Ric 330, Vox AC30, and TS808

Vintage, Modern, V & C Series, Signature & Special Editions

Moderators: rickenbrother, ajish4

User avatar
ch willie
Junior Member
Posts: 136
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 4:13 pm

Ric 330, Vox AC30, and TS808

Post by ch willie »

I got my 330 a couple of months back after wanting one for years. It's my go to guitar, a lot more comfortable to play than my Fenders or Gibson.

It does what Rics are supposed to do. Great jangle. Wonderful for arpeggios. Fantastic cleans.

Yesterday, I bought an Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808. I should have bought one decades ago.

I plugged the Ric into it and into the Vox AC30, and I wasn't prepared for the balls out rock and roll sound the Ric was making. Seriously showed me just how versatile the Ric is.

I have an OCD and a Bad Monkey OD, and while I love those pedals, the Ric only sounds "ok" with them. But the TS really gives it that smooth but powerful rock body. I a/b'd it with my Les Paul, and the Ric held its own in the arena of the Les Paul's specialty.
All the world's a stage, albeit with mountains, plains, oceans, rivers, buildings, towers, animals, humans, plants, and Armour's Spam.
User avatar
drumbob
RRF Consultant
Posts: 557
Joined: Tue Jun 27, 2006 10:50 am

Re: Ric 330, Vox AC30, and TS808

Post by drumbob »

There are a lot of misconceptions about Rickenbacker guitars, and probably the biggest one is, they can't do anything but jangle rock. You have discovered this isn't true. With the right amp and the right pedals, a Rick can rock as hard as almost anything out there. People also think you can't play blues/rock solos on Ricks. Again, that's untrue. I'm working on Pentatonic solos today on my 360.
User avatar
jps
RRF Consultant
Posts: 37132
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2003 6:00 am

Re: Ric 330, Vox AC30, and TS808

Post by jps »

Yeah, too many people have misguided prejudices.
User avatar
Tommy
Intermediate Member
Posts: 676
Joined: Mon Sep 29, 2008 8:49 am

Re: Ric 330, Vox AC30, and TS808

Post by Tommy »

I agree with you folks that Rics are pigeon-holed as a guitar offering nothing but certain tone for a certain style of music. But I will counter with a "so what?" There is nothing wrong with Rics being labelled what they are.

I readily admit that I bought my Rickenbackers because of their stereotyped characteristics. And I bought my Gibson SG for its stereotyped characteristics. Can I play AC/DC music on my Ric? Maybe. But the SG does it a lot easier and better.

What I am trying to say is (unless it is the only guitar you own) why try to get a Rickenbacker to do things a Kirk Hammett ESP signature model is designed to do? I enjoy my Rickenbackers because they sound like Rickenbackers! That's why I bought them. I wouldn't buy a Ferrari to haul sheet rock and I'm not plugging my Rickenbacker into a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier to play Metallica.

Enjoy your Ric with the Tube Screamer. I'm sure you are having fun doing that. But come on, let the thing be what it was born to be.
User avatar
jps
RRF Consultant
Posts: 37132
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2003 6:00 am

Re: Ric 330, Vox AC30, and TS808

Post by jps »

Tommy wrote:I wouldn't buy a Ferrari to haul sheet rock...
So, you're saying that I won't be able to fit sheets of plywood in the back of the used FF I just bought for that purpose? :shock:
User avatar
ch willie
Junior Member
Posts: 136
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 4:13 pm

Re: Ric 330, Vox AC30, and TS808

Post by ch willie »

Don't get me wrong--I'd still be in love with the 330 even if it were a one-trick pony. I've had a 4001 since 1978, but no experience with Ric six strings. So I was surprised when it did what I knew it for and on top of that showed itself to be a great guitar for lots of styles.
All the world's a stage, albeit with mountains, plains, oceans, rivers, buildings, towers, animals, humans, plants, and Armour's Spam.
User avatar
kennyhowes
Veteran RRF member
Posts: 4908
Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2001 1:03 am
Contact:

Re: Ric 330, Vox AC30, and TS808

Post by kennyhowes »

I have known about the mystique of the Tube Screamer, but always understood it to be slightly misaligned, as SRV used them dialed in clean as a solo boost, or so legend goes.

So imagine my surprise when I started paying attention to what first wave TS pedals are going for now. $1k and up.
User avatar
ch willie
Junior Member
Posts: 136
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 4:13 pm

Re: Ric 330, Vox AC30, and TS808

Post by ch willie »

I know it's blasphemy, but I feel about SRV that he was a talented and great guitarist, but I am just not into him.

Actually, I was a little afraid that it would make my Strat sound like his, but I was wrong. I don't mean any disrespect to Stevie or anyone who loves his music.
All the world's a stage, albeit with mountains, plains, oceans, rivers, buildings, towers, animals, humans, plants, and Armour's Spam.
User avatar
collin
Senior Member
Posts: 6949
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 6:28 pm

Re: Ric 330, Vox AC30, and TS808

Post by collin »

kennyhowes wrote:I have known about the mystique of the Tube Screamer, but always understood it to be slightly misaligned, as SRV used them dialed in clean as a solo boost, or so legend goes.

