Those Wacky Ritters

[benson_murrensun]

Here's one that may stir up a pot: I know that some folks on this forum love Ritter basses and others have made some interesting comments about them (references to Dr. Seuss notwithstanding). Now we find that a Ritter bass is being accepted into the Smithsonian alongside Leo Fender's Precision Bass! Here is the note I got from Jens Ritter:
Dear Customers, dear Friends,
 
I'm very proud to announce, that the world's biggest Museum - the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. - just acquired a bass of mine!  
 
 
They got the Jupiter Eye of Horus which I custom designed for Phil Lesh. It is the SECOND (!) electric bass in their permanent collection beside the famous Precision Bass of Leo Fender!!!
 
I'm very proud and happy that this even happened during my life time!
 
HOW ABOUT THAT?

[keith_h]

It's not the second. I doubt that it is even the third.  I definitely know there is an Alembic in the collection as I've seen it.  
 
Keith

[811952]

It is what it is.  *shrugs*

[dannobasso]

Maybe he means bolt on?

[benson_murrensun]

http://newsdesk.si.edu/releases/national-museum-american-history-receives-phil-lesh-s-eye-horus-bass-guitar?device=mobile

[bigredbass]

What I really like about Ritter is this guy is in his own world design-wise.  I also respect he does his own metalwork and electronics (though I wonder about his hardware, www.ets-hardware.com).
 
Do I need that many neck bolts?  The Dr. Seuss reference, at least for me, is a great compliment.  All I know are that most guitars and basses are so bound in tradition that the few new ideas that do gain acceptance are vital to move things along.  LP's and Strats and Pbasses and Martins are all fine, but there is just no evolution left in them, save for and endless remix of small features (can anybody really explain the 200+ LP variations Gibson has marketed, or Martin's endless 'Signature' models beyond them being marketing hooks?).  
 
So any time somebody can come along and push things along a little (PRS or Taylor or Line 6) or completely launch a shot across the bow like Steinberger or Ritter, I'm all for it.
 
And BTW, judging by Jens' Price List, could it be that PL got a bigger tax deduction for the donation than he paid for this UFO of a bass ?
Lawyers and CPA's, the real heart of the Music Business ! ! !
 
J o e y

[adriaan]

And from a purely musical point of view, it would appear that Mr Lesh was no longer interested in playing the instrument.

[tubeperson]

Ahhhh Adrian isn't that really the key?  I have a Ritter which I like very much, as well as my Alembics, Steinbergers, Rickenbackers, even my Peavey B-Quad.  Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that we are lucky to have so many choices, and that a selection other than Alembic may the the right one for that person.  That is not a knock against our love for Alembics, nor does it make that person a bad one, it is merely another way to travel so to speak.  Until three years ago (I'm 54) I did not own a single Fender bass.  Although I do now, I still think the Alembic is better made, better sounding and easier to work with, other than the long waiting times, for me.  That is just the price one pays for custom made excellence.  Others are free to decide what is best for them, without judgement.  Ahhhhh Grasshopper, the deeper understanding that comes with tolerance.
 
And of course there are some on this forum that pontificate and bloviate way too much.  Sorry had to get that editorial comment in.  Heh, Heh, heh!!!

[jbybj]

Steve,  
 
Thanks for your post. I love it when I have to go to the dictionary! I can't wait to use bloviate in a conversation.

[tubeperson]

Effective communication is important.  There is always something new to learn, just as it is with music.  Even if it is what not to say or play.

[thumbsup]

hey Joey,
what is your thoughts of ets hardware mark III 2 piece bridge? I thought it looked very good.
Am I missing something?
Steve

[bigredbass]

Steve:
 
I always like the separate bridge and stop tailpiece better, but with this reservation:  
 
Generally the length of travel on the bridge is not as great a distance as you typically see on most one-piece bass bridges, so I wonder IF there's enough travel on each saddle once you go to five or more strings.  On my two ALEMBICs, the 'B' saddle is backed ALL the way out and just manages to synchronize the harmonic with the fretted note.  And I've seen this on more than one five-string.
 
We've seen this before:  Guitar players who remember the 70s/80s remember the Ibanez Gibraltar bridges, which were much wider (with longer saddle adjustments) than the typical Gibson TuneOMatic brdiges of the day.  The TOM's were set up for 50s string guages and would not always 'reel in' a set of 08s or 09s that were becoming the norm by then, not the big wound G sets of the 50s.
 
I've only seen a few Ritters, and IF that really was ETS hardware, it looked very solid.
 
J o e y

[hifiguy]

Some Ritters are weird, others are quite beautiful but they all look, to me, like they were designed by advanced students at Hogwarts for their wizarding bands.  I'll take Alembic, thank you.

[dnburgess]

In this day and age it is instructive to look to what we have in common rather than what divides us.
 
I have the privilege of representing both Ritter and Alembic in Australia.
 
Jens is very respectful of and gives a lot of credit to Alembic. What Jens and the Wickershams have in common is passion, creativity, integrity and pursuit of the same muse.

[terryc]

Call me a traditionalist but those basses are just too extrovert for me..
Apart from Strats I prefer the look of unpainted wood