to whatever my favorie was back then. The neck immediately bent up like a pretzel and no amount of truss rod adjustment corrected it. I didn't care for the tone either. I sold it and got a Gibson Ripper fretted and then a fretless Ripper . Heaven for me. And never looked back.
The best 2 days of owning a ric is the day you buy and the day you sell it, if you sit at home in a bedroom they are fantastic, gigging it often and touring don’t even bother.
100% 😁👍 Unfortunately, I've only experienced one of those two days. Playing a gig with a Rick without a backup bass is like jumping out of a plane without a parachute. There's a chance you might land on a giant marshmallow...but statistically speaking, not likely.
@@visiblesailorsstorys8918 What a weird response. I Started playing in 1980, my first bass was a Ric and I’ve been playing them ever since. My Fenders however, they’ve been a different story altogether…😂
My dad passed last March. So I got his 80s 4001 azureglo. The bottom of it has a bit of the paint chipping. And the action is super high and I don't know how to make the strings lower to the board. But I love it. It's his prized bass.
They are heavy and unwieldy (not ergonomic) but they have a distinct tone that Yes and Rush forged their signature sounds with. Both Chris Squire and Geddy eventually moved onto other basses- Chris had an Elecktra on Drama and a custom bass (CS shaped bass) which he used from 90125 forward and a longer scale Tobias. Geddy switched to his Fender Jazz after 1980 before playing around with Steinberger and Wal basses in the mid 80's
You can set the neck so it's perfectly flat. The strings rattling on the frets is huge part of the GOAT Chris Squire Deep Purple was the Ric influence for me.
You can’t set the neck so it’s perfectly flat. Strings on a Ric will vibrate in two axes just the same as on any other bass and you’ll need neck relief. Otherwise it would be unplayable
@@eckie4679 And here I was thinking we all are free to set up our instruments any damn way we desire. How silly of me! It's a preference. A lot of people like to play that way. It may not be text-book "proper" but that's Rock N' Roll for ya. And on a Ric it's cool. I have owned two of them. And string vibration AXIS is 360 degrees. 😀
Been playing a black '86 4003 for over 30 years and love it. Also play a white '76 4001. You are right, sometimes you have to get used to things and figure them out. Often it's well worth doing. Rics are sometimes considered a one trick pony but they are far from that. Very versitile basses with great range of sound. One thing you guys didn't mention is the stereo wiring in the 4003's. Both the V63 and the 4003S that you are playing are only wired mono. The stereo option is cool and very useful if you want that classic Yes or Rush sound. And, if the bridge pickup cover gets in the way................take it off. Most professional players do! Thanks for a great and honest review of the pros and cons. You didn't just hate it or love it, you showed the strengths and the strange little excentricities!!
Its really nice what you are doing here. the giveaway and your lessons, videos and everything. It helped me a lot (and I think that it helped other people too), you are probably the best bass YT channel. Videos are always so nice and easy to understand. The Rick is sooooo nicee, always loved them. Has tone like no other bass IMO and the style...love ittt. Such a shame that there are 0 ricks in my country or even near. Hope I'll win it in the giveaway :))
FYI: Peter Hook didn't play a real Ricky, he had a Hondo II copy (that he said was awful). He is more known for the Yamaha BB1200 series basses which I would love to see a video on
I never knew that about Hooky. I had and still have a Hondo II 4001 and, yes, it wasn’t great but looked amazing as a 17 year old in the late 70s. Felt to me like I was playing a suspension bridge, though, and I now play mainly short scale.
The ric price is entirely based on their inability to expand. They’re still stuck on the low scale production line. My biggest mistake was leaving behind a candy apple red with maple fingerboard in a Austin Texas guitar center. $3100 bucks seemed like a lot but I bet that would be a 5K instrument by now.
Purchase my 4001S brand new in 1975. Still plays and sounds like a dream. However, like most Rick owners, I removed the pickup cover inside a day of owning the bass as it is annoying. Once it’s removed it’s far easier to palm mute and the whole distance from the end of the fretboard to the bridge can be used to alter the tones still further. 49 years later it is still my favourite and most versatile bass; it works with big band jazz, orchestral pieces, reggae, rock, blues, punk, soul, etc, etc. Even my mercifully brief foray into country and western! I’ve collected a fair few good basses over the years but Ricky is the boss as far as I’m concerned.
My blueprint for getting to know your Rickenbacker: Put the selector switch in the middle position and then go nuts with the tone settings and volume levels for both pickups. Find out exactly whay this beautiful bass is capable of! Try every conbination you can think of. Make an afternoon of it! Have fun! Further, I put flats on mine, thinking it'd be a fun experiment. You can try that too but I haven't found any "magic tones" there. I'm going back to rounds! Lastly, when played at high volumes, NOTHING has a snarl like a Rick!
I'd like to echo the sentiment (as a bass teacher who uses a 4003SW) that Rickenbackers are under-represented on this and many other really good channels. There seems to be an assumption that if you play bass, it must be funk-related and you probably ought to have a P or J bass. All great, but somewhat limited in scope.
I let my 12yo daughter use my 4003 to learn how to play on. It was the only bass I don't use on a regular basis. She improved quickly. Lots of "How do you..." questions . On a rainy afternoon last September, she strolled into my studio and said: "Dad, can I get a real bass now?" She was pointing at my Stingray as she said it. Apparently, she'd been moonlighting with it whilst I wasn't home. Well, that explains the tiny glitter flakes (from her nail polish) on my pick-guard. Christmas morning, she found a new Stingray Special and Rumble 500 next to the tree. I wonder who put that there? 🤔 It's odd hearing Tool bass lines bellowing from a room with a massive Hello Kitty on the door.
*PLEASE READ* - It's come to our attention that there are some commenters on our videos who are trying to scam our subscribers with offers of free gifts and message requests. None of these comments are official or from us. We will never reach out via the comments of a social media channel. We're doing our best to remove the comments and flag the accounts in question!
Quite common unfortunately. They are bunch of brainless no hopers with nothing better to do and who offer no value to the world.
Yep. Got a message from a @ scottbass33 telling me about a gift. LOL! Like they say, if it's too good to be true then it probably is.
