Newbie requesting help on getting Ric

[JackAlan]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to this forum and happy to be allowed to join. I have not yet had the pleasure to own/play a Rickenbacker but I'm trying to fix that soon. Just to give you a bit of history on me, I'm a Rhythm guitar hacker and enjoy playing early Beatles as well as CCR, and a whole host of other more vintage music I grew up with. Not great at playing, but getting back into it after 20 years of neglect. Some of the guys at the Ric Factory Forum suggested to join here too for some real expert advice. I own Gretsch, Gibson, Fender, Guild, & Epiphone Guitars but no Ric, yet that is! Doesn't have to be made in 1960, just be a good "like then" style as I don't want to pay $3000 for a true vintage Ric.

I'm still looking for a Ric to add to the guitar collection. I had a near miss, about a week ago, with someone you all must have sniffed out as a fraud on a JetGlo 320 converted into a 325 (that was just a parted out guitar built & misrepresented from the sounds of it). I clutched at the last minute (as it just didn't smell okay to me) and don't wish to do that again. Again, I'm a Rhythm guitar player & my main interest is for the early Beatles sound. Not going to be playing outside of my own fun & entertainment. Also, like the John Fogerty sound which may be a different Ric all together. I see a 2008 325C64 available & a one that states 320 1981 325C64. Here are some questions I haven't been able to catch the answers on:

1) Do these guitars come with Toasters (which I think I understand are S.Coil Pups) or the Hi-Gain (I presume those are Humbucker style Pups?)?

2) I presume to expect to pay somewhere around $1400-$1900 used good for one? Or is this way off?

3) Also, am I understanding correctly that a 3/4 length neck is harder to play? Someone else teaching "how to play the Beatles" seemed to lead you to believe that it was easier to play the Lennon parts on that style neck. I've got shorter/thiner fingers (just size M gloves). Never had a Ric, let alone a 3/4 in my hands to judge & no dealers for me to try one out that are close (less than 300-400 miles away that have one)

Again, sorry for the ignorant N.B. questions, but I gotta start from scratch learning about Ric's. I do take advice from others that have the experience/knowledge that I don't yet. That is to say, I can learn that it hurts to bang my head on the brick wall from others experiences & don't need to feel the pain myself to learn that it hurts.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Jack

[Grey]

Just curious, but have you ever played a Ric guitar? Too often do people buy a Ric thinking it's going to be exactly like every other guitar they've played, and then they get it and hate the narrow neck and lacqured fretboard.

Toasters and Hi-Gains are both single-coil pickups.

[JackAlan]

Thanks for asking and being so tactful with the question. Cuz I know I sound really dumb right now and am with the Rickenbacker products. The short answer is I've never touched one yet! I have an American Strat with gloss Maple neck that I just love. All I know about a Ric is that I just love the chimmy and none other sound they produce. Someone had suggested ordering a 620 from M.F. to preview whether I liked the way they felt/played. I have a Gibson J-160E 1962 that I just love, a Gretsch Pro-Jet with upgraded Pups, and a Gretsch 5122DC w/ Filtertron Pups. Those kind of round out my "Beatles sound" for guitars less the Ric.

It just doesn't seem like RIc dealers are any to plentiful at least in my neck of the woods.

Jack

[Grey]

Well, the 620 and American Strat are fairly close. The neck-width at the nut is around 43mm on the Strat and 41mm on the 620. The scale length is also pretty similar. The fingerboard isn't quite the same, though. Unless i'm mistaken Fender necks just have a thin gloss on the fingerboard, but Ric's have the finish applied directly over-top. Some people have problems with it, others don't.

That said, the 620 is my second favourite Ric model.

[libratune]

I think the 620 model would be a good place to start. You should also consider buying from a reputable dealer and having time to try out the guitar and return it if it doesn't suit your needs.

Pick of the Ricks, a Rickenbacker dealer based in NJ, is showing two used 620s for sale. They have a 30-day return policy. People on this forum generally have only good things to say about the owner, Chris Clayton. Check out the site here: http://www.pickofthericks.com/categorie ... -6-String/

As far as the 3/4 scale length on the 325 models, that is just a personal preference. I find them difficult to play above the 9th fret or so. If you are used to playing a Strat, the 620 is also full scale so no adjustment there.

Good luck!

[JackAlan]

Thanks for the tip on where to locate a good Ric. I may have been unclear in my hope for a different Guitar. I'm not looking for the Ric to be similar or play like my Strat. I love it but would like something different in both sound & feel. If the difficulty in the 3/4 neck is mostly above the 9th fret then I should be in pretty good shape with the music I'm hoping to play on a 320/325. With all the different versions of 320 & 325 models ( v58, v59, c this & c that) I kind of lost on what's what. Could someone tell me the best way to locate info on all that so you don't have to waste your time explaining simple stuff like that to a Ric wannabee moron

Also, my American Strat has the Poly U over the maple fretboard so it's a heavy slick finish (maybe more like what Spike was described on a Ric). Looked at the 620 and I don't believe it's going to cut the look that I'm enamored with. Like that 320/325 John Lennon look. Very classic (IMHO anywho)

Thanks again for taking the time to help me get on the path to Ric-dom.

Sincerely,

Aster

[wmthor]

Could someone tell me the best way to locate info on all that so you don't have to waste your time explaining simple stuff like that to a Ric wannabee moron

Check out Björn Eriksson´s Rickenbacker Page. His Models Library has a good description of each of Rickenbacker's models: http://www.rickbeat.com/modelslibrary/models.htm

If the difficulty in the 3/4 neck is mostly above the 9th fret then I should be in pretty good shape with the music I'm hoping to play on a 320/325. With all the different versions of 320 & 325 models ( v58, v59, c this & c that) I kind of lost on what's what.

