Tell me about your first Rickenbacker...

General Rickenbacker discussion

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kt66
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Re: Tell me about your first Rickenbacker...

Post by kt66 »

Black 330/6 from I think Macaris in Denmark St, about late 86, no case, don't know if it was used or not. I think I paid £550.

I was 19 and very very dumb. It weighed more than any other 330 or 360 I have ever known, would never stay
in tune, I knew nothing of set up. It had a narrower headstock than most I have seen

Sold it about 93 to very talented Irish songwriter called Paul Kelly, who lived in
London at the time, may have been a school teacher.
I would love to get it back one day.
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jps
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Re: Tell me about your first Rickenbacker...

Post by jps »

jacolyte wrote:...i've always been super thankful that i had a professional quality instrument to learn on...
Right from the start I have always had a "professional grade" instrument. Never understood the concept of buying a cheap instrument for starting out.learning on and then incrementally upgrade over the years. :roll:
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bvstudios
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Re: Tell me about your first Rickenbacker...

Post by bvstudios »

I'm a flat-pickin' 12string fool. Always have been, likely always will be. But although I wanted one badly, my Ric had to wait. In the long run, the wait was worth it.

I heard the 12string jangle of MTM & Turn, Turn Turn when they first came out in 1965 and knew that sound was going to be mine... someday. Trouble is, I was all of 11 and had just also fallen in serious like with Glen Campbell's acoustic 12 string sound. Mom and Dad determined that investing in an acoustic 12 was more in line with the family budget than a Rickenbacker, so my first 12string was a jumbo Aria. We bonded. It soon helped to get me work, then it managed to define "my" sound. People would call me and tell me to "...make sure I brought along that big guitar with all the strings....", and ultimately that sound took me on a thirty year long trip down the Celtic Folksinger road, a path lined with five more acoustic 12's before I finally "retired" and discovered that you can actually almost earn a living with your music AND be home most nights if you play your cards right.

I've had a total of 6 different makes of 12string in my life (Aria, Framus & 2 Takamine acoustics, Fender -Coronado- and now Rickenbacker electrics), and the Ric was the hard-to-justify dream that simply was always just a touch beyond my grasp.

It took more than 40 years, but in 2009 I pulled the trigger and ordered my first (and only). After much anticipation, a little "buyer's remorse", a 370/12 in Maple-Glo arrived early on in 2011. We've bonded, just like I did with that old Aria a little over fifty years ago.

There are three guitars in my collection which will stay with me until after I can no longer play (if that happens). My Gretsch is one. My Ric is another.
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Tommy
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Re: Tell me about your first Rickenbacker...

Post by Tommy »

- I love The Beatles
- I wanted a Rickenbacker like George's from A HARD DAY'S NIGHT
- music store didn't have one like that (this was 1992)
- I then found out George played one like this:

Image

- I bought that 360 model with college graduation presents (money and gift cards)

Image
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bvstudios
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Re: Tell me about your first Rickenbacker...

Post by bvstudios »

Is it just me, or do I detect something of a theme to your picture...?? Perhaps a color?
sentionaut
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Re: Tell me about your first Rickenbacker...

Post by sentionaut »

My first ever Rickenbacker was also my first electric. A mapleglo 360/6. A wonderful guitar, maybe not the best one to learn on. I later sold it but the Rickenbacker bug bit hard and I bought a 360V12/64 Fireglo not long after.
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Tommy
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Re: Tell me about your first Rickenbacker...

Post by Tommy »

bvstudios wrote:Is it just me, or do I detect something of a theme to your picture...?? Perhaps a color?
Whatever do you mean?

Image

Image
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bvstudios
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Re: Tell me about your first Rickenbacker...

Post by bvstudios »

Yup... nice setups.

Now I'm a little jealous!
:mrgreen:
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jacolyte
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Re: Tell me about your first Rickenbacker...

Post by jacolyte »

jps wrote:
jacolyte wrote:...i've always been super thankful that i had a professional quality instrument to learn on...
Right from the start I have always had a "professional grade" instrument. Never understood the concept of buying a cheap instrument for starting out.learning on and then incrementally upgrade over the years. :roll:
not everybody can afford a pro instrument when they first start out.
jacolyte
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- 4003 x5, 4003S x3
- other stuff
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jps
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Re: Tell me about your first Rickenbacker...

Post by jps »

jacolyte wrote:
jps wrote:
jacolyte wrote:...i've always been super thankful that i had a professional quality instrument to learn on...
Right from the start I have always had a "professional grade" instrument. Never understood the concept of buying a cheap instrument for starting out.learning on and then incrementally upgrade over the years. :roll:
not everybody can afford a pro instrument when they first start out.
Pro grade instruments were really inexpensive when I started out.
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jdogric12
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Re: Tell me about your first Rickenbacker...

Post by jdogric12 »

jps wrote: Pro grade instruments were really inexpensive when I started out.

Rocks you found in caves do not count, Jeff! :lol:
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jps
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Re: Tell me about your first Rickenbacker...

Post by jps »

jdogric12 wrote:
jps wrote: Pro grade instruments were really inexpensive when I started out.

Rocks you found in caves do not count, Jeff! :lol:
Right you are. Two of those rocks were a late '60s Jazz Bass and the old 4005WB ($175 each, effectively - inquire within). :mrgreen:
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bvstudios
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Re: Tell me about your first Rickenbacker...

Post by bvstudios »

jps wrote:
jdogric12 wrote:
jps wrote: Pro grade instruments were really inexpensive when I started out.

Rocks you found in caves do not count, Jeff! :lol:
Right you are. Two of those rocks were a late '60s Jazz Bass and the old 4005WB ($175 each, effectively - inquire within). :mrgreen:

Hmmm would you let either one go for what you paid for it, then? :wink:
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jps
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Re: Tell me about your first Rickenbacker...

Post by jps »

I did so with the Jazz Bass.
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jimk
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Re: Tell me about your first Rickenbacker...

Post by jimk »

I decided I had to have a Rick 360/12 string after two events happened. First was two different friends, neither of whom knew the other each told me that I needed an electric guitar "Bah, humbug!" I thought.

Next I was surfing the net, and I saw a clip of Roger McGuinn playing his signature Rick 370/12. First thing I thought was "I didn't even know he was still around." The second thing I thought was "That's THE sound. THAT'S the guitar I want." So I got one...eventually. Worth the wait. It's a fireglo 360/12. Love it. Best money I ever spent on a fine guitar.
JimK
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