Paul W. is The Man !

[modrock]

I left my 360/12V64 in the capable hands of Paul W. a few weeks ago. I picked it up today here in the north SF Bay Area, and wow ! It plays like a new guitar...not only that, he brought back the beauty of Fireglow with his detailing secrets.. ( Zymol of course ). I've been stoked all day playing Byrds, Petty, and Beatles. Never realized how nice new strings and a professional set-up makes my Rickenbacker so nice to play Even the tuners work so much better. Amplifier is warmed up, back to some fun......

OK, when are we going to do another BARC then ? I'm ready and I won't flake out early this time

Hope everyone's doing well,

Gary in Santa Rosa ( modrock )

[Folkie]

Gary,

That's wonderful news that you've found an expert tech to work on your 360/12V64. Now that the guitar is set up properly, you and your brother have to get back into the studio!

Robert

[rickenbrother]

Very cool, Gary! Enjoy the guitar. I'm sure it plays and looks sweet after Paul worked his magic.

Yeah, when are you going to have another BARC? I'm sure the same So Cal people that came up last year, would come up again.

[manta]

Dear Paul,

Please move to Guam. We will keep you busy as well.

Manta

[modrock]

Joey, we're due for a BARC up here in NorCal aren't we ? But you guys got a huge one going on down in SoCal coming up. I'd like to do it again up here for sure. Hope you've survived the 'carmageddon' of the 405. Turned out not to be such a big deal after all.

To get back on topic, Paul completely reworked my 360/12V64, even new rubber grommets under the toasters PUPS and new nut. The finish is as shiny as.....well, I'd best watch my language. And the action ? Well you tend to forget how well a guitar plays if you haven't had a set-up in 5 or 6 years. It's suddenly like my 360/12 came to life !


Best Wishes from Santa Rosa,

Gary

[modrock]

Hi Robert,
I 'WISH' we had a studio..all of those MP3 and MP4 recordings are done in a two car residential garage, just using mikes, headphones and computer software. We're working on 'Needles and Pins' now by The Searchers but we don't have a vocal track down. It would be easier to do in a studio probably because with computer mixing board soft ware you have to have the timing down just right, then blend the 'fake' drum track into the mixture. But there's only two of us, and only one of us with a Rickenbacker 12 string. I let my brother do the mixing, he was a professional session man in L.A. back in the late 80s and early 90s. All I ever did was a few bar gigs in Chico when I was going to the University there.
My brother played in Eddie Money's backing band ( Eddie 'No-Money' now ) and recorded one CD with his group 'Jet Red' on the Relativity label. Along comes this guy named Satriani with whom my brother hits it off really well, they trade a few licks, and then the Relativity label drops my brother's group for Satriani. Now my brother is married, has a youngster and mortgage and a day gig with the State of California ( if it lasts ).
We're content these days to do a two man 'garage' recording at his house every couple of months. He's always had a variety of axes around, but never a Rickenbacker. I think I've sold him on a vintage Ricky 12, but he can't find a V64 or 'C' series 360/12 in his budget or time frame. He still has his 80s era Marshall stack with 200 watts and 2 cabinets with each cabinet full of 4 - 12" Celestions. AND lots of effects pedals...
But it's all fun, my brother is 16 years younger and grew up with Kiss and AC/DC, and on to Def Leppard and Guns 'n Roses, while I grew up with The Beatles, Turtles, Love, and The Byrds. I'm slowly showing him the light...and he's coming around.. He's even doing some America and Dylan acoustic stuff now.
Meanwhile, I'm feeling groovy with my 'holy grail' of 60s guitars, the Rickenbacker 360/12V64 !

Best Regards,

Gary F. ( modrock )

[Ivan3000]

You can always expect quality work from someone like Paul!

[rickenbrother]

Joey, we're due for a BARC up here in NorCal aren't we ? But you guys got a huge one going on down in SoCal coming up. I'd like to do it again up here for sure. Hope you've survived the 'carmageddon' of the 405. Turned out not to be such a big deal after all.

Fortunately for me, I didn't have to drive near the Carmageddon affected area, but it's bad enough on the roads in So Cal at any given time!
It doesn't matter that we are having a huge one going on down here. Like there is R.A.S. (Rick Acquisition Syndrome), most of the guys in So Cal also have what's known as R.E.S. (Rick Event Syndrome)!

[Folkie]

Gary,

That's great that you're happy with the way your guitar is set up. I wish we had a comparable Rick expert here in Cleveland. My main guitar tech does nice work, though, even though Ricks aren't his entire business.

From what I can gather, it sounds like that garage you record in has great acoustics! I really enjoyed "My Back Pages" and "Feel a Whole Lot Better." I like how you tip your hat to the originals while simultaneously reinterpreting the songs. (I always thought Tom Petty's version of FAWLB was too close to the original.) Great guitar sounds and nice vocal harmonies. Can't wait to hear that Searchers cover. I hope you post it soon.

Robert

[Folkie]

Gary,

Do you know if Paul W. might allow me to mail my guitar to Southern California to have him work on it? (It might cost me a pretty penny in shipping because I live in Cleveland, Ohio.) How much does he usually charge for a setup and restringing?

The reason I'm asking is that I've run into some problems with my 360/12 and don't have a tech here who is competent to deal with them. I'm on vacation in Boston now, but will post a new thread about my troubles when I return.

Thanks,

Robert

[8mileshigher]

Do you know if Paul W. might allow me to mail my guitar to Southern California to have him work on it?

Robert ---- guidance, Paul W.'s workshop is in Northern Calif in Marin County, across the Golden Gate Bridge.
You should PM him.

[cjj]

I'd suggest asking Paul directly via PM (private message) as only he can really answer those questions...
jingle_jangle

[Folkie]

Rich and CJ,

Thanks for your responses, and I'm sorry I got my geography mixed up. I'll send Paul a PM as soon as I return to Cleveland.

Robert

[modrock]

Rich, wish I could join you guys at SCARF, but I'll be in Yellowstone Park. I'm sure Paul W. and Kira will be there, even Jim K from Kansasland is coming out I hear. And Aitch ? The world traveller ?
Say hello to Joey, Paulie, and all the SoCal guys. Hope to see you up here in the Bay Area again one of these days...


Have Fun !!!

Gary...north of the Golden Gate in the wine country..

[8mileshigher]

Rich, wish I could join you guys at SCARF, but I'll be in Yellowstone Park. I'm sure Paul W. and Kira will be there, even Jim K from Kansasland is coming out I hear. And Aitch ? The world traveller ?
Say hello to Joey, Paulie, and all the SoCal guys. Hope to see you up here in the Bay Area again one of these days...


Have Fun !!!

Gary...north of the Golden Gate in the wine country..

Gary ---- time to start a BARC 2 thread and we'll get another Confluence going up your way. I'm sure there are several enthusiasts down here in So Cal who would like to attend. As Joey phrased it, we have "Rick Event Syndrone"

Let's see, pulling a date out of thin air - how's about mid September ? Weather would be perfect then. Just before the grape's harvest and crush ..... Is that rehearsal studio still there in San Rafael ? You and your brother have to lead us through a few of those Byrds tunes you posted !

Let's get BARC-ing !!