I read an *interesting* thing about Ric guitars...

[gibsonlp]

I own 2 non rick guitars - an early 90s Les Paul standard and A japanease Fender Jazz Bass.
My 4001 is much more comfortable for me, I really like the slim neck and I don't like the really narrow nut in the jazzbass, I like the fact that my ricks have their neck almost the same size all the way.

As for guitars -
My first rick guitar was my 366/12, it is REALLY comfortable but it is 12 strings, so you can't compare it with a 6 strings Gibson. I then got the 660/6 which I find more or less the same as my Gibson in terms of comfort, probably due to the bulky neck.
I then got the 1968 365 (the bigsby one) and this is THE most comfortable guitar I ever played with, the neck is slim and it is pure fun just to play it, doesn't matter what, any note - pure fun!

So I believe that my 365 and my 4001 can take on any other guitar/bass in terms of playability.

[Ric O'Sound]

I'm willing to bet that whoever wrote that article probably was just handed a guitar that wasn't set up for him.
I bought my 4001V63 as NOS...it had been sitting forgotten for close to 3 years in the stockroom of a local music store until someone discovered it. I was lucky enough to have been at the store at the time it was found and I got a great deal on it. But since it had been sitting for so long, when I first took it out of the case, it played like ****. Once I took the time to set it up properly, it was transformed into one of the finest playing basses I've ever encountered. You can't underestimate the importance of a proper setup that's tailored to the playing style of the individual guitarist/bassist.

[Mossman]

Anybody who can't tell that a guitar is simply in need of a set-up, has no business writing articles about guitars... It could be that the person who wrote that article is a paid blogger... Professional writers are routinely commissioned to write articles for blogs, and other on-line publications, on topics they know nothing about... They do some cursory research - enough to fill the word quota - and proceed to hobble together an article... These people are hired for their skills as a writer, not for their expertise on the subject matter.

[jingle_jangle]

These people are hired for their skills as a writer, not for their expertise on the subject matter.

...which is unfortunate, as I've always thought that good research is part and parcel of good informative writing.

But I sduppose that if you've got to bang out a couple dozen blog posts a day, research is a luxury!

[jimk]

These people are hired for their skills as a writer, not for their expertise on the subject matter.

...which is unfortunate, as I've always thought that good research is part and parcel of good informative writing.

But I sduppose that if you've got to bang out a couple dozen blog posts a day, research is a luxury!

...not to mention time enough to practice the guitar! I've been playing for 39 years, and I still ain't got it right!

JimK

[freshmattyp]

A quick run through this thread shows no links to this article, so we really can't discern what exactly it says. I think it's wrong to infer anything as far as research or preparedness from a second-hand account of anything.

I always have to re-bond with my Rick after not playing it for awhile. YMMV

[Mossman]

I think it's wrong to infer anything as far as research or preparedness from a second-hand account of anything.

I thought the same thing myself... That's why I said it "could be" a paid blogger... I originally typed "It's most likely", but I thought that was presumptive, so I went back and changed it.

These people are hired for their skills as a writer, not for their expertise on the subject matter.

...which is unfortunate, as I've always thought that good research is part and parcel of good informative writing.

But I sduppose that if you've got to bang out a couple dozen blog posts a day, research is a luxury!

Yeah, you have to be very prolific to make money writing articles on the internet... I looked into doing it myself at one point, but I didn't think I could keep up that pace. Especially if I'm writing about topics I'm not particularly interested in... And it would cut too much into my playing time as well!

[buchrob]

I am 60+ years of age and have the short, chubby fingers that have been well rested and aged since I last previously played some 45 years ago, when finanaces dictated much more oriental-sounding brands than Swiss/German ