The Cheats Guide to getting a Rickenbacker Bass Sound on a Budget. Tips, Tricks ( Heated Debate).

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    a decent P bass ... the single coil 51 style ... - which I think actually has a bit more usable midrange ... I wonder if that’s because it’s a single coil and not two singles overlapping.
    I wonder if that's because the pickup in your GSP/self-build is a Seymour Duncan SCPB-3 Quarter Pound rather than a period correct unit?
    Be seeing you.
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    a decent P bass ... the single coil 51 style ... - which I think actually has a bit more usable midrange ... I wonder if that’s because it’s a single coil and not two singles overlapping.
    I wonder if that's because the pickup in your GSP/self-build is a Seymour Duncan SCPB-3 Quarter Pound rather than a period correct unit?
    Very possible. But then that does give the OP another direction of travel - pickup choice can give a very varied result - I’d say the QP does a good midrange Ric impression then.
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    A funny thing happened on the way to the forum. ;)

    https://soundcloud.com/nigelcherry/closer-to-the-fart

    Listen for whether you can tell which - if any - of the noises are genuine Rickenbacker and which are fake. 

    For any sounds that you consider to be fake, please indicate what instrument you believe was used to do the faking.

    For reference, you are hearing Apple Logic Drummer, with occasional tweaks, through a short reverb algorithm. All bass guitars recorded using the same clean D.I. plug-in and - shock, horror - the same plectrum (where appropriate).
    Be seeing you.
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    Funkfingers said:
     the same plectrum (where appropriate).
    I’m out.
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    Bridgehouse said:
    I’m out.
    I always suspected as much.
    Be seeing you.
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    Actually, judging by the soundcloud background picture, I’m guessing at least one of the basses is a P bass with dimarzios.
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    If I had used a background photograph of an iced bun, would you have guessed that one of the examples was the bun? ;)
    Be seeing you.
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    If I had used a background photograph of an iced bun, would you have guessed that one of the examples was the bun? ;)
    Was one of the examples an iced bun?
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    If I told you which phrase(s) were the iced bun, that would take the fun out of identifying everything else.

    In any event, the comparison recording is not for your benefit. 
    Be seeing you.
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    If I told you which phrase(s) were the iced bun, that would take the fun out of identifying everything else.

    In any event, the comparison recording is not for your benefit. 
    I know it wasn’t - and it’s an interesting exercise if you’ve done what I think you have. 

    Interestingly I was listening to an Epiphone Embassy yesterday which also sounded very Ric like in timbre - I wonder whether @vale should have a look there too..
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    Bridgehouse said:
    it’s an interesting exercise if you’ve done what I think you have. 
    I am only willing to discuss what I have done via PM.

    Maybe, not today. Maybe, not tomorrow but soon and for the rest of your life.



    Bridgehouse said:
    I was listening to an Epiphone Embassy yesterday which also sounded very Ric like in timbre - I wonder whether @vale should have a look there too.
    The Epi web site illustrates current models. The only Embassy listed is the self-styled PRO (all in upper case!). This seems to be a hybrid of Thunderbird and EB-3L features in a vaguely "Fender" body shape. The sound set will depend on whether the pickups have four conductor + shield output cable or straightforward single con + braided shield.

    Epiphone used to make a Ripper lookalike bass guitar. Perhaps, it could be modified, either with a pickguard and pickup change or a recreation of the original Gibson Grabber sliding pickup idea. I vaguely remember Japanese-made Grabber copies from the late Seventies so-called "lawsuit" era. 


    Be seeing you.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    edited July 2018

    Listen for whether you can tell which - if any - of the noises are genuine Rickenbacker and which are fake.
    Useful exercise. There's not one sound there which I could say for certain is *definitely* a Rick, nor any I could be sure isn't.

    They are all basses with at least one pickup in the middle position or closer to the bridge...

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    Bridgehouse said:
    it’s an interesting exercise if you’ve done what I think you have. 
    I am only willing to discuss what I have done via PM.

    Maybe, not today. Maybe, not tomorrow but soon and for the rest of your life.



    Bridgehouse said:
    I was listening to an Epiphone Embassy yesterday which also sounded very Ric like in timbre - I wonder whether @vale should have a look there too.
    The Epi web site illustrates current models. The only Embassy listed is the self-styled PRO (all in upper case!). This seems to be a hybrid of Thunderbird and EB-3L features in a vaguely "Fender" body shape. The sound set will depend on whether the pickups have four conductor + shield output cable or straightforward single con + braided shield.

