Yeah, I'm fairly fortunate to own some sexy basses! Patience and always looking are the tips I have for gettin' great guitars. Funnily enough, I bought that Ric in Vancouver after a trip out in which I caught 2 Canucks games (losses, one was the return of Lou against the Coyotes after his long groin injury) in 2009. It was last minute, spur of the moment as the L&M was recently moved and was right beside the bus terminal. I literally bought the bass, and hightailed it to catch the bus for my flight home.
The verse & chorus does really only need 1 string (I still use 2), but it's the intro riff that the other 2 strings are needed. I mean, it can be done without them, but it's a pain & doesn't sound as good IMO.
What instrument(s) do you play? Next time you're back out here we'll go to a jam, crush a few tunes on stage!