Couple of things here, firstly who do you think was one of the most accomplished Rickenbacker bass player to date, and why? Also, which tracks demonstrate their prowess and ricky sound?

Some Obvious ones for me;

1. Geddy Lee (when he played his 4001/03 JG) (Best bass bit - end section of 'Red Barchetta' on 'Moving Pictures'.

2. Chris Squire, I cant remember the title but it was very very early Yes, and he played this amazing bass run in the middle of the song. Incredible.

3. Bruce Foxton (The Jam) played a 4001/03, 'Down in the tube station at Midnight' - Has that perfect crunchy, treble rich ricky bass sound.

Does anyone know why Mr Geddy Lee stopped playing his Ricky? Maybe it was because he got a deal with Fender with his own signature bass etc. But I aint sure.

I'm sure I read somewhere he just preferred the Jazz neck, and in a magazine advert for the Sansamp RB1 he was quoted as saying he can now get similar top end crunch to what he use to get from his Ric. IMHO he's never bettered the sound he used to get from using the real thing. In a way I'm glad because I want Ric's to sound like Ric's and Jazz's to sound like Jazz's otherwise what's the point ?

As for "best" - that's going to be very open to interpretation but by my own frame of reference Chris Squire does it for me, with Geddy not far behind. I find CS's playing has more emotional depth than Geddy's in the context of the music but Geddy's got the legs on CS for outright technique.

In third place is me. At least until the alarm clock of reality shatters the sleepy illusions of my dreams.

Every Rick player will say this, but it's always going to be Geddy Lee and Chris Squire.

The parts Geddy played that really stand out are the albums "A Farewell to Kings" and "Hemispheres". Every song on those albums contains Geddy's most intricate and best-sounding lines. "Hemispheres" (song), "Circumstances", "Cygnus X-1", "Xanadu", and "A Farewell to Kings" (song) will be what I tell young bassists to try to learn on the first day :p
Honorable mentions to "Freewill" and "The Camera Eye". While he didn't use the Rick for the studio version of The Camera Eye, the live versions from the Moving Pictures Tour sound amazing with his Rick.

Chris Squire's best work would probably be anything on Yes's 3rde through 7th albums.
Some works that stand out are "Close to the Edge", "SIberian Khatru", "Heart of the Sunrise", "Starship Trooper", "Sound Chaser" and "The Gates of Delirium".
Honorable mentions to the powerful sound he got on the first two albums. That crunch is what bass should sound like.

Yeah, I like Chris as well - although on the later 'Yes' Albums he used a lot of Chorus/Phaser on the bass sound.

At the time it was quite original, but just about every single Indie band in the UK copied that technique, making 'the wobbly' bass sound a cliche associated with art house, gothic or arty indie bands in the 80's and early 90's.

No P.M on the list? How could you all? :)

I love Geddy's early playing. He's a tremendous talent on the bass. Still amazed by "Digital Man"

Chris Squire is tops as well.

I think McCartney's underrated here. Yes (pardon the pun), he didn't play as fast as the others, but his bass line structures are still very sophisticated. On rarer occasions than the other two, when Paul did play faster lines, he played them very well.

As great as Lee and C.S are, I think McCartney's playing is even more influential than theirs.

It seems to me bass players tend to be too busy, especially in 3 piece bands. I gor for spartan bass lines that are tasty and groove. Anything more than that and I don't care for it. I like having a rhythm guitarist so I can accent and set the groove "off" of his playing. If I don't have one, I am a little busier, but mostly filling holes where fills would be etc...

I'm sure I read somewhere he just preferred the Jazz neck, and in a magazine advert for the Sansamp RB1 he was quoted as saying he can now get similar top end crunch to what he use to get from his Ric. IMHO he's never bettered the sound he used to get from using the real thing. In a way I'm glad because I want Ric's to sound like Ric's and Jazz's to sound like Jazz's otherwise what's the point ?

My favorite Rick bass performances are:

Rush - "Hemispheres". It just didn't get any better than this for bass. When Geddy wandered away from his Rick, I still liked the band, but they were in search of something new. After passing through Steinbergers and Wals, he returned to his roots with the Jazz bass. Yes, I'd love to see the Rick make a return engagement, but I'm just happy to hear anything new.

Yes - "Drama". An unusual choice, I know, but I love "Machine Messiah" and "Tempus Fugit" and "Does It Really Happen?". This is not to take away from everything between "The Yes Album" and "Drama", but I just really, really dig "Drama".

These are the two albums that most influenced me to pick up a bass. The other would be Iron Maiden's "The Number of the the Beast", but Steve Harris never had the good sense to get a Rick. :-)

Paul McCartney.