I own a 4003, was taught how to maintain it, do the adjustments myself, once or twice a year and it plays like a dream. I understand there are a lot of rick snobs out there, and anti rick snobs too. I went through a zillion basses and the rick worked for me, I play in four drastically different styles of bands and mine does it all. I didn't go by brand name, or whatever, it's what felt right and sounded right in my hands. I put mine through its paces and it's never let me down. I am a picker, and the prefer the horseshoe cover. I had them put on other basses ive owned. I know some rick snobs only talk about colour, and collectability, but I am an actual gigging musician. And anti rick snobs say they aren't a working instrument. Going on six years of constant gigging and rehearsing, the rick takes whatever I throw at it.
Hey Adam the neck on my 4003 has almost no bow at all and I got severe fret buzz if The truss rods were adjusted for a slight bow would that help with the fret buzz? If so how would I adjust the truss rods?
@@Darryl6636@adambell3809 C’mon Adam, let’s start 2024 as we mean to go on, ay fella? Let this be the year the knowledge is shared.. Please give Darryl some hints and tips on how to handle that pesky dual trussrod bamboozler! 🥳🎸
Me too! I fell in love with the growl and the looks of the Rick bass when I was a 13 year old Motörhead fan. But this video (and a couple more of Dave’s!) brought my attention to so many issues that tick boxes on my ‘things I hate on guitars and basses list’ that I’m thankful I never bought one. Cheers Dave, and Happy New Year all! 🥳
As the owner of a '73 4001 which I bought new that year, I have to tell you I laughed till I cried at your commentary. Absolutely dead right on. (But I still love her. I guess love is blind.)
Sir I love Rickenbackers too but Dave has a point they're great studio basses and all but my God I will never bring my Rickenbacker outside the studio because it's in pristine condition and it's from 1978
This is still my all time favorite RUclips video. I played bass for many years but no longer owned one. I had played rics in the past and liked them so in 2015 when I decided to buy another bass. I thought I’d buy a ric. So I started researching them. Thank God I found Dave and watched this video. I bought a Jazz and 2 G&L basses since then.
@@artrogers3985 I'm keeping it to sell when Rickenbacker goes (inevitably) bankrupt. I'm sure one of these Rick fan-boys will pay me a huge sum for it then.
@@TenFalconsMusic I hope it pays off for you but I think there’s gonna be a lot of them floating around. Do you know something about Rickenbacker going out of business? I would think that John Lennon’s ric would keep interest up for many years. Cheers
Yes I was thinking of buying one also, but spending that much money was too much for me. So instead I went and bought a 5 string Steinberger spirit for a forth of the price of a rick. But even though I didn't buy a rick, I still think they are excellent basses.
Last week I swapped a 2016 Fender Elite Jazz for a 2017 Ric 4003s. Biggest mistake I ever made. The Ric is a bag of shit in comparison to the Elite. It’s not until you live with it for a week before you realise you’ve made a huge error.
I love Ric Basses. And if you like to tinker, Rics are actually fun. The new Ric 4003's have been updated with better truss rods, pickups and finishes. That F'n tailpiece still sucks but Hipshot makes a great replacement. Screw that goofy Ric mute and shove some foam under the strings ala James Jameson.
First off, I'm not one of those Rick snobs who only plays in the basement and talks only about colour...I use my rick for everything. Built like a tank, haven't had to do much for maintenance-nothing major-I play and gig it constantly-hardly goes out of tune-everything from blues, jazz, folk to death metal, it's capable of everything. Maybe you got a bad one? Only time I need to do anything to it is to give the truss rods a crank twice a year when the weather changes (I'm in Ottawa, ontario Canada) After constant beatings, both live and studio, it hasn't let me down yet. I chose it not for the name, but because I liked the sound and feel. It's a 2007. Cheers.
If you listen to the way this guy talk's, you can tell why he is breaking the strings :) I bought mt first Ric in the 70's and bought 2 more later, but never broken a string. They have all been on the road, and never had any problem with any of them.
I've owned 4 Ricks in my life, and loved every single one of 'em. And the only string I ever broke was a brand new Rotosound on a P-bass. Never used Rotosound since. Give me Ernie Ball any day.
The mental image of a younger Dave doing a Pete Townsend with his Rick on a steel dumpster is priceless! Keep up the good work and God bless the memory of Leo Fender.
Just food for thought...my '74 4001, that I've owned since 1998, has never broken one string. And until recent years, I had been using the stock bridge. As for the pickup output, I never had a problem keeping up with the rest of the band, and I didn't use the special Ric-O-Sound splitter. The bass is actually louder than my Nordstrand-equipped Jazz Bass. Sure, there are some lemons out there, I just think the good ones deserve representation too.
i bought a 4001 in 1980. Same reasons as many, squire, McCartney, and Lee. at the time i was heavy into Rush so i ordered a black 4001 from the factory. i was floored that the serial number is 2112!!!! i still have her. very unique sound, but it stays at home for studio use only.
Dave - You're right about the bad output on the Rick, that's why I routed out the wood and installed a Dimarzio Jazz Bass pickup and added a Badass bridge. Made a big difference. Soon afterwards I realized that the Fender Jazz bass is the only bass you need to own.
From the Rickenbacker FAQ page (and possible explanation for why older Rics had low output, esp. on treble pickups)... "What is the difference between a 4001 and a 4003? "... the 4001 was wired with a capacitor on the treble pickup, which cut all the low-end sound out of the signal. In the 4003, this design feature was dropped. "...The .0047mf cap (not to be confused with the .047mf cap on the tone pots) was added in between the treble pickup and its volume pot. It essentially cut all the low frequencies out of the signal. This was a feature of nearly all Rickenbacker guitars and basses throughout the 1960s and 1970s, and was removed from the circuit starting about 1984. "The advantage was a crisp, chimey treble pickup (particularly effective on the 12 strings). The disadvantage was somewhat of a loss of output from the pickup. "The exact location of this cap in the circuit can be seen on this Rickenbacker guitar schematic: www.rickenbacker.com/pdf/19502.pdf "It is a simple enough modification wherein it can be tried out and then put back to stock if the output is too lacking, or perhaps a switch can be made which brings the cap in and out. "
... oh, I forgot to add..... my 4001 stays in tune literally for weeks at a time. Seriously! Lowest action of ANY bass I have ever played too. This old thing is incredible! I would sell my right nut (ok, I admit, its the smaller of the two) before I sold this thing.
Dave, Rickenbacker’s are quirky instruments that have a unique sound. Years ago I had a 4001 bass that had virtually no output...compared to my Fender P-Bass. To get my old 4001 up to par, I used an Electro-Harmonix LPB-1 to boost the signal. It worked. More recently, I purchased a new 4003 bass which has more power and a very full sound (unlike the 4001s thin sound). My 4003 only works with Rickenbacker gauge strings .045, .055, .075, .105- so I’m limited to where I can buy strings. But I love the sound so much, it’s okay. I wish you would have had a happier experience with your 4001. I do understand your frustration when an instrument lets you down on a gig. My best to you and thanks for making us laugh and smile!
Owned a 4001 since 1978, never had any of these issues. Only complain is the bridge design vs intonation which I can put up with it because of the amazing snappy sound. Dave you are such a drama queen man!
