Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

"You rarely if ever see any "name" players using them..."

Ha!



Sorry, I couldnt help myself LOL

Outstanding David. I really needed a laugh today and your have given me one. Thanks.

Huh...? I was being totally serious! hehe
But thanks anyway Peter

and btw... great job on all the upgrades!

I nearly fell off my chair when I saw that pic

Nice legs though - Got her phone number? ;P

What a set of pegs!

And she's buffed, too. It looks like Moms has been working out.

She's still a 2-bagger, though.

>>>Cerealy, though, please tell me what's so great about the 350SH? Specifically.

Paul:
I read several years ago (Guitar Magazine I think) that Ms. Hoffs choose the 350 because it was a "smaller, short scale guitar & easier for her to play".

>>>What distinguishes the 350SH from any of the 320/325/350 "Looks-Like John's-Guitar" complex

Would that be John Lennon or John Fogerty?

I like your idea about the 650, that would make a great guitar. Even better would be inlay of Moms on the headstock

Wileyibex: From my way of thinking, the 350SH is a very attractive instrument given the binding. Like the 350, it still has that great feel and its compact body makes it a great player. If find the 350 much more playable than the 320 or 325. The humbucking pickup provides a hotter sound. Finally the inlay fretmarkers are a knock out.

Your questions are well put. In summary, I would say that the Hoffs is more expensive, more attractive, has a more comfortable body and is considerably hotter than the others you have mentioned. I hope this helps you choose your next model.

Peter said: "In summary, I would say that the Hoffs is more expensive, more attractive, has a more comfortable body and is considerably hotter..."

Than Moms you mean?

Wiley asked:
"What distinguishes the 350SH from any of the 320/325/350 "Looks-Like John's-Guitar" complex, to merit designation and the extra $$$? You rarely if ever see any "name" players using them or any of their kith for serious lead work...Is the 350 something more than an expensive (albeit attractive in a vintage sort of way) rhythm guitar?"

I ran across this interview with Mike Campbell regarding his custom RIC. Mike aint too shabby eh? Ive seen him play this guitar live on MANY occasions and its got some serious mojo!

CB: Can you tell me about your Black and Gold Custom Rickenbacker? (Love Is A Long Road, Listen To Her Heart, You Don't Know How It Feels, American Girl)
MC: They made it for me.

CB: Did you design it?
MC: Yeah, well, it's based on a John Lennon-style body. And we made it semi-hollow inside and we put a hotter pickup in the treble position and we made the neck a little bit wider. It's a one-of-a-kind.

CB: How long have you had it?
MC: Oh - eight or ten years, I guess by now.

(From Robert Dye of Guitar World)Mike Campbell: The Rickenbacker Company was making Tom a guitar around 1989 and they asked me if I wanted one. So I had them make me a unique one. It's a semi-hollow body with a wider body than most Ricks. The treble pickup is hotter than normal. Most Rickenbackers are good for rhythm but not solos. But with mine, I can actually play solos and it sounds good. It has a lot of bite. I use it for most of our live set.

Maybe John Hall can explain Mike's custom RIC better? John?

I have never spoken with Mike Campbell, however, there are two very interesting apects of this interview that come to mind upon first reading.

To begin, Mike has discovered what John Forgety did about lead work and toasters or high gains for that matter. If you want bite, a humbucking pickup is a great thing to have in the bridge position. I can just imagine (ooh sorry J Willi) what John Lennon would have done with a humbucker.

Moreover, an equally interesting comment made in the excerpt of the interview is "They made it for me." I am sure they did, however, I don't think that "they" means RIC. I am not sure who did the custom work.

I might have to get a humbucker and put one in the bridge of my 350 to give it a test drive. J Willi what do you think of the humbucker in your Carl Wilson?

Here's another interview I just dug up. He says that RIC has made him a *couple* things.


VG: You also play a lot of Rickenbackers?

MC: Yeah, Tom and I went down to the factory here in California a couple
times a few years ago and they were real nice to us and showed us around
and they made Tom a couple of things, they made me a couple of things.
One that I kind of told them I wanted and they built it, is a black one
shaped like a John Lennon guitar but it has a couple of changes. It's
got a slightly wider neck but a full size neck, black and gold and the
treble position has got this hotter pickup. Sometimes (on Rickenbackers)
when you play a solo, if you want a lot of sustain there's not enough
there with a normal pickup so I had them put in a hotter pickup. I don't
know what kind it is, it's something they had in the factory and they
stuck it in the treble position. It's really good, I get a little bit
louder sound out of it and I like that guitar, I use it a lot on the
road. We've got a couple 12-strings from the mid-'60s that I love.

Peter, a review of the HBs I installed on my Carl Wilson 360/6. Very quiet. Very clear tone. Hi-Fi sounding. They sound great at low and medium volumes. I havent had time to "crank" the amp up, kids are everywhere. I played the guitar thru an VOX AC-15 reissue. The scatterwounds were fine but I was looking to mod this guitar. A fine choice. I wish I could describe them better.

Good detective work Ric_Rocks. Perhaps John Hall will confirm this.

In my first post above, MC says that the guitar is semi hollow. I havent seen it up close, naturally, but from a distance I always assumed it was a 350.

This conflicts with the reports that its actually a 610 with the top horn reshaped. Wouldnt you think that Mike can tell the difference between a solid and hollow body? He owns like 50+ guitars

Yeah... Im real interested to hear what JH can recall as well.

Wanted to bring this back out front so that JH might shed some light on the MC discussion.

Meanwhile, heres Mike with another cool ric that I dont think Ive ever seen him with. Older model 330?

This pic was taken at a Chicago performance just a few weeks ago.