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Re: Any Ric 1997 owners out there?
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 8:42 pm
by JakeK
If the 1993 gets reissued, I would buy one in a HEARTBEAT. Especially if it had 360/12C63 string spacing. Walter, are you getting your's back or is your Polish luthier going to keep it?
Here's my 1997 RI, I bought it from Ron O'Keefe on September 8, 2009 and it arrived on September 18, 2009 and it was made in the same batch as Mark's and Tom Petty's.
http://www.rickresource.com/register/vi ... ine%3Dtrue
Re: Any Ric 1997 owners out there?
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:53 pm
by fabandgear
Walter, I have the same admiration for the 1997 as you do. It plays and sounds as good as it looks. I'd been used to the more feature-laden 360s, so when I first unpacked my 1997, I was intrigued by it's clean, uncluttered lines. Even the stylized F-hole is strikingly elegant (in contrast to my Gretsch guitars and their oversized F-holes!) This is about the most versatile guitar I own and I've been nothing but pleased with it.
Re: Any Ric 1997 owners out there?
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 11:41 pm
by JakeK
Man, Forrest, that's some collection you have there. I could own just those three and be all set for the rest of my life.
As you stated, the 1997 is extremely versatile. I described it to a buddy as "exactly like an Epiphone Casino, only cooler". Sure, I love Casinos, but a 1997 just has that special something that just draws me in. Overall, I find the two to be similar in that they are both uniquely awesome and extremely versatile. Having said that, I own no Casinos, but it's not that I don't like them. Can anyone who owns a 1997 and a Casino vouch and say that they're both similar?
Re: Any Ric 1997 owners out there?
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:17 am
by kennyhowes
krick wrote:Here is an interesting variation. A "one-off" Montezuma Brown 1998 model:
Whose is that again?
Re: Any Ric 1997 owners out there?
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:33 am
by JakeK
Last I knew, it WAS Craig Witty's, but when I last checked his site, it was stated as "TRADED".
Re: Any Ric 1997 owners out there?
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:42 am
by collin
JakeK wrote:Man, Forrest, that's some collection you have there. I could own just those three and be all set for the rest of my life.
As you stated, the 1997 is extremely versatile. I described it to a buddy as "exactly like an Epiphone Casino, only cooler". Sure, I love Casinos, but a 1997 just has that special something that just draws me in. Overall, I find the two to be similar in that they are both uniquely awesome and extremely versatile. Having said that, I own no Casinos, but it's not that I don't like them. Can anyone who owns a 1997 and a Casino vouch and say that they're both similar?
Odd comparison....
Casino has.....basically nothing in common with any Rickenbacker, even down to the fully hollow vs. Semi hollow body structure, scale length, etc etc.
Re: Any Ric 1997 owners out there?
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 4:18 am
by doctorwho
Great pictures, everyone!
My example happens to be a 1998PT:
Re: Any Ric 1997 owners out there?
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 7:37 am
by sloop_john_b
I see no similarity between a Rick and a Casino. They feel and sound completely different.
Re: Any Ric 1997 owners out there?
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 8:12 am
by wmthor
My '96 1997 is a little different from the others shown.

Re: Any Ric 1997 owners out there?
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 9:26 am
by krick
kennyhowes wrote:
krick wrote:Here is an interesting variation. A "one-off" Montezuma Brown 1998 model:
Whose is that again?
What can I say? Craig and I made a deal.

Re: Any Ric 1997 owners out there?
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 9:56 am
by sloop_john_b
krick wrote:
What can I say? Craig and I made a deal.

You da man Kuney!
Re: Any Ric 1997 owners out there?
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 10:19 am
by kennyhowes
krick wrote:What can I say? Craig and I made a deal.

NICE!
Re: Any Ric 1997 owners out there?
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 1:23 pm
by fabandgear
sloop_john_b wrote:I see no similarity between a Rick and a Casino. They feel and sound completely different.
You're right, John, but I think Jake was meaning the overall vibe he gets playing either guitar. I have a bunch of dissimiliar axes that I feel the same about. I think of Gretsches and Ricks in the same way even though it's like the comparison of cats and dogs. I can use either guitar for playing the same music and get the same good vibe. Am I making any sense, or is this just more of my '60s psychobabble? :

Re: Any Ric 1997 owners out there?
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 1:45 pm
by JakeK
fabandgear wrote:sloop_john_b wrote:I see no similarity between a Rick and a Casino. They feel and sound completely different.
You're right, John, but I think Jake was meaning the overall vibe he gets playing either guitar.
Yep, that's exactly what I meant. It's the vibe I get. Just wanna try anything on either guitar. Obviously a P-90 and a toaster are gonna be two different animals.
Re: Any Ric 1997 owners out there?
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 1:48 pm
by krick
Walter wrote:
"I would love to get one with those exact specs in a 330/12. Pretty, indeed!"
It would probably look something like this: