Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

He built the bloody thing, Scotty! What's stoppin' you?

Em lets begin No talent,Morgage,Wife,Kids need I go on Oh and the fact I need help building anything

We played a charity event over the holidays where many local bands play a short set to raise money for a Catholic school to buy instruments for the kids. After our set a bass player from one of the other bands (better bassist than I) asked if my 4003 was "vintage". I replied sure.....after all, it is vintage 2005!

As I was leaving, someone else cornered me and said..."hey, you're the guy with the Rickenbacker....I haven't seen one of those in ages...." To him I replied, really, I have several (two is several).

Rare was the club gig that someone from the audience doesn't approach me during a break to discuss my 370-12 RM.It seemed to usually be 3rd break,which ended with My Back Pages, and they've had a drinkie or 3 and worked up the courage to approach.Now we'll see if the 660-12 gets as much attention.

The other evening a friend and I were coming back from song writer's circle, and we got onto the subject of guitars generally. I mentioned that I had ordered a Rickenbacker. He said "Really? How'd you score that?"

I said "I just ordered it from a dealer."
"Dude!" he says "you mean they still make 'em?"
I said "Yeah, for the past 75 years or more still in the same location in Santa Ana, California."
So he comes back with "I thought they were just made in the '50s or something like that."
"Nope," I said.
"Well, who plays 'em anymore?" he asked.
"You ever heard of REM, or The Smiths, or the Smithereens, or Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers?"
He said he had. And I said "All of them play Rickenbackers."
"Really? Well when you get it, I want to see it." he said.

And I know what Fatcat is talking about; I've been on the other end. Last spring there was a Bob Dylan retrospective concert at one of the local watering holes. And I actually saw a Rickenbacker Amberfireglo 360/12 string with high gains. I would have walked up to its owner and talked Rickenbackers with him, but he left before I could visit with him.

JimK

A buddy of mine came over today to help my trim out my top floor. He's pretty fine carpenter and has been around the music scene and attends many concerts.
He comes downstairs where I've got my equipment and sees a couple cases and says,
"Let me see it.." I look over thinking he's looking at the case that says Gibson on it, go to reach for it, and he says "no, no - that one, the Rickenbacker..''
He saw the Rickenbacker plaque on the vintage style case.

I pulled out the case and opened it. Plush blue lining and a gleeming JG 360 ( Thanks Paul - Scratch X and Zymol).
This is the one I put Toaster covers on the HiGains in addition to installing Vintage tuners.
You should have seen his eyes

He's a Sax player but has seen some Ricks in his day and says, "That old Rick looks Mint.."
I told him it was a New Rick with a vintage treatment so to speak.
He looked over the guitar very carefully and said "You are a lucky man, this is great craftsmenship.." I Agreed.
And Plugged it in.............

i'm actually a former "non-Rick" player who was dazzled a few years ago when my former bass player rolled up to rehearsal with a gleaming new 4003 FG! I was the one "Oohing" and "Aahing" as he brought it out of its case! I figured that he owned a Rickenbacker, so, naturally, i'd better get a piece of this action! Envy served me well, as i now have 3 Ricks!!! I'm now getting that same reaction from non-rick players when they see what emerges from my cases!!
Love it!!

gregga41 wrote:i'm actually a former "non-Rick" player who was dazzled a few years ago when my former bass player rolled up to rehearsal with a gleaming new 4003 FG! I was the one "Oohing" and "Aahing" as he brought it out of its case! I figured that he owned a Rickenbacker, so, naturally, i'd better get a piece of this action! Envy served me well, as i now have 3 Ricks!!! I'm now getting that same reaction from non-rick players when they see what emerges from my cases!!
Love it!!

Tell that to the guitarist in Rare Blend! I can only wish he will one day see the light.

When my band first started out, I mostly played my Hofner bass (though I have a 4003 now too), but one day I brought my 330 MG to a recording session for our guitarist to use. When I took it out of its case, our drummers eyes widened and he said 'what is THAT?' and I said 'It's my Rickenbacker 330' and he stared silently for a minute and said... 'do they make drums?'

The only guitars anyone ever asks about at a gig are my Ricks. I've been on bills with national touring acts, and they all go right for the Rickenbacker. For whatever reason, they have a mystique about them.

Not too long ago I was in a five piece band....We played music from all genre's and many if the tunes were songs sung by women vocalists. There were many years of experinence in that band, and one song we played was chain Gang by The Pretenders. The drummer and I put the group together, and have been friends for many years. At one rehearsal I decided to bring in my 360-12/v64 to play on that song-I thought it would add a little more top end to the song's mix. I was very surprised at the reception of the appearance of my 12 string (it really is a beautiful instrument), and true to my expectation, utilizing that guitar in that song made a significant difference in it's sound. All of the guys (and girls) in the group were kind of in awe of its appearance and its sound and how much of a difference it made in the song. I'm a pretty low key guy, but do appreciate a good player and a nice instrument-it made me feel pretty good that my 12 string was acknowledged in the manner it was, as since I am the "old school" player (who is "stuck" in 60's music) there certainly was a tip o' the hat to one of the instruments that "made" music what it was in the 60's!

I received the same response when I utilized my '64 1997 for some rhythm parts I played on. I don't believe that many players realize how versatile these instruments are, and how many "great" players utilize them!

Then there is the other side of the coin, where I had a young dude asking me what gear I had, to which I awnsered "Oh Rickenbackers, PRS and stuff" And he replied "Oh yeah?, Well I've got a mate who has an Ibanez guitar"
What can you say to that? My awnser was " Yes they are a good thing, well built and all" (which they are if you are into flat necked shreader guitars)
Dude went on his way thinking that he must be almost fameous, actually knowing someone with an Ibanez...
I shook my head a bit and smiled.....
emac.

It is nice, getting recognition... sort of like driving my old Volkswagen. More people could, but just the fact that you do makes you stand out a little. Most invest their guitar budgets in Fenders, Gibsons, etc...

- Scott

A couple of years ago I went to Guitar Center to try a couple of amps (of course when I decided on one I bought it at my local independent guitar shop - no GC for me!) Anyway, I took my Monty Brown 4003 to plug into these amps. First when I get there, as you know they have to get the serial number....the faded glory groupie working the front counter gets a little cranky with me when I keep flipping the bass over for her. "I have to get the serial number!" she barks as she keeps looking at the headstock. "I'm TRYING to show it to you!" I retort as I point out the numbers on the input jack.
While this is going on, a customer is walking out & he punches his friend in the arm & says "Look!" & points at my bass. Then he asked me if it was Montezuma Brown (smart guy!) & says that he really likes the bass. I thank him & head over to the amps.
Two guys come over during my amp experimentation to say how cool the bass was and ask what room I got if from, to which I respond:

"They don't sell these here."




Also I can't tell you how many first jams I've taken one of my Ricks to & people just get wide eyed. It's a nice feeling. You don't really get that with a P-Bass (though I do love my Precision). It's just a different vibe.