Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Ken--that darned thing looks like a Floyd without the whammy-bar! I question the need for individual string HEIGHT adjustment unless your guitar's neck has a bad warp or dead spots. This thing is way out of proportion to a Rick's jewelry-like mechanicals, especially on something like a 620 or 660.

Has anybody here tried that die-cast bridge from E* R****? Looks nice and solid, price is right...

Keep Montezuma Brown as a standard colour!

Jingle_jangle said I posted a VERY similar statement to yours, on alt.guitars.rickenbacker an hour or so ago, in response to one of their resident EVH thrash-Charvel, Rick bashing, wish-I-had-one-but-don't-want-to-admit-it, adolescent ranters.

Unfortunately, the typical current poster to a.g.r won't get what you're saying, because you a) used too many long words, b) constructed proper sentences, and c) stated your case without profanity.

Sigh.

Some great ideas: Montezuma Brown as a standard colour - YES, YES, YES! - This would improve the chances of one turning up here in Australia where it's 'what you see is what you get'. Individual string height adjustment for the 12s? I'd love that too - now all I have to do is buy the company (as if JH would sell!).

For the most part , The John Hall era of Rickenbacker is indeed THE era .

However .... if I could give him a list of things it would be this .

1- The end of 24 fret necks as standard except perhaps on basses
2- remove the mini switch on the Cheyenne basses and replace it with a Switchcraft standard sized unit , or better yet a real pan pot . The blending of two pickups works great on basses .
3-End the entire 1970's version of the guitars .

4- Make a 1 &11/16" nut width with 2 &1/4 end of fretboard width an option on the 21 fret guitars (six or twelve string)
5- Keep the "R" tailpiece but beef up the width of the part that hooks around the end hook . This would end cracking to my thinking . The old ones were bigger ....they seem to not crack .
6- Update the line ..meaning , make the 21st century models . The basses have been done .
Every Guitar company has had to do that to some degree. Rick seems to be going in reverse . This is NOT damning what has been done , rather just looking to see what else can be made that is worthy of the name Rickenbacker .

7- Make an alternative tailpiece that utilizes the same hole pattern for the "R" ... this could be a bent piece of brass that is laser cut , and has the "R" cut into the plate , The hooks could be a seperate piece that is brazed to the bottom . It could be made off shore to keep the cost down . Or made here in the USA for that matter .

8- Make an unfinished fretboard an option .

9- do away with the 5th knob on all mono guitars unless they are 'Vintage re-issue' . It seems to be a useless component.

10- Start a custom faciltiy and/or a limited run of 'cool' limited number 'collectable guitars ' . They of course would be more costly to the consumer than standard models .

I think that for the most part , what is being made today is in fact the BEST Rickenbackers EVER .I am impressed by what I do see ... I just wish they were more available to try out .

This is NOT a "damned if you do , damned if you don't" comment . So please don't think I am trying to rattle your cage .

Well, Larry, that ought to convince JH to get right ON IT!!!

Seriously, a lot of your concerns and suggestions have received a good airing in previous editions of the Forum. I myself believe that too much "new" is dangerous to an independent, small "boutique" (sorry!) manufacturer with a long tradition. A little bit of "slow improvement" would be my prescription if it were up to me to do. Your list I believe would be too much to get people used to, given even a decade!

Some good idea Lawrence! In no meaningful order:

1) Custom shop

2) Standardize on 21 fret bass necks for non-retro 4 string 400x's. Low E to high E, not Eb.

3) Standardize on unfinished fretboards on 6 string guitars - try pau ferro to maintain the look perhaps

4) Balance the neck and bridge pickups on the guitars - what I mean here is wind one hotter/darker(bridge) or colder/thinner(neck) so that they match up better. With HB pickups this is done by pairing a Duncan '59 neck with a JB bridge.

5) Headstock binding - you can have this done aftermarket, but why not stock. It looks great.

6) 400x bridge...something...anything

7) The use of industry standard guitar bridges allows for options like the Baggs peizo bridges...

Larry, I'm not sure if I understand your 'R' tailpiece changes, but I would like to see a see a 'faux' R tailpiece with a hidden bar underneath with string holes, so it looks the same from above but has a hidden straight edge for even tension. Probably expensive to retool for this though. And I love the 5th knob on my 330.

I always thought it would be cool to have a "R" tailpiece for the basses somehow. I know the 4005's have 'um but who can get one of those? Hey...that's another thing, 4005WB V ??!

Cole

I like it as a 4 string just fine, thank you!

Gosh, that thing is GORGEOUS!!!

Come to the Ohio RIC Confluence in March, probably somewhere in Columbus, and you can see and play it!

How many of those are in existence, Jeff?

Must have 4005 *repeated ad infinitum*

The thought of a custom shop made me think about my wish list for a custom Ric. Honestly, I can't think of anything that isn't already here. Perhaps I might go back to the vintage headstock shape, but the stock models suplemented by regular re-issues, signatures & COY keeps it all interesting.
Larry raised a point that many Ric users agree with about the neccesity for the 5th blend control. I actually use this all the time, never tone controls, but I find the blend so useful, so I certainly wouldn't change that. Besides, it would take the fun away from having to try to explain the unexplainable to an interested onlooker! After all these years, I'm still not sure what it does, but I use it regularly.