Don't overlook a 350v63 as it's basically a 325 with a full scale neck.

Never had a Ric, let alone a 3/4 in my hands to judge & no dealers for me to try one out that are close (less than 300-400 miles away that have one)

How far are you away from Dave's Guitar Shop in LaCrosse, WI? http://davesguitar.com/rickenbacker The lefty 660/12 as shown in my avatar came from Dave's.

[JackAlan]

Hi Richard,

LaCrosse is about 5 hrs away from me, in good weather that is The 3/4 neck is kind of cool, but I'll check out the full size neck version too I guess. I'm just not a lead player and don't get up that far on the neck so I thought maybe the short neck might make it easier to play some of the old rock rhythm stuff with my shorter fingers.

Aster

[Ontario_RIC_fan]

Aster:

Welcome to the Rick Resource forum!

You will find this a tad more fan orientated then the Ric corporate site.

You need to try out a Rickenbacker in person before you but it... Not all guitar players like them. You might ask around to see any other forum members in Iowa who might meet up with you so that you can try out a Rickenbacker before you buy it.

Having said that - the FG 620 at POTR for less then a grand is a no-brainer. 620s are one of my favorite guitars. To find one that cheap is a good starting point.

http://www.pickofthericks.com/products/ ... 11092.html

[JackAlan]

Thanks Brian,

That does look nice in the FireGlo. I'll try a search for IA members & see if I can contact someone that will allow me to see their Ric. Good suggestion. Is it just the demand interest in the 320 & 325's that have driven the prices way up or did they just cost a bunch more new?

Aster

[Ontario_RIC_fan]

If you really have your heart set on a 320/325/350, my guess is that it will run you at a minimum about $1500. With 1980s 320s being your cheapest model - the John Lennon reproductions tend to go for a premium over the stock (high gain 320s)

I have noticed the Black trim 90s guitars often go for a few hundred less. Such as this one.

http://www.rickresource.com/register/vi ... hp?id=3738

[clementc3]

Even though the 325 and 320 are great models, I would not make one of those my first Rickenbacker because the smaller scale length and neck width may turn you off.

A 325 (or 320) is quite a bit smaller (20" or so scale length, nut to bridge) than a standard-scale guitar, and Strats are at the longer end of "standard-scale" with a 25-1/2" scale.

Here is a photo of a Squier Strat next to a 325 (sorry for the poor cell phone photo):

Squier Strat and Rickenbacker 325v63

Note that the bridges are at about the same position so it is a pretty good visual comparison.

You can get an idea of the difference in scale length if you put a capo behind the 4th fret of your Strat to simulate where the nut on a 325 is. What you will not experience is the difference in neck width - the string spacing is quite a bit narrower on the 325 and 320 models. I have small hands, and my fingers feel a bit cozy playing a first position E-chord on my 325; it gets cozier as you go up the neck from there. String bends further up the neck are also harder because the string length is shorter.

I am also going to recommend that you get the bread-and-butter model, a 330 - it is the archetypical semihollow body that Rickenbacker is known for, and you won't find yourself wishing that you had gotten a semihollow Rickenbacker (which you might if you get a 620). It has a 24-3/4" scale, just a teeny bit shorter than a Strat. The standard single-coil high-gain pickups will give you most of the "jangly" tone that Rickenbacker is known for, and they can drive your amp a bit more than the typical toaster pickups (I exclude the less common "hot" toasters from that comment) if and when you want that.

You should be able to find a really nice 330 in $1,400 or less range if you have some patience, and I think the few extra dollars are worth it.

[JackAlan]

Just found a 320 converted to a 325 for sale and it's registered here. Is there a way to tell who owns it or how many times it's be sold? Sorry for the dumb question. I just didn't know how the registry works here yet. This guitar has not been babied and has somewhat a rough finish. Does refinishing really destroy its value for the future? I would presume that sending to Ric is the best method for refinishing work.

Thanks

Jack

[Ontario_RIC_fan]

Jack:

Rickenbacker won't do refinishing work at all. Although there are forum members who know where to get it done.

The registry is in two parts - "CI" which stands for collected items - Serial numbers got from Ebay Ads and pther public sources

And the rest which are owned by forum members - both current and past.

Glad to hear you have found some promising leads..

[clementc3]

Is there a way to tell who owns it or how many times it's be sold?

I think ownership is NOT viewable on the registry, which is probably a good thing. I think the same is true of an instrument's transactional history. I certainly have not seen that information.

Does refinishing really destroy its value for the future?

Generally speaking (but see the exception below), refinishing affects the value of Rickenbacker guitars like it affects most items, namely, adversely. A refinish won't necessarily "destroy" value, but it will knock a substantial chunk - maybe 1/3? - off of it. Most people prefer the original, stock version of an item, even if it has had wear and tear.

The exception is for an exceptional refinishing job, and you can see some amazing examples by one of our forum members, jingle-jangle, on these discussion threads:

Oldie but Moldy
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=395635

Lots of Projects Nearing Completion ...
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=379871

Actually, I think "refinishing" is an incomplete description of what jingle-jangle does. Many of the instruments shown are such exceptional items that one would be hard-pressed to say what they are "worth"

I would presume that sending to Ric is the best method for refinishing work.

Sending your guitar or bass to jingle-jangle would be the best method for refinishing!