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View Full Version : What's so spectacular about a Rickenbacker Bass?



JustJazz
05-12-2014, 01:38 PM
I need to claim stupidity here, because I am trying to figure out why used Rick basses are going for some significant coin. I must admit that I have never played one so perhaps someone can enlighten me. I have played Jazz and Precision as well as Music Man Sting Rays and Yamaha basses before settling on a bolt on fretless and B25P Carvins which I love to play.

Can anyone educate me on the Ricks and help me understand. Is the tone that mush better, or the fretboards faster, why do they command the price they do?

Nicki
05-12-2014, 04:25 PM
It's all about supply/demand. Used Ricks, for the most part, are much harder to come by and claim a higher price-tag than their Fender counterparts. They're one of the few basses you can buy and not lose your shirt on with depreciation.

Ricks are different beasts than Ps/Js and Stingrays. The ergonomics are a love/hate thing. I happen to love them and have 2, a 4003 and a 4004. The necks have varied greatly in size over the years, and the current ones are fairly wide, although not especially deep. Most folks that like jazz style necks are going to hate a current Rick neck. They aren't what folks would generally consider "fast".

Lots of folks will say Ricks are a one-trick pony, but they'd be very wrong. With two very different pups you can easily go from mellow and very bassy with the neck pup to brash and bright with the bridge pup, and you can mix to your heart's content. With a modern 4003, you also get the vintage push/pull tone circuit available, as well. I play everything I can get my hands on, and nothing really sounds like my 4003.

5Slinger
05-25-2014, 06:54 AM
Nicki is correct. Ricks are a different beast. I think there are a couple of reasons for the Ricks pricing longevity. 1) unique bass sound, nothing sounds quite like a Rick. They cut through better than anything I have heard and have some very nice tone(s). 2) they just look cool. 3) much of my favorite music was recording using a Rick, Yes, Rush, Beatles, the list is long. But the main reason is what Nicki pointed out. They are in demand! Rickenbacker can't make them fast enough, and they hold their resale value like crazy.

The only think I don't like are the ergonomics, I would be on the hate side of the fence but all the positive attributes compensate.

AB

Elmeaux
05-25-2014, 09:03 AM
Owning a Rick is on my GAS list, but I have no money. And if I did, I'd get the White Falcon first. And maybe a Cora.. And maybe a...

The list is long.