Rickenbacker 4001

[Jael]

My bass-player wants to get a Ricky 4001. What do you guys think? Is that a good bass? I think it just really looks cool... when he played it, it didn't sound distinctive. Tell me what ya'll think.

[LWatford]

Tell him to get a 4003. The original 4001 was ment for low tension flat wound strings and there is a posiblity of hurting the neck by using modern roundwounds (though it didn't stop Geddy Lee and Chris Squire!). I think Paul used flatwounds on his 4001.

The bass has a very uniquie sound that may not work in all situations. I love the sound, but some people don't.

Lee

[Jael]

Comparatively, how does the bass sound against a fender Jazz bass?(flatwounds,Fretless) that's what he has. I think the flatwounds are okay, cause he already plays them. McCarteney used a 4001 or 4003?

[LWatford]

Its hard to describe the differences in writting. The neck is a bet slimmer in depth than a jazz, and the pickups sound different. It is very hard to get that Jazz bridge pickup soloed sound on a ric. The Ric can get some very nice lows, and the bridge pickup is very trebly. Although most people have the sound of a Ric as a very thin sounding instrument, I was able to get lots of usable tones out of it. A jazz bass is more versitile in my mind, but it is something completly different. The 4003 is the updated version of the 4001.

Lee

[Jzak]

The Rick definitely has it own unique sound. And I agree with what Watford says about the tone. It’s a way better base than anything Fender has ever made. And I believe they were one of the first to utilize the neck through design. (That’s why you can get those deep lows.) It was rumored back in the late 70’s that they were having trouble with them because of weak necks, but I never heard anything bad from musicians that used them.

And why worry about sound versatility when you can always add a POD or process pedal?

One last thing … have him look for a vintage Rick (early 70’s). It shouldn’t cost any more than a new one. I think they were built with better quality back then. From what I’ve seen the newer ones seem to be made cheaper.

[LWatford]

I think that Rics are some of the best quality guitars made in the USA right now (alot better than some of the Fenders I've seen!). Like I said earlier, the Ric will not sound like a Jazz Bass, it only sounds like a Ric!

Lee