Why would anyone ever take their Rickenbacker to a luthier who openly displays such a dislike for them?. You just know you're going to get a better job done from a guy who appreciates what he's working on.
*The Rickenbacker Bass N E E D S* > > > *1*. Just one Two-Way Truss Rod w/two Graphite Reinforcements. *2*. Humbuckers/NO covers. *3*. Stainless Steel Frets. *4*. Hipshot Hardware. *5*. Volute. *6*. Twenty-Four Frets. *7.* Move the switch.
Rifle Twist the special 4003AC signature model has a one trussrod system, and an improved bridge to boot. Also they made a one off 4030 model which had 24 frets. If they could combine these features into a new bass, that would be game changing
Absolutely. They can be set up to be awesome players. I don't know why people think the pickup output is low, might be a hair low. The DC resistance of these pickups is in the ball park with the DC resistance of other single coil pickups for 4 sting basses. I know the pickup you can't see is usually (much) too far from the string and the adjuster doesn't lock and it can and does drift over time. Stronger springs (hardware store) really help and so does one drop of rubber cement.
Seen about 100 of this guy's videos so far - this tickled me most. I wonder if he knows how funny he is, as the quips he makes in his everyday life with people around him probably don't go over the same as to the rest of us hearing perfectly balanced bathos Nice Ricky ornament. Wanted one once - and it would have gone up in value. Interesting to hear how ropey they are
He's from central Ontario north of Toronto - It's a fairly regional accent often confused as a fully Canadian accent as it was made famous by Bob and Doug McKenzie (Moranis and Dave Thomas) of Second City on the Great White North sketches in the 80's
I've had no problems with my Rickenbacker. It was made October 1978 and I purchased it in 1980. You're right I hated the strings on it and changed them. I use GHS Boomers Light Gauge Roundwounds. To me they sound the best for the Rickenbacker. Never broke a string on it either. (only time I did break a string is because the Bass slipped from my hand and my fingers caught it by the G String....oops...) Otherwise, never had anything bad to say about the Bass and I still use it to this day....I love the Bass and I think that the feel of the neck is great. Also I have a Gibson Grabber, Dan Armstrong (Plexi) and a Carlo Robelli 8 string. All the basses have the GHS Boomers Lights....
As far with Ricks, The bridge, Do like like Geddy Lee did, Put a Badass bridge and those Schaller tuning pegs on them. Notice he didn't use the original bridge on his Ricks!
I got a 16' ric bass. I think they buffed out some of the kinks. The output is definitely improved, it's clear from their push-pull "vintage" set up now which I'll probably never use. The playing location is a preference thing, I have been playing it non-stop and I haven't been able to hit the selector switch by accident. I don't think the hand rest is in the way, even fenders have them, not a big deal. I've got a 62' reissue JB, I think the controls on that make more sense, but it's not like I can't get a loud range of tones on the ric. Maybe it's something for the older models which from watching your video years ago made me weary. The ric-o-sound just seems like a novelty that I'll never use. I don't setup up my basses by myself so I can't say if the truss rod issue is a big deal or not, maybe give an update on the issues for the newer guitars.
What I honest to God don't get is as big as Rickenbacker is, why these design flaws were ever corrected. How much retooling could it possible cost to make that neck with ONE truss rod and move that switch out of the way?
I own a a '73 4001 and a '99 4003. Your comments definitely apply to the 4001: awful frets, low output pickups, etc. But the 4003 has been a fantastic workhorse for me for over a decade. I played at Universal Studios in Orlando, FL for years and toured the U.S. and Europe a few times with a number of groups. The 4003 has been a dream. Totally different animal, in my experience.
we have a 1974 4001S that has been used by 2 generations of hard rock/metal bass players in our family. It has been used in over 3,000 performances for all types of music. The neck never moves from performance to performance while touring, unlike some other brands. Other than changing strings, haven't had to do much to it in nearly 40 years. The output signal might be a bit weedy but match it to a decent amp & wattage and you get a sound unmatched by anything else. If you can get a Rick..buy it.
This is funny being a Rick 4003 owner myself. Dave's prose here is rather amusing. I have found that Ricks do have an issue with long term maintenance. The contacts of the input jacks wear out, the ridiculous pickup selector fails because a rubber band is tying the contacts together so, when that oxidizes and breaks... and that dreaded truss rod(s). One has to loosen the A and D strings to adjust them, re-tune them and repeat and repeat until one gets the neck tension right. It's headstock and neck heavy so, some effort is made to keep the neck upwards. And it's fricken heavy overall. Oh yeah, almost forgot it's just about as uncomfortable to play standing up since the front side is not contoured for comfort with one's arm across the top of the body; Mostly an issue for pick players. I agree with the video author it's more of a studio instrument. On the plus side, Rick bases have a unique tight, punchy and low mid range sound like no other.
It isn't a unique tone. Build a bass with a pickup at the virtual 24th and 36th fret positions and you will get 90% of the Rick tone right there. Build the bass out of maple and give it a 31 inch scale length and you will be even closer. Stainless steel bridge saddles and you will be right on the tone.
The bassist AND guitarist in my old band used Rickenbacker instruments, the tuning consistency on them was woeful. They literally had to retune after every song, sometimes mid-song. And before anyone shouts "strung wrong!", the guitarist used to work for a reputable guitar builder so he knew how to set up instruments.
If anyone is ever planning on ordering a custom guitar -- I highly recommend you ask for these two things -- first, make sure the truss rod adjustment is in some easy to access place, that you can get to without taking the strings off. I prefer them to be at the last fret, with a spoke nut kind of thing (think Ernie Ball Music Man). Second -- neck stabilizers. KTS Titanium rods are great; Ibanez uses them a lot -- but I think Suhr / Charvel etc. use Graphite rods instead...whatever, just make sure there is SOMETHING inside that neck besides the truss rod to prevent it from changing shape. Get those two things and you will be a happy musician on the road; trust me. Having to mess around with your truss rod mid-tour is never ever a good thing. The neck stabilizers keep the neck as stable as possible; so you can go to whatever climate or whatever humidity and they will do their best to make sure you won't have to fuck with the truss rod -- but in the rare case that you do have to, having the truss rod adjustment be someplace that's accessible with the strings still on at full tension (tuned to how you normally tune), will make it bearable.
Even as a Rickenbacker owner, I find this video extremely funny. Your so called rant was hysterical. I'll keep my bass, haven't broken any strings *yet*, but I do agree that the string mutes are a joke, and that the pickups are VERY quiet.
I remember when you could buy a used rick for 350 to 450 all day long.i don't remember when I made the switch to fender but I never looked back.i have over 13 fenders now.i love them.each one has its own sound
Yep, my Ric sent my Fender J bass packing as well. Most people are afraid of the top-end Rics are capable of, and most people are ignorant about the new trussrods and think all of them are as difficult as the older models. My 4003 has a low-mid punch that rivals a P bass, yet it has awesome glassy highs a Fender can't touch.
