If Rickenbacker Didn't Exist

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Tommy
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If Rickenbacker Didn't Exist

Post by Tommy »

Alternative universe question.

If Rickenbacker guitars did not exist:

1) would The Beatles have been as big as they were (remember, George's 12 string was instrumental (see what I did there) to the big breakout for the band, the HARD DAY'S NIGHT film).

2) would you have found/bought other guitars that act as a Ric substitute, or would you just have a hole in your collection where the non-existent Ric would have fit

3) for those who own a Ric 12 string, if no Ric would you have bought another company's 12 string guitar?

My answers;

1) Without Ric, no way would the Liverpool lads have been as big. It truly was the A HARD DAY'S NIGHT film/album that was the make or break moment for the band. Think about Dave Clark Five or The Spice Girls and their ventures into film. They flopped...both bands was relegated to lightweights, to silly. But not The Beatles. Their first film could have been a silly flop, but it was the stunning strength of the songs in that film and on that album that is a mind-blowing achievement. And what instrument was the key instrument in A HARD DAY'S NIGHT? A twelve string Rickenbacker. That guitar made the film, made the soundtrack...that guitar made the band. Maybe if The Spice Girls had found an instrument like the Ric 360/12 for their film, they would have been legends.

2) My guitar collection would be three less. Maybe a Strat with a capo on it can replace a Ric, but other than that, nothing can replace a Ric.

3) I still have yet to hear any guitar maker's 12 string sound anywhere close to the majesty and magic of the Ric 12. If Ric did not exist, I would not have any 12 string electric in my collection.
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collin
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Re: If Rickenbacker Didn't Exist

Post by collin »

Utterly myopic, as usual.

The Beatles were already a cultural phenomenon in Britain throughout 1963, before they ever set foot on U.S. soil (and consequently received a Rickenbacker 12-string).


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Re: If Rickenbacker Didn't Exist

Post by Wizz »

1) I definitely think the Beatles would have been just as big, the Rick-12 was a prolific sound for the 1960’s but George only really used his 12 strings on record for about 2 years. Of the 200+ songs they recorded I’d wager the Rick 12 is on less than 10% of their output.

2) man, I’d have a lot of holes to fill, I love a lot of other British Invasion type gear so if my Ric’s were wiped from existence I’d probably like to have a Vox teardrop as a sub for my 325, a Vox phantom XII or maybe a Epiphone Riviera-12 to sub as my 330-12 and as a replacement to my main guitar which is a 335 I guess I probably would have gravitated towards a Gretsch or Epiphone.

3) If they were as comfortable as the Ric sure, the only other 12’s that I’ve really been stoked on were the Fenders, the Coronado especially because of its semi hollow body construction but their solid body was also a nice one to play. Basically every other 12 I’ve ever picked up has seemed like a chore to play.
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espidog
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Re: If Rickenbacker Didn't Exist

Post by espidog »

1) What Collin said, plus...

The Beatles were already a growing craze in America even before their plane touched down at JFK for their very first visit in February 1964. They arrived to an airport thronged with screaming teenagers and their hotel in Manhattan was beseiged throughout their stay by a crowd so large it took 20 mounted police to control. It was their appearance on the Ed Sullivan show that 'broke' them to the rest of the country. A Hard Day's Night wasn't released until July '64.

The success of A Hard Day's Night as a movie (both commercially and in terms of its place in popular culture) did not hinge on the presence or otherwise of any particular make of 12-string guitar. There were many elements to its success, but by far the greatest factor was the inspired choice of Richard Lester as director: Richard Lester who understood the 'documentary' immediacy of hand-held camera technique, who knew how to get the best possible performances out of four sparky but self-conscious non-actors by using improvisation, and who - crucially - "got" the lads' anarchic, sardonic, quirky sense of humour and knew how to make that into the keynote style of the film. He had, after all, already worked extensively with The Goons on a TV series and several short films.

