Purchased A 620 / 12 Jetglo!!1

sjb66 · Post by **sjb66** » Fri Jun 08, 2001 12:07 pm

About 12 years ago I owned a Rickenbacker 360/6 and loved it. it was fireglo, but my intrest in guitar playing waned for a while, so I sold it. And sold it cheap and lived to regret it. I just today have taken possesion of a 1990 620/12 and it is the greatest guitar I have ever played or owned. I cannot stop playing it, it is in near mint condition and sounds great. I can't wait to start using it in recordings.
Karl

ted_williams · Post by **ted_williams** » Fri Jun 08, 2001 6:19 pm

I started with a 360/12, but sold it in favor of a 620/12. Welcome to the club!

sjb66 · Post by **sjb66** » Wed Jun 13, 2001 8:55 am

Ted,
What do you think of your 620/12? What strings do you prefer? I have been playing mine since I recieved it last friday, and I just love the sound out of it.

ted_williams · Post by **ted_williams** » Thu Jun 14, 2001 8:01 am

It's now my main guitar. With the 360/12, I was just using it on certain songs, and switching to 6 string on most. The hollow-body fed back too much and the nut's string spacing made intricate fingering and picking difficult. My 620/12 plays like a six string, so I use it on most every song. Having said that, I still prefer the 360's tone (more midrange, warmer sounding), but I feel I've gained more than I've lost on the switch. As for strings, I tried a set of Ernie Balls (which I use happily on my six strings), and hated them. Then I put on a set of D'Addarios and was fairly pleased (those were the 2 sets carried by my local guitar shop). After hearing all sorts of wonderful things about Pyramids (whiter teeth, fresher breath, makes julienne fries!) I tried them out, and stayed with them ever since (partly out of laziness - to switch brands would mean re-adjusting truss rods and re-intonating). The flatwounds are easier on the fingers, and they do add their flavor to the sound. I haven't tried Rick strings, except on new Ricks in shops (I bought both of mine used), so I don't have a good feel for what they are really like. Experiment, find what's best for you. Too bad it takes so long to change strings on these babies.

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Fri Jun 15, 2001 6:38 am

Ted Williams said: "Too bad it takes so long to change strings on these babies."

I gotta tell ya man, I changed the strings on my Rick 12 on Sunday, and it took me about 40-45 minutes, just one at a time. It had been a while since I had changed strings on a 12-string, and I felt like a 5-year-old at his first swimming lesson !!! But I got through it okay, considering I am a bass player, NOT a guitar player. My main reason for changing them one at a time was to keep proper tension on the neck.

racket · Post by **racket** » Fri Jun 15, 2001 8:53 am

I also find my 620/12 to be a fantastic guitar. It’s a ’97 that I bought used, also in perfect condition. I’ve used the RIC strings and liked them quite a bit. I’m prone to breaking the high G string (its just wound so tight), but with the RIC strings it seemed to last a very long time. I probably don’t play it more than my 330, but I play a lot these days, so it gets plenty of use.
The first time I had to string it, it took an entire hour. I’ve got that down to around ½ hour now.
How do you all feel about the front binding? I think it looks great, but can really cut into your forearm during extreme rock shenanigans.

admin · Post by **admin** » Fri Jun 15, 2001 10:53 am

So if this is the 620's club, let me say that my first RIC was a jetglo 620/12. Most elegant guitar I had, really. Was really pleased when I saw this Searchers guy playing one (sorry, don't know his name, I'm not very much into the Searchers).

admin · Post by **admin** » Fri Jun 15, 2001 10:59 am

Peter: You would be referring to John McNally.

sjb66 · Post by **sjb66** » Fri Jun 15, 2001 2:37 pm

I have actually started recording some things with my 620/12 and am VERY pleased with the results. My guitar arrived with the main strings first (from low E) and octave strings second. What do you all prefer? When I had an acoustic 12 string years ago, the octave strings were first. I'm thinking of restringing mine that way, since I seem to be looking for that sound I remember. Yes, I do Like the binding, makes it look like a very classy guitar (as if a Rickenbacker would not anyway).

admin · Post by **admin** » Sat Jun 16, 2001 4:54 am

Karl: Restringing your RIC in the way other companies do with their guitars may give you a loss of the typical sound! This stringing is typical RIC, and they do it since George Harrison got his 360/12. You will soon get accustomed to it!
Peter: Thanks for the link with the 'Searchers guy'!

ted_williams · Post by **ted_williams** » Mon Jun 18, 2001 5:22 pm

The binding doesn't bother me, and I have to agree that it looks great. As for re-stringing the "traditional" way, I would suggest getting accustomed to the Rickenbacker way before making that decision. A lot of the classic Rickenbacker 12-string sound comes from the picking of the strings in that arrangement - something that I think would be difficult to reproduce with the strings the other way around.

sjb66 · Post by **sjb66** » Tue Jun 19, 2001 4:45 pm

H guys,
Thanks for all the advice and info. I just restrung my 620/12 last night (Monday) and it took a long time (I'm too embarassed to say how long) anyway, I did it the Rickenbacker way. in all the years I played guitar I only heard recently that this was how Rick's were strung. You Learn something new everyday. Listen all, tell me about your 620 guitars and what kind of music you play on them, influences, hero's. String type. Color, anything and all.