The form.wont let me enter my date of birth :(
I really want to enter because ive only used a second hand £50 brandless bass so itd be nice to win a good bass
I almost get caught. Thanks !
And Lemmy in MOTORHEAD!!!!!!!!
With Rickenbackers the consensus with them is dead split between “they’re overrated and they suck” and “they’re the best basses ive ever played”
WORD! It's all about visceral reactions, not unbiased opinions!!!!
When I was much younger I had a very cheap fender P-bass knockoff that played absolutely awfully. I had the chance to play a Rick and was immediately in love, but obviously my basis for comparison was deeply flawed. Haven't played one since.
@@margeragazzo2384 I mean over 2k for a bass with plastic on it?
Sometimes those opinions are even isolated to single individuals too!
@@devlintaylor9520 Any bass with a pickguard has plastic on it just about, no matter how much it costs.
How can you talk about bands that were born by Rickenbacker basses and not talk about Motörhead??
I was just about to say the same
That is cuz lammy was a guitar player !!! Or he acted like one !!! And he was a lame singer as well !!!
Roger Glover had THE Ric sound on Machine Head.
I guess because at SBL they're very Motown, Funk, Pop, Jazz centric. James Jamerson for example, has certainly been a great in his field and you can learn from all styles. But it's nothing that has ever been relevant to me. Chris Squire, Geddy, The Ox, Pete Trewavas, Cliff Burton, Billy Sheehan John Deacon etc. etc. are more relevant for me.
Right?
There's a reason Paul McCartney, Chris Squire, Geddy Lee, and Lemmy Kilmister used Rickenbacker Basses... The one of a kind sound you can get with them! No other Bass sounds like it.
Plus let us never forget, Paul got his for FREE. I think he was one of the first Rickenbacker bass players ever.
True, just ask them, they will tell you because someone put it in their hands, and went back to Fender, Gipson, MM….
@davidgtsi Tell that to McCartney; the Rick he was gifted became his main studio bass from '65 to -68, then he received his Jazz bass and then after that he went straight back to the Hofner and Rick!
also Mario Muttis
@@davidgtsiify Gipson?? 🤔😂
4001s were originally meant to have flatwound strings on it. If you bought a new one back in the day, they came with flatwound strings. With the combination of the mute and flat wounds, it was meant to sound like an upright bass. With round wounds, it has that classic bright and nasally rattle we all love.
I'm actually using flat chromes on my 1975 4001. They are incredible sounding with my Boogie or GK amp. Sounds great with round-wounds too.
I was thinking flatwounds when he mentioned the obscure bassist that shockingly used a rick.
Can vouch for this.
Mine doesnt sound anything like that. he plays neck pickup and says it sounds glassy but his sounds articulate. I can hear slides and twangs. Maybe he means the bridge pickup because that thing is very treble based. However when I move mine to neck pickup I just get full bass and no bright at all
I heard Roundwounds on the 4001 would eat the soft frets.
2 of the coolest growling sounds: A Rolls Royce powered Spitfire and a Rickenbacker bass.
a lot of what people are crediting the rick for was speaker tone imo. back when i owned a 1976 rick , when i ran it through my GK stack (which used GK speakers) the thing sounded like a two headed fire breathing devil beast. however when i ran it through my 12" 120 wt peavy combo amp it sounded like a fat kid just had a mild case of gas.
so here's my general breakdown what affect tone the most in my experience
Speakers =65 %
Strings = 20 %
the space you are in (room , outdoors ect ect) = 9%
kind of pick ups in your bass = 5%
Amplifier = .99999 %
Other shit people love to claim is the soul cause of your tone .00001% (maybe)
jazz bass out-growls a rick by a mile IMO.
and apparently no one bothered to read my post. your tone is mostly in what speakers you are using!!!!!
My 4001 cost £477 new in 1978 in the UK. Still got it and it still sounds good. Fell in love with the sound that Chris Squire used to get. Unique to the instrument.
Yes dude! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
I had one in 1973 ,I waited 3 months for it to arrive...cost £400 then ,it was the stereo one in black .. took it back on the following Monday and swapped it for a Jazz bass .. the problem on reflection was my amp ,I had an HH transistor amp. stupid boy.. I am 75 years old and just bought a Harley Benton style rick bass ,, I love it Conan
@@conanhayle Mine is the same stereo in black. I had a HH VS bass amp and 2 x 15 cab. HH was all the rage at the time. It was a step up from the Vox T60 that I had before. Unless you could afford a Fender or Ampeg, there wasn't a huge choice at the time and also, valve amps were considered a bit old fashioned. Glad to hear you've found your way back to the sound, Harley Benton are turning out some very respectable guitars at affordable prices.
I bought mine early in '78, too! I got it for somewhere shy of $500 US. Mapleglo, brand new off the music room floor. I still have it. All I've replaced is the bridge because the original corroded. The rest is still all-original, but it definitely has battle scars.
Btw, to get the CQ sound, use round wounds, roll the tone all the way down on the bridge pickup, and all the way up on the neck pickup. It turns the bridge pickup into a midrange control. The mix of the two lets you dial in that killer Squire sound.
I had the same year and model in the US… sadly I sold it in the mid 80s… wish I didn’t…
I’ve had a Rickenbacker for 3 years now, and it’s easily my favorite bass, tone to kill for, easy to sing with, and just the most comfortable neck. Just a legendary bass that kills live and in the studio
Just bought a Rick yesterday after wanting one for 40 years. Loving it!! I do not regret it for a second.
I find it interesting how much opinions can differ. I haven’t played a Rick in years but I HATED the feel of the neck. I’m sure I’d get used to it if I owned one but it would have been more of a pain in the ass for me to get over it.
I can’t deny that it looks amazing and that many of my favorite bassists have used it to great effect.
So that’s how the guy from spacehog does it..
wait till yours needs maintence. then you'll discover why vintage Ricks don't cost nearly what vintage fenders and gibsons do. the things are a nightmare to fix any problems on them.
