The Last Bass Outpost

As for WHY people buy the High Priced Stuff:  I commissioned a run of 20 Custom Shop "John Lodge" (Moody Blues) P basses. They were all sold BEFORE they were built.....and 18 of the 20 went to....Female Fans of the band. To the best of my knowledge, NONE of the ladies could play, but several built SHRINES in which to house their basses. People with money HAVE money. The rest of us???  Not so much. 

It always warms my soul to see one of these out there.......

Bass-ically Yours,
RB

It's been awhile so I thought I'd check in and see how that 200S is going for you.

Bass-ically Yours,
RB

Many thanks for doing the book and I'm sure it'll be VERY well received. If I order NOW do I get a "Snuggie" available in my choice of Ric discontinued colors? If so, please sign me up.....I'll be using my "PayPaul" account.  

Quote from: nofi on February 07, 2012, 10:06:19 AM
growin' old ain't for sissies.

It was the references to Wild Hair that made me laugh. Not long ago I went to bed at the usual time.....around 2 am. By 4:30 a single eyebrow hair had gone rogue, grown to a length of 18 inches and was wrapped around my neck like a Boa Constrictor--trying desperately to strangle me as I slept. Fortunately I keep a chain saw under my bed and with a single pull that sucker roared to life and I was able to sever the Grey Beast as it viciously tightened its grip and let loose its own pent up frustrations on my throat.

Sissies stand NO chance in their later years....as it's a FINE line between "The Wisdom Gained ONLY by Aging"....and "Dementia".   

I just spent some time reading this thread and I'd like to take just a moment to thank each of you who've posted. Why?  Prior to reading some of these hilarious thoughts it was my opinion that "I" was "OLD"...and perhaps in need of a walker, that chair that you glide up and down staircases with and CUSTOM built, carbon-graphite, nose-hair pullers I once saw on the Home Shopping Network for only three payments of $29.99 each...plus shipping and handling......but I feel MUCH better now.....cuz some of YOU guys are REALLY Ancient.....and that makes me feel MUCH better!!!  

Quote from: chromium on January 28, 2012, 10:43:19 AM
That's a real shame hearing about the FB page, and this is precisely the reason I rarely participate on manufacturer forums (Ric seems especially over-the-top in terms of zealotry and censorship).   I enjoy the candid discussions about ALL brands at this place, and it would be great if those Ric FB folks brought the party here.  

The "Censorship" thing is a double edged sword. I began cruising posts back when FORUMS were a dream in Al Gore's eye. Posts have ALWAYS been an interesting way to learn and also a FABULOUS way to be conned, tricked, lied to and swindled. I've always lived by a single rule: "Never Ruin Someones Dream". By that I mean, if you're "in the business" and KNOW that the folks who run ANY company are actually creeps in "Real Life", it's best to keep it to yourself. IMHO, the LESS we know about manufacturers, the better off our music-making dreams will be.

Also high on the list of Awareness is knowing that if someone is really bashing the crap out of a product--ANY product--chances are pretty good that they work for a competitor in some capacity--they have an axe to grind--they're just brain dead....or they have no life and simply enjoy reading what they write. While at Fender, I CONSTANTLY saw posts from folks who bashed everything that Fender (and everyone else) made and, as always, the guy with the biggest mouth most often turns out to be the one to watch out for. Manufacturers KNOW that, so as the internet developed SOME of the companies began to get VERY protective about what was said by "Folks with No Name".

Lastly: We humanoids tend to believe what we read. I've read numerous posts about instruments that I, personally, gave birth to....but as the "song" moved around the room, things changed. I'd follow posts from "experts" who would talk to other "experts" and soon MANY of the "facts" about the instrument were down-right WRONG. But, people will buy almost anything if they read it often enough so after awhile I simply stopped trying to make corrections and left the Forums altogether. I, personally, ADORE Ric basses and I've owned quite a few. I also understand that Ric has been around for decades and there's a reason for that.....they run a VERY tight ship.....they build a great product....and they have no Shareholders to answer to. Sweet Dreams.

