Best guitar?

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sun May 09, 2004 10:21 am

I am primarily a bass player and have been for many years, but am reasonably good on guitar also, my style leans from bluesy stuff all the way to punk, and surf. I particularly like the look of the 620 series guitars. If I bought a non-Ric guitar it would probably be one of these: A strat, a Tele, an SG, a Firebird or a Les Paul (after I robbed a bank).
My question is: what would be the best model of Ric guitar to be able to play these styles? If I have to choose only one style to aim for it would be bluesy rock, but I like many different styles.

philco · Post by **philco** » Sun May 09, 2004 1:37 pm

The 650C or 650D solid body comes stock with humbucker pickups, and they are the lowest priced as well. They are also among the most likely RIC guitars to be found in stock at a dealer. The necks are fat and can handle very heavy strings. The 380/6 would be the semi-hollow body model with the widest neck and the same humbucker pickups.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sun May 09, 2004 2:43 pm

So I assume the 620's have single coils pickups? How much do the 650C's go for about? Also could the ric humbuckers fit on a 620?

spike · Post by **spike** » Sun May 09, 2004 2:47 pm

Yes, the 620's have single coil higains stock. You can easily replace them with Ric humbuckers, if you wanted (but dunno about the availability).

jps · Post by **jps** » Sun May 09, 2004 3:21 pm

Whatever you get, I think the wider necks make a pleasant difference, especially for us bassists. My 660/12 is much easier to play than say a 381/12, for example, and would probably feel more like a LP in feel which I happen to like for guitar. As Tom pointed out, choice of pickups is not a problem as they are easily interchanged between single coils and humbuckers.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sun May 09, 2004 3:44 pm

Can you get the bluesy tone out of the humbuckers with those? I really like the looks of the 620s, really classy looking guitars, and what do they list for?

philco · Post by **philco** » Sun May 09, 2004 5:00 pm

Back when I was buying, the 620 listed for $1299 and the 650D listed for $999. The bodies are basically the same. The 650C is available in all standard colors now, and lists for the same price as a 620. You decide whether you want a wide or narrow neck, 24 frets or 22 frets, modern bridge or traditional RIC bridge, humbuckers or single coils, metal pickguard or plastic pickguard. The 650 series have no bindings, being a lot like a C-necked Strat. The 650D has the oiled finish and the slickest neck. I think the light finish makes for a better sound as well. The neck is as wide as an Eddie Van Halen guitar. I'm too klutzy and blunt fingered for a narrow neck Rick, so I agree with Jeffrey on the "wide necks for bassists" recommendation. The wide necked 660/6 outfitted with humbuckers would work good, but at a much higher price. The stateside street price for a 650D delivered runs about $700-$800, and a 620 is about $200 more.

Fender is putting out some good Blues guitar models for around $600 street price (no case). The 650D is the RIC model that is fully competitive in price. Gibson has a few SG and LP models in the $650-$1000 street price range, but I've heard bad things about Gibson build quality. Gibson electric guitars seem to be pictured more than any others in the repair books I've seen. I have Erlewine's repair manual, and not a single Rickenbacker is pictured. He either dislikes them ot they never show up at his shop. Maybe somebody who knows him could comment.

The most interesting part of Erlewine's book to me was all the setup specs he had measured on famous player's guitars over the years. The extreme range proves that there is no such thing as a correct setup, except for a particular player and style.

The 650D is about the closest thing to an anvil that you can get in a guitar as far as durability and reliability goes. Pete Townshend would have probably broke the stage before the guitar if he had played one.