@@DenverStarkey mines a 2020 Rickenbacker 4003, I’m sure it will last me a while
The lack of respect Lemmy gets from the bass community is astounding. Say what you want but he had his own unique style no one could copy and he played with passion. For him not to get mentioned in a Ricky video.. sad he was a rock monster
The Ricky bass was ubiquitous in the '70s. It played through so many genres. Some times it is best not to meet your heroes, but, if you can get over their quirks you too can look cool.
Tommy Shaw of Styx thought a lot of his, as well as the bass player for Triumph...
@@Jreb1865Tommy didnt play bass. Chuck Panazzo had the Rick bass.
They are the coolest looking bass ever (in my opinion)
In my opinion i dont like them,for me the most beautiful bass are the jazz bass
@@thebasscovers5153 😴
If a red one was edible i'd have to bite it.
@@toddblanks someone had to say it.
Someone just gave me one just like the one he has what is it worth
Huge rickenbacker fan and I’m glad to see they’re getting some recognition on SBL finally. However, Scott’s 4003S has a feature they didn’t go over, if the treble tone pot is pulled out, it activates a capacitor that makes it sound like the old 4001’s
Some of the 4003s have that feature also. I had my 4003 modded to do that and MAN did it open up a tonal pallet!
All 4003 not just the S model has that feature. Along with a new bridge and single truss rod after 2019.
@@silencedones4421 yes, RIC started doing the push pull pot in the early 2000s along with the various upgrades you mentioned
@@silencedones4421 fifty years to un-disaster that bridge?
@@carpediemarts705 i can't argue with you. Their customer support is a whole other topic. Which puts a bad taste in many mouth's. They cater to the delears as their customer. People like us don't matter. However their guitars are historic and amazing in many ways. But, if you have an issue it's not what anyone wants. If they listened to their customer's they wouldn't have waited so long.
I believe the model Scott has is actually the 4003S. Standard 4003 has the binding and shark fin inlays. I’ve got one and the tone is something special! Takes a lot of time to get used to though
Correct. Also- the 4003 has a stereo output, whereas the 4003s has only a standard output.
Totally. Thank you for the correction!
Rickosound give you an extra bow in your arsenal. A pain to get right, but when you have both signals going out, one clean the other with effects and maybe putting the neck pic like up through a powerful guitar amp it really sets you apart.
@@robertpike5670 That and that bridge pickup will really sound much better if you put some gain into it. Squire and Lee understood that.
@@IanMartinAllison Thank YOU, Ian! You and Scott are the absolute best and have inspired me greatly.
I’m a guitarist, but have sat on bass when a band needed the help, but you guys look so happy playing, infectious!
🧡🧡🧡
I have a Jazz, and consider myself a loyal Fender player, but I have recently gotten a Rick, and I must say, the Rick has some of the best tone I have ever heard.
I used to have a 4001S and played soul/R&B, reggae, hip hop with it. Rickenbacker is so known for punchy rock, but the smooth, deep beautiful tone I got from mine blew people's minds. Play close to the fret board with the tone cut down and the bass turned up and it's just gorgeous
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Leon Sylvers II recorded some of the funkiest bass lines on a Rick in the 70s/80s. Can't forget about Rick James either.
Indeed, Ricks can funk for sure!
Rick James never recorded any of the basslines for his songs, nor was the Rick used by his bass player. He posed with it for the Street Songs album because he thought it looked cooler than any guitar.
@@PANICBLADE I knew Rick personally. He slapped the shit out of a Rickenbacker.
@@vic.nicmusic Street Songs has been recorded with a Stingray, not with a Rick, and it didn't played by James.
@VicNic Rick Sanchez was the sound engineer for Street Songs, and he confirmed it was always a Fender bass going direct on the record, with the Rick being mostly decorative. I trust a public figure who was directly involved in making the music more than a random guy on youtube whose source is "trust me bro". I'm sure he played it obviously, but in terms of recordings? It was Oscar Alston using Fender or Sting Ray basses.
I think Ian and Scott are fuckin soul mates made in heaven. I hope I can be in a friendship as wholesome as theirs someday. Y’all are so cool man!!!!!!!
Oh yeah, it's awesome seeing how great friends they are
You do know it's just the same guy alternating between an English accent and an American one? 😉
@@barthvapour Lol
It's the bass behind The Jam. Bruce Foxton is one of the most underrated rock bass players ever.
Bruce Foxton played a Fender Precision Bass, and Aria Pro II SB-1000 just as much if not more than a Rickenbacker, especially live.
The models they are playing were designated back in the day 4001 "S" for Standard. They were the export models. The ones we know with the bindings and sharks-teeth inlays were the Deluxe model, available in The States. McCartney, Squire, Entwistle and Lynott all played "S" models, with dot fret markers and no bindings.
I had a black 4001S back in the 80s, complete with bindings and 'shark teeth' inlays...one of the best basses I've ever owned...
Hook it up with an old school Marshall amp and you're in bass heaven!!!
Biggest mistake I ever made was letting it go...(for a song literally)
😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢.
I adore the 4003. I think the best sound I ever heard was a friend playing a 4001 through an SVT and a custom 21" bass cabinet. They have made 5-strings and 8-strings, too.
It’s a 4003S, with dots but without binding. The 4003 models have mono/stereo outputs while the 4003S comes in mono only.
All Rickenbacker instruments are made in one plant in Santa Anna, California. Rickenbacker has no beginner, Asian-made, versions like Gibson has Epiphone and Fender has multiple plants across the Pacific… Anyways, Ricks are pricey but they’re a totally unique product, period!
I started playing bass back in the 70’s, high school, and Chris Squire was my hero. My current bass is 2015 4003S that’s basically been converted to a 60’s type like Squire. And, yes, my 4003S has been converted to stereo, the only way to run a Rickenbacker!
Great video, thanks for posting!
In case it hasn’t been mentioned already, the picture at around 3:30 that you said was of Adolph Rickenbacker was actually of F.C. Hall, who bought the company from Adolph.
My cousin before he passed used to have a rick. It was the first time i ever saw one in person. As soon as i get some debt paid off, Im so getting myself one. Gorgeous bass
🧡🧡🧡
I have a completely stock 1974 4001 that I have owned for 35 years. Original pick ups and everything. I've playsed a million gigs with it . I absolutely love it. It has the best and fastest neck of any one of the 20+ basses that I own. It seems that players either love them or hate them. No in between. Great vidoe.