Bass-ically Yours,
Rich

PS: NOWHERE have I said that Rickenbacker has ANY creepy people in its employ or management.     

Congratulations on owning one of what is, imho, the finest sounding bass amp ever built. Several amps magically changed the world....this is certainly one of them.

Bass-ically Yours,
Rich

Quote from: Pilgrim on December 13, 2011, 04:36:51 PM
I recently bought the Blue Jays CD with the partnership of John Lodge and Justin Hayward.  Lodge must be one of the most under-appreciated, fantastic bass players in the history of popular music. 

He's a VERY good player....a VERY Creative bass line THINKER and quite fast when he needs to be//..and, of course, used a Sunn rig for years....one which was held together with Duct Tape and Chicken Wire......  I'll send you a pic of him with the bass......

Muzikman......I thank you for the kind welcome...

I've dealt with and worked for quite a few manufacturers through the years and have NEVER found a Company as easy to get along with as Genz-Benz. When I had a Genz Go down on me, I called and had a NEW amp on my doorstep the next morning. The part of that deal which impressed me the most is that they wanted the bad amp BACK.....to take it apart and see what caused the problem. Then they followed up to make sure I was fine with the replacement. IMHO....the Finest Manufacturer I've ever had the Pleasure of Playing With.....bar none.  "Gotta' Getta' Genz!"

I Believe it may have been Pilgrim who commented on their 12" cabs. Outstanding........Truly.

Bass-ically Yours,
RB

Quote from: Dave W on May 22, 2011, 09:17:02 AM
The only Rumble-Bass I ever saw was one at the old Torp's Music in St. Paul, it was there for several years, along with a couple of matching cabs. I hadn't heard one way or the other about reliability issues but it's not surprising.

Dave......When the Rumble Bass was first introduced my wallet parted ways with my brain...and I bought TWO stacks. I've always been a sucker for Fender Amps with White/tan tolex and Oxblood Grill-cloth. I used them for a couple of years and then sold them both on the same day. Both were trouble-free and sounded KILLER. IMHO, one of the best LOOKING bass amps ever created.

Bass-ically Yours,
Rich

Quote from: nofi on September 20, 2011, 06:43:01 AM
as a rapidly evolving former fender fan i find this sad. aamof my wife insists on buying me a bass because she knows i love to hang to old stuff and tweak it to death.. i went to sitar center and played a bunch of fenders. not one imho was worth buying. everything about these basses that i loved my entire life suddenly felt wrong. still not a gibson fan but...

Nofi...With all due respect....Buying a bass--or even playing one--in a "Big Box" is most often a horrific experience. It's quite similar to buying a Wife Through the Russian Mail Order Conglomerate.      I spent a fair number of years trying to repair damage that had been done to FINE instruments that were either neglected or abused in the BB's.  IMHO, you're farrrrrrrrrrrr better off doing business with a small shop which knows, first and foremost, what a humidifier and a cleaning cloth are.

Bass-ically Yours,
Rich

Very Gracious, Gents.......Pilgrim: I've tried to keep up with most of the mail that I get but that's not always possible. The "RB Classic Series" means a lot to me and many of those pieces went to Europe. If any members HERE own one or more, I'd love to hear from you....And, Contrary to what I've read, there WERE several different basses in the series. One of the most interesting was a series of twenty "John Lodge" (Moody Blues) p-basses. What I find amazing is that they sold out BEFORE even being built.......to Women....NONE of whom Played. It must be tough to be John.

Bass-ically Yours,
Rich

I'm always grateful when I get questions on the RB Classic stuff. That P-bass with the Jazz-spec Neck is, to the best of my knowledge, a one of a kind and I planned on keeping it for myself. Once I reached 50 basses, I began keeping just those I used most often.....and a Burgundy Mist Relic Jazz took it's place.

Bass-ically Yours,
Rich

It's always a pleasure to find avenues of Bassdom Being Shared and I look forward to Contributing What I Can.