Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

1986 320 JG

My first Rick, bought in '73. I still have it!

scotty wrote:For me I knew that it had to be a 330 but i was just wondering what was the first Ric model you bought.This probably has a lot to do with your musical influence and the Bands that played them.So what was your first Ric model and why? Oh and if you have any pics to show all the better...

My first Rick will be a 360/12 FG. Reason being because I wanted a completely different sounding electric guitar than your run-of-the-mill Fender, Gibson, or PRS. This was before I realized that these were the same geetars that RM & GH played. Well...that just clinched it right there.

JimK

My first Ric was an abused 4000 that had been stripped of its Fireglo, had the 'guard sawn in half so only the control area was fitted, had huge schallers, a brass nut, a very strange end strap pin, and extra strap pin hole in the back of the upper horn and a very poorly installed brass Fender-style string tree (two holes has been drilled through the TRC in an attempt to fit this). It cost me $300, which at 17 was every red cent I had. It stayed in its case until I saved up enough form mowing lawns etc to have it given a clear coat and a new (slightly incorrect) custom made black 'guard. Of course, I removed the string tree and tossed it away as soon as possible.

Why did I get it? I had taken up bass three years before (to the bemusement of everyone I knew) on the back of my admiration for Macca, who was also the inspiration for the Ric. I had scoured the ads for months for a Ric before I found one I could afford. The dot inlays and MG look were an added bonus. My only frustration initally was that I sounded nothing like Macca, mainly due to the fact that I played with the most aggressive rounds I could find and had no neck pickup. I then realised the cutting sound I had was perfect for the sort of punk-pop hybrid my garage/party/pub band was playing, so we had a very happy ending.

The bass is sitting about 6 feet away from me as I type. It has had new rods engineered for it and a new truss rod anchor plate fitted. I only realised in 2003 when I got my 4001 (second Ric) that the guy who refinished it had put the pickup surround on incorrectly. In addition the incorrect 'guard necessitated new holes being drilled - and I put some great buckle rash on it from my most active playing period. It's a wonderful battered mess that I'll probably be buried with.

My first Rickenbacker was my 2000 Model 360-12. I owned it for 7 years before I changed out the High Gain pickups for Vintage Toasters. I also changed out the nut for the newer nut with slightly higher spacing on the same day. After that modification, I played this guitar more in one month than I had in the previous 7 years combined. With that said, even back when I first purchased this guitar, I knew within five minutes of opening the case and plugging it in for the first time that it was a special instrument and that I was going to keep it. -BC

scotty wrote:Thanks for pic Paul and what a beauty it is a stunning guitar in every respect!
Comeon guys wheres your pics Pauls put you all to shame!

Thanks for the compliment. Blush

My FG 4003 was my first Ric,
It was the last Rickenbacker to be sold by the local dealer (who is no longer a dealer).

I was 16 years old and I passed near their store every week on my way to my music lessons. I used to stand in front of the display and look at the Rickenbacker hypnotized, it was the only Ric in the display.
A year later I saved enough money and bought it.

A 350SH that I purchased last year.

paologregorio wrote:I started on bass, then switched to guitar.

My first Ric bass was a used, spotless, "closet classic" `79 Jetglo 4001. Unfortunately for me, a gas playing friend talked me into selling that one a long while back.

My first Rick guitar was an Azureglo 360 WB. I still have that one

AG Blue 360 WB.JPG

Yeah, Nice Paul! Azureglo is crazy rare- I love it! (plus, everything looks better with binding..)

Cheers,
-Collin

My first Rick was my infamous 1980 BG 320/6.
It was also my first ever ebay purchase in 2004.
Very quickly replaced by a FG360 + JG350 + MID330/12VP

350v63 Fireglo. Sold it to finance my first 325.

Bill

1980 4001 white w/BT

fatcat wrote:

Wow, Fatcat. A 370/12 RM was your first Ric? Suuuwweeeet, man! That's like Ernest Hemingway getting his first serious novel, The Sun Also Rises, published in 1926 and then spending the rest of his life trying to match it. Well......kind of, sort of. Props to you on your first Ric acquisition, brah. Play on, pick often, and prosper.....Goofyfoot.

My first was a Hoffs back in '93 or so. I've had a couple more Hoffs since then. I though that I had a Hoffs now. I bought it cheap and with no certificate and the signature guard was missing. I checked with Kenny to see if I could get another sig plate and maybe a certificate. He and JH found out, with some research, that it was not a Hoffs but a 350 SPC. It has all of the Hoffs features, full width inlays, bound neck/body, bridge HB, etc...just a leftover Hoffs basically. Like the McGuinns that you see every once in a while. Needless to say, I didn't get a replacement signature plate, which makes sense. This is rarer than a regular Hoffs.