Chris Brubeck has been playing a 4001 fretless since 1969 ! I have seen him perform in several groups with it . He always gets great tone to support the music .
I've always had a huge love of Rickenbackers thanks largely to all the bands Scott named like The Beatles, Rush, Metallica, Yes and other guys like Motörhead and Pink Floyd (since Roger Waters used one during the Syd Barrett era of the band) and I actually bought a Rick 4003S (specifically the same one that Scott has since I've always loved the red sunburst/Fireglo finish on these basses) over the summer of 2021 at a local guitar store here in Toronto (it was also the only one they had in stock at the time since the store doesn't have many Rick basses come in, mainly just Rickenbacker guitars), it's definitely the best bass I've ever played next to my Music Man StingRay and it's my go-to bass when it comes to recording stuff for either myself or college and I just actually played it last night when my band got to open for a Led Zeppelin tribute band, which was absolutely awesome (it was also our first paid gig, so that was also a bonus)
I find I can get a very similar sound to JPJ on my 4003w, especially on some of the bands earlier stuff, that’s awesome you got paid for covering some zeppelin , what was the set?
@@brodycopple6034 We actually weren't allowed to play any Zeppelin since we were the opening act but our set was AC/DC - Let There Be Rock (which we unanimously decided would be our opener), Pink Floyd - Money, Rush - Closer to the Heart (we wanted to cover some classic Canadian music), Foo Fighters - Everlong (which we dedicated to the musicians we recently lost like Jeff Beck, David Crosby and Taylor Hawkins), Van Halen - Runnin' With the Devil, Iron Maiden - The Trooper (which we jammed on during our first rehearsal when figuring out songs and added it then) and ended it with the band that gave us heavy metal, Black Sabbath - Paranoid
@@andrewpappas9311 Awesome set. 👍🤘
I loved it when roger waters said he used a whole years terms grant to buy a rickenbacker.
Doing things like sliding ball bearings up and down the strings, lol.
I got a Rick because I loved the tone that Paul McCartney got when he started using one. But when I started playing it, the most noticeable thing was the sustain with the first neck-thru design I ever had. I could play a low note, and it would just go on forever. Plus the tone with the stereo effects was very different than other basses at the time, and the playability of it was great, easier than Fenders at the time, at least for me. The neck-thru allowed me to easily hit high notes that were not as easy to get to with a bolt-on. And I had that bass for years.
Loved that little skit at the end! Man, how I love this channel. Infectious enthusiasm and positivity.
4:47 as a Rick owner I can say that you definitely can palm mute with a pick or fingers. BUT, it is harder than on a p-bass style bridge
The Rickenbacker bass was an important part of my youth. The first time I heard Bruce Foxton playing one in The Jam I fell in love with the sound, like their music, the bass had the energy and the articulation. Always wanted a bound 4001 but as yet, never actually owned one :( They may have a few flaws that you have to work around but then so has my wife but I still love her to bits ;)
There isn’t much acknowledgment of players from that era on SBL given that Bruce Foxton. Barry Adamson of Magazine, Paul Simenon, and Peter Hook all played Ricki’s early in their careers
I learned how to play on a '4003 '81 rick I picked up used for $300 in early 80's...I made mods to it and it was all I owned until stolen in late 80's. Went through many other brands but I picked up a '86 4003 about 10yrs ago. It's not my #1 as my style has changed but I do revisit it often to connect with my youth. They are Iconic but the new ones don't feel the same to me as the older ones with bound fretboards, block inlays etc....yes they have some minor annoying issues but they sound great are really fun to play!!! Great video!
I bought my 4003 around ...40 years ago for £150 - I replaced the bassist in this band & he just wanted rid of it.I was only a kid & bought & sold numerous basses, motorbikes, cars etc to raise the cash.I loved & treasured that bass for most of my younger years, had kids then got back into playing in bands..One night I came home to find that some arsehole had broken in & stolen numerous electronics & most heartbreaking of all, my beloved Ric.😭.I've never had the cash to replace that bass..maybe one day..I used to play through a Y splitter into 2 amps, sounded amazing..I still play but miss my Ric every day...
My uncle owns one of these and he let my brother use it for a few years and he played it in our band and it was my favorite bass ever.
I really like this format of the two of you trading stories and ideas. You guys make a great duo.
Is that actually a 4003? That looks like a 4003S. The S model has dots, no binding, and no stereo jack; the regular 4003 has triangles, binding, and "Rick-O-Sound" stereo.
It's definitely a 4003S.
Is a 4003s not still a 4003? The differences are just cosmetics and an additional out that you need an external device that is rarely implemented anymore, so people usually just ignore it. Same wiring, pickups, and woods otherwise.
@@PANICBLADE you dont need external device,just a stereo to 2 mono cables you can get in any music shop or thomann xD
Besides the look, they sound the same.
@@ba.attila not quite as the 4003s does not have a stereo output. big difference in sound and in studio :)
Rics are the best basses ever made and the Bass (neck) pickup adds the huge bass to the sound. The "deluxe" model with binding and the "S" (special order) model without binding both date back to the early 1960s, though there have been gradual changes and improvements over the years, including the re-brand from 4001 to 4003.
I’ve own a vintage 4001 that I have played for years. My favorite bass.
Gotta give some credit to a company that has NEVER done import instruments. Every instrument made in the USA since day 1. Have to respect that level of commitment. I think Rickenbacker are equal amounts genius and quirkiness.
Genius? I’m curious why one would put it in the category of genius.
@@profile2047 Because they're very unique, nothing sounds like them, beautiful looking, sounding and playing basses once you get used to them.
