Band Mate Buys A Rick 12 Copy...Why?

[drumbob]

He picked my brain for weeks about Rickenbacker 12 strings. It was incessant questions that I patiently answered, I even lent him one of my 330-123s to try out, and he loved it. I called Dave's Guitars out in Wisconsin, spoke to Dave and got him a great deal on a Walnut 360-12.

So, what does he do? He buys a ****** Chinese Rick 12 knockoff for about $600. His reasoning was, he will only play it occasionally, at Beatles jams he has at his house twice year, so it made no sense to spend over $2000 for the best 12 string guitar ever made. I cringed.

As soon s it arrived, he saw it needed work, so he spent about $100 having it set up and adjusted. He brought it home, plugged it in and it sounded like dog****. I told him how to get Byrds jangle out of it, but he hates bridge pickups generally, and didn't dial in enough compression. It still sounded like dog****.

All I could do was shake my head in disbelief.

By the way, I just quit the band I was in with him. I couldn't take him anymore.

[sloop_john_b]

Sounds like your friend went with the practical and responsible purchase that best suited his needs and fiscal comfort level in the end.

[jdogric12]

Buying one of those is a good way to guarantee he'll only play it occasionally!

[WillyWonka]

You can't fix stupid.

I have a Danelectro 12 for the few times I need it.

[collin]

So, to review..

…you quit a band because your band mate didn’t take your advice on which guitar to buy?

Right.

[drumbob]

No, I quit the band because he was hard to work with, we argued over everything, and I no longer agreed with the band's musical direction. In other words, it wasn't enjoyable anymore.

[drumbob]

Sounds like your friend went with the practical and responsible purchase that best suited his needs and fiscal comfort level in the end.

He has the financial means to afford a nice Rick, believe me. He took the cheap way out and got what he paid for.

[lumgimfong]

Though I don't think his purchase was wise, I can understand it a little. Because seems like only earners in the top 10%, or people with serious guitar priorities, or guitar enthusiast spouses, can "afford" Rickenbackers, and other US made traditional guitars these days. I bought my 4003 in 2016 for 1550$. Now look at the prices (5/2022).

So if he was only gonna pull it out occasionally, his best bet would have been to borrow yours, not pay 700$ for a copy that doesn;lt even sound like a Ric.

[drumbob]

Though I don't think his purchase was wise, I can understand it a little. Because seems like only earners in the top 10%, or people with serious guitar priorities, or guitar enthusiast spouses, can "afford" Rickenbackers, and other US made traditional guitars these days. I bought my 4003 in 2016 for 1550$. Now look at the prices (5/2022).

So if he was only gonna pull it out occasionally, his best bet would have been to borrow yours, not pay 700$ for a copy that doesn;lt even sound like a Ric.

Right. I would have allowed him to use one of mine, as he invites me to his Beatle jams anyway.