Hey what’s good fam! Hope all is well with you, I’m back with a new review from NI and Scarbee.
This is the latest Scarbee bass library called the Rickenbacker Bass.
Let’s just dig into it shall we?
What is the Scarbee Rickenbacker Bass?
It’s a newly capture Rock/Pop bass captured by none other than Thomas Skarbye
This library specifically captures the sound of a Rickenbacker 4003
Of course it has a custom interface, scripting, effects, and everything needed to add to the experience and play-ability of the instrument.
As for me, first and foremost I want to know how it sounds…
so lets talk about that!
Quick Specs
- content: 6.5GB compressed
- format: Kontakt 5, Kontakt Player 5
- price: $99
- product page: http://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/guitar/scarbee-rickenbacker-bass/
How does it sound?
I really, really….REALLY like the sound of this bass! As you can tell from the video, I enjoy it quite a bit.
While previous Scarbee bass libraries were great, I feel this one is really well done. I love the tone of it, it has a rich deep tone with plenty of detail while playing.
I also love that the scripting is powerful enough to make it sound great without requiring any key switching. Sure there are some there for those that want to dig into that, but I like just being able to play and having the instrument respond to velocity, legato, and my overall playing.
But at the end of the day, that’s all fine and good, yet if it doesn’t sound good I won’t use it.
This bass really sounds good and I find myself grabbing for it as a first choice when I want a nice, clean, deep, and real sounding bass.
So what’s the bottom line?
I know sound is subjective, that’s why I do these videos so you can make up your own mind.
For me, I feel the Scarbee Rickenbacker deserves 5 out of 5 subs. I think it sounds great, is easy to use, and super fast to tweak as well.
I’m a Komplete user so I’ve played with all the bass libraries NI has done with Scarbee and this one is by far my favorite.
It’s not as smooth sounding as a Jazz bass but I find I can get the tone I need out of this much quicker than many other bass instruments…and there’s just something about the detail in the sound I can’t quite explain but I can hear it!
Now the question remains, do you get this on it’s own…or do you get it with part of Komplet 9 which will be dropping on the 27th of March?
That’s for you to decide, but even if you choose not to get Komplete, at the price of $99 this Rickenbacker is definitely a tool to have in your collection.
Checkout the information and demos on the NI site: http://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/guitar/scarbee-rickenbacker-bass/
leave me a comment below and let me know what you think!
word fam, thanks for the comment
It’s my favorite out of all of them, I wasn’t blown away by the others, I love this one though!
Me too. It’s one of the best sample library purchases that I’ve ever made. The Rickenbacker bass is really nice. The only minor problem is that because of the pre-delay, the bass won’t play perfectly on time (unless you adjust it by 30-33 milliseconds.) No big effort required, thankfully.
Cool umma have to look into gettin this…and you ever checked out J Bass by Native? Thats my go to bass…I do more boombapish typa stuff so it works out ok for me..but I will try this one
how is this compared to the real bass in trilian?
NI never disappoints.
I love trilian but I feel this stands up to it, but remember this is only one type of bass, trilian covers so many bass instruments/sounds it’s really no comparison. But sound wise I feel it’s on par.
Yeah I have it, and I still prefer the sound of this one for some reason, it’s really cool.
Yeah, there are some stuff you can tweak but I didn’t feel any latency when playing so I’m happy 🙂
no doubt
Ey ma nigg, thanks for the review..really looking to some great stuff from! Thanks for the samples..
no doubt fam, glad to help!
Hey saintjoe,
Thanks for the nice review! You have no idea how much it warms my heart and it inspires the whole team to do more stuff.
It was a very difficult project to do and I think i restarted whole project 7-8 times until I had right sound… but thats typical for me..haha
BTW. Love your site…
cheers
Thomas
Thomas!
Thanks for taking the time to comment, and yes, I love this bass man, it really sounds awesome and is so simple to use yet can be advanced for those that need it. You really did a great job on this one it’s by far my favorite so far 🙂
Keep up the great work!
me2
can you do a review about prominy,the electric guitar and the v metal?
