Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

IvanMunoz wrote:If you're looking for a 6 string and money is no option:

Of course! In a heartbeat. But let's just say money IS an option...

sloop_john_b wrote:Guess this project was a bust?

Mine was. Back to the drawing board...

I saw this thread last night & went right to work putting a set of D'Addario baritone strings on my 330 12 string with hi-gains. The other day I just found out that Steve Ridinger CEO of Danelectro gave $10K to oppose gay marriage which ticked me off so much that I'm now thinking about ditching all my 90's Danos. Music doesn't exclude anyone, but like it or not what guitar you play is a de facto statement of the player. Oddly enough I'm working on an album about hypocrisy, philosophy & equality at the moment so this was a fitting & well timed revelation. So inspired by politics and this thread I wanted to do a Rick vs Dano Bari comparison.

The original black 330 12 R tailpiece broke so I've been stuck in 6 string mode using an accent tailpiece for some time. Surprisingly I didn't have to do much work to the intonation, just raise the front two screws up a bit in front & raise the bass side slightly. In time the bari strings settled in with the tailpiece (no bar, waay too touchy) & it would stay in tune and I was rewarded with massive tone. I tune my baritones down to A and A minor for finger picked delta blues. With the heavy gauge strings it sounds just like my Electro lap steel when you use a slide. If you are worried about not getting enough a bass growl with the short scale rest assured, I had to EQ some of it out for some of my effects presets. It also can sound like a piano. Cons: scale length, Bass tuners would be better and right now I'm using an accent vibrato tailpiece, 12 string bridge & nut. In all honesty even with those issues I might do a bari Ric permanently.

I know the scale length is wrong, I also play bass & baritone guitars and I've experimented with bass strings on guitars many times before, you can get decent tones but to me it always kind of feels weird. I compared it with my Dano longhorn reissue & tone wise I honestly like the Ric's wide range more. The Dano can sound thin with the bridge pu & volume is a bit unbalanced when going from both pickups (which sounds great) to one pickup. I was also able to get lower action with the Ric but I did lower the bass sides of the pups to even the volume across all strings. It would be better to have the scale length but honestly not enough to justify major Ric 330 surgery.

Oh, I'm also going to outfit all my Rics with a piezo under the bridge plate wired to a stereo jack. I put a piezo on my 370WB and I love the tones. On a baritone it would be huge sounding.

Are you kidding me, what a jerk!

Dom wrote:The other day I just found out that Steve Ridinger CEO of Danelectro gave $10K to oppose gay marriage which ticked me off so much that I'm now thinking about ditching all my 90's Danos.

Not the time or place to discuss...but that is unfortunate. Will investigate further.

Dom wrote:The original black 330 12 R tailpiece broke so I've been stuck in 6 string mode using an accent tailpiece for some time.

As big of a fan of the "R" tail as I am, I think a trapeze would be better, mostly to accept the larger diameter of string.

Dom wrote:I tune my baritones down to A and A minor for finger picked delta blues....I know the scale length is wrong, I also play bass & baritone guitars and I've experimented with bass strings on guitars many times before, you can get decent tones but to me it always kind of feels weird.

Ideally, I'd like a 4005/6 (as pictured above) in a short scale, tuned down to E. Since that ain't happening, I'm coming up with alternatives.

Dom wrote:Oh, I'm also going to outfit all my Rics with a piezo under the bridge plate wired to a stereo jack. I put a piezo on my 370WB and I love the tones. On a baritone it would be huge sounding.

I've been wanting to do that for YEARS. Please share your results.

A piezo under the bridge plate? Has this been tested? I'd really like to be kept abreast of this idea!

Dom wrote:I saw this thread last night & went right to work putting a set of D'Addario baritone strings on my 330 12 string with hi-gains.

You put baritone strings on a 330?? And to think, everyone around here said it would damage my 330 to tune it to F# using 10's! I'll feel better about trying that, now.

egosheep wrote:You put baritone strings on a 330?? And to think, everyone around here said it would damage my 330 to tune it to F# using 10's! I'll feel better about trying that, now.

I strung a 610 up with baritone strings once and tuned it down to B. It held just fine and the neck didn't even warp!

I think Eastwood guitars makes a reasonable Baratone. I know they make a Tenor guitar and I may actually get one. I wish I could afford a RIck Banjolene but prices are way to high.

Oh I melt when I see any 4005, bound, round no matter. I have known about them for years but I had never seen a pic of an actual 4005/6 until this thread. I need a droolproof keyboard when I visit here.

I am always amazed at how many zillion tricks these "one trick ponies" can really do. I once tuned my turquoise 330/6 up to a C6 using 11's and it sounded terrific recorded. The only neck I have that is just as stable & reliable as my rics is my 63 bat neck Harmony Archtone.

I think doing bass VI strings might be a bit overkill but the bari strings work well. I'm using this Baribacker thing all the time...the others are jealous. I'm thinking I might get a crossover so I can split the signal & keep the bass sounds cleaner & give the treble more grit. Although overdriven bass is also something I use a bunch in loops, often with a pitch shifted standard tuned ric.

I had been looking for a trapeze for the 12 actually, I figure it should have better sustain. Something always takes $$ priority though. Recently my recording comp's external drive flipped out & I have several years of my music & my current album project trapped inside. I do have many recordings with my piezo bridge, I just can't get to them. I'll go resurrect the piezo thread I made shortly after hooking it up. viewtopic.php?f=13&t=391501

I thought that Rickenbacker did make one because I saw a video of George jones playing love bug with Johnny cash and the other guitarist had a Rickenbacker 360c63 with an accent vibrato and it was an octave lower than a regular guitar and that’s what made me think that Rickenbacker did produce a baritone. If not, it was overdubbed

NathanPollard wrote:I thought that Rickenbacker did make one because I saw a video of George jones playing love bug with Johnny cash and the other guitarist had a Rickenbacker 360c63 with an accent vibrato and it was an octave lower than a regular guitar and that’s what made me think that Rickenbacker did produce a baritone. If not, it was overdubbed

That video is overdubbed.

The guitarist is using an early 60's "New Capri" 360.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsryzCWqrLg

sloop_john_b wrote:

NathanPollard wrote:I thought that Rickenbacker did make one because I saw a video of George jones playing love bug with Johnny cash and the other guitarist had a Rickenbacker 360c63 with an accent vibrato and it was an octave lower than a regular guitar and that’s what made me think that Rickenbacker did produce a baritone. If not, it was overdubbed

That video is overdubbed.

The guitarist is using an early 60's "New Capri" 360.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsryzCWqrLg

I've been spending too much time on The Gear Page because I keep reaching for the 'Like' button.

Great track! I'd certainly love a Baritone Rick 360.

collin wrote:I'd certainly love a Baritone Rick 360.

Me too, jack! I was going to make one out of a 3001 body I had, but then said nyahhh.

Find one of the 30" scale basses and string it ADGC?