Ricko sound?

http://www.rickenbacker.com/cart.asp?viewitem=00003&category=viewitem&buffer_category=Pickups

I want one of those on my Blitz. Then I can have a pickup cover and a trem.

It's a hell of a lot cheaper than an entire Rickenbacker and it can allow me to replace the J pickup in my Blitz with whatever (even the same J pickup) I want.

I wanna hear that!

NoobOnRoad wrote:

I wanna hear that!

It'd probably sound good.

DO IT!

I might. Or I might just use a set of Rickenbacker pickups and get a Warmoth body in which I can try them out with a Rickenbacker wiring harness.

The poor man's 4003!

The HB-1 looks cool. I've read on the Rickenbacker forums that it sound similar to the old toaster pickups, plus, it's got a four conductor lead, so you can hook it up to a coil tap switch. So I want to put an HB-1 in the neck and put a Hi gain in the bridge with the crazy assembly and pickup cover.

I don't know what kinda body and neck I want that to go into...but something cool. I've got time to think it through as I save my money.

^ Get it with a maple body and neck and a bubinga fingerboard. I'd love to see that.

Remember guys, as big a deal as some companies make about things like the bridge and neck through vs bolt on necks, wood, pickups, and strings make up 90-95% of your tone (depending on how transparent the pups are). So if you use the same woods and pickups, you will get the Ricko sound almost exactly.

Kugelspot wrote:

^ Get it with a maple body and neck and a bubinga fingerboard. I'd love to see that.

Remember guys, as big a deal as some companies make about things like the bridge and neck through vs bolt on necks, wood, pickups, and strings make up 90-95% of your tone (depending on how transparent the pups are). So if you use the same woods and pickups, you will get the Ricko sound almost exactly.

I think most of the sound is in your fingers, but the influence of what you're playing on is undeniable. The thought has crossed my mind to do just that. It depends on what kinda thing I decide to go with. If Warmoth offered binding as an option on custom necks, I'd be very tempted to do it. I think I want it to be a Gibson-y bass...but whether I want it to be an Explorer or an SG, I don't know yet.

Get the explorer. They don't make a short scale neck, so the neck dive will be horrible

Kugelspot wrote:

Get the explorer. They don't make a short scale neck, so the neck dive will be horrible

That's a good point, but I think it would still be really cool to have a long scale SG....like an EB-3. I already have so many basses that don't agree with the way my body's shaped when I have them on a strap, but feel great sitting down. I wouldn't mind having another such instrument if it sounds, looks, and feels the way I want it to.

I kinda want to save my Warmoth Explorer project ideas for one specific bass--a white, maple neck Fenderhead. It would be cool to have one project that's all about making a great sittin' down bass (SG or maybe even a Thunderbird...one with the raised center section, perhaps. It depends on if the Rickenbacker bridge pickup assembly will fit) and one that's a great standin' up bass.


Of course, this is just speculation. I am dirt poor and will be for some time. I'm talking about a bass that might get built in a couple years, if I'm lucky.

I am, in fact, thinking about a bass version of something like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uvOK6ofL84

I wish that Warmoth had more options as far as neck binding/fingerboard inlays. 'Cos if they did, I wouldn't have to think any further about what I'd want this bass to look like.

One problem.

Warmoth use Fender spec necks.

19/20mm bridge spacing.

Ricky pickups, made for 17mm spacing.

Darkstrike wrote:

One problem.

Warmoth use Fender spec necks.

19/20mm bridge spacing.

Ricky pickups, made for 17mm spacing.

Good point. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. That's exactly why I freewrite my thoughts here. Because you guys can help me prune them down to reality.

Could I use a bridge with narrower string spacing? An adjustable bridge (Kahler or Schaller) or a Ric tailpiece, perhaps? Would that cause the bass to play uncomfortably, due to there being that extra fretboard width on the outside of the E and G strings?

Even if the standard 4003 pickups' pole pieces are too narrow for what I want to do, might an HB-1 cut it? I should probably go to TalkBass and ask some of the Ric players to measure their pickups.

The reason I'm thinking that an HB-1 might work on a Fender spec long scale bass is because Rickenbacker uses the HB-1 on certain models of guitar, as well as the 4004. But since the basses have such narrow string spacing, the guitars might as well. It's worth a shot. I haven't seen anyone put Ric pickups on anything other than a Ric. Maybe there's a reason.

Chowderboots wrote:

Darkstrike wrote:

One problem.

Warmoth use Fender spec necks.

19/20mm bridge spacing.

Ricky pickups, made for 17mm spacing.

Good point. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. That's exactly why I freewrite my thoughts here. Because you guys can help me prune them down to reality.

Could I use a bridge with narrower string spacing? An adjustable bridge (Kahler or Schaller) or a Ric tailpiece, perhaps? Would that cause the bass to play uncomfortably, due to there being that extra fretboard width on the outside of the E and G strings?

Even if the standard 4003 pickups' pole pieces are too narrow for what I want to do, might an HB-1 cut it? I should probably go to TalkBass and ask some of the Ric players to measure their pickups.

The reason I'm thinking that an HB-1 might work on a Fender spec long scale bass is because Rickenbacker uses the HB-1 on certain models of guitar, as well as the 4004. But since the basses have such narrow string spacing, the guitars might as well. It's worth a shot. I haven't seen anyone put Ric pickups on anything other than a Ric. Maybe there's a reason.

It wouldn't be uncomfortable, to me, I don't know about you, to be honest.

Once the strings reach the neck, its not a huge difference, but it will be noticable.

Have you a link to the HB-1 handy?

Darkstrike wrote:

It wouldn't be uncomfortable, to me, I don't know about you, to be honest.

Once the strings reach the neck, its not a huge difference, but it will be noticable.

Have you a link to the HB-1 handy?

Then there's hope. haha thanks a lot for pointing that out to me, man!

Here's a link to all of the pickups that you can buy from Rickenbacker: http://www.rickenbacker.com/cart.asp?category=Pickups

HB1: http://www.rickenbacker.com/cart.asp?viewitem=00060&category=viewitem&buffer_category=Pickups

It should, depending on how close to the bridge you get. I do believe Ricky use the one pickup in both places.


Honestly though, if I was after ricky tone, without their prices, I'd be visiting Warmoth.

Prefferd body shape, in solid maple.
Maple neck, w/bubgina fretboard.
Ricky electronics/pickups etc, well, pickups, at least.

Schaller bridge, set for Ricky spacing.
Do not get a Rick tailpiece, they're crazy finnicky, if you want that look, grab a Hipshot Ricky Replacement.

^ that's kinda what I was saying.

Anyway, about using a bridge with small string spacing, think of it this way. Look at a Jazz bass, or a bass with the same string spacing. Now look at the string spacing at the saddles. Now look at a ruler and closely compare the overall string spacing to 4 mm (the amount you'll be subtracting to each side). Now look at how that will taper off over the neck. If the extra bulk seems like it will bother your (it really shouldn't IMO) than don't do it. If it does not, congratulations. You've found a way to get 90% of the carefully protected Rickenbacker tone while spending 1/3 what they charge.