In praise of the Ric 610

[Oskar]

Here are some photos of my modest Ric collection. Nothing fancy, but they all get played and gigged at some point. From the left, '86 FG 610; '89 JG 610; '92 JG 610-12; '93 MG 360; and my '91 Telecaster Deluxe Plus (retired ).

This is a more recent photo than the one I originally posted. The '89 610 has a black pickguard on it. The TRC is off the 12-string as I just tweaked the truss rods a bit. The Tele I purchased new in 1991 and gigged with it for 10 years. Hard to believe it's already 20 years old.

[clearblue]

I've always liked the 610. I'd like to get one some day.

[chronictown]

After years of playing 300 series Ricks I've now (permanently?) switched over to the solid body models...wish I'd discovered them sooner! (...although the first Rickenbacker 12-string I ever played was a 610/12 FG at Murch Music in Cambridge back in the early '90s, but as a young 'un I had my heart set on looking like Paul Weller so the 610 didn't get much consideration )

I would love to find a 610 or 615 at some point in the future to add to the collection. Thanks for posting all those great pics, John. If I may add the 450/460 models to this line of prosthelytizing, these are also great guitars with similar playability and sound. I know the big pickguard isn't everyone's cup o' tea, but if you're aiming for the playability and sound of a vintage instrument then 60's 450s are a lot more common than 615s or 620s from that era (and more affordable as well).

[Oskar]

If I may add the 450/460 models to this line of proselytizing, these are also great guitars with similar playability and sound.

No question about this. The problem for me was finding one at a decent price. It seems that the 450/460 guitars, when available, usually were demanding $300 to $700 more than the 610. I looked at a 450-12, but it was too much at the time.

[Kiddwad57]

Hi folks. Just wandered over from the bass forums. Beautiful guitars! I came across a Fireglo 610 on the +Rickenbacker Page a few years ago. It was inexpensive and has turned out to be a fabulous basher.

One vintage guitar page states that Rics haven't been as desirable as fs and gs because they don't have a distinctive sound. I beg to differ! To me, Rickenbacker's steel guitar heritage really shines through in their tone.

The thing I like about the 610 in particular is its absence of binding. It's like the plain but sexy sister.

Its nice to find others who prefer this unique model.

[electrofaro]

they don't have a distinctive sound.

What happened to Rickies are one-trick ponies with just one sound, and F-Word and Gibbons have a broad, wide sound capability?

I've been checking out 610s on eBay but never decided to actually bid on one - must agree with pricing, they're usually very affordable!

[Kiddwad57]

If it is one trick it has a lot of variations.

[Ontario_RIC_fan]

Nathan... Feel free to share some pics of your 610!

We never get tired of looking at them!

[Clint]

I think Rics are just as versatile as any other guitar, but...Who cares if Rics are one trick ponies, as long as that one sound, sounds so good?

[Kiddwad57]

Please to understand that I never brought up the concept of one trick pony! You can do anything you want on a Ric. I love the blending of minds and talent in the early Southern California history of the solid body electric guitar. By the way, I haven't gotten the picture thing together...but it is a real nice looking guitar.

[Clint]

I know, I was just agreeing with you.

[Kiddwad57]

Oh, I know. Another guitar with a relatively thin neck and a bit off the radar in terms of tone are the Guild archtops of the latter sixties through the nineties. Both Guild and Ric seem to have taken the narrower neck route and some really great guitarists have taken advantage of what those instruments have to offer. Those unique aspects keep the instruments at reasonable prices and good condition. I'm not complaining!

[vintagemusicgear]

Here's my 615, you can get a lot of great tones from these guitars.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-FyHylM ... hF8lr3zltn

[Kiddwad57]

Classic tones...and a nice Wall'O'Rics!

[Ivan3000]

Very nice! I like ricks Minus binding and with Dots.
I'm an "S" guy.
That is a really small lookling 610 compared to the fireglo one!
Is that just a camera trick or is there a noticeable size difference?