@@profile2047 Genius referring to the design influence from Roger Rossmeisl (who doesn't love a german carve top every once in a while?). I can't get over how many different design elements were cohesively brought together in the 4001/4003 basses among his other designs. The chrome elements, the elliptical shape that is formed by both of the cutouts, the unique pickups... Somehow it feels like it shouldn't work but to me ends up being one of the definitive basses I think of when I think of Rock & Roll. Precision and Jazz are great and have their place but Rick designs always feel so much more experimental but also functional. Think of the sounds we would miss out on if there were no Ricks... Lemmy, Chris Squire, Paul McCartney, Jim Smith of Cardiacs etc etc. I say genius because almost every spec. and feature of their instruments are different than most conventional instruments, they think outside of the box and every instrument they make has a personality which may or may not mesh with each player. Start with a blank piece of paper and try designing a bass; I'm amazed at the creativity in design, aesthetics and a unique tone that is instantly recognizable. They don't do things like everyone else; they carved out their well deserved spot in music and instrument building without having to conform to what everyone else was doing. Not to mention what Rick has done for the design and popularization of the pick-up and electric guitar in general. To me they are the definition of Rock & Roll; being creative, not conforming and kicking ass not to mention they are still around today. Pretty awesome, and I don't think they could accomplish what they have without a bit of genius. I could go over specific design elements of each instrument and what makes them awesome but that's probably better left for a hypothetical video. Sorry for the rant lol
Still, the best instruments ARE NOT from USA.
@@8Junio76 Best instrument is subjective. Not cutting costs and focusing on in house production instead of outsourcing is admirable. There are already enough import instruments out there for those that want them. I didn't say Rickenbacker is the best because that is subjective, but sticking to making things "at home" is commendable no matter how you look at it. My favourite instruments tend to come out of Japan but that doesn't mean I go around saying they are the best. Just like Japan, instruments made in the USA carry a certain amount of expectation in quality. I find Rick's are a good example of American quality, even if its not for everyone. Didn't say best.
Fantastic to see Royston Langdon getting a shout-out here. Such an underrated bass player. Not only is In The Meantime an awesome bassline, but the guy sings at the same time as playing it! He was one of my inspirations for once owning a Ricky too, along with John Entwistle.
I play In the Meantime for my warmups👍🙌
Love my Rick. Nothing sounds like a Rickenbacker, such a unique growl
Hell yes!!!!
I love Rickenbacker basses. Always have, always will.
I always wanted a Rick (because Macca, Chris Squire) right up until I played one. And then, never again since.
Same here… I've admired the sound and the look forever, but I have only touched one once and that was enough.
Oh man, exact same thing for me. I remember having such a high standard for Ricks in my head for years. I idolized them so much because of players like Squire, Lee, Burton and so on. One day I finally had a chance to try a 4003 at a Long and McQuade (The Canadian Guitar Center) and man....I can't tell you how disappointed I was. Outside of their overall aesthetic and look, there wasn't a single thing I could find on it that I liked. I have not been a fan ever since LOL
Right there with ya! I'll keep twisting knobs till my P bass gets there.
Yup.. I saved up to buy one for a while and finally bought one online. Had such high expectations, but it was uncomfortable, the pickups were anemic, it was heavy, the bridge pickup is much louder than the neck, you have to remove the annoying cover, the neck is WAY fat and awkward with no tapering toward the nut, couldn’t adjust the truss rod, the adjustments for the foam kept falling out, you can’t really palm mute on it, I could go on. I just couldn’t bond with it for over a year so had to sell it. That’s how I learned the feeling I get when I get a bass that isn’t for me. I just don’t bond with it.
@@christianfazari2053 Was the one you tried set up? L&M in my area every bass has strings half an inch away from the fretboard. Rick's feel different for sure but give them a few tries and make sure they are reasonably set up. Even an amazing instrument with a poor setup will still feel bad. Even the $9,000 Dingwall at the store I frequent wasn't set up AT ALL. If Rick's aren't for you that's understandable just want to make sure they are given a fair shake.
Cliff played a rickenbacker on kill em all and that's it. The other albums were with an aria pro 2
He also played it on ride the lightning.
I cant believe they said metallic and not motorhead.
Something holy grail about Ricks.
You two are fun to watch.
Your excitement is fun.
Ian is extremely correct about just getting used to a bass and making it work, rather than seeking a bass that's inherently perfect for you. And incidentally it is only by that mentality that one can adopt the Rickenbacker bass. Because they fit no one perfectly lol. You have to just be like ok this is my bass and I'm going to commit to it. I did that for many years with mine. Ultimately my tastes changed and I moved on from it but I learned a LOT just by needing to make that Rick work in different styles of music.
i picked a bass that had a pickup selector, and individual tone and volume controls. it sounds dreadful in most classic bass scenarios, but coming from 20 years of guitar, it is perfect for me: fat neck, heavy strings, easy layout, takes a pounding, and sounds raunchy. i tried playing a high end "x-wing" active jazz-bass type and i was lost. it sounded too clean, too easy. i need to fight my instrument. i'll stick to my bloody harley benton ricky copy. it's the best bass i've ever played. and one day i'll own a true ricky, but i'll beat it to hell and back. those basses are meant to be fought
Would absolutely love to own a Rick. As a fan of 70s prog it's all over early Genesis, Yes, and Rush - and props to the guys for mentioning that Spacehog tune, fantastic bassline. Feel like Bruce Foxton is another Rick player well worth mentioning. Not massive on The Jam but his bass playing is amazing.
Yes, that song by Spacehog... I remember first time ever hearing it in 1996 on the radio, I thought it was a new one from RUSH. Especially since I knew that they had a new album due around that time, which would be Test For Echo. I've been meaning to learn that song, but gotten so wrapped up in my own playing, I forget to learn it
As for a Rickenbacker bass... if you can find a mid to late 70s model 4001 that's in good condition and not too pricey, get that instead of the newer 4003 models. The construction between the two is quite different with the 4001 being superior to the 4003 in my opinion. The 4001 weighs a little more too. And those oriqginal 4001 pickups can't be beat
Bruce preferred the Fenders for recording, the whole Ricky thing was Paul Weller's Beatles obsession (and what Paul wanted Paul got)
I still have the 4001 I bought used in 1975. My wife will have to find it a new home when I die. Thank you for a great video!
Awesome dude! Thanks for tuning in!
Got my hands on a brand-new Ric 4001 in 1973 because Chris Squire was my hero. Played it with a gold Herco pick and strung it with light-gauge Roto SwingBass strings. Kept it for 30 years. Sold it because my playing changed to fingerstyle over the years and by then I owned an Alembic S. Clarke Signature. In my old age I wish I still had the Ric.
