Thoughts on Playing Lead on Rick

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

Moderators: rickenbrother, ajish4

rickenbackerkid
New member
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue May 07, 2019 4:55 am

Re: Thoughts on Playing Lead on Rick

Post by rickenbackerkid »

Here's Mike Campbell playing a killer rock'n'roll solo on some kind of black Ric, maybe a 320: https://youtu.be/i5aRgvRQQmg?t=5412

Notice how when he's way up the neck he has to keep picking as the notes don't sustain like a Les Paul would. It forces him to do something different and it sounds great.
Clifton
Junior Member
Posts: 184
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2009 3:54 pm

Re: Thoughts on Playing Lead on Rick

Post by Clifton »

rickenbackerkid wrote:I play both in a 3 piece rock covers band and a 9 piece Springsteen Tribute.

I have no problem playing blues rock lead on my 360 - it just takes a little getting used to. You have less sustain, which means you have to pick more notes, work the vibrato hard and so on. I also use 11-52 strings, which are a bit heavy for lead, but once again, it's just a matter of getting used to it. The sound of Hi-Gain pickups with overdrive is a great tone, no problems there, and it goes into 'nice' feedback, not awful screechy feedback.
I think both a 330 and a 360 with Hi-Gains would work. If you don't find those versatile enough, I would look at the fairly new Fender Performer Telecaster with the mini-humbucker in the neck. Those are very versatile guitars. You could also look at a Gretsch, too.
User avatar
drumbob
RRF Consultant
Posts: 557
Joined: Tue Jun 27, 2006 10:50 am

Re: Thoughts on Playing Lead on Rick

Post by drumbob »

I bought a Midnight Blue 620 with Hi Gains recently that I like very much, but the frets are very small, and of course, the neck is slippery to start with due to the lacquered finish. So, in answer to your first question, there are guitars better suited to playing lead guitar than your Ricks, IMO. Sure, you could go to the trouble and expense of tearing out the frets, having the fretboard stripped and then doing a re-fret, but do you want to do that? I'd think not. I inquired as to the cost, and was told it would be between $500-600. No thanks.

The 620 is a very good rhythm guitar, and that's it's best role for me. It looks great, sounds great, and is a joy to play. I appreciate it for what it is. I switch off playing lead and rhythm with our other guitarist, and use the 620 on songs where I'm playing rhythm only. Otherwise, I have several Les Pauls, a Firebird, a few Fenders and a Guild Starfire IV that I use for lead playing.

Good advice I remember from wood shop: Use the right tool for the job. YMMV, but that's my take on it.
User avatar
jimk
RRF Consultant
Posts: 5353
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:27 am
Contact:

Re: Thoughts on Playing Lead on Rick

Post by jimk »

wmthor wrote:
jcreasy wrote:One question is has anyone covered the kind of lead territory referenced above with a Rick? ...
I'm going to address the first question only. I'm of the option, why not. I'd venture to guess that al least 98% of your audience doesn't care what kind of guitar you're playing.
Where's the Like button? My thoughts exactly.
User avatar
iiipopes
Intermediate Member
Posts: 1428
Joined: Tue May 22, 2007 5:02 pm

Re: Thoughts on Playing Lead on Rick

Post by iiipopes »

I played my 320 as a lead guitar in college jazz band and was well received. Before I switched over to primarily playing bass, I was in a band twenty-five years ago that I used my 360-12 for leads and covers of songs not necessarily associated with a 12-string, and made them into great alternative covers. It is not the instrument. It is the player. Rickenbacker instruments are superlative instruments. It is up to the player to take his favorite instrument and adapt it to the circumstance, which Rickenbacker instruments do very well indeed.
User avatar
fretbuzzard
New member
Posts: 44
Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2007 10:16 am

Re: Thoughts on Playing Lead on Rick

Post by fretbuzzard »

rickenbackerkid wrote:Here's Mike Campbell playing a killer rock'n'roll solo on some kind of black Ric, maybe a 320: https://youtu.be/i5aRgvRQQmg?t=5412

Notice how when he's way up the neck he has to keep picking as the notes don't sustain like a Les Paul would. It forces him to do something different and it sounds great.
Such a great clip. Campbell discusses that very guitar (it’s a custom piece from Ric) in the video below. Interestingly, the customizations he had Ric make address many of the specific issues raised by folks here: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/musi ... m1xbTlFTEg.
User avatar
drumbob
RRF Consultant
Posts: 557
Joined: Tue Jun 27, 2006 10:50 am

Re: Thoughts on Playing Lead on Rick

Post by drumbob »

admin wrote:A very nice thread.
QED
That weedly-weedly-weedly shred is not representative of what the OP is trying to achieve, IMO.

Leaving it to a hipster kid in his twenties, who probably has no foundation in Pentatonic blues is not the way to go.

OP, check out Unknown Hinson's videos on You Tube. One was posted here. Those will give you a good sample of what an overdriven Rick can do in a blues/rock style. His tone is killer.

Since posting a while back about playing lead on my 620, I've changed my thinking a bit. I think you are only limited by your preconceived notions. Give the Rick a try in rehearsal. You've got nothing to lose, right? But bring your other guitar just in case the Rick doesn't work out.
bluewhale
Member
Posts: 341
Joined: Sat Nov 07, 2009 9:05 pm

Re: Thoughts on Playing Lead on Rick

Post by bluewhale »

wmthor wrote: ...I'd venture to guess that al least 98% of your audience doesn't care what kind of guitar you're playing...
This could be the hoped-for chain of events:

(i) Gear configuration improved for this project
(ii) Better playing experience for the guitarist
(iii) Better playing by the guitarist
(iv) Positive response from some of the listening band members
(v) Positive response from some of the listening audience members
(vi) Number of groupies experiences exponential growth


Be well,
bluewhale
Post Reply

Return to “Rickenbacker Guitars: by John Simmons”