So imagine my surprise when I started paying attention to what first wave TS pedals are going for now. $1k and up.
The Tubescreamer is a wonderful overdrive that can add sustain and slight breakup without coloring the tone too much, I think that's why people love them.

This is especially true of the early ones, but any of the dozens of versions made over the years will do the job. It's a classic pedal circuit that has been cloned and copied a million times as well.
User avatar
iiipopes
Intermediate Member
Posts: 1428
Joined: Tue May 22, 2007 5:02 pm

Re: Ric 330, Vox AC30, and TS808

Post by iiipopes »

To further cement the foundation, try a set of "11's" on it, like the D'Addario XL115/XL115W (plain G string or wound G string - your choice). The added mass, though not much, will help the guitar drive the TS808 even better.
User avatar
Tommy
Intermediate Member
Posts: 676
Joined: Mon Sep 29, 2008 8:49 am

Re: Ric 330, Vox AC30, and TS808

Post by Tommy »

ch willie wrote: Yesterday, I bought an Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808. I should have bought one decades ago.

I plugged the Ric into it and into the Vox AC30, and I wasn't prepared for the balls out rock and roll sound the Ric was making. Seriously showed me just how versatile the Ric is.
I never understand this at all.

You say when you plugged your Ric intoo your TS808 you enjoyed "the balls out rock and roll sound the Ric was making." But it wasn't the Ric...it was the Tube Screamer you plugged into.

Guitars make guitar sounds. Pedals make pedal sounds. A Ric sound is bright and sparkly. Why would I want to alter that sound to make my Ric sound like a Les Paul through a cranked Marshall?

I just don't get pedals at all. I like guitar sounds, not pedal sounds.
User avatar
kennyhowes
Veteran RRF member
Posts: 4908
Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2001 1:03 am
Contact:

Re: Ric 330, Vox AC30, and TS808

Post by kennyhowes »

Tommy wrote:
ch willie wrote: Yesterday, I bought an Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808. I should have bought one decades ago.

I plugged the Ric into it and into the Vox AC30, and I wasn't prepared for the balls out rock and roll sound the Ric was making. Seriously showed me just how versatile the Ric is.
I never understand this at all.

You say when you plugged your Ric intoo your TS808 you enjoyed "the balls out rock and roll sound the Ric was making." But it wasn't the Ric...it was the Tube Screamer you plugged into.

Guitars make guitar sounds. Pedals make pedal sounds. A Ric sound is bright and sparkly. Why would I want to alter that sound to make my Ric sound like a Les Paul through a cranked Marshall?

I just don't get pedals at all. I like guitar sounds, not pedal sounds.
I tend to agree with your philosophy, but there are combinations that are better than others. Like recipes.
User avatar
paologregorio
Senior Member
Posts: 6371
Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2007 12:56 pm
Contact:

Re: Ric 330, Vox AC30, and TS808

Post by paologregorio »

It is not mutually exclusive to:

Like and play the “classic Rick sound.”

Like the sound of “screaming rock tones” (and play them).

Want to play screaming rock tones and leads on a Rickenbacker.

I have two Les Pauls, but I have 8 Rickenbackers; Ricks are more unusual- looking, visually striking, and have their own character; why wouldn’t one want to play the screaming rock bits as well as the pretty parts on a Rick?
Last edited by paologregorio on Sat Sep 05, 2020 3:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
There is no reason to ever be bored.

...why yes, I suppose I do have a double bound guitar fetish...

"Uh, I like the double bounds. . . ."
User avatar
kennyhowes
Veteran RRF member
Posts: 4908
Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2001 1:03 am
Contact:

Re: Ric 330, Vox AC30, and TS808

Post by kennyhowes »

Defending Tommy a bit, I think his point is that such sounds are often the color of the pedal rather than the guitar, and the priority should be the opposite.

My point is that I agree that less effects is more, and more organic*. But sometimes, one gets a winning combination with mixing and matching.

When I do have crunch, which isn’t often, I prefer the amp to do the work, rather than a pedal or other box(es).


*As organic as electric guitars can be.
User avatar
Tommy
Intermediate Member
Posts: 676
Joined: Mon Sep 29, 2008 8:49 am

Re: Ric 330, Vox AC30, and TS808

Post by Tommy »

paologregorio wrote:why wouldn’t one want to play the screaming rock bits as well as the pretty parts on a Rick?
I guess because the screaming rock bits sound better with an SG playing through a cranked Marshall.

Because I like the trebly, crystal clear, bell-like tones that certain guitars can make, I have three Rics, three Fenders, and two Gretsches. I have one Gibson (an SG) because if I do want the screaming rock bits, I can do it on that guitar.

To each his own, of course, but I still can't see spending some steep money on a Ric just to make it sound like a Les Paul. Get the Les Paul if that's the sound one wants.
Post Reply

Return to “Rickenbacker Guitars: by John Simmons”