What's YOUR attraction to Ricks?

[jimk]

The Rickenbacker guitar attraction factor is directly proportional to it's unique sound, exceptional esthetics, superb craftsmanship, excellent playability, and, quite simply, it's WOW factor.

Thanks, Ron. Yeah, that's what I was trying to say. Well said, well said indeed.
JimK

[rickenbrother]

Rick basses are the sound I hear in my head.

That "voice" beckons me as well!

[Rickygirl]

I must say though, Paul's enthusiasm and collection of WB's have rubbed off a little on me. I rather fancy one now.......My Rick for 2010?? (If I can find/have money to convert one).

If you come back to the states next year Sarah, there's a nice 360 12C63 at my wife's store that has your name all over it!

Oooo, thanks Ron. How long do you think they will hold it for?

[manta]

I learned on a Rick and the glossy fretboard just feels right to me. Although I am getting the hang of my 380s and 650. But I really like the finished neck. Plus, they (Rickenbacker folks) have not compromised workmanship since I got my first one 45 years ago (cheez I'm old). And they just look great. They look marvelous.

SOoooo:

1) Finished Neck
2) Perennial Consistency in Workmanship
3) Unrivaled Design

The attraction has never waned. I always love looking at, playing and discussing these guitars. They're special.

Manta

[Bighouse]

Always loved the tone and the distinctive look of the 4001 more than any other bass.

[shamustwin]

I like the sound.

[wj350]

My awareness of Rics is tied solely to John Lennon. Long before I ever imagined picking up a guitar myself, I always thought the guitar he played in the Beatle-mania era was a really cool looking guitar.

In my late '40s, when I *finally* decided to get somewhat serious about enjoying and learning to play a little, I picked up a 350v63 off a clearance sale at one of the warehouses--I really had no idea what I was buying other than it looked like Lennon's guitar. Obviously, I was pleasantly surprised, .

In the past five-six years that 350 has moved on, and I've been lucky to own a number of different Rics, though most have been variations of the little 325. I hope to yet again have the chance to find a good deal on a used 350/12--at a time when I might actually have the money to spend, LOL...

[JakeK]

I've always been in love with Rics since I saw "A Hard Day's Night". I never became aware of tones until 2008, but to me, Rics just looked so cool. I like them because they're so exotic and not like the average guitar.

I've actually let people who are Fender and Gibson lovers try my Rics, and the first thing they did/do is start cranking the blend knob to find out what it does. I told them, "It doesn't work unless you use both pickups," which is true, for me. Find me a Fender or Gibson that has a blend knob. Gretsches I'm not too familiar with, but if they do have blend knobs, I probably didn't look hard enough.

[walker]

All of the above.

I think that covers it!

[gibsonlp]

Simply put:
All my heroes played a Rick.

[jps]

Simply put:
All my heroes played a Rick.

I do have to say that knowingly or otherwise, most of my early influences did likewise.

[wmthor]

Back in the pre-internet days, I was living in LA and my brother-in-law who lived in Florida asked for my help in finding a 330/12 or 360/12 so that he could cover the usual songs from that band from Liverpool. I wasn't even playing guitar back then and quite honestly never paid any attention to who played what. However, that search sparked my interest in playing and over the following year or so, I learned a lot about guitars including Rickenbackers. I had even got myself a right-handed Mexican Strat and started taking lessons.

Anyways, during the search I fell in love with a 360 BT that was at local shop in Torrance. I liked the sound, the feel, the quality of workmanship, and the fact it was different from everything else. At that point, I decided that my second electric would be a Rickenbacker. I also realized around the same time that I could not play right-handed and that my second electric would have be left-handed. Finally in April '98, I ordered a 360 LH MG which was delivered in September (yes, only a 5 months between ordering it from the factory and delivery). I've never looked back.

As a side note, with my brother's help, my BIL found his 360/12 FG from a certain RIC dealer in North Carolina. At the same time, my then three year old nephew started saying that he "wanted a red guitar like Daddy's". I found a Model 1000 at a LA area garage sale and gave it to my nephew as a Christmas present when he was only six. He is now a freshman in college, majoring in Guitar/Music Business.

[raider]

For me is was seeing AHDN when I was 11 years old and John Lennon & George Harrison playing
their Rickenbackers

[indianation65]

Pointing fingers--->Buck made me do it!

...wisdom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIb3U4eblTY

[Ontario_RIC_fan]

Like everyone else it was indeed the influence of the Beatles. I got interested in their music in the fall of 1979.

I basically learned to play the guitar with Beatles songs, simple three chord stuff to start with (think LOVE ME DO) and then as I got better as a player acoustic stuff off RUBBER SOUL and later still the WHITE ALBUM...

My first electric was an early 70's Ovation Tornado, but I wanted a Rickenbacker very very badly. All of the other guitar player at the time (high school) had Strats and Les Pauls, real ones and Japanese Copies too.

I was the only person who had a Rickenbacker guitar locally, although you sometimes would see a 4001 bass.

All these years later, the guitars have become important to me again because they represent a very important time of my life...