As an owner of an OG 4001 Rickenbacker, I frickin' LOVE this bass! It sounds incredible! CONS: It actually has TWO trust rods so the neck can tilt (advantageous?), and they are crippling the bass! It's hard to replace them without going to a specialist, but the overall sound of this oddly specific, yet versatile instrument is incredible (I put it through a DS-1 guitar pedal the other say with a bit of delay, and that sounded awesome!).It's an incredible workhorse!
The double truss rods can also cause the fretboard to separate from the neck if they aren't adjusted correctly.
I always loved the Rick sounds of McCartney, Geddy Lee, and Chris Squire, but for me it was John Camp from renaissance on “A Song For All Seasons” that defined the ‘Rick’ sound, that ‘stringiness’ that just cuts through, making it sound louder and more biting than anything else would in the mix.
How many years / decades has it been since McCartney was seen playing a Ric?
You are right. And the Rick sound
the Rick sound of The Sparks on "Kimono my house" album.
Camp also has some great playing on their live album At Carnegie Hall. With the live production his bass is mixed pretty loud and it rules.
John Camp's bass paired with the piano was unique. Their drummer was no slouch either.
The part you left out on the iconic "Frying Pan" guitar- it was a steel guitar with strings well elevated off the neck to be played with a slide. The history of this first electric guitar is that after the "Hawaiian boom" the steel guitar was crazy popular and, already louder than the standard acoustic guitar, became an important lead instrument decades before the fretted guitar became a lead instrument. As such the "Frying Pan" guitar was created so that the steel guitar could compete with horns and get over the drums
I played a 4001 with binding played it a good 25 years it was a very reliable bass for me . I got so many compliments all they had to was just see it. Love the sound.
I have a Rickenbacker 4003W and I love it. I took the plastic pickup cover off and put Joe Barden humbuckers in it and it sounds amazing and plays really well. I like to play it with both pickups on but the tone rolled off a bit on the neck pickup. It sounds huge that way especially when you use the stereo output.
Ian’s wall unit with built in bass storage rack and the AT-AT above the fireplace? Killer!
🧡🧡🧡
I have an interesting relationship with these basses. I've had three of these so far. I love them, they look and sound awesome, but when I got to a point in my life when I had to decide which of my basses should I sell for any reason, I'd always chosen the Rickenbacker. They are cool, but my old P basses were always closer to my heart, and honestly, they sound better in most scenarios.
Would LOVE to see at least ONE lefty bass in a giveaway!
I bought a Rickenbacker 6 string copy just to hang on the wall and look at. So beautiful!
Fun vid! I just got my first ever 4003 today! Couldn’t be more excited, as this has been a grail base for me. I wanted one for years. Even with the shortcomings or frustration points that you mentioned in the video, there’s not a base in the world I would rather have.
Rickenbackers in jazz - Chris Brubeck (son of) played a de-fretted 4001 and sounded awesome.
When Ron Carter doubled on electric, for a short period, he used a Ric!
With tapewound strings.
Good work boys,I love the sound of a Rickenbacker Bass,the"Smoke on the Water" bass line that Roger Glover played on a Rickenbacker is so good and different 👍👍👍👍
In 1971 I was mourning the loss of my early 60's Fender Precision Bass in a traffic mishap when I was just 17 years old. I bought it when I was fifteen for $150 but never wrote down the serial number because I thought it was my "forever bass". In 1971 I travelled with a band mate from Lewiston, Maine to Boston as he was to pick-up the Les Paul he ordered from E.U. Wurlitzers. While there I thought to check out what they had in the used department. I spotted a black Victoria case on a top shelf thinking it might be a Fender so I asked to see it. The salesman seemed annoyed but got the ladder and brought the case down I discovered a 1967 Rickenbacker 4001! It was made before "Rick-O-Sound" and had "Roto Sound 66" strings on it. At that time no music store in Maine sold the brand. It turns out during our conversation we discovered the we at one time we lived within five hundred feet of each other on Ninth St. in New Auburn! He gave me a price of $300 and all I had on me was $35. Bob Cavanaugh was that salesman and told me that if I coudn't meet the deadline he'd refund my money. As it turned out my "Step-uncle" was working in a T.V. Radio Repair shop on Mass Ave where we parked about five blocks away from Newbury St. After Don, bought his Les Paul we walked the five blocks back to his van parked in front of my uncle's shop. He was back from his lunch-break and we showed him Don's brand new Les Paul and told him I may be back to see him in a few weeks to buy the bass I had just put a hold on. He knew I didn't have the money and said "come with me" where he led me to a back office, he opened a file cabinet drawer and pulled out a wad of cash and counted out $300 and said "Go buy your bass!" I literally ran the five blocks back to Newbury St. whereas Bob Cavanaugh asked me if I had just robbed a bank. I explained to him that my uncle just worked five blocks away and loaned me the money. I got all the "Case candy" as well as being told it was the shortest "lay-away" he ever experienced! Upon returning to Maine to following week that Ric caused a stir!! Yes, I did pay Uncle Louie back in short order and the Ric caused other bass players in Maine to rush to Boston to order their own! I loved the slim neck and the sound but actually wore the bass out after nine hard played years! The binding on the bottom of the neck was seperating as well as the fret markers and the cost of repairs exceeded the bass's worth. I wish I still had it today!
o
13:15 - such a good point! Creativity comes out of a process of someone getting used to limitations. For a period I had to try playing with a broken finger and I've written some ideas I'd never have written otherwise because I had to rethink how I'm playing and what I'm playing.
My ears pricked up when you said you were both born in 1978. So was my 4001. I bought it new. Still loving it.
🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
Some guys make them sound cool but I never got that far. I revert back to a fender right away.
tried a rickenbacker....couldn't get on with it....
hard to set up....
gibson thunderbird was fucking awful....
back to the stingray 5....can't beat em....
Best bass ever. I love it.
Hey hey, all! If you wanna grab your free entry in our $50k bass giveaway, here's the link: bit.ly/3GHyy4i
It's cool that you kept Cliff Burton in the list of famous users but I see why you wouldn't want to demo his work - he had the horseshoe off his and was running a Morley PFW, but to remove it would have taken an annoying thing off the list and also made it non-original/not a wall hanger anymore (also you have to be concerned about setting precedents/giving advice when you have 1M+ subs).