Never had any problems from my 1976. 4001 rickenbacker still plays like a dream and stays in tune I don’t know what he is talking about he should have fix the bass if he could instead of shooting his mouth as a customer I would’ve been disappointed
Exactly wrong. I lived in Illinois and Indiana at the time. And had left it in sub zero weather in the van overnight many, many times. Really stupid idea I know. Even still never had a problem with it.
Paul got his Ric during the Hollywood Bowl concert in 1964. It was shown to him in February, but Paul was not interested. The fact that no one at RIC had noticed that Paul was left handed had a lot to do with it too. The Ric was also heavier than his light-weight Hofner which may have added to his reluctance to accept the bass. In Bass Player magazine, a couple of years back, Paul explained that he didn't accept the offer until it was presented to him for free. "I'm anybody's for a free guitar"
Hahaha, I bought my ‘75 new, 1000’s of gigs. They are a labor of love. 2 refret jobs and almost in need of another. I have p and j basses but my Ric has an incredible feeling that Fender can’t match.
@@DavesWorldofFunStuff Whatever... here are some simple links that proves my point, though I saw him live in Canada not too long ago ripping on the Ricken. ruclips.net/video/-DzfpiZiIlY/видео.html www.talkbass.com/attachments/rush-colour274-jpg.1459735/
I play extended range instruments quite a bit, and was possibly one of the first groups of musicians you pissed off making fun of the Agile 8-string you were setting up. I probably clicked because I owned one at the time! Regardless, amongst the snark you provide quite a log of helpful information. That said, I've owned and sold two of these Rickebackers, a 4001 and a 4003. Couldn't get along with either one. It baffles me that they wouldn't put a real bridge on the damn things for over SIXTY freaking years. Finally, the last couple of model years they put a solid bridge on. They still have that STUPID pickup cover right where you want to strike the strings, and it leaves a GAPING HOLE if you remove it, that you have to purchase or fabricate a bezel to cover. Lastly, the NASTY, NASTY lacquered fingerboard. WHY?!?!?!?!?!? It's freaking rosewood, oil it and be done, ya morons. Apparently since CA regulated how much lacquer they could legally spray, some of the new ones are going out bare. Still not gonna buy one. Plasticky gimmicky instruments for cultists. YES, they look cool and sound cool. They don't play well, and have MANY flaws. UGH.
Good few tips here for people who are having difficulties with rics: 1. Aim for a cliff burton setup (not the pickup setup, that will cause malfunctions) Basically, get light guage strings. You could replace the bridge if you want. 2. Get a thumb rest for any players who pluck with their fingers.
I have a 97 4003. Everybody has their own views about this bass. Mine is, the best bass I have used. I have had none of the problems that was talked about here.
just for those who watch this and stray away from getting a Ric. I got mine when i was 15 and played it till I was 24 and "retired" it because i gigged with it so much the the paint started coming off of it and the only problem i had was a bad jack once and needed to adjust the truss rods from winter to summer climates, other wise i love it and still play it all the time and the out put on mine is the same as my warwick thumb with electronic pick ups. but opinions are opinions
Gigged a 4001 for years no probs. I DID have a Yamaha Attitude 5 that kept breaking strings though. I was into using Superwounds and it turned out that the V slot in the bridge saddles was too narrow for the hex-core to reach the bottom. Filed the bottom of the slots to a round shape and no more snapping...
I have 2 Rickenbackers and they both had pickups wound by Rick Turner who used to work at alembic I told him "I want to keep that amazing Rickenbacker tone but I want more output" and he said "no problem" so I now have 2 loud ass Rickenbackers that even the sound guy tells me they're too loud
The problem with the 4001 was that the truss rods couldnt handle roundwound strings. Im really sorry you had a poor experience but if you choose to lift your vendetta towards them I would hope you try a 4003. I love mine with every ounce of my being and it sounds like angels came down from heaven and caressed my amp.
Just had my '77 Fireglo re-set-up, the pups were dead, got them replaced with Bartolinis. Holy shit does that make a difference, same high end twang that Rics are renouned for but with truck loads of mid and bottom, balls of steel. This is what a Ric should sound like. You can still tell it's a Ric, but like you're playing through a huge tube amp.
1. he doesn't like change and just wanted to keep it around. 2. hes an awesome bassist, him playing most basses would sound good, especially through the amps he runs through. 3. he probably got it for looks, and is one of the FEW who likes the stock rick tone. even rickenbacker doesnt like the stock rick tone. everyone and their mother changed the original rick electronics around and most of the people who did, ended up switching manufacturers. 4. he has pro techs set up his instruments for him.
I've got a 2006 Rickenbacker 4003 bass. I'm absolutely in love with it and I've really been able to capture a lot of tones I couldn't with my jazz bass/pbass. I tour with it, and I can agree with how funky some of the technical stuff can be. Nevertheless, it's a killer bass. Never had a problem with outputs or output volume as you mentioned. Dave, you're more than welcome to hate on them, you're super knowledgeable. I'm not here to troll your videos, I'm happy with Rickenbacker's products.
Totally agree with ya Dave, i have tried multiple Ricks and they were all equally disappointing and shitty.. They sound kinda cool but the playability is almost nonexistent, not very well made either. Keep up the good work man, love your vids!
this guy's so crabby, i love it. he definately supports the reputation that Rick's have a wonky history with people at least to the touring musician. Two of my biggest idols on bass, Scott Reeder from Kyuss and Geddy Lee from Rush, ended up switching to other more "working class" type guitars. Reeder used an Ibanez ATK . thats the only bass that even REMOTELY sounds like a Rick. And Geddy will always be Geddy no matter what bass he's playing, but damn it, theres no bass that sounds close to a rick.
the idea for having two truss rods is to be able to correct an actual twist in the neck, not only the curvature (relief). I only worked on a few that were okay. to my logics rods are too close to each other to be used that way. I'm sure it works to some extent but I'm afraid what it does is pull one side more than the other and that doesn't mean twist will be gone it just sinks. the rod's shape never changes with a twist, but wood does, so all you do is to compress the rod and hope if it helps
I've had mine for 37 years with not a single issue after some early tuning and mods. It's a musical instrument that should be treated with some sense of respect. Why people drop them and throw them around and then whine and complain about performance is beyond me.
hostile177 People blame the instrument for their own incompetence in instrument care. Sounds like he on the off chance bought a bad Rickenbacker and chopped it up to everyone being "crap" as he so eloquently put it. Sure Fender's are amazing. I own a Jazz bass as well an love it. But the versatility and tone, craftsmanship on my Rick is second to none.
Mike Rutherford met you halfway in the 70's, when he had his Rickenbacker bass sawed up - so it could be glued together with a sawed Rickenbacker 12-string for his first custom double-necks. Those things looked and sounded awesome. After a few years he switched to using custom double-necks made from the ground up. And then when Rickenbacker came out with a special factory version...they switched the necks around! Mike's was 12-string on top, bass on bottom, and the Ric people reversed it.
I've owned several over the years. Have 2 4003 models now. My '81 4001 did snap strings, but usually it took 6 month to a year of playing on a set of strings before one popped. They are their own animal. You either love them or hate them. If you love their sound (with underpowered pickups) and their look, it's hard not to drool over them.
