New Rickenbacker player-Amp ? Sound?

gjg59 · Post by **gjg59** » Thu Oct 24, 2002 5:51 am

Hello, I just got my first Rickenbacker. A 330 six string. What is the best or most common way of playing through an amp? I have a Fender Princeton 65 Amp. Playing through a big Fender tube amp at the store defineately sounded better than at home thru the Princeton. It does not seem right to use distortion with this type of guitar. Am I off base with that? Is there a certain amp that just goes well with the Ric? Is there a certain affordable amp should I say? Thanks!

ricnvolved · Post by **ricnvolved** » Thu Oct 24, 2002 6:29 pm

In the humble opinion of this bass player, I've always felt that Ric 300 series are at their tonal best when used sparingly with effects pedals. As for the "best" amp to use with a Ric 330, this is an area I don't even pretend to have any expertise in. But to my ears, a Vox AC-30 type of amp seems to bring out the best tonal character of this venerable guitar. With this in mind, you might want to take a look at a Cage amp (www.audiocage.com/). This amp supposedly has a very Vox-like tone and seems to be highly regarded by those who favor playing a Ric. True, a Cage amp isn't cheap. But the alternative could be going through a string of amps (and money) until finding the one that's "just right".

The only other choice I could humbly recommend would be a classic Dave Reeve era Hi-Watt amp with the original Partridge transformers and internal electronics, and Hi-Watt speaker cab with original Fane speakers. But you face 2 problems right off the bat. First is finding this set-up in excellent condition at a reasonable price (very difficult). Secondly, you would have to play this amp CRANKED to get the full effect of that tone-to-die-for.

Sincere good luck to you in whatever you decide.
"Trust your ears."

rkbsound · Post by **rkbsound** » Thu Oct 24, 2002 7:14 pm

Welcome aboard! I agree that "trust your ears" is a great recommendation. Personally, I love the 300 series guitars both clean and overdriven. They are very versatile guitars. I like my little Vox Cambridge 15 because it gives me the sounds I like (It can do Beatles, Stones, REM, Ramones) at a cheap price. It's not a substitute for a full tube amp, though.

I do occasionally now use a Fulltone Fulldrive for parts of songs, and a Route 66 compressor almost full time for enhancement. But the pedals don't alter or color the natural sound of the Ricks or amp.

If you've got some bucks to spend, then check out the Vox Valvetronix. Very versatile, and I've tried one. It will show you the range of great sounds your new guitar can reach.

360dave660 · Post by **360dave660** » Thu Oct 24, 2002 10:27 pm

you may think of a tech-21 trademark 10 analogue tube amb emulating amplifier. Its small, affordable, us made and can get a ton of different amp sounds (essentially fender, marshall & mesa). However, after two years of tweeking, on the "british" setting one can get a voxy sound by keeping the gain down and the active treble high.

I suppose that nothing beats a tube amp, but, this little amp can really surprise you and one does not have to worry about the troubling parts about tube amps : the weight, the expense, the tube replacements, to get the "tubes" to really sound tubish, one needs to crank them up (not always an option for us apartment rockers). At any rate, with a nice guitar, its worth acquiring a nice amp because it is the other half of the equation.

lawnjockie · Post by **lawnjockie** » Fri Oct 25, 2002 1:49 am

I agree totally with what the others have said. My "tonal" quest included several all-tube amps until I settled on my final set-up for my Ric's. I am currently using a stock Fender Blues Junior for the clean (and it's sweet), and a stock Soldano Astroverb 16 for overdrive (sweet and mean). I also ordered a Loooper A/B/Y to use as a switching device. Unlike the Rolls, Morley, etc..the Loooper handbuilt units are dead quiet..and about the same price. I won't say that I "updated" my cabling, but I have started using George L's Vintage Red. I actually switched to them due to the fact that they can be repaired on the fly, no soldering required. Not expecting this but...I CAN tell a difference in the sound...maybe others can't. The difference (as stated on their website) is noticed most with single coil guitars through tube amps...just seems punchier..with alot less noise and hum.

