Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

All I wanted to do as a lad was play bass, despite bring quite a handy classical guitarist. I managed to be a bass player for a number of years, (my first 4001 in '78) but am now predominantly a guitarist. As I am a pro musician, it is vital that my band has continuity....if my bass player was to leave, get sick etc, I can give another chap the 'dots' to get us through, but you can never write satisfactory dots for guitar (let alone find a guitarist to read them). I still consider myself a bassist though & have a f/glo 4003.
As far as gtrs are concerned, it's Rics all the way....360, 330/12, 1997, & have just traded my spare 330 & 620 for a 370 & a 360v64, all through a vintage Marshall 100w head & a couple of Marshall 4x12s.

I started playing bass just a short while before I began playing guitar.

Guitar gear:
660/12
Carvin SC90
Alvarez Festival acoustic
Mesa/Boogie DC-2 combo

Bass gear:
4001
4001V63
4003FL
4004Cii
4005WB
Zon custom made 5/1 fretless
Yamaha BX-1
Walter Woods Super Hi Power Amp
Ampeg PB250 amp
SWR Baby Blue II combo amp
Traynor YS-15
Custom made 1-10 EV cabinet
SWR Bass Monitor 12

The guitars are mostly for writing and recording, although I would like to play guitar out again with Rare Blend, particularly the 660/12!

hey Ronan - have you ever considered a baritone guitar? Fen*er just released one called the "Jaguar Baritone Custom" which is actually a bass with two extra strings on top (E-E), but there are other brands (Music Man, Schecter, Danelectro) and other versions (A-A, B-B, etc.) as well. I've got the Fe*der Japan version and being a sometime guitarist, mostofthetime bassist, I really love it! It seems like they aren't very common in stores though...

I am a bassist but do know just enough chords on guitar for campfire singalongs and basic songwriting. I have a Martin D-1 acoustic and a Gibson Les Paul Studio that I use with my 4-track for basic songwriting, etc.

A related question you just reminded me of, though: the guitar player in my band has been playing a Telecaster for 10 years, and from time to time he talks of adding a second electric. He's looking for something different with humbuckers, but he's not crazy about my Gibson due to its weight and layout. He has asked me about RIC guitars, since I love my RIC basses, but I haven't the foggiest idea there, not even enough to ask the question on the guitar board probably. I'll ask it here, though. What RIC model of electric guitar should I research to possibly point him at?

Also, I have always wanted a jetglo Ric 12-string for recording, but too many other 'wants.' Wish I knew someone who had one that I could borrow.

Dean, suggest a 650 to your guitarist. 620 shape with no binding, 24 fret maple f/board slightly wider than the standard Ric neck & two humbuckers. Lovely.....

Ronan: The Mustang is my favorite...again please don't hate me for liking Fenders too!

Actually I got the 650 to allow me to take the Mustang out of regular use. After nearly 35 years, most of it played hard, there was some significant wear on the rosewood neck.

The 650 is really nice, however, and is a solid enough axe to not have me wanting to always bust out the 'Stang. I had almost bought a Carvin a year before I got the Rick-650...but then wondered if it'd be as good as the 'Stang. At least I KNOW what quality I get from Rickebacker.

Now I think I'm going to borrow one of the guitarists amps and take the 650 home just to see how it is with 11's. As I said, I often broke a D string when we played, and it was rather frustrating. But I'd have to blame the strings for that.

But playing bass again, it's hard to say if I'd have eventually put the Dakota above the Mustang. I suspect I would have, after experimenting with strings and set up. The Dakota certainly has the balls I was looking for to push that 120 watt Peavey!

Last comment-I trusted RIC enough to buy the Dakota sight unseen...I had played a Glen Healy model, and was told it wasn't exactly like it, but was the closest the store I order from had...regarding my current lust for a new bass, I stand a good chance of doing the same with a new Laredo down the road...I'm not sure I feel the same way about any other manufacturer.

Best guitars I've ever played except Schecter are Carvin. It's incredible such instruments exist at such prices.

Thanks for the tip on the 650. I will do some research and get a bit more knowledgable on the subject!

Ed - A "Glen Healy" model? Wasn't he the backup goalie for the Leafs and now doing commentary on Hockey Night in Canada?