Experiences of a Newbie

[goofyfoot]

JimK.......Are you still sleep deprived? Regards.......Goofyfoot.

[jimk]

Hey Jim!

Glad you're getting some quality time in on the new baby! The thought actually occured to me; "After all this time waiting, what if he doesn't like it?" We're all happy and relieved that it's all worked out so well.

Question - How do you like the reverse order of the stringing (heavy string on top)? I've found that if I don't use a light pick, or pick "up", that the E6 string really overpowers the octave string.

Just curious about your opinion.

Bob

Bob:
It's taking me a little work to get used to it. I have to be careful playing the C chord (X32010). If I lean one of my fingers over just wrong, the octave G string get muted. This will get worked out soon.

I'm still experimenting with picks. So far, the stiffer ones measuring about 1.00mm seem to be working out the best. I have a few of those Dunlop Tortex® blue picks about the place that I've tried. They're stiff enough that the octave strings sing out nicely whether I use a down stroke or an upstroke.

I'm a pretty adaptable player. I have to be because I often switch back and forth between fiddle, mandolin, and sometimes I play my band mates' Martin J-16 all in the same set. So I knew the physical adaptations needed to play a Rickenbacker would come along with practice. Thanks for your kind thoughts.

Goofyfoot:
Yeah, I stayed up way past my bedtime last night (...er...this morning?) playing. It's way too easy to do that with one one of those little Vox headphone amps.
JimK

[goofyfoot]

JimK.......Are you still sleep deprived? Regards.......Goofyfoot.

Goofyfoot:
Yeah, I stayed up way past my bedtime last night (...er...this morning?) playing. It's way too easy to do that with one one of those little Vox headphone amps.
JimK

Cool, JimK. Sleep deprivation has its virtues, though. It makes me sound better than I really am! Peace, out.......Goofyfoot.

[jimk]

Hey Jim!

Glad you're getting some quality time in on the new baby! The thought actually occured to me; "After all this time waiting, what if he doesn't like it?" We're all happy and relieved that it's all worked out so well.

Question - How do you like the reverse order of the stringing (heavy string on top)? I've found that if I don't use a light pick, or pick "up", that the E6 string really overpowers the octave string.

Just curious about your opinion.

Bob

Oh wow! I missed this last question. Maybe its a good thing, too. I've gotten to know the guitar a little bit better in the last few days.

I found several picks of different materials and thicknesses and fooled around with each. I've finally settled down on what for me are some fairly heavy picks, 1.00mm thick equivalent to the Dunlop blue Tortex® plectra. I also have settled on some fairly heavy gauge finger picks, as well. So getting the octave strings to ring out isn't much of an issue. The reverse string arrangement doesn't seem to get in the way of my playing, or of me getting the sound I'm looking for.

Speaking of strings ringing out: I had been a little frustrated that the G pair were not chiming as I would have liked, and that the D and B pair were over much so by comparison. I thought I could lower the pole under the B pair, but after feeling some resistance decided that I'd better not fool with it. So I thought if I can't lower the B strings' pole, then maybe I can raise the G strings' pole. Bingo! Now I have just the right amount of chime & jangle.

JimK

[fireglo67]

Yeah, the adjustable hi gains are a godsend for the 12 strings.

[jimk]

It has been a little over three months now. And I thought maybe it's about time to change out the old set of strings. Tuning was getting a little bit dodgy, and it just didn't seem to chime the way it used to. All good indicators.

Swapped out the original set for a set of Curt Mangan
Pure Nickel 42-10s. A couple of things I noticed; that little Allen wrench that comes with your Rick makes a dandy push rod to get the ball ends into the proper little slots on the R tail piece, and a side cutter is a handy tool to have to nip off the ends in the slotted tuning key shafts.

[drumbob]

Tomorrow, I'm picking up my 330-12 from my tech, who changed the strings, tweaked the neck and set it up. I take it in around every 8 months or so. I can't wait to play it on the gig Saturday night. There's just nothing like a Rick 12.

Of course, all of you know that already!

[kiramdear]

That's cool, Bob. Have lots of fun with it!

[jimk]

Been five months to the day since my Rick arrived. So this morning I took it over to the Academy. Thom wanted to test out some new condenser mics up in the studio. So he plugged in his Telecaster, and I plugged into a Fender Blues Deluxe and we jammed on some rockabilly. We got around to playing "Hello Mary Lou" and when I heard the playback, I thought to myself "The only reason James Burton didn't play a Rick 12 string is because they hadn't been designed yet." Talk about twang! It works, it really works. You've heard me say this before, but I'm saying it again; the Rick 12 string is more versatile than it might at first seem likely. Before I only thought so. Now I know to my satisfaction.

JimK

[jps]

Twang? Imagine a 12 string telecaster. Or, is there one I don't know about?

[BuddyDog]

Twang? Imagine a 12 string telecaster. Or, is there one I don't know about?

The Fender VG Strat has settings for a 12 string Tele. It was surprisingly good sounding,a lot of chime and dare I say, "jangle", with the twang.

[jps]

But it does not have 12 strings!

[jdogric12]

Closest I've got is a 12-string Bullet Strat. I might have to toy with the wiring!

[schoolside]

Hi Jim,
I've been playing with a flatpick, no pick and Fred Kelly Speed Picks (yellow or white thumbpick). I think that the speedpick might have the most potential. Do you have an opinion on that one?

http://www.fredkellypicks.com/products-page/speed

Thanks,
Dwight

[jimk]

I confess that I've never heard of them. After looking briefly at the website, I'd think more about using those for finger picking on my 6 string acoustic guitar.
JimK