NGD: 1994 Rickenbacker 260 El Dorado

[RicUpNorth]

I received my new (to me) ‘94 Ric 260 today. For its age, I was astonished at the condition it’s in. A few minor cosmetic things, but they are all wear and tear and expected. I also noted it is already in the register, how do I get it changed to my collection?

I’ll preface with my Ric experience is having owned a 610 (never should have sold) and currently having a 620.

This guitar is entirely Ric, but also very different. The body shape is unique, and I like the “premium” appointments of the double bound body. The more simplistic model had a contoured body with no binding, and looks too Fender too me. The neck is unfinished, with a hand rubbed oil finish. Very smooth and easy to play. It also has the bolt in neck, which only a handful of Ric models ever have. I’m a little amused by the Made in W Germany tuners.

The pickups….what make this guitar shine. It has HB-2 pickups, which from what I can find are the same as the HB-1 but rear mounted. They adjust with an Allen wrench from the back of the body. Samarium cobalt mini humbucker a. Playing them through my Silverface Twin Reverb they have a naturally grit/breakup to them, while still retaining an incredible clarity. Even using my Big Muff the notes just wrong out with such clarity. At the same time they still have a very jangly Rickenbacker tone, albeit beefier.

Still needs some pickup adjustments and just the things that I’ll adjust as I feel it out, but got it set up pretty well today. Even cleaned off an extensive amount of gunk on the fretboard. I can’t wait to take this to practice (hopefully next week) and see how it holds in the mix. Any Ric I’ve played just cuts in a special place in the mix, and I think this will also.

I have read that the 200 series was John Hall’s attempt to modernize some offerings, yet the market just didn’t want “modern” Rics. I think this guitar does just that, and in a wonderful way. I love my 620, but this guitar is incredible for the price, and has its own thing going on.

Without further ado, pics:

[WillyWonka]

Definitely cool!

[mike_d]

Very slick. I’ve never seen one of those in person before. I just received a.vintage Rickenbacker as well and it is also already in the register. I wrote to Peter to see if it could be added to my list of registered Rickenbacker. Good luck and nice score!

[soundmasterg]

Nice guitar! Don't see those too often. Yours looks to be in really nice shape too.

I have a 1989 230 that I refinished in Blue Boy. I discovered while doing all of that work the earlier HB2 pickups are a little weaker than the later ones like yours with the embossed logo on the pickup. I personally like the slightly weaker earlier pickups better as they have a little more clarity and less compression and mud when used with lots of distortion. I'm talking like 12k instead of 14k....not much but it does make a difference. The later pickups were made better though with less likelihood of damage if they get taken out of the guitar. When I had mine out for the refinishing I accidentally damaged the bridge pickup by breaking one of the coil wires and was only able to fix it 3 years later when I got access to a microscope and some really small soldering equipment at work. These are underrated guitars and really do have their own niche as you mentioned.

[RicUpNorth]

Definitely cool!

Thanks! It plays amazing. The pickups are incredibly touch sensitive.

[RicUpNorth]

Very slick. I’ve never seen one of those in person before. I just received a.vintage Rickenbacker as well and it is also already in the register. I wrote to Peter to see if it could be added to my list of registered Rickenbacker. Good luck and nice score!

What did you get recently, and congrats!

This one looks like it has been around with a lot of owners, but it is really in great shape for being a 94. It won't be leaving me, ever, so it has found a permanent home!

[RicUpNorth]

Nice guitar! Don't see those too often. Yours looks to be in really nice shape too.

I have a 1989 230 that I refinished in Blue Boy. I discovered while doing all of that work the earlier HB2 pickups are a little weaker than the later ones like yours with the embossed logo on the pickup. I personally like the slightly weaker earlier pickups better as they have a little more clarity and less compression and mud when used with lots of distortion. I'm talking like 12k instead of 14k....not much but it does make a difference. The later pickups were made better though with less likelihood of damage if they get taken out of the guitar. When I had mine out for the refinishing I accidentally damaged the bridge pickup by breaking one of the coil wires and was only able to fix it 3 years later when I got access to a microscope and some really small soldering equipment at work. These are underrated guitars and really do have their own niche as you mentioned.

In all my forum searching I saw yours in some posts. That's super rad. I wish I had refinishing skills!

I don't foresee taking out the pickups, but I would want to be careful. Not like replacements are easy to find!

They are hot, but not in a typical hot way in my opinion. Very touch sensitive. They play sweet and clean when played lightly, but have some breakup from the pickups when you dig in. They are super cool. I am enjoying that they sound very Ric, but just have a little something different than my hi-gains.

[mike_d]

Very slick. I’ve never seen one of those in person before. I just received a.vintage Rickenbacker as well and it is also already in the register. I wrote to Peter to see if it could be added to my list of registered Rickenbacker. Good luck and nice score!

What did you get recently, and congrats!

This one looks like it has been around with a lot of owners, but it is really in great shape for being a 94. It won't be leaving me, ever, so it has found a permanent home!

Awesome, enjoy your new Rickenbacker. Last week I bought a 1965 425 in Fireglo. I posted the thread in this forum and discovered it was already in the register. viewtopic.php?t=417603

[RicUpNorth]

Got it set up and sounding good. The pickups are incredibly touch sensitive. Light strumming is crystalline and clear, but played hard the pickups drive nicely. They almost seem active, which I believe is what I read in the brochures from the 90s (no battery, but that the circuit creates an active like sound). As much as I love my 620 (I love Tom Petty, and it was the Damn the Torpedoes wannabe in me), the oiled neck of this 260 is something special. I've also grown to love the simplicity of one volume and one tone. I can do a LOT with the 5 knob Ric, but with only the two knobs there is less fiddling, and more playing.