Impressions on discovering a Rickenbacker 381.

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 6:47 pm

Beautiful guitar, Scott.... congratulations!!

rick_ovic · Post by **rick_ovic** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 11:00 pm

Scott, nice looking guitar and thanks for the comprehensive review. Welcome to the Forum too.

Until a couple of years ago I was a Strat player through and through also. I now have one Strat left and eleven Rickenbackers instead, four with Accent vibrato units and one with a Kaufmann.

I have found the Accents to be very easy to use, they stay in tune and offer a "gentle" vibrato feel. Not much good for dive-bombing Eddie Van Halen stuff, but perfect for the majority of occasions.

The Kaufmann, on the other hand, is a different beast entirely........

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 4:44 am

Pin it!!! Pin it!!!

beatcomber · Post by **beatcomber** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 3:14 pm

"And FYI – PMBlues was great. Shipped when he said he would. Packed really well. Good service. "

I bought a used Ricky 1997 over the 'net from them a coupla years ago, and found the entire experience 100% pain-free. They are a very classy operation.

scott381 · Post by **scott381** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 6:01 pm

Hmmm...Accent vibrato....hmmm.... Would the finish be safe from gouges? Listen to me! All my Fenders are scuffed up and I've never, ever polished a guitar, and here I am concerned with the finish on my 381. Where's that polish cloth?

Seriously though, I saw a 360...er...365 in Hollywood a while back that had a piece gouged out of the finish under the trem arm screw from usage. If I mounted an Accent on my 381 would it harm the finish?

Scott

winston · Post by **winston** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 6:21 pm

Nice instrument Scott. Welcome to the forum. I used an accent on my 375 FG that I owned in the mid 60s for about 12 years. I did not have any finish issues whatsoever. I also did not have any tuning or intonation issues either. BTW my guitar was extensively gigged.

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:33 pm

Scott, I don't see any reason why my 330 would ever have finish problems related to the Ac'cent. Maybe others who have had more experience with them can chime in.

I think you'll like your 381 even more (If that's possible!) with the vibrato.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 4:54 am

Finish concerns. The Accent does have a good amount of downward push on the guitar's body. The bottom of the Accent where it contacts the finish has two circular self-stick felt pads, which will eventually mar the varnish. To what extent and whether it's able to be easily polished out, is a factor of time and use.

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 6:06 am

Beautious guitar, Scott.

I, too, play a strat and a Rick, both with vibrato, which is an important part of my playing. I don't dive bomb, just strive for a nice wobble on chords and single notes.

The Rick vibrato fills the bill perfectly. My Rick is 19 years old and shows no sign of wear beneath the vibrato unit (or anywhere else) - and yes, Ricks have turned me into a compulsive polisher, too!

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 1:21 pm

Gorgeous 381, Scott.