Who really did it best?! The Rickenbacker
In today’s video we’ve made a list of reasons why the Rickenbacker is so important to bass history. It goes something like this: Lemmy, Paul McCartney, Chris Squire, Geddy Lee and Cliff Burton! It’s an amazing bass, we’re sure you’ll agree. Now, who played it better?
Chris Squire
The bass sound that sold a thousand Rckenbackers! But how did Chris discover his original? “I basically copied John Entwistle after seeing The Who at The Marquee,” he once told Bassist Magazine. “I thought he sounded great and so I went and bought one.” All the elements of Chris Squire’s style and trademark ‘clank’ really came together for Yes’s Fragile album and, in particular, on the opening track, Roundabout, which should be considered essential listening for all bass players.
Paul McCartney
As one of the world’s greatest ever songwriters, Paul McCartney hardly needs to be recognised as one of the greatest bass players too, but he is. And while it's well known that he had switched to a Rickenbacker a year prior to recording Tax Man, which kicked off their 1966 album Revolver, what you might not know is that his new bass tone was also due to some clever studio hacking by George Martin, who had one of his engineers wire a speaker cone backwards and use it as a mic.
Lemmy
The sight of Lemmy Kilminster pounding away at his Rickenbacker, head back and growling into that impossibly high mic, is one of the most iconic images in British metal. To honour the Motörhead frontman, Rickenbacker created his very own signature model, which features a handcarved relief of oak leaves. The band’s golden era was probably around 1979-1983, which peaked with their most successful studio album, Ace of Spades in 1980. As well as having one of the best intro riffs ever, Lemmy’s bass sound perfectly matched his sandpapery voice, and the furious pace was captured perfectly at ear-splitting volume.
Geddy Lee
In an interview with Bass Guitar Magazine back in 2011, Rush bassist and legendary frontman Geddy Lee revealed his affection for his Rickenbacker 4001. “The Ricky is a classic. It has a unique tone which makes it stand out, and it deserves kudos for that. When we signed our first record deal in 1974, I got my share of our small advance and the first thing I did was buy a Rickenbacker. I think I paid about $400 for it.” In 1981 the band released Exit Stage Left, a live album recorded on the tour that followed Moving Pictures. Geddy is as prominent as ever punching through the notes at a ridiculous pace.
Cliff Burton
Unlike the other players on this list, Cliff Burton didn’t use a typical Rickenbacker, but instead used one that had been modified to suit the bass sound he was going for. Check out (Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth, which is the fast track to getting to grips with Burton’s high-octane playing style. We have no idea how he got that insane tone at the beginning of the track, but we do know that he had a Stratocaster pickup hidden under the bridge of the old 4001 that he used.