    Epiphone used to make a Ripper lookalike bass guitar. Perhaps, it could be modified, either with a pickguard and pickup change or a recreation of the original Gibson Grabber sliding pickup idea. I vaguely remember Japanese-made Grabber copies from the late Seventies so-called "lawsuit" era. 


    The bridge pickup on the embassy PRO that had a midrange chime to it which sounded pretty Ric. I must be getting soft in my old age as I quite liked it
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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 9986
    tFB Trader
    You've got me thinking ... 
    I rewind loads of Rick bass pickups, and they are very unusual inside ... for a start they use 44 awg wire ... practically alone amongst bass pickups. secondly they use super cheap and rather disgusting rubberized ceramic magnets which have a field effect somewhat like a P90 ... I may, as a little project to amuse myself ... build a faux-ricky pickup and try it in one of my demo P basses ... see how close I can get with no EQ to rely on.
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message  

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    I may, as a little project to amuse myself, build a faux-ricky pickup and try it in one of my demo P basses ... see how close I can get with no EQ to rely on.
    A thing like that ought to fit inside several popular pickup cover sizes. Firebird/Mini-humbucker, regular humbucker, EB-3 Mudbucker, 3.5 x 1.5" bass soapbar, P90 (perhaps).

    The downside of encroaching on RIC's toes is that they like to litigate.
    Be seeing you.
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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 9986
    edited July 2018 tFB Trader
    I may, as a little project to amuse myself, build a faux-ricky pickup and try it in one of my demo P basses ... see how close I can get with no EQ to rely on.
    A thing like that ought to fit inside several popular pickup cover sizes. Firebird/Mini-humbucker, regular humbucker, EB-3 Mudbucker, 3.5 x 1.5" bass soapbar, P90 (perhaps).

    The downside of encroaching on RIC's toes is that they like to litigate.
    Can't trademark a tone ... only a look ... and I was thinking of bass soapbar 
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message  

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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    You've got me thinking ... 
    I rewind loads of Rick bass pickups, and they are very unusual inside ... for a start they use 44 awg wire ... practically alone amongst bass pickups. secondly they use super cheap and rather disgusting rubberized ceramic magnets which have a field effect somewhat like a P90 ... I may, as a little project to amuse myself ... build a faux-ricky pickup and try it in one of my demo P basses ... see how close I can get with no EQ to rely on.
    Could you do one that might fit the small size of a 51 Precision style single coil? I’d be over that like a tramp on chips...
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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 9986
    tFB Trader
    You've got me thinking ... 
    I rewind loads of Rick bass pickups, and they are very unusual inside ... for a start they use 44 awg wire ... practically alone amongst bass pickups. secondly they use super cheap and rather disgusting rubberized ceramic magnets which have a field effect somewhat like a P90 ... I may, as a little project to amuse myself ... build a faux-ricky pickup and try it in one of my demo P basses ... see how close I can get with no EQ to rely on.
    Could you do one that might fit the small size of a 51 Precision style single coil? I’d be over that like a tramp on chips...
    The issue is that a Rick has a wide flat coil ... the bobbin has only 4.6mm of winding space (set against around 11.5mm for a 51... and the fact it is so flat contributes to its tone ... however ... let me do the maths it might be feasible.  
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message  

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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    You've got me thinking ... 
    I rewind loads of Rick bass pickups, and they are very unusual inside ... for a start they use 44 awg wire ... practically alone amongst bass pickups. secondly they use super cheap and rather disgusting rubberized ceramic magnets which have a field effect somewhat like a P90 ... I may, as a little project to amuse myself ... build a faux-ricky pickup and try it in one of my demo P basses ... see how close I can get with no EQ to rely on.
    Could you do one that might fit the small size of a 51 Precision style single coil? I’d be over that like a tramp on chips...
    The issue is that a Rick has a wide flat coil ... the bobbin has only 4.6mm of winding space (set against around 11.5mm for a 51... and the fact it is so flat contributes to its tone ... however ... let me do the maths it might be feasible.  
    Cor. Maybe you could follow the vee of the base plate for a bit more room. 

    Either way, I love the idea of a fauxbacker pickup.. you might get the bass heads on here losing the plot ;)
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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 9986
    tFB Trader
    yep ... the 51 P Bass pickup bobbin is 20mm wide at the top flatwork ... so piece of pudding to do!
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message  

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