The Fender Pro Junior (all-tube) is also an absolute TONE MACHINE. Two knobs, volume and tone, but that's all it needs...and gives gobs of sweet clean tube tone for not much money.

I found, after buying and trying two-channel all tube amps that my best bet was single channel tube amps. I am able to get tons of sparkling clean headroom from the Blues Junior. The Astroverb 16 on the other hand begins to naturally break up above 6. Both amps have MASTER VOLUME so that you are able to get the same "tone" at low levels. Weight on the Blues Junior is 31 lbs, and the Astroverb 16 is 36 lbs. I should also add that both of my Rics (a 660/6 and a 360/6) have Vintage pickups.

Amps I tried but didn't care for (NOT SAYING THEY WERE NOT GOOD):
Ampeg J12T - could not make the cabinet stop rattling, try as I might.
Mesa/Boogie Studio .22 Caliber +
Mesa/Boogie DC-2
Fender Pro Junior (loved the sound, but I needed a 12" speaker)

If you are just looking for clean...I highly suggest that you look at B1uesboy hand built Fender Champ knock-off's. You can find links to his website via Harmony-Central. His handbuilt amps have to be heard to be believed....DEAD QUIET and tone for days. And for $350.00 it's a bargain in my opinion. He also has a very liberal return policy.

DISCLAIMER: Your mileage may vary. Be sure to listen to your ears as others have mentioned.

admin · Post by **admin** » Fri Oct 25, 2002 2:58 am

You have to love discussions like this in which we get the opportunity to experience the journey that others have taken in pursuit of their "sound ideal." What becomes abundantly clear is that no specific amplifier, model of Rickenbacker or string type is the last word. A beautiful sound certaly lies within the ears of the beholder. In an attempt to see what combination of amplifier, Rickenbacker and strings others are using, The Rickenbacker Registration Page continues to conduct a poll in that regard. While but a small sampling of Rickenbacker owners have contributed, it is clear that there is much diversity in preferences. On the otherhand, a number of emerging trends are beginning to present themselves.

My own personal journey has been shaped by the British Invasion and the Byrds. As a consequence, I have turned myself inside out (within my budget and usually within the realms of prudent political correctness of family life) trying to emulate the sound closest to the Beatles and Byrds. My approach has been to scan the horizon for those used instruments and amplifiers, to achieve my aims. After playing around with many different combinations I have settled on the following used amplifiers which I have been able to obtain at less than 50% of the going market value. Remember I am in Canada and whatever you spend in the USA ... well let's just say DOUBLE it.

And in the end ... I have settled on a VOX AC-30 and a Fender Twin Reverb. Between these two tube amps I am completely satisfied. The volume issue, especially for the AC-30 is easily solved by using a hotplate which allows for great tone at respectable volumes and I get to live in the same house with the family and still hear the phone (well almost). The downside for me in getting these amplifiers was that I had to wait 20 years for them to show up at a price I could afford.

The best part of my quest in obtaining "the sound of the 60s" was meeting and talking to music enthusiasts of like interests on the phone and online from around the world. Believe it or not, in the balance this aspect of my quest has transended the acquisition of the gear. As they say, happiness is found not only at the end of the journey but along the way. QED

corey · Post by **corey** » Fri Oct 25, 2002 4:41 pm

My two cents on a great thread...

- I agree that Rics don't need much in the way of effects pedals. (I personally only really use a Boss Delay pedal most of the time).

- My amp, a Vox Cambridge Reverb 30, gets that great Vox sound (clean or dirty channel) at an affordable price (even for us Canadians!) and pleasant, but not deafening volumes for the bedroom rockers out there.

- Try out a slide on your 330 (or an ebow, for that matter). I think Rickenbacker fretboards provide the most graceful surface for mellow slide guitar around.