I remember the mutes were broken on our school's electric bass and you had to jam something in there to disable them, which wasn't bad because it was a lever system - the upside to the threaded version was they don't break and the pads don't wear out as quickly if you're not enable/disable them all the time.
Ohhhhh yeah. I'm badly in need of a new bass. I've only got a '00s mim pbass left.
Oh dang. A bass vi? I've never gotten to play around with one.
@@taelon757 yeah me either. Worth entering to give it a go! Good luck (to us both!)
@@andyr5579 Hell yeah. Good luck.
No mention of Bruce Foxton of The Jam? Legendary Rick player
Great sound. One of the reasons i had 78 4001 Rick.
Or Paul D'Amour (of early Tool)
He only played a real Ric during 1977 , briefly using an Ibanez copy , then settled on his P Bass during '78 onwards. Also used an Epiphone Rivoli on "Start !" .
he is probably my favourite Rick player of all time along with Cliff Burton
Such an underrated bassist
The excitement that Ian brings is so infectious.
3:47
That sponge lick is STUCK in my head. I need the tabs now.
Fr. That lick is absolutely amazing.
I can't believe you didn't talk about taking that cover off of the pickup. I know on early ones it was sort of part of the pickup and changed the sound if you took them off but on the later ones you should try it.
There were a few other things about these basses that I'm surprised you didn't talk about. Double truss rods, two outputs, the glossy fretboard, more about the unique tone, the neck shape, playability.
What about Cordell Boogie Mosson with Parliament? He's pictured with a Rick on the cover of Parliament Live - P.Funk Earth Tour.
I find it interesting that you didn't call out that the two Ricks you were playing had different neck pickups. Ian's has a toaster pickup and Scott's has a high-output pickup. (At least those are the names for the equivalent guitar pickups.)
Bruce of The Jam, Paul Gray of Eddie and the Hotrods 2 amazing bass players who play the Ricky.
Great little video guys really enjoyed it👍
I bought my brother a Black with white binding 4001 bass for his HS graduation gift in 1985, he used it in jazz band…such a well made instrument!
That's just awesome!
Lemmy kilmister used rickenbackers he even had a signature rickenbacker bass
No shit
Nah ah
The Atlanta Rhythm Section was good for the Ric sound as well. In 1982 the cost was $650. Also, if you wanted to get the older Ric 4001 sound, they put in a switch in the pots to pull up and down. This turned on a capacitor to bring back the thinner 4001 sound. They do have a binder on 4003, but they have what you are holding now without the binders on it and also 4003S ment stereo or Ricko- Sound. Although on some Rush albums the Ric was played and yet a Fender Jazz was played. Same with YES. If you look with some of the music, a Fender was played in some songs. It depends on what sound you want. These basses have that dirty and warm sound at times. The split in the bridge pic-up guard was a modification to allow the strings to go through without messing with the pick-ups or taking the guard off all of the time. 4003 does not have this feature. It was on the 4001CS Bass. To be honest, it is not a funk bass. It never was. The sound that was for the most would be Progressive Rock. You hear a lot of this even in the Prog Band Renaissance.
All this slapping and DI is kinda like taking a Fender Esquire, plugging into a Boss Metal Zone pedal, going straight into a DAW, and then complaining that it doesn’t do Reign In Blood very well.
Yep, it is THE Prog bass. Squire and Geddy, of course, and also - as you mentioned - Jon Camp from Renaissance. The dude in Spock’s Beard. If you’re a bass player into Prog, like me, you want a Rick. This is not an R & B bass for slapping.
@@markdaniels7174 I agree and I am into Prog.
Right. Atlanta Rythm Section (Imaginary lover, So into you, the bass solo in Champagne Jam).
And don' t forget Sparks.
In the Meantime by Space Hog is a totally underated 90s alt rock gem!
One of my fav songs ever!I play it to warm up👍🙌
Running a Ric stereo is a game changer but few people do it. I run the bridge signal straight into a darkglass microtubes and from the neck into a sansamp and a bunch of pedals into a power amp. Now if I buy a new bass I mod it with a stereo jack to do the same thing.
I bought a 1978 4001 and had it for several years before selling it and buying a 2017 4003W. I bought a hipshot bridge, a pickup surround cover and swapped the white pickgaurd and truss rod for black.
Annoying but ultimately… awesome.
Not really....
I remember that, for years, I wanted a left handed Rickenbacker. Then I tried one and I was very underwhelmed.
I’ve always wanted a rickenbacker since I got heavy into the Beatles but man are they expensive
Even used ones will hit your wallet like Mike Tyson in his prime.
Why not get a høfner?
@@OskarSvan Höfner bitte 🙏 - das ist eine deutsche Firma!😅
Höfner is a German brand! 😉
If you put flatwounds on a jazz bass you can get in the ballpark of Paul's Rickenbacker tone, i did that on mine, and soloing the neck pickup gets that nice smooth sound
@@riogrande163 Bass and rhythm guitar in the 1960s used flatwounds.
12:30 that slap riff and tone was some of the best I’ve ever heard.
I always LOVED the Mike Rutheford Double Neck Rick bass with old Genesis !!! The sounds he could get out of that were some of the best prog bass still today. I do need to replace my Fender Squire Jazz... hmmmm maybe win one of these?? Wow sure hope so!
Back in the '70's I was playing 5 to 7 nights a week. I bought a Rick based on the hype. I changed the strings to whatever my favorie was back then. The neck immediately bent up like a pretzel and no amount of truss rod adjustment corrected it. I didn't care for the tone either. I sold it and got a Gibson Ripper fretted and then a fretless Ripper . Heaven for me. And never looked back.
Oh man... A Ripper.
That's one helluvuh bass you've got. 😁👍
The best 2 days of owning a ric is the day you buy and the day you sell it, if you sit at home in a bedroom they are fantastic, gigging it often and touring don’t even bother.
100% 😁👍
Unfortunately, I've only experienced one of those two days.
Playing a gig with a Rick without a backup bass is like jumping out of a plane without a parachute.
