The first time I saw a Ric bass "in person" was in high school, in a jazz concert, in 1977. I think this was the first and only jazz player I've seen with a Ric bass. I was mesmerized, I thought it was the best looking bass I had ever seen. It was a pre-73 Azureglo, with checkerboard binding, toaster, full-width crushed pearl inlays...
Then I discovered Roger Glover and Chris Squire. The bass sound in
Pictures of Home... I think I listened to
Machine Head and Yes'
Fragile hundreds of times, until I wore out the vinyls.
My first Ric was a 1973 Jetglo 4001. Foolishly I sold it, but later I got a chance to buy a Shadow for $750... and I was in love again. The sound, the looks, these basses play and sound like no other. Soon after I got the Shadow, I bought a white '73 4001. The shadow is my "clank" Ric, with fresh DR Lo Riders, and the white '73 is my "thump" Ric, either with TI Jazz Flats or dead TI Jazz Rounds.