Why famous bassists gave up on Rickenbackers?

[israel]

This is a question for all you fellow bass players...

Why do you think that famous bassists gave up on using Rickenbacker basses? Here's Steve to prove me right, but also there's Geddy Lee from Rush, Roger Gover from Deep Purple, Geezer Butler from Black Sabbath, Flea from RHCP, Glenn Hughes, and so on!...

Even Phil Lynott and Cliff Burton aren't playing their Ricks anymore! LOL

But seriously, do you think that there's a special reason for this or this is just a coincidence?

Cheers!!!

 

[Bassista]

Chris Squire plays Ric's

 

[HippieOfDoom]

Chris Squire has a total custom Ric. But that is a unique case. Rickenbacker doesn't make custom instruments usually. And they also don't stay up with the sign of the times. Those nice attacks and needle-burrying sounds of that bass became pops and clips of the digital age. And unless you are to use massive compression and a dull tone, which goes against it's signature sound, then we were all forced to find something that came with a new character of sound. And the fact that they don't do custom work was pretty lame. I even just tried to get a fretless made with no fingerboard markings and they declined. My two 4001 Rics need refretting, but I rather leave them in the closet to rust. I am pretty loyal when it comes to sticking with something I love, and most know that I was a Ric guy for many years, but I liked 8-track tapes too...
SDG

 

[MaskedJackal]

Steve, you really think even the newer 4003s don't hold up? I got a Jetglo one for my 21st birthday and have yet to try it with a band, but I mean...as I'm sure you're aware, mids and highs for days.

 

[israel]

Those nice attacks and needle-burrying sounds of that bass became pops and clips of the digital age.

OK, but that's for recording purposes right?

As Nocturnals said above, what about its sound live? Does it still keep up with the current available "live" gear?

 

[MaskedJackal]

Ugh, I need to change my username.

To add to what I said above-- couldn't plenty of EQing or using a preamp help? As for your wanting a fretless Ric, why not just score an old one and have a luthier install an ebony fingerboard? Finally, if by "just asked" you meant "recently asked" then one of the possible reasons they declined would be the MASSIVE backlog of orders they have-- I've heard a 24-month wait is pretty standard. Hell, a few years ago when the Ric craze started, they put the custom shop on hiatus (if I recall correctly).

 

[Bassista]

Well... I never liked Rics , eventually went torwards Carvin and Ampeg amplification ... kinda sounds better to me...