@juakinote Howdy. Geddy was actually playing a Jazz before the Ric. He switched to the Jazz several albums in when Rush used a new producer/engineer ("Caveman" is his nickname, I forget his name) wanted to change his sound and go the Jazz + Ampeg tube sound in the mix. I forget which album, here are more details as well: it was the first time they didn't have their regular engineer do the album. I think bass players just want to try something else after awhile.
I am surprised to hear you talk about the Rickenbacker that way. Admittedly, I do not know much about the instrument, except for that fact that I am a huge Rush fan, and I love the sound Geddy got out of it all those early years. I was almost heart broken when he switched to Fender Jazz... almost. I never pictured these instruments as a cheap guitar.
Because he customized his 1963 4001/1999. Ricks were Mono, not Stereo and that Stereo adaption was his. He also wrote in bassPLayer that he buys old, pre-1969 Ricks for parts. Among other changes, he had his original soft frets replaced with hard ones so that the Rotosounds wouldn't eat them up. Great basses but Rickenbacker would only guarantee the bass if flatwounds were used.
I laughed out loud at the comments as I too have a stickinthebacker...I waited 20 years to get one..they say never meet your heroes...wish I hadn't ..mines been in its case for 4 years now..My jazz bass blows it away in every single department.. ooo hang on I'm getting angry again...lmao...quality video..thanks
@@Minnevan interesting maybe, but that thin sound, absurd design and shocking build quality are a massive turn off for those that aren't Ric cheerleaders.
i played a ricky for about 3 years and i loved it never had a any problems even with tuning or breaking strings the one i played was and i’m sure it still is red beautiful bass never had any issues
The second bass is stock with the brass block. The rods are always too close together. You have to take a nut-driver or small socket and grind them until the wall is very-very thin and it will be fine. There are two truss rods because the neck is very thin front to back. The pickups are not that bad, they are usually just too far from the strings. I have seen Seymour Duncan pickups, even for the bridge. Never though I needed to replace them though. Turn the pickup selector 90 degrees.
Any experience with those Greco copies of the Rickenbacker basses in the '70s, from Japan? Some of them even had bolt-on necks, instead of the neck-thru construction.
Get a 4003, they have modern trussrods and don't have the problems associated with the older 4001 series.The year of mine is a '03 and those years have some of the sturdiest necks around =- many Ric purists don't like how thick they are in those years, but they are rock solid, and very easy to get right due to the dual modern trussrods. I used to have a Fender J that needed neck relief adjustments more than several times a year and this bass' rarely needs one(I live in humid FL btw)
My dad has had a 1974 Rickenbacker 4001 since 1983 and has had no issues with it. It was his main bass for a long time, and although he has other basses now, he still gigs with it now and then. He replaced the bridge with the hipshot replacement recently but not cause the other one was bad, he just wanted to try something new. So, you had a bad experience and don't like them. They just aren't the bass for you. That's fine. Are they crap? Nope, not in the least.
Hey man, Rickenbackers are some of the most amazing basses I've ever played. Just defending what I love. Sorry if you can't respect that, just didn't appreciate seeing someone go out of their way to put them down.
I'm with Dave. Fender basses are workhorses and ubiquitous. You don't see many bass players playing Ricks and there is a reason for it. I find their basses are more on looks and less on playability.
Been playing one for fifteen years and have only had one string break ever. Fair enough the pickups aren't the best, but it has best action I've played. You people saying 'rickenbacker guys are pretentious' or 'fender guys are pretentious' - what a load of fucking bollocks. I think you need to re-connect with reality.
I can't agree with your RIC assessment more. I've owned 2 of them. I love the look and, well Chris Squire.. etc. This was all before the internet and I had no idea what other people thought of them. I tried my best to get a good sound, but nope, couldn't do it. All the gigs I was getting were with R+B bands and I always got 'that look' when I took the RIC out of the bag. Luckily I sold them and made a profit on them, so that's the good news. Lesson learned: if you're going to rely on an instrument for a living, stay with the tried and true.
@davey4557 Hey, I know what will solve the problems you get. Pickups: neck-Gibson or other brand mudbucker for the fuzz middle-jazz bass pcikup for the brightness Tuning: bridge- badass 1, 2, or 3 : Geddy Lee did this one, thats why he kept it for so long, and also why his seemed to stay in tune. also, I would personally add new tuners, just for good measure. these things could be better with better hardware.
I own a 4003, was taught how to maintain it, do the adjustments myself, once or twice a year and it plays like a dream. I understand there are a lot of rick snobs out there, and anti rick snobs too. I went through a zillion basses and the rick worked for me, I play in four drastically different styles of bands and mine does it all. I didn't go by brand name, or whatever, it's what felt right and sounded right in my hands. I put mine through its paces and it's never let me down. I am a picker, and the prefer the horseshoe cover. I had them put on other basses ive owned. I know some rick snobs only talk about colour, and collectability, but I am an actual gigging musician. And anti rick snobs say they aren't a working instrument. Going on six years of constant gigging and rehearsing, the rick takes whatever I throw at it.
Hey Adam the neck on my 4003 has almost no bow at all and I got severe fret buzz if The truss rods were adjusted for a slight bow would that help with the fret buzz? If so how would I adjust the truss rods?
@@Darryl6636@adambell3809 C’mon Adam, let’s start 2024 as we mean to go on, ay fella? Let this be the year the knowledge is shared.. Please give Darryl some hints and tips on how to handle that pesky dual trussrod bamboozler! 🥳🎸
This video singlehandedly stopped me from buying one a decade ago.
Thank you, Dave. Keep keepin’ it real.
Me too! I fell in love with the growl and the looks of the Rick bass when I was a 13 year old Motörhead fan. But this video (and a couple more of Dave’s!) brought my attention to so many issues that tick boxes on my ‘things I hate on guitars and basses list’ that I’m thankful I never bought one.
Cheers Dave, and Happy New Year all! 🥳
As the owner of a '73 4001 which I bought new that year, I have to tell you I laughed till I cried at your commentary. Absolutely dead right on. (But I still love her. I guess love is blind.)
Lol! I feel exactly the same way with my 1990. Cheers!
Sir I love Rickenbackers too but Dave has a point they're great studio basses and all but my God I will never bring my Rickenbacker outside the studio because it's in pristine condition and it's from 1978
This is still my all time favorite RUclips video. I played bass for many years but no longer owned one. I had played rics in the past and liked them so in 2015 when I decided to buy another bass. I thought I’d buy a ric. So I started researching them. Thank God I found Dave and watched this video. I bought a Jazz and 2 G&L basses since then.
You definitely dodged a bullet.
Wish I could say the same😭
@@TenFalconsMusic so sorry
@@artrogers3985 I'm keeping it to sell when Rickenbacker goes (inevitably) bankrupt.
I'm sure one of these Rick fan-boys will pay me a huge sum for it then.
@@TenFalconsMusic I hope it pays off for you but I think there’s gonna be a lot of them floating around. Do you know something about Rickenbacker going out of business? I would think that John Lennon’s ric would keep interest up for many years. Cheers
Ricenbackers are my favorite basses, but watching him say all this stuff about it made me laugh the whole time
Yes I was thinking of buying one also, but spending that much money was too much for me. So instead I went and bought a 5 string Steinberger spirit for a forth of the price of a rick. But even though I didn't buy a rick, I still think they are excellent basses.