Long story short: yes, the Rickenbacker jangle was part of the signature sound of The Beatles, and I'm very glad it's there - but if Rickenbacker guitars had never existed, the Fab Four would still have been just as big a phenomenon and would still have written and played all the dozens of brilliant pop songs that the world fell in love with. They'd just have sounded slightly different.
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Re: If Rickenbacker Didn't Exist

Post by pauleway »

Rickenbacker is a top quality, as good as any guitar maker out there today, but if it wasn't for the Beatles, I doubt that they would be even one quarter as popular, or known as they are today, and this forum probably wouldn't even exist!!
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Re: If Rickenbacker Didn't Exist

Post by ChuckEds »

Rics were a definite asset to the Beatles for sure, but they would have carried on with out them. What about the Byrds, what would they have been without their famous jingle jangle?

As far as the DC5's movie, Catch Us If You Can/ aka Having a Wild Weekend, it's actually very good. The directorial debut of John Boorman and was done in an arty B&W style. Obviously not as big as AHDN but worth a look.
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Re: If Rickenbacker Didn't Exist

Post by espidog »

ChuckEds wrote:As far as the DC5's movie, Catch Us If You Can/ aka Having a Wild Weekend, it's actually very good. The directorial debut of John Boorman and was done in an arty B&W style. Obviously not as big as AHDN but worth a look.
Absolutely - haven't seen it for ages. Must track down a copy. :)
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Re: If Rickenbacker Didn't Exist

Post by pauleway »

Rickenbacker, Hofner, and Vox (All great companies and products) owe all their longevity and popularity to the Beatles!!
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steverok
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Re: If Rickenbacker Didn't Exist

Post by steverok »

1) Of course they would have.
2) Hole.
3) Yes.
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Tommy
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Re: If Rickenbacker Didn't Exist

Post by Tommy »

ChuckEds wrote:
As far as the DC5's movie, Catch Us If You Can/ aka Having a Wild Weekend, it's actually very good. The directorial debut of John Boorman and was done in an arty B&W style. Obviously not as big as AHDN but worth a look.
I can't call it "good." Rather it is pretty darned interesting. Perhaps ahead of its time?

I watched it once not because of The Dave Clark Five, but because it was legendary director John Boorman's first film. Clearly HAVING A WILD WEEKEND is no DELIVERANCE. But it sure was better than ZARDOZ.

By the way, if it had a Rickenbacker in it, it would have been better.

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Re: If Rickenbacker Didn't Exist

Post by Kiddwad57 »

I agree that one of the best things about the Beatles was their unique appearance. Plus timing. George is known for his Gretsch, but if his luck had turned out differently, could have well been playing a Strat on that first U.S.tour. Paul wanted a Precision but wouldn't pay the price. What if he'd had the opportunity to get a free lefty Mustang before Rickenbacker offered him the 4001? If Lennon had made the choice for a different brand of American guitar, who knows? Their interest in Rickenbacker seems to have been based on Lennon bumping into his 325 purely by chance. They obviously fell hook, line and sinker for the sound and action of Rickenbackers based on their use of the instruments. In the big picture it seems that the group's choice in amps leaned to Fender, not Vox. It would have been interesting to hear their conversations with Brian Epstein when he lined up their amp deal. What's best to me is that things ended up the way they did. Glad they broke up when they did too!

Having a Wild Weekend may have had a better showing if Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd had been featured instead of the D.C. Five?
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Re: If Rickenbacker Didn't Exist

Post by pauleway »

The reason the Beatles and all the British bands, played the instruments they did was they bought what was available to them. If Fender and Gibson would have been in the music stores at that time, you can be sure they would have been using those brands instead. And Mr. Hall made a genius move by giving George and Paul those Rics when he did!
But all of the music instrument companies can thank the Beatles for the explosion of sales for the last 50 years!
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Re: If Rickenbacker Didn't Exist

Post by Kiddwad57 »

Premier suffered a crushing blow when Ringo switched to Ludwig, that's for sure!
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drumbob
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Re: If Rickenbacker Didn't Exist

Post by drumbob »

OP, why do you waste your time and ours with "what if" scenarios?
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Re: If Rickenbacker Didn't Exist

Post by admin »

Bob I think the question posed is a reasonable one, as the answer speaks potentially to the history of Rickenbacker and has generated some meaningful discussion here.
Life, as with music, often requires one to let go of the melody and listen to the rhythm

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