Other Guitars Incorporating Rickenbacker Design Elements

[espidog]

I love my Ovation Magnum 1 bass. Although I don't think that Ovation were consciously aping Rickenbacker in any way, the shape and sheer heft of the bridge/tailpiece on this bass occupies a similar stylistic territory IMHO. I've long thought "If only the Rick tailpiece had the Ovation's instant mute lever..."

[collin]

The other guitar that is said to be Rickenbacker-influenced is the Fender Squier Venus model (which was actually designed by a company called Mercury guitars, with zero involvement from Ms. Courtney Love). The Mercury had a few nods to Rickenbacker, sort of. But I don't see much of it in the Squier.

Story here: https://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/vi ... uier+venus

I absolutely love Venuses, especially the black XII I still have. You're right about the design. I've read a little bit on that story and it's a shame how she stole credit for that.

Courtney is an easy target to blame though (not that she's innocent), but the folks at Fender in that era had as much or more to do with taking credit away from Mercury Guitars and giving it to Courtney and themselves. It's a fascinating story, and I'd love to get my hands on an original Mercury (they are quite rare).

[jdogric12]

The other guitar that is said to be Rickenbacker-influenced is the Fender Squier Venus model (which was actually designed by a company called Mercury guitars, with zero involvement from Ms. Courtney Love). The Mercury had a few nods to Rickenbacker, sort of. But I don't see much of it in the Squier.

Story here: https://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/vi ... uier+venus

I absolutely love Venuses, especially the black XII I still have. You're right about the design. I've read a little bit on that story and it's a shame how she stole credit for that.

Courtney is an easy target to blame though (not that she's innocent), but the folks at Fender in that era had as much or more to do with taking credit away from Mercury Guitars and giving it to Courtney and themselves. It's a fascinating story, and I'd love to get my hands on an original Mercury (they are quite rare).

That's a good point, Fender are the ones most incentivized to attach a celebrity name to sell guitars. I hadn't thought of it that way.

[scott_s]

Interesting about the Squier Venus. I remember when that came out, and a few alternative bands featured in the ads, but the design wasn't my cup of tea. (Neither was the Jag-Stang.)

[jdogric12]

Interesting about the Squier Venus. I remember when that came out, and a few alternative bands featured in the ads, but the design wasn't my cup of tea. (Neither was the Jag-Stang.)

I'm with you on the JagStang. It just looks dumb.

I believe you are thinking of the Kula Shaker Venus XII ad. I have one framed!

[scott_s]

I believe you are thinking of the Kula Shaker Venus XII ad. I have one framed!

Yes, that's it!

[drumbob]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the Rivolta guitars, designed by Dennis Fano.

[scott_s]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the Rivolta guitars, designed by Dennis Fano.

That's a "combo" of a couple guitars I could name.

[collin]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the Rivolta guitars, designed by Dennis Fano.

Certainly the upper horn is Combo-esque, but the rest of the guitar is basically Les Paul Jr.

[drumbob]

Dennis Fano uses that shape on several guitar models. The one I happened to post is his version of a Junior.

[DesolationBlvd]

Nice, yep there you have it! Figured the Jackson inlay shape came directly from Rickenbacker's influence (though, clearly that's about where the influence stopped as far as Jackson guitars go!).

Jackson now has another Rickenbacker-inspired instrument, the Concert Bass CBXNT DX. Wasn't sure if it belonged in this thread or in the copycat forum. Though it's otherwise a standard PJ active tone metal bass, the pickups are further from the bridge than most PJ configurations are. If only they had gone all the way and took off a couple frets so a modder could install a pickup at that 24th fret node, those extra frets are a bit deep into the body.

[espidog]

...and that's basically a Hipshot 4000 series replacement bridge!

[Korladis]

I love my Ovation Magnum 1 bass. Although I don't think that Ovation were consciously aping Rickenbacker in any way, the shape and sheer heft of the bridge/tailpiece on this bass occupies a similar stylistic territory IMHO. I've long thought "If only the Rick tailpiece had the Ovation's instant mute lever..."

Yeah, agreed that they're similar in a way. And also agreed that Ovation's implementation of a mute is better.

[Korladis]

Nice, yep there you have it! Figured the Jackson inlay shape came directly from Rickenbacker's influence (though, clearly that's about where the influence stopped as far as Jackson guitars go!).

Jackson now has another Rickenbacker-inspired instrument, the Concert Bass CBXNT DX. Wasn't sure if it belonged in this thread or in the copycat forum. Though it's otherwise a standard PJ active tone metal bass, the pickups are further from the bridge than most PJ configurations are. If only they had gone all the way and took off a couple frets so a modder could install a pickup at that 24th fret node, those extra frets are a bit deep into the body.

Not a huge fan of the body shape or it being a PJ. I think it should have been JJ or even J neck, reverse P bridge pickup.

[chronictown]

Combining classic 60s styling elements in the body design while retaining Jackson's pointy 80s hair metal headstock is more than a little jarring, IMO.