660 Rick

jcreasy · Post by **jcreasy** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 1:20 am

I finally picked one up and played it the other day at MidTown Music in Atlanta. I have to say I did not like the neck. To me, at least, it was uncomfortably wide. In any event, beautiful guitar and if anyone is on the hunt for a blue burst 660, they have it.

jps · Post by **jps** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 2:36 am

For me, who primarily plays acoustic guitar when playing something with more than 4 strings on it, the neck width on my 660DCM is just purrfect.

jcreasy · Post by **jcreasy** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 5:46 am

Honestly, I am kinda surprised. My hands are pretty normal sized and I'm pretty comfortable with the neck size and shape on most decent guitars. Meaning I am not too terribly finicky. (Spelling). Fenders, Les Pauls, Ricks, Taylors, Martins, Rick Acoustics and so forth... But I gotta say it was very weird trying to barre chord on that thing. Maybe you get used to it. I wonder if it is the same width as others and I am just not used to that feeling on a Rick. It felt as wide as my dad's cheap Yamaha 12 String... Albeit with much lower action.

Not slamming the brand, to each his own... Just sharing my experience with it. Damn, those things are pretty though.

JKC

drumbob · Post by **drumbob** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 6:26 am

I might like the wider neck, as I feel the necks on the 300 series are a little too narrow. Not knocking the guitars; I love both of my Ricks, but if I could change one thing, I would make the necks just a little wider.

I don't believe I have ever seen a 600 series Rick available in any store, believe it or not. never tried one.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 8:11 am

Oddly, when I got my 660DCM after owning and playing lots of other model Rick 6 stringers, it felt weird.

Couldn't figure out what it was...all that space between those strings, and those strings were so skinny...

So I put heavier strings on it (.012s).

Now it feels great, although it still looks like a fretted aircraft carrier...

I already have a 660/12, and it's just fine, thank, you...)

simer4001 · Post by **simer4001** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 12:48 pm

I am much more comfortable with the neck on the 660 than I am on the 330/360 models.

elysrand · Post by **elysrand** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 1:05 pm

I too am cursed with size (6feet 4inches) and have large hands and fingers. Like Brian, I am much more comfortable with my 660DCM than with the myriad of 330, 350, and 360 necks around here.

Not that there is anything wrong with the narrower necks, it is just that no matter what I do, I always inadvertently mute a string or two on really "stretchy" chord fingerings when grabbing the chord, without first looking at the neck as I grab it. On the 660, I can reliably grab a chord just by feel without having to look at the neck at all, and all without muting a string or two.

The only other one I can reliably grab chords on OK without looking is the 1969 365 OS AZ. That one has a really small neck radius, which decidedly helps.

If you are like me, I would recommend getting a 6 inch or less neck radius, even down to a 5.5 inch, to help more easily grab fingerings, since it seems to work well for me and my big clumsy hands and fingertips.

If you are like Paul, blessed with more nimble and precise hands and fingertips, then do your own thing! But I likes me 660

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 2:42 pm

My "nimble and precise hands" still can't play fast leads...

The '69 has a 6" radius. It's lovely for chord work, as you've discovered, Elys.

mfb · Post by **mfb** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 3:47 pm

The necks on the 650's are nice - not as wide as the 660 but wider than the 300's.

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 4:09 pm

Well, I gotta tell ya.... my new 350/12v63 absolutely craps all over my 660/12 as far as 'playability' is concerned..... and I bought the 660/12 because I thought a 'standard' Rick neck would be too tough will all them extra 'stringies'.

However, after playing Ron Viney's 360/12v64 and Darren Trott's 450/12 I was convinced that it wasn't an issue...... and it isn't!!

Anybody want to buy a lovely FG 660/12?

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 5:28 pm

The 660 neck feels like a classical guitar to me. Not a bad thing, just different.

Having 12 strings on the 660 neck? It doesn't get much better, IMO.

beatlefreak · Post by **beatlefreak** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 4:03 am

Manuel wrote:
"The necks on the 650's are nice - not as wide as the 660 but wider than the 300's."

According to the specs available on the RIC website, both models are the same width at the nut (44.5 mm), and the 650 is actually a little wider at the 12th fret (53.52 mm) than the 660 (52.4 mm).

steambyrd · Post by **steambyrd** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 4:59 pm

I own both a 370/12 RM and a 360/12, and find them both wonderful players for strumming or doing Byrds/Beatles type leads. However, I sold my 370/6 which was a beautiful guitar, but just too narrow for me after years of strat necks. I love my 660's for the same reason, and am very comfortable with them after minimal break in.

ken_j · Post by **ken_j** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 3:26 am

Kris is correct on the 660 vs 650 neck specs. The thing that also sets the 650 apart is the jumbo frets. The frets give them a whole different feel IMO.

beatlefreak · Post by **beatlefreak** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 4:00 am

I love my 650S for classic rock the wide neck, jumbo frets and humbuckers are perfect for it!