***** They can be a pain in the ass, but I guess the tone is worth it.
Ha ha ha it is all about the tone / sound but he is talking merckenic.
Last week I swapped a 2016 Fender Elite Jazz for a 2017 Ric 4003s. Biggest mistake I ever made. The Ric is a bag of shit in comparison to the Elite. It’s not until you live with it for a week before you realise you’ve made a huge error.
I love Ric Basses. And if you like to tinker, Rics are actually fun. The new Ric 4003's have been updated with better truss rods, pickups and finishes. That F'n tailpiece still sucks but Hipshot makes a great replacement. Screw that goofy Ric mute and shove some foam under the strings ala James Jameson.
Wow, 20 years playing shitty bar gigs, mostly with a Rick 4001, and never once broke a string. You must have been doing something wrong.
First off, I'm not one of those Rick snobs who only plays in the basement and talks only about colour...I use my rick for everything. Built like a tank, haven't had to do much for maintenance-nothing major-I play and gig it constantly-hardly goes out of tune-everything from blues, jazz, folk to death metal, it's capable of everything. Maybe you got a bad one? Only time I need to do anything to it is to give the truss rods a crank twice a year when the weather changes (I'm in Ottawa, ontario Canada) After constant beatings, both live and studio, it hasn't let me down yet. I chose it not for the name, but because I liked the sound and feel. It's a 2007. Cheers.
ferox965 obviously you have a 4003 not a 4001.
Take a 4001 on the road with roundwounds on it. You shall see.
Yeah...! applause!
I don't agree Dave,ive gigged my 1979 Rickenbacker 4001 for 18years and she handled the road no problem......bit beaten up now but she still purring.
As much like the iconic, unique look, and have toyed with the idea of owning a Rick for years, this is exactly why I don't own one.
I've been playing Rickenbacker basses for 40 years and have never broken a string. I wonder how this guy plays ?
If you listen to the way this guy talk's, you can tell why he is breaking the strings :)
I bought mt first Ric in the 70's and bought 2 more later, but never broken a string.
They have all been on the road, and never had any problem with any of them.
I've owned 4 Ricks in my life, and loved every single one of 'em. And the only string I ever broke was a brand new Rotosound on a P-bass. Never used Rotosound since. Give me Ernie Ball any day.
Ernie ball strings make the best round wounds imo
The mental image of a younger Dave doing a Pete Townsend with his Rick on a steel dumpster is priceless! Keep up the good work and God bless the memory of Leo Fender.
Just food for thought...my '74 4001, that I've owned since 1998, has never broken one string. And until recent years, I had been using the stock bridge. As for the pickup output, I never had a problem keeping up with the rest of the band, and I didn't use the special Ric-O-Sound splitter. The bass is actually louder than my Nordstrand-equipped Jazz Bass. Sure, there are some lemons out there, I just think the good ones deserve representation too.
ive been playing rickenbacker basses as my main bass for 45 years. ive never had a problem and absolutely love them
i bought a 4001 in 1980. Same reasons as many, squire, McCartney, and Lee. at the time i was heavy into Rush so i ordered a black 4001 from the factory. i was floored that the serial number is 2112!!!! i still have her. very unique sound, but it stays at home for studio use only.
Dave - You're right about the bad output on the Rick, that's why I routed out the wood and installed a Dimarzio Jazz Bass pickup and added a Badass bridge. Made a big difference. Soon afterwards I realized that the Fender Jazz bass is the only bass you need to own.
From the Rickenbacker FAQ page (and possible explanation for why older Rics had low output, esp. on treble pickups)...
"What is the difference between a 4001 and a 4003?
"... the 4001 was wired with a capacitor on the treble pickup, which cut all the low-end sound out of the signal. In the 4003, this design feature was dropped.
"...The .0047mf cap (not to be confused with the .047mf cap on the tone pots) was added in between the treble pickup and its volume pot. It essentially cut all the low frequencies out of the signal. This was a feature of nearly all Rickenbacker guitars and basses throughout the 1960s and 1970s, and was removed from the circuit starting about 1984.
"The advantage was a crisp, chimey treble pickup (particularly effective on the 12 strings). The disadvantage was somewhat of a loss of output from the pickup.
"The exact location of this cap in the circuit can be seen on this Rickenbacker guitar schematic:
www.rickenbacker.com/pdf/19502.pdf
"It is a simple enough modification wherein it can be tried out and then put back to stock if the output is too lacking, or perhaps a switch can be made which brings the cap in and out. "
... oh, I forgot to add..... my 4001 stays in tune literally for weeks at a time. Seriously! Lowest action of ANY bass I have ever played too. This old thing is incredible! I would sell my right nut (ok, I admit, its the smaller of the two) before I sold this thing.
Dave,
Rickenbacker’s are quirky instruments that have a unique sound. Years ago I had a 4001 bass that had virtually no output...compared to my Fender P-Bass. To get my old 4001 up to par, I used an Electro-Harmonix LPB-1 to boost the signal. It worked. More recently, I purchased a new 4003 bass which has more power and a very full sound (unlike the 4001s thin sound). My 4003 only works with Rickenbacker gauge strings .045, .055, .075, .105- so I’m limited to where I can buy strings. But I love the sound so much, it’s okay. I wish you would have had a happier experience with your 4001. I do understand your frustration when an instrument lets you down on a gig. My best to you and thanks for making us laugh and smile!
You realize you can put any strings on a rickenbacker (within reason) and it’ll work just fine right? You don’t need the rickenbacker strings!
Owned a 4001 since 1978, never had any of these issues. Only complain is the bridge design vs intonation which I can put up with it because of the amazing snappy sound. Dave you are such a drama queen man!
Why would anyone ever take their Rickenbacker to a luthier who openly displays such a dislike for them?. You just know you're going to get a better job done from a guy who appreciates what he's working on.
So true man. He seems like an arrogant do whatever I want kinda guy. They're great basses and I love them. He just doesn't know what he's doing.
*The Rickenbacker Bass N E E D S* > > > *1*. Just one Two-Way Truss Rod w/two Graphite Reinforcements. *2*. Humbuckers/NO covers. *3*. Stainless Steel Frets. *4*. Hipshot Hardware. *5*. Volute. *6*. Twenty-Four Frets. *7.* Move the switch.
Rifle Twist the special 4003AC signature model has a one trussrod system, and an improved bridge to boot. Also they made a one off 4030 model which had 24 frets. If they could combine these features into a new bass, that would be game changing
What goofy truss rod design.
rian settles its SHIT.
you have to loosen it and then Move the neck by hand!
God im glad I sold mine.
Absolutely. They can be set up to be awesome players. I don't know why people think the pickup output is low, might be a hair low. The DC resistance of these pickups is in the ball park with the DC resistance of other single coil pickups for 4 sting basses. I know the pickup you can't see is usually (much) too far from the string and the adjuster doesn't lock and it can and does drift over time. Stronger springs (hardware store) really help and so does one drop of rubber cement.
