Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

These days I feel rather safe AND sorry...

I used to be put through a ghastly and time-consuming process each time I passed through N.Z. customs...taking my mechanical pencils apart, squeezing my toothpaste out onto the counter, and on and on. Finally, I began using logic: "If I were trying to smuggle stuff into your country, would I look this way? Why don't you tear that guy in the suit-and-haircut apart? He's dressed like he's really got something to hide."

The hilarious part is that they grow some of the finest glaucoma remedy in the world in N.Z.; there's no need to try to import any...

Guys: $299 is the absolute full list price including 10% GST. You should be able to get a minimum of 20% discount, taking the "street price" down to about $240 - still bloody expensive!

We don't have the high tariffs here any more - duty is usually 5%. The exchange rate is not so bad these days - 75c or better. Freight is an obvious killer, as is the markup from importer to reseller. Then the government adds 10% GST (yes - a tax on already taxed goods!).

Once upon a time we had 25% duty and 27-1/2% wholesale sales tax on these types of items. Then the government reduced the duty to 5%, dropped the wholesale tax and introduced the 10% GST. Strangely enough, the prices never dropped - go figure!!

I haven't tried mine with a Rick guitar, but for bass my Keeley compressor works great. I've got it functioning as a limiter, which sounds pretty much what you're looking for. It's all handmade to-order using top quality components for around $220 US. You can find them at www.robertkeeley.com
Also check out the list of pros who use them (Peter Frampton is the most prominent).

Wow Dane, that's pretty extreme - talking about your toothpaste and mechanaical pencil disassembly!

Check this out - a year or two ago a friend and I were flying out of the Louisville KY airport (place where I got searched when picking up a friend there) to Houston TX for a long weekend of recording, jamming, and partying. We had no gear since our friends in Texas provided everything.

But my Kentucky friend packed his trusty tuning fork... His bag went through the x-ray machine 3 times before the security people dared open it up to check out what it was! Not to mention all the time it took to explain what a tuning fork is and what it's used for.

We thought it was hilarious, but the long line of shoeless travelers in line behind us thought differently about the delay. LOL

As for that glaucoma remedy, we're in dire need of a new prescription! My wife and I have had bifocals for years and mine are fading fast. Don't know what the exact cure would be, but I'm open to any kind of "treatment"...

Maybe someday we'll gain the maturity to follow the example of our more sophisticated neighbors to the north...

Colorado leads the U.S. in per capita use of the leading glaucoma medication. Interestingly, our numbers are no higher than the rest of the nation for the 18 to 30 demographic...it's the 30 to 50 folks who put us at the top of the list. I take great personal pride in this fact...

Well, Dane, I think Mill Valley and San Rafael are what keep CA's flag flying in this dept. We have more millionaire...gourmands per square yard here than Woodstock did back in '69.

Me? It's (prescription) headache medication, not even alcohol anymore.

My uncle used to work for customs in Canada. Yeah, he had the best stocked bar, with the most exotic liquors you had ever seen.

BTW, don't mention that you're related to one of the customs officers at an airport. Holy cow, what a melee ensues!

A alternative to the janglebox or other compressors is the Diamond Compressor, I've just ordered one myself .

"The Diamond Compressor is our take on a 'guitar channel'
- a dynamics and tone shaping tool for live and studio use - with low-noise, ultra-linear
signal buffering, smooth opto-based compression, and a versatile 'tilt' EQ that musically
shifts overall frequency balance."

" Post-compressor 'tilt' EQ provides a very musical
tailoring of frequency response - seamlessly transition
from a darker jazz voicing to a brighter jangle,
with flat frequency response at the center detent position."

http://www.diamondpedals.com/products/compressor.html

There's Rickenbacker 330/Vox AC30 sound demos on the site as well They sound good to my ears anyway

Anyone tried one of these?

Their overdrives sound great! I've got a Fireburst & it's very versatile. Quite sensitive to pup type. And they're made about 1 1/2 hours from my house!

Just got my Diamond Compressor, I played with my Rick 360 12 w/ toasters through a Microcube (away from home at present).

It sounds great even full on with little noise or pumping, I have studio compressors at home & this pedal matches up to them sound wise, the EQ is very versatile as well. No problem getting Byrds jangle with this box amongst a lot of other great sounds, very warm and fat sounding if you need it, the EQ has a very wide range as well.

Can't wait to use this with my Vox AC30TBX & Fender Twin, I've never used compressor pedals in the past much apart from a Boss CS2 years ago which was rubbish IMHO.

With duties & post it worked out about 40 pounds cheaper than a Janglebox(4 weeks wait)I'm sure the Janglebox sounds great as well though & probably sounds different to the Diamond?