THE RICKY-J -- An experiment in hybrid bass design

[qdHazen]

When it comes to Rickenbacker basses, I'm in the "love 'em" camp. That being said, I know that they're weirdly engineered, prohibitively expensive, and they don't make a short-scale version for people like me who have smaller-than-average hands. So, with necessity being the mother of invention, I've created this 30" Rickenbacker/J-Bass hybrid which combines the visual cues of a Fender Jazz (specifically the Geddy Lee USA model) with the materials, electronics, and pickup placement of a Rick 4003.

The body is a Warmoth solid all-maple SS J-Bass without any pickup routs as Warmoth does not rout for the pickups I used. The Warmoth neck is maple-on-maple with white pearloid blocks and white binding which, as previously stated, takes its cues from the Geddy Lee USA.

The pickups are a Seymour Duncan SRB-1n and SRB1b placed in the relative positions where they would be located on a full-scale Rick with some modifications to the bridge pickup's mounting plate and base to allow it to accommodate the J-Bass control plate. It boasts the same wiring setup as a Rickenbacker 4003, but it includes push-pull switches to allow for series/parallel voicing for each pickup and to put them both in series with each other. The "vintage cap" bypass switch is also retained in the bridge tone push-pull.

Hipshot's KickAss 4 is the high mass bridge for this instrument and one of their Xtender detuners is also installed.

Overall, I've got a unique bass that rocks and, I feel, gets me 80-90% of the way to the Rick sounds I adore.

EDIT: I've created a collection of sound samples utilizing a large amount of the tonal capabilities that the Ricky-J has to offer so you, the listener can decide whether or not I've succeeded in creating a short scale J-Bass that sounds like a Rickenbacker. Yes, I know my technique sucks. Don't @ me.

 

[TBurst Std]

I was expecting Toasters, or at least high gains pups. That and the body construction in maple is a good part of the Ric sound.  Played mine for a number of hours today for an audience.
But then again, if you are after Geddys sound, you could be quite close. He highly modified his Ric soun in those days.  That’s why his J Bass sound was so similar.

 

[qdHazen]

I was expecting Toasters, or at least high gains pups. That and the body construction in maple is a good part of the Ric sound.

What can I say? I'm not one for noise. :dontknow:

Also, I couldn't justify mutilating a perfectly good Rick bridge pickup to make it fit. Right, wrong, or indifferent, Duncans fit the bill for this build.

 

[teepeerock]

stereo out Jack?
Im in the process you have started. I was thinking about going short scale, but not sure yet. Ive got a toaster neck pickup so far. Trying to source a bridge pickup . Im planning to wire mine with two outs, one mono , and one stereo.

 

[teepeerock]

I definitely liked your plectrum  clip at both pickups series, vintage mode. Chris Squier all the way.

 

[qdHazen]

stereo out Jack?
Im in the process you have started. I was thinking about going short scale, but not sure yet. Ive got a toaster neck pickup so far. Trying to source a bridge pickup . Im planning to wire mine with two outs, one mono , and one stereo.

No stereo out for this build. I don't really have a rig to speak of that would support a stereo jack. In fact, I don't really have much of a rig, full stop; just direct into a computer.

One small piece of advice if you are doing a similar short-scale build: a P-Bass body will probably give you more room to work with if you don't want to cut up the pickup's mounting piece (i.e., not the bezel). As stated before, I couldn't bring myself to cutting up actual Rick pickups to make it fit. Much of the problem is due to where the control rout is positioned and I think it will be mitigated somewhat with a P-style body. That said, I'm glad I did it the way I did and I wouldn't change a thing.

 

[stratamania]

I like the concept and the Geddy USA Jazz influence on the neck.