Seen about 100 of this guy's videos so far - this tickled me most. I wonder if he knows how funny he is, as the quips he makes in his everyday life with people around him probably don't go over the same as to the rest of us hearing perfectly balanced bathos
Nice Ricky ornament. Wanted one once - and it would have gone up in value. Interesting to hear how ropey they are
He's from central Ontario north of Toronto - It's a fairly regional accent often confused as a fully Canadian accent as it was made famous by Bob and Doug McKenzie (Moranis and Dave Thomas) of Second City on the Great White North sketches in the 80's
I've had no problems with my Rickenbacker. It was made October 1978 and I purchased it in 1980. You're right I hated the strings on it and changed them. I use GHS Boomers Light Gauge Roundwounds. To me they sound the best for the Rickenbacker. Never broke a string on it either. (only time I did break a string is because the Bass slipped from my hand and my fingers caught it by the G String....oops...) Otherwise, never had anything bad to say about the Bass and I still use it to this day....I love the Bass and I think that the feel of the neck is great. Also I have a Gibson Grabber, Dan Armstrong (Plexi) and a Carlo Robelli 8 string. All the basses have the GHS Boomers Lights....
As far with Ricks, The bridge, Do like like Geddy Lee did, Put a Badass bridge and those Schaller tuning pegs on them. Notice he didn't use the original bridge on his Ricks!
Dave should do a "Story Time with Dave" and tell stories from his band days.
I got a 16' ric bass. I think they buffed out some of the kinks. The output is definitely improved, it's clear from their push-pull "vintage" set up now which I'll probably never use. The playing location is a preference thing, I have been playing it non-stop and I haven't been able to hit the selector switch by accident. I don't think the hand rest is in the way, even fenders have them, not a big deal. I've got a 62' reissue JB, I think the controls on that make more sense, but it's not like I can't get a loud range of tones on the ric. Maybe it's something for the older models which from watching your video years ago made me weary. The ric-o-sound just seems like a novelty that I'll never use. I don't setup up my basses by myself so I can't say if the truss rod issue is a big deal or not, maybe give an update on the issues for the newer guitars.
"stick in your backer"
that's so brilliant, this video made my day
The bass isn't Ric's claim to fame anyway. It's their 6 and 12 string models that defined the 60's sound, as well as the Beatles.
What I honest to God don't get is as big as Rickenbacker is, why these design flaws were ever corrected. How much retooling could it possible cost to make that neck with ONE truss rod and move that switch out of the way?
This is by far the best bass review I have ever friggin heard!!! 😂😂😂 Spot on Dave!!!
I own a a '73 4001 and a '99 4003. Your comments definitely apply to the 4001: awful frets, low output pickups, etc. But the 4003 has been a fantastic workhorse for me for over a decade. I played at Universal Studios in Orlando, FL for years and toured the U.S. and Europe a few times with a number of groups. The 4003 has been a dream. Totally different animal, in my experience.
Jacob Morton how did you get your hands on 2 ricks? I'm out here trying to get 1...
Kreaper Slayer I am always hunting for basses on Craigslist, Ebay, and at my local music stores. It's a horrible addiction, actually.
doesn't sound horrible. If I could, I would have a bass for each day of the year.
Extremely entertaining story... I traded mine for a P-Bass in 1984 while out on the road... before I made it to the smashing stage.
we have a 1974 4001S that has been used by 2 generations of hard rock/metal bass players in our family. It has been used in over 3,000 performances for all types of music. The neck never moves from performance to performance while touring, unlike some other brands. Other than changing strings, haven't had to do much to it in nearly 40 years. The output signal might be a bit weedy but match it to a decent amp & wattage and you get a sound unmatched by anything else. If you can get a Rick..buy it.
I bet the fretboard has a lot of wear.
This is funny being a Rick 4003 owner myself. Dave's prose here is rather amusing. I have found that Ricks do have an issue with long term maintenance. The contacts of the input jacks wear out, the ridiculous pickup selector fails because a rubber band is tying the contacts together so, when that oxidizes and breaks... and that dreaded truss rod(s). One has to loosen the A and D strings to adjust them, re-tune them and repeat and repeat until one gets the neck tension right. It's headstock and neck heavy so, some effort is made to keep the neck upwards. And it's fricken heavy overall. Oh yeah, almost forgot it's just about as uncomfortable to play standing up since the front side is not contoured for comfort with one's arm across the top of the body; Mostly an issue for pick players. I agree with the video author it's more of a studio instrument. On the plus side, Rick bases have a unique tight, punchy and low mid range sound like no other.
It isn't a unique tone. Build a bass with a pickup at the virtual 24th and 36th fret positions and you will get 90% of the Rick tone right there. Build the bass out of maple and give it a 31 inch scale length and you will be even closer. Stainless steel bridge saddles and you will be right on the tone.
The bassist AND guitarist in my old band used Rickenbacker instruments, the tuning consistency on them was woeful. They literally had to retune after every song, sometimes mid-song. And before anyone shouts "strung wrong!", the guitarist used to work for a reputable guitar builder so he knew how to set up instruments.
If anyone is ever planning on ordering a custom guitar -- I highly recommend you ask for these two things -- first, make sure the truss rod adjustment is in some easy to access place, that you can get to without taking the strings off. I prefer them to be at the last fret, with a spoke nut kind of thing (think Ernie Ball Music Man). Second -- neck stabilizers. KTS Titanium rods are great; Ibanez uses them a lot -- but I think Suhr / Charvel etc. use Graphite rods instead...whatever, just make sure there is SOMETHING inside that neck besides the truss rod to prevent it from changing shape. Get those two things and you will be a happy musician on the road; trust me. Having to mess around with your truss rod mid-tour is never ever a good thing. The neck stabilizers keep the neck as stable as possible; so you can go to whatever climate or whatever humidity and they will do their best to make sure you won't have to fuck with the truss rod -- but in the rare case that you do have to, having the truss rod adjustment be someplace that's accessible with the strings still on at full tension (tuned to how you normally tune), will make it bearable.
on stage rickenbackers look great sitting in a guitar stand while you play your fender. that's their main function, an expensive stage prop.
Even as a Rickenbacker owner, I find this video extremely funny. Your so called rant was hysterical. I'll keep my bass, haven't broken any strings *yet*, but I do agree that the string mutes are a joke, and that the pickups are VERY quiet.
I remember when you could buy a used rick for 350 to 450 all day long.i don't remember when I made the switch to fender but I never looked back.i have over 13
fenders now.i love them.each one has its own sound
Yep, my Ric sent my Fender J bass packing as well. Most people are afraid of the top-end Rics are capable of, and most people are ignorant about the new trussrods and think all of them are as difficult as the older models. My 4003 has a low-mid punch that rivals a P bass, yet it has awesome glassy highs a Fender can't touch.
Good one Davey I think this guy should collect all of the Rickenbacker basses we should send him all of the Rickenbacker basses hahaha
Never had any problems from my 1976. 4001 rickenbacker still plays like a dream and stays in tune I don’t know what he is talking about he should have fix the bass if he could instead of shooting his mouth as a customer I would’ve been disappointed
They look so beautiful though...
Sound beautiful too
I had an 1982 4003 Burgundyglo. Bought it new. $980 w/HSC COD from Sam Ash. LOVED IT. Never had a problem with. Rocked straight out of the box.