Sounds good 🙂
LOL that’s all I could say fam! LOL
we will see I’ll check it out and see if I like it
I like scarbee’s stuff…kinda disappointed this wont be in komplete 9 though.
yeah it only comes in ultimate or on it’s own
wut up st. joe i agree this sounds awsome long time a go i tried out a rick in a music store and love the way it sounded plus it is a stereo bass this thang sound so much like real thing and if someone told me i could buy a rick for 99 bucks i,d tell to buy it and let me know where i could get it from now i know and think it comes with komplete 9 as well thanks again bro
Yeah man it sounds great!
Yes! thank you for doing this, looks like I got another library to add to Kontakt now, props saintjoe, thanks again, brilliant review.
glad to help man, I love it!
Native Instruments 9 baby!!!What you think about the new Komplete bro?????
I have most of what’s in there already but as usually it’s a good collection for those that don’t
¡Awesome sound!
¡Can hear Chris Squire on it!
Great review.
DT
thanks for watching!
Hey Saint Joe I really need help I bought This instrument from bigfishaudio called the giovani voices of the young and need help installing it in kontakt please help me
you probably just need to drag it from the browser to load it, I don’t think it is a kontakt player library so it won’t show up in the library tab
SJ: NI has released a wonderful Bass app. The sound coming from this kit seems amazing. This was a great video review. Definitely 4.5/5.0.
Thanks for checking it out fam!
Nice review as always! Would really love if you made a little beat at the end though 🙂
thanks for checking!
@soundsandgear Man I hear ya St. Joe. This thing sounds amazing! Woke up this morning before work and started playing this thing and was almost late lol. Its something about good authentic quality samples that pulls creativity out of a person. Seriously they could sell this thing for $300 and it would still be worth it. I think it sounds that good. Sample libraries like this is going to take producers to another level. Those drums libraries in Ultimate 9 is ridiculous too!
Totally agree fam, it’s dope!
Hey unkut what drum libraries are you referring to in komplete 9 ultimate? thx
Yes sir, I was referring to the Studio Drummer, 70’s,80’s, and Modern drum libraries. Also the 60’s drums are good too. The vintage 60’s drums are not as flexible though, they are more focused for that 60’s sound I think.
boss! this one does sound good! i hope it comes with komplete 9…imma look into it…
yeah it would probably sound really awesome!
Checking out your videos I missed and yeah this sounds great. Will it work with Komplete 8?
yeah this works in kontakt 5
Thank your explanation.
Excellent review!! Thank you very much. You summed up my feelings entirely when you said “I just want to know if it sounds good.” That’s what I’m after too, and you did a good job demonstrating that. Again, thanks.
Thanks for watching +zuider77 I appreciate the comment!
Love your reviews but I’m currently bummed. Bought Scarbee Rick based on this review and downloaded it only to find my favorite patch in the review is NOT included “Rickenbacker 561”. Really liked the sound of it in the review and was disappointed to see it missing. Is there anyway you could email me that patch and the other that’s missing from the stock instrument? The lack of extra patches from Scarbee is disappointing- they should check out companies like Sonic Couture who supply many variations to show off where the instrument can go- very appreciated. I’ll have to start working on some! Any help you can send is much appreciated. Keep up the good work!
Hmmm, not sure why it wouldn’t be in there, I didn’t get any special version I just showed what came with the library, I don’t know what is and isn’t missing from yours or if they actually changed it, have you asked NI?
i wish i could afford all this native instrument komplete its great sana
Thanks for watching
Well I’m really disappointed by Scarbee Rickenbacker. The sound itself is not too bad but doesn’t really match with any arrangements. And how come that softwares like this doesn’t have a picked bass option at all!? Any other bass software is better…
Hi Geza
It IS a picked bass – do maybe you mean a fingered version? In any case I hope you will be able to use it one day in a song.
I’m not sure what you mean by it doesn’t match with any arrangements? That’s more up to you in terms of how you use it in your compositions. As for being picked, this is actually a picked bass, the picked articulations are a major part of the product actually.