"Rickenbackers are only good for playing clean"

longboard_ric · Post by **longboard_ric** » Sat Jan 27, 2007 5:34 pm

The uninformed think sonic nirvana is a Les Paul and a stack of Marshalls.

We know better !!!!

markos · Post by **markos** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 10:58 am

That's a fascinating experiment. I love it! Although I normally play clean on my 64v12, sometimes it's fun to overdrive an amp with it. After all, Townshend got a bit of dirt on those first two Who albums. I think he used a Grampian reverb through an AC30 in the studio.

eggman · Post by **eggman** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 7:30 am

Howdy,

"Born to Be Wild" should be enough to convince the unwashed that Rickenbackers can indeed do the hard-rock thing just fine. Sometimes I'm convinced that most young guitarists really DO want to follow the herd!

Eggman

sir_andrew_of_left_coast · Sat Feb 24, 2007 2:01 pm

Eggman,

Although I don't dispute their versatility, are you implying that Rickenbacker guitars were used on the recording of "Born to be Wild"?

beatlefreak · Post by **beatlefreak** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 2:39 pm

Steppenwolf used Rickenbackers a lot.

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 3:16 pm

Most of the pics of John Kay I have seen show him with a 381. He probably played other guitars though. I have no idea if he recorded BTBW with a Rick.

jps · Post by **jps** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 3:33 pm

Back to topic, I took my 660DCM to band practice and our guitarist made it sing clean and nasty! This guitar can do it all.

sir_andrew_of_left_coast · Sat Feb 24, 2007 5:33 pm

When I asked Michael Monarch, he said they used Fenders in the studio. So, unless you're talking about some "live" audio and/or video footage... (the Sullivan show isn't "live")

eggman · Post by **eggman** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 6:09 pm

Howdy,

I'm assuming that "Born to Be Wild" was recorded with either a 381 and/or an old Combo model with the horshe-shoe p/u. Perhaps I'm wrong.
I get "Get yer Ya-Ya's out" tones with my 360/6 (Hi-Gains) through my old '68 Vibro Champ, though!

Eggman

sir_andrew_of_left_coast · Sat Feb 24, 2007 6:44 pm

Q. Did you use anything besides the Esquire on the first album? “Born To Be Wild” and “The Pusher” have some interesting tones.

A. I used the Esquire on the whole album. On those songs, it went through a Fender Concert amp; volume way up. We recorded onto a Scully eight-track, through a custom board with A.P.I. EQ, along with other assorted vintage gear. It took about a week to record at American Studios in Studio City.

And...

Q. Didn’t the band have an endorsement deal – or at least a special relationship with Rickenbacker?

A. For a while we did use Rickenbacker amps, and John used one of their guitars. I went to their factory and picked out a strange-looking guitar I used in some publicity photos, and in a video. I also got a pedal steel, but never really learned to play it well.

http://www.vintageguitar.com/artists/details.asp?ID=165