Do you play differently on your Rickenbacker?

[Pumpkinhead]

I think maybe it has changed the way I play other guitars-- but not in a bad way.

BTW - Brendan, I liked the old "You're a Good Man Albert Brown" Avatar, but the new one is cool too.

Do I detect an XTC reference!? Excellent! I was beginning to think I was one of five fans of theirs.

I'm a fan too. Not a fanatical fan, but a fan nevertheless.

I can't say I ever sit down and listen to Mummer of Big Express in their entirety these days. Speaking of Albert Brown, it's probably the Dukes stuff that gets played the most.

Since getting the 660, I've been learning Dave Gregory's 12 string part from "The Mayor of Simpleton" as a sort of challenge.

[wmthor]

Recently, I've been playing more & more acoustic. I definitely notice a change whenever I switch between any of my three acoustics, a 730S, a J-45 RW, and my new Huss & Dalton OM. However, I've noticed a less of a change when switching between the 730S and the OM.

[Halbert]

Since getting the 660, I've been learning Dave Gregory's 12 string part from "The Mayor of Simpleton" as a sort of challenge.

I wore out a set of strings on that one myself last year. Fun song.
I actually had to stop listening to them so much cause it was starting to cause musical problems.

[jimk]

For my 12 string Ric here's my playing differences:

1- no fingerpicking! I don't think I have ever tried fingerpicking on my 360/12.

Yeah, I have to admit with the closer string spacing
on a Rick 12 I began to see the advantage of using the flat pick and fingers combination. I'd heard of the technique before, and always wondered what the purpose of that was. Thumb picks I like to use on my acoustic guitars just feel kind of big and clunky on my Telecaster.
JimK

[Ain'tGotNoPokemon]

1. Why no fingerpicking on a Ric 12 string? For one thing the action is way too low for fingerpicking. Secondly, the strings are way too close for fingerpicking. Thirdly, how the heck do you fingerpick on a 12 string!?! Can you get the octave strings to ring with the bass strings?

2. No pedals used at all on my 12 string. The sound of a Ric 12 string is a sound other guitar manufacturers and pedal manufacturers try desperately to emulate. But they can never get it right. Why would I want to alter that iconic, one of a kind sound with a pedal? I spent thousands and thousands of dollars on a Rickenbacker 12 string because I want the sound of a Rickenbacker 12 string. No way do I color it with anything.
If you enjoy your phaser and delay on your Ric that's cool with me. I can picture that set up in my head and it probably does sound heavenly. Me, I just prefer my Ric 12 sound as is.

1. I hybrid pick, but I can also use my thumb very well. You have to position your hand a certain way, and really let your flesh dig in. This is me when I first got the 620/12: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gudUbdlOPXQ You'll see I have no problem using my middle and ring finger to pick like McGuinn/Albert Lee. I'm better at it with the 620/12 these days since I practiced for hours/weeks with it.

2. Because Hendricks altered the iconic sound of a clean/overdriven strat when he pushed it through a Marshall. Because Roger McGuinn took it a step further and added tons of compression. Because Les Pauls were designed with Les Paul in mind, and Jimmy Page decided to make it his own. You can only elaborate on the sound - The iconic qualities are still there. If your preference is for the original, clean sound, right on.

[Pumpkinhead]

Since getting the 660, I've been learning Dave Gregory's 12 string part from "The Mayor of Simpleton" as a sort of challenge.

I wore out a set of strings on that one myself last year. Fun song.
I actually had to stop listening to them so much cause it was starting to cause musical problems.

I was reading an Andy Partridge interview a couple of days ago and he was claiming to have been a bit embarrassed by "Simpleton" as it wasn't a particularly complex song! I find it fascinating and a great example of superb part writing - DGs little connecting runs are lovely. I'm also fascinated by the way a couple of elements get re-used in a slightly different way.

I'm still not 100% on the last, chiming chord on the 12 string. There's a pretty good closeup on a Tin Spirits YouTube vid but I still can't get the voicing right - he seems to be using the low A string (fretted with the pinky), but it's not audible to me. To further complicate things, they play it tuned down a semitone. Dave is playing his 660-12, which is nice:

[Folkie]

my other guitars (Strat, PRS, Guild, Ovation, Alvarez).

Robert

Want another PRS, Robert?

What did you have in mind, Jeff?

[jps]

You don't have to pay the shipping.

We can even deliver it to you.

[indianation65]

No, I don't believe I play differently on my 330s, I just play different songs, all original of course.

...wisdom

[ricaddic]

The only difference for me playing my Ric basses then my Fenders, Gibsons, Hofner or Musicman, is that I always use a pick with my Rics, wear as all my other basses I both pick or pluck them, but as far as tech. no difference, I dont hammer when I play, I have a very soft touch..

[Matt Clark]

On my 620, no, I play it the same way I use a strat or other smaller bodied, solid body guitars, but my 300 series I tend to hike up the strap a bit higher.

So, instead of the bridge being close to my belly button, it's tucked up closer to my chest. Similar to how George Harrison held his guitars. 300 series Ric bodies, in my opinion, as most hollow and semi hollow body guitars seem to be designed to be slung that way and not low. I've seen people play them slung really low and just don't know how they manage that.

And I agree with what was said earlier, my 12 string is run clean, with (maybe) a touch of delay or what's the point? But, I suppose that would be true of any 12 string. Although, I have heard a 12 string used for crunchy slide work and it sounded great--I've never tried that for myself.

[Ain'tGotNoPokemon]

On my 620, no, I play it the same way I use a strat or other smaller bodied, solid body guitars, but my 300 series I tend to hike up the strap a bit higher.

So, instead of the bridge being close to my belly button, it's tucked up closer to my chest. Similar to how George Harrison held his guitars. 300 series Ric bodies, in my opinion, as most hollow and semi hollow body guitars seem to be designed to be slung that way and not low. I've seen people play them slung really low and just don't know how they manage that.

And I agree with what was said earlier, my 12 string is run clean, with (maybe) a touch of delay or what's the point? But, I suppose that would be true of any 12 string. Although, I have heard a 12 string used for crunchy slide work and it sounded great--I've never tried that for myself.

The video I posted above showed my 620/12 with overdrive and distortion. It sounds really thick, with enough high-end to not sound muddy.

[The Mod Lang]

Yes! After playing a LP special DC for years I got a 620 recently and here are some things I noticed:
1) Much faster neck
2) Sweetest action ever
3) Stiffer guitar; I don't know why this is (neck-thru body maybe?) but it seems much "stiffer" than any other guitar i've played
4) Harder to bend on the lower frets...probably due to the stiff neck thing
5) Stays in tune much better
6) GREAT sound!
7) neck is a bit narrow, but very similar to my les paul special lite and the first strat I owned

Takes a while to get accustomed to, but nothing I've played so far even comes close to the sound, quality, durability, and playability of a 620.

[miltric]

Wow, thanks for posting that Tin Spirits clip. It's great!

I'm not sure I play my Ric differently than I play my other guitars, but I do recall Johnny Marr saying that after playing his 330 JG so much in the early days of The Smiths he put it aside for awhile because he tended to take a certain approach to playing--he didn't specify--and implied he didn't want his style to get too rigid.

[johnallg]

Yeah, more inspired. It's the feel, ease, and sound.