Problem with 620

jturner97 · Post by **jturner97** » Wed Jul 02, 2003 11:17 am

ok, i have a problem. right now im looking into buying a new guitar to give my strat a break, so I started shopping around for a gibson double cut, because Ive been lusting after one for a while now. However, I came across a 300 series at my sam ash and started looking into Rics. Now I am absolutely crazy about the look of the 600 series. I am looking at 620s right now, and they would be perfect, except I have to counsider how their sound would compliment my musical style.

The real problem is this. I have convinced myself that a gibson dc would be perfect for my sound (it can be described as a cross between a strat and a paul, as it is brighter, thinner, clearer, and has tone chambers...thus less beefy bottom.) but I would much rather have a 620 if I could make it work. The strat I have has a seymoun duncan custom5 bucker in it, so I like the sound of a bright guitar with a humbucker. would the 650s or perhaps a 620 with the humbuckers be similar? I play indie rock music, with lighter distortion than what is typical today, through a jcm 800, very similar to fugazi, the strokes, the vines, etc: a very crunchy but not saturated sound. Perhaps I should buy a 620 and route it for a full size humbucker? I really hate the sound of a stratocaster with single coils through my marshall, which is why i put a bucker in my strat. so if the rics "hi-gain" pickups are similar to a stock strat then I would have to consider routing for a full size humbucker. however ive also heard that the hi-gains are comparable to a p90, which I love. Im so confused! the worst part is that I really need to just go out and try a 620, a 660, and a 650 to see if any suit me, but it is impossible to find one ric, much less three to test drive. i did find a 330 at sam ash, but im not sure if thats a fair judgement of the 600 guitars.

so any advice or solutions to my problem would be great!

racket · Post by **racket** » Wed Jul 02, 2003 11:41 am

Justin-
I think you should go back down to Sam Ash and plug that 330 into a Marshall. You’re gonna love the way it sounds. I would say that my 330 and my 620 sound very similar (a little hard to tell, because my 620 is a 12 string). The 330 and 620 have the exact same electronics. The 620 may have a bit more sustain because of the solid body and neck through design.

The Ric single coil sounds nothing like a strat pickup.

I play a similar style of music, that “clean but crunchy” sound. Guy Picciotto from Fugazi plays a 330 with the high gains, if that’s any help.

Phil
330 JG
620/12 JG

jturner97 · Post by **jturner97** » Wed Jul 02, 2003 11:47 am

phil,
thanks for the reply, ill have to take your advise and try the 330 if it is indeed a good indication of the 620 sound. i have to admit i am a little turned off to single coils because of the way my strat sounded stock. the distortion was thin, buzzy, indistinct...but ill see if ric singles suit me better. thanks,

justin

eatswodo · Post by **eatswodo** » Wed Jul 02, 2003 1:33 pm

From what you say, I think you'd love a 650 - if you can find one somewhere to try.

You may want to check out some of the previous posts which describe it - I believe someone also posted a link to some sound clips, which the 'search' should turn up for you.

jturner97 · Post by **jturner97** » Wed Jul 02, 2003 2:48 pm

by the way, when i do try the 330, will the neck be the exact same as the 620? ive heard from many that the necks are very wide on the 660, and very skinny on the 620, so I want to know which of the two sizes I will be testing.

jwilli · Post by **jwilli** » Wed Jul 02, 2003 3:20 pm

Justin, the necks on the 330/620 are about the same. The 660/650 have wider necks. Only the 650 comes "stock" with RIC humbuckers. You could order a 330/620 with RIC HB1s. Just know that it will take a few months before you have the guitar. Knowing what I know, I'd say that you'd like the 650 best.

longhouse · Post by **longhouse** » Wed Jul 02, 2003 6:40 pm

I'm guessing a 650 would be right up your alley.
Definitely.
~N~

jturner97 · Post by **jturner97** » Thu Jul 03, 2003 7:48 am

no offense to the 650, but I am really wanting the look of the 620. the binding and the fret markers and the overall vibe is far classier. plus the finishes are much nicer, im just not digging the oil finish as much (though it is very nice looking too). if I were to buy a 620 or perhaps a 660 (depending on neck preference) and switch out the pickups myself, it would be a very similar guitar right?

dave4004 · Post by **dave4004** » Thu Jul 03, 2003 9:13 am

I don't want to upset the applecart here since guitar is secondary to bass for me, but I have to differ.

The HBs in the 650 are very bassy for a guitar pickup. Considering you want crunch and a less beefy bottom, I think a stock 620 would be great for you if you can live with the SC noise.

620 compared to 330: they do sound a lot alike, but the 620 has more attack and slightly more upper mids than the 330. That's exactly what you should expect from a solid body.

The neck is strictly personal preference but the neck on my 330 is perfect for me, the 650/660 necks are just too wide for my taste.

dannyboy · Post by **dannyboy** » Thu Jul 03, 2003 3:22 pm

I don't know, Dave! I find the hi-gains a little too noisy for what JTurner is looking for... my guess, after reading his needs, would be to go for a 650 or get that 620 and change the bridge pickup for a humbucker! My 2c!!

jturner97 · Post by **jturner97** » Thu Jul 03, 2003 5:36 pm

well i went today and played a 330/12 at sam ash. it was much much nicer than the gibson i was looking at as well. i found the neck to be perfect, and i loved the pickups as well. they sounded nothing like my old strat singles. much fuller and crunchier instead of being buzzy. i also tried it with a jcm800 (as i should, thats my amp), and all the metal heads gave me wierd looks as i plugged a rick 12 string into a stack...haha.

the 330 has the higains, as well as the 620, correct? if so, ill try a 620 stock, and maybe the humbuckers later. i found the 330 to be perfect except for being a semihollow.

bosco64 · Post by **bosco64** » Thu Jul 03, 2003 5:42 pm

Justin,

If you are interested in a 620 with humbuckers, take a look at this:
http://www.classicaxe.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=inve.showItemDetails&itemID=1045

dave4004 · Post by **dave4004** » Thu Jul 03, 2003 5:45 pm

Justin, yes, the stock pickups on the 620 are the hi-gains, same as the 330.

bosco64 · Post by **bosco64** » Thu Jul 03, 2003 5:55 pm

Yeah, I should have mentioned that the humbuckers on the 620 are optional. The owner of Classic Axe ordered a 620 w/humbuckers just to offer something different. Dave is quite correct, hi-gain pickups are stock for that guitar.

jturner97 · Post by **jturner97** » Thu Jul 03, 2003 6:19 pm

thanks for all the help! are there any rick showrooms on the east coast? i know about pick of the ricks, but i live in charlotte. i only ask because the selection of rickenbackers is limited here, i usually only see 330s. id like to try a 620, but based on the 330 i played today i feel comfortable getting one sight unseen anyway.