Exactly wrong. I lived in Illinois and Indiana at the time. And had left it in sub zero weather in the van overnight many, many times. Really stupid idea I know. Even still never had a problem with it.
Paul got his Ric during the Hollywood Bowl concert in 1964. It was shown to him in February, but Paul was not interested. The fact that no one at RIC had noticed that Paul was left handed had a lot to do with it too. The Ric was also heavier than his light-weight Hofner which may have added to his reluctance to accept the bass. In Bass Player magazine, a couple of years back, Paul explained that he didn't accept the offer until it was presented to him for free. "I'm anybody's for a free guitar"
This Bitchenbacker video is my favorite of you videos.
Hahaha, I bought my ‘75 new, 1000’s of gigs. They are a labor of love. 2 refret jobs and almost in need of another. I have p and j basses but my Ric has an incredible feeling that Fender can’t match.
Well. Lemmy did play one but the only original thing on it is the body...
And Geddy Lee did "not" get rid of his... he still plays it regularly, as well as many other basses!
@@DavesWorldofFunStuff Whatever... here are some simple links that proves my point, though I saw him live in Canada not too long ago ripping on the Ricken.
ruclips.net/video/-DzfpiZiIlY/видео.html
www.talkbass.com/attachments/rush-colour274-jpg.1459735/
I play extended range instruments quite a bit, and was possibly one of the first groups of musicians you pissed off making fun of the Agile 8-string you were setting up. I probably clicked because I owned one at the time! Regardless, amongst the snark you provide quite a log of helpful information. That said, I've owned and sold two of these Rickebackers, a 4001 and a 4003. Couldn't get along with either one. It baffles me that they wouldn't put a real bridge on the damn things for over SIXTY freaking years. Finally, the last couple of model years they put a solid bridge on. They still have that STUPID pickup cover right where you want to strike the strings, and it leaves a GAPING HOLE if you remove it, that you have to purchase or fabricate a bezel to cover. Lastly, the NASTY, NASTY lacquered fingerboard. WHY?!?!?!?!?!? It's freaking rosewood, oil it and be done, ya morons. Apparently since CA regulated how much lacquer they could legally spray, some of the new ones are going out bare. Still not gonna buy one. Plasticky gimmicky instruments for cultists. YES, they look cool and sound cool. They don't play well, and have MANY flaws. UGH.
my brothers friend just bought his "dream bass", which is a Rickenbacker
***** haha.
Love your videos Dave!
Dave's World of Fun Stuff You sir just got yourself another subscriber.
makes me wonder how Lemmy has rocked one for so long...and he is rough as shit on his!!
no, but he tours incessantly, something like over 300 shows a year, every year since the dawn of time...
his is prob a custom not even built by ric. sounds like a chinabaker is the way to go. 219 bucks from dhg*te. all mahogany and better build.
brian meister
See my reply to "Dave"....lol
better built?it's wired like a gibson les paul!!
He had a signature rickenbacker model, which he played exclusively. so idk about that
Good few tips here for people who are having difficulties with rics:
1. Aim for a cliff burton setup (not the pickup setup, that will cause malfunctions)
Basically, get light guage strings. You could replace the bridge if you want.
2. Get a thumb rest for any players who pluck with their fingers.
I have a 97 4003. Everybody has their own views about this bass. Mine is, the best bass I have used. I have had none of the problems that was talked about here.
just for those who watch this and stray away from getting a Ric. I got mine when i was 15 and played it till I was 24 and "retired" it because i gigged with it so much the the paint started coming off of it and the only problem i had was a bad jack once and needed to adjust the truss rods from winter to summer climates, other wise i love it and still play it all the time and the out put on mine is the same as my warwick thumb with electronic pick ups. but opinions are opinions
Gigged a 4001 for years no probs.
I DID have a Yamaha Attitude 5 that kept breaking strings though.
I was into using Superwounds and it turned out that the V slot in the bridge saddles was too narrow for the hex-core to reach the bottom. Filed the bottom of the slots to a round shape and no more snapping...
I have 2 Rickenbackers and they both had pickups wound by Rick Turner who used to work at alembic I told him "I want to keep that amazing Rickenbacker tone but I want more output" and he said "no problem" so I now have 2 loud ass Rickenbackers that even the sound guy tells me they're too loud
The problem with the 4001 was that the truss rods couldnt handle roundwound strings. Im really sorry you had a poor experience but if you choose to lift your vendetta towards them I would hope you try a 4003. I love mine with every ounce of my being and it sounds like angels came down from heaven and caressed my amp.
Just had my '77 Fireglo re-set-up, the pups were dead, got them replaced with Bartolinis. Holy shit does that make a difference, same high end twang that Rics are renouned for but with truck loads of mid and bottom, balls of steel. This is what a Ric should sound like. You can still tell it's a Ric, but like you're playing through a huge tube amp.
Dave if you take a socket and cut a slot in it you can use it to adjust the truss rods.
Love the story, Dave. I'm glad to hear you married your P Bass in my hometown! Way to stick it to the 'Knife-in-the-backer'!
It's been a players choice for years,a tone machine and a dream to play. mine is a 1975 4001 maybe it intimidates you ?
1. he doesn't like change and just wanted to keep it around.
2. hes an awesome bassist, him playing most basses would sound good, especially through the amps he runs through.
3. he probably got it for looks, and is one of the FEW who likes the stock rick tone. even rickenbacker doesnt like the stock rick tone. everyone and their mother changed the original rick electronics around and most of the people who did, ended up switching manufacturers.
4. he has pro techs set up his instruments for him.
I've got a 2006 Rickenbacker 4003 bass. I'm absolutely in love with it and I've really been able to capture a lot of tones I couldn't with my jazz bass/pbass. I tour with it, and I can agree with how funky some of the technical stuff can be. Nevertheless, it's a killer bass. Never had a problem with outputs or output volume as you mentioned.
Dave, you're more than welcome to hate on them, you're super knowledgeable. I'm not here to troll your videos, I'm happy with Rickenbacker's products.
"The average human would ask why two trussrods?" That's gold straight off the bat!
Bill Murray, Is that you?
Totally agree with ya Dave, i have tried multiple Ricks and they were all equally disappointing and shitty.. They sound kinda cool but the playability is almost nonexistent, not very well made either. Keep up the good work man, love your vids!
this guy's so crabby, i love it. he definately supports the reputation that Rick's have a wonky history with people at least to the touring musician. Two of my biggest idols on bass, Scott Reeder from Kyuss and Geddy Lee from Rush, ended up switching to other more "working class" type guitars.
Reeder used an Ibanez ATK . thats the only bass that even REMOTELY sounds like a Rick. And Geddy will always be Geddy no matter what bass he's playing, but damn it, theres no bass that sounds close to a rick.
same here, bass is 30 years old, play it every day, never replaced a fret never had 1 problem
the idea for having two truss rods is to be able to correct an actual twist in the neck, not only the curvature (relief). I only worked on a few that were okay. to my logics rods are too close to each other to be used that way. I'm sure it works to some extent but I'm afraid what it does is pull one side more than the other and that doesn't mean twist will be gone it just sinks. the rod's shape never changes with a twist, but wood does, so all you do is to compress the rod and hope if it helps
Dude you are the most entertaining guitar tech ever!