There's a chance you might land on a giant marshmallow...but statistically speaking, not likely.
I’ve been gigging them regularly for over 40 years. 😉
@@MrJosten72 yeah right
@@visiblesailorsstorys8918 What a weird response. I Started playing in 1980, my first bass was a Ric and I’ve been playing them ever since. My Fenders however, they’ve been a different story altogether…😂
@@visiblesailorsstorys8918 Chris Squire and Lemmy, amongst many others, gigged theirs constantly.
My dad passed last March. So I got his 80s 4001 azureglo. The bottom of it has a bit of the paint chipping. And the action is super high and I don't know how to make the strings lower to the board. But I love it. It's his prized bass.
They are heavy and unwieldy (not ergonomic) but they have a distinct tone that Yes and Rush forged their signature sounds with. Both Chris Squire and Geddy eventually moved onto other basses- Chris had an Elecktra on Drama and a custom bass (CS shaped bass) which he used from 90125 forward and a longer scale Tobias. Geddy switched to his Fender Jazz after 1980 before playing around with Steinberger and Wal basses in the mid 80's
@@big.muscles.ohyeah When I had a Rick, I promptly removed the chrome cover!
But didn't Geddy Lee use a Rick on the Exit Stage Left tour in '81?
@RogueReplicant yes, but he recorded Moving pictures with his Fender Jazz. He toured with the Rick until 1983 and switched to the Steinberger.
You can set the neck so it's perfectly flat. The strings rattling on the frets is huge part of the GOAT Chris Squire
Deep Purple was the Ric influence for me.
You can’t set the neck so it’s perfectly flat. Strings on a Ric will vibrate in two axes just the same as on any other bass and you’ll need neck relief. Otherwise it would be unplayable
@@eckie4679 And here I was thinking we all are free to set up our instruments any damn way we desire. How silly of me!
It's a preference. A lot of people like to play that way. It may not be text-book "proper" but that's Rock N' Roll for ya. And on a Ric it's cool. I have owned two of them. And string vibration AXIS is 360 degrees.
😀
Cliff Burton and Lenny inspired me to want to learn bass. Seeing them play those basses made me always want one!
🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
Been playing a black '86 4003 for over 30 years and love it. Also play a white '76 4001. You are right, sometimes you have to get used to things and figure them out. Often it's well worth doing. Rics are sometimes considered a one trick pony but they are far from that. Very versitile basses with great range of sound. One thing you guys didn't mention is the stereo wiring in the 4003's. Both the V63 and the 4003S that you are playing are only wired mono. The stereo option is cool and very useful if you want that classic Yes or Rush sound. And, if the bridge pickup cover gets in the way................take it off. Most professional players do! Thanks for a great and honest review of the pros and cons. You didn't just hate it or love it, you showed the strengths and the strange little excentricities!!
Its really nice what you are doing here. the giveaway and your lessons, videos and everything. It helped me a lot (and I think that it helped other people too), you are probably the best bass YT channel. Videos are always so nice and easy to understand.
The Rick is sooooo nicee, always loved them. Has tone like no other bass IMO and the style...love ittt. Such a shame that there are 0 ricks in my country or even near. Hope I'll win it in the giveaway :))
Thankyou for supporting my man!
FYI: Peter Hook didn't play a real Ricky, he had a Hondo II copy (that he said was awful). He is more known for the Yamaha BB1200 series basses which I would love to see a video on
And Shergolds
I never knew that about Hooky. I had and still have a Hondo II 4001 and, yes, it wasn’t great but looked amazing as a 17 year old in the late 70s. Felt to me like I was playing a suspension bridge, though, and I now play mainly short scale.
The ric price is entirely based on their inability to expand. They’re still stuck on the low scale production line. My biggest mistake was leaving behind a candy apple red with maple fingerboard in a Austin Texas guitar center. $3100 bucks seemed like a lot but I bet that would be a 5K instrument by now.
My biggest mistake was saying "no" to a Chris Squire sig for $1500 because it was too much for me.
Purchase my 4001S brand new in 1975. Still plays and sounds like a dream. However, like most Rick owners, I removed the pickup cover inside a day of owning the bass as it is annoying. Once it’s removed it’s far easier to palm mute and the whole distance from the end of the fretboard to the bridge can be used to alter the tones still further.
49 years later it is still my favourite and most versatile bass; it works with big band jazz, orchestral pieces, reggae, rock, blues, punk, soul, etc, etc. Even my mercifully brief foray into country and western! I’ve collected a fair few good basses over the years but Ricky is the boss as far as I’m concerned.
My blueprint for getting to know your Rickenbacker: Put the selector switch in the middle position and then go nuts with the tone settings and volume levels for both pickups. Find out exactly whay this beautiful bass is capable of! Try every conbination you can think of. Make an afternoon of it! Have fun! Further, I put flats on mine, thinking it'd be a fun experiment. You can try that too but I haven't found any "magic tones" there. I'm going back to rounds! Lastly, when played at high volumes, NOTHING has a snarl like a Rick!
I'd like to echo the sentiment (as a bass teacher who uses a 4003SW) that Rickenbackers are under-represented on this and many other really good channels. There seems to be an assumption that if you play bass, it must be funk-related and you probably ought to have a P or J bass. All great, but somewhat limited in scope.
I let my 12yo daughter use my 4003 to learn how to play on. It was the only bass I don't use on a regular basis.
She improved quickly. Lots of "How do you..." questions .
On a rainy afternoon last September, she strolled into my studio and said: "Dad, can I get a real bass now?" She was pointing at my Stingray as she said it.
Apparently, she'd been moonlighting with it whilst I wasn't home.
Well, that explains the tiny glitter flakes (from her nail polish) on my pick-guard.
Christmas morning, she found a new Stingray Special and Rumble 500 next to the tree.
I wonder who put that there? 🤔
It's odd hearing Tool bass lines bellowing from a room with a massive Hello Kitty on the door.
[Achievement] Make a Rickenbacker bass video and don't talk about Lemmy.
You forgot Lemmy, Rick James and Ed Gagliardi of Foreigner.
And Martin Turner from Wishbone Ash. He had a gorgeous 4001 in Burgundyglo.