So glad I never liked 'em enough to buy one! Pro players in my area often called Rics "banana necks." A tour of local pawn shops showed me why.
How the hell do you "keep snapping strings" ?? Been playing one for 28 years, never bust a string.
marcos dins how much were ricks 28 years ago? were they around the same price?
I've had mine for 37 years with not a single issue after some early tuning and mods.
It's a musical instrument that should be treated with some sense of respect.
Why people drop them and throw them around and then whine and complain about performance is beyond me.
hostile177 People blame the instrument for their own incompetence in instrument care. Sounds like he on the off chance bought a bad Rickenbacker and chopped it up to everyone being "crap" as he so eloquently put it. Sure Fender's are amazing. I own a Jazz bass as well an love it. But the versatility and tone, craftsmanship on my Rick is second to none.
Mike Rutherford met you halfway in the 70's, when he had his Rickenbacker bass sawed up - so it could be glued together with a sawed Rickenbacker 12-string for his first custom double-necks.
Those things looked and sounded awesome. After a few years he switched to using custom double-necks made from the ground up.
And then when Rickenbacker came out with a special factory version...they switched the necks around! Mike's was 12-string on top, bass on bottom, and the Ric people reversed it.
"I wish I have seen the second picture first....."
This is my first video i ever watched from you davey, i then subscribed from this video
I've owned several over the years. Have 2 4003 models now. My '81 4001 did snap strings, but usually it took 6 month to a year of playing on a set of strings before one popped. They are their own animal. You either love them or hate them. If you love their sound (with underpowered pickups) and their look, it's hard not to drool over them.
It's to correct twists in the neck. When you consider that, one wonders why it's not more common. On the other hand, it can complicate setup somewhat.
@juakinote Howdy. Geddy was actually playing a Jazz before the Ric. He switched to the Jazz several albums in when Rush used a new producer/engineer ("Caveman" is his nickname, I forget his name) wanted to change his sound and go the Jazz + Ampeg tube sound in the mix. I forget which album, here are more details as well: it was the first time they didn't have their regular engineer do the album. I think bass players just want to try something else after awhile.
I love it when you are honest Dave. Keep up the good work and the awesome humor. I look forward to your vids.
I am surprised to hear you talk about the Rickenbacker that way. Admittedly, I do not know much about the instrument, except for that fact that I am a huge Rush fan, and I love the sound Geddy got out of it all those early years. I was almost heart broken when he switched to Fender Jazz... almost. I never pictured these instruments as a cheap guitar.
..what a sound he HAS. He and John Entwhistle, my favorite rock bassists of all time.
Eric Robbins I wouldn't say that ricks are "cheap". I would more say that you have to care for it more than a normal Fender Jazz or whatever the heck.
lol... darn stick in your back a
Because he customized his 1963 4001/1999. Ricks were Mono, not Stereo and that Stereo adaption was his. He also wrote in bassPLayer that he buys old, pre-1969 Ricks for parts. Among other changes, he had his original soft frets replaced with hard ones so that the Rotosounds wouldn't eat them up. Great basses but Rickenbacker would only guarantee the bass if flatwounds were used.
I laughed out loud at the comments as I too have a stickinthebacker...I waited 20 years to get one..they say never meet your heroes...wish I hadn't ..mines been in its case for 4 years now..My jazz bass blows it away in every single department..
ooo hang on I'm getting angry again...lmao...quality video..thanks
You should sell it then if you dislike it so much.
Too bad, rickenbacker is actually interesting compared to a boring old jazz bass.
@@Minnevan interesting maybe, but that thin sound, absurd design and shocking build quality are a massive turn off for those that aren't Ric cheerleaders.
Since you mentioned Roger Glover, it was Glenn Hughes pictured onstage playing a Fireglo with Deep Purple that inspired me to get one--
i played a ricky for about 3 years and i loved it never had a any problems even with tuning or breaking strings the one i played was and i’m sure it still is red beautiful bass never had any issues
The second bass is stock with the brass block. The rods are always too close together. You have to take a nut-driver or small socket and grind them until the wall is very-very thin and it will be fine. There are two truss rods because the neck is very thin front to back. The pickups are not that bad, they are usually just too far from the strings. I have seen Seymour Duncan pickups, even for the bridge. Never though I needed to replace them though. Turn the pickup selector 90 degrees.
Any experience with those Greco copies of the Rickenbacker basses in the '70s, from Japan? Some of them even had bolt-on necks, instead of the neck-thru construction.
hahahaha fanatastic. All the Ricky fans up in arms here!
Your videos are easing me through my hangover. Cheers!
Those Ricks do look great though.
Get a 4003, they have modern trussrods and don't have the problems associated with the older 4001 series.The year of mine is a '03 and those years have some of the sturdiest necks around =- many Ric purists don't like how thick they are in those years, but they are rock solid, and very easy to get right due to the dual modern trussrods. I used to have a Fender J that needed neck relief adjustments more than several times a year and this bass' rarely needs one(I live in humid FL btw)
My dad has had a 1974 Rickenbacker 4001 since 1983 and has had no issues with it. It was his main bass for a long time, and although he has other basses now, he still gigs with it now and then. He replaced the bridge with the hipshot replacement recently but not cause the other one was bad, he just wanted to try something new. So, you had a bad experience and don't like them. They just aren't the bass for you. That's fine. Are they crap? Nope, not in the least.
he also switched to Aria later on, and his Rick was super heavily modified with jazz bass and gibson EB pickups. Enough said bout that James
Hey man, Rickenbackers are some of the most amazing basses I've ever played. Just defending what I love. Sorry if you can't respect that, just didn't appreciate seeing someone go out of their way to put them down.
I'm with Dave. Fender basses are workhorses and ubiquitous. You don't see many bass players playing Ricks and there is a reason for it. I find their basses are more on looks and less on playability.
Been playing one for fifteen years and have only had one string break ever. Fair enough the pickups aren't the best, but it has best action I've played.
You people saying 'rickenbacker guys are pretentious' or 'fender guys are pretentious' - what a load of fucking bollocks. I think you need to re-connect with reality.
I can't agree with your RIC assessment more. I've owned 2 of them. I love the look and, well Chris Squire.. etc. This was all before the internet and I had no idea what other people thought of them. I tried my best to get a good sound, but nope, couldn't do it. All the gigs I was getting were with R+B bands and I always got 'that look' when I took the RIC out of the bag. Luckily I sold them and made a profit on them, so that's the good news. Lesson learned: if you're going to rely on an instrument for a living, stay with the tried and true.
That's why you only play with the 4004. 4003' and 4001 are really only decorations in my opinion. 4004s are great for fender and stingray players.
@davey4557 Hey, I know what will solve the problems you get.
Pickups: neck-Gibson or other brand mudbucker for the fuzz
middle-jazz bass pcikup for the brightness
Tuning: bridge- badass 1, 2, or 3 : Geddy Lee did this one, thats why he kept it for so long, and also why his seemed to stay in tune.
also, I would personally add new tuners, just for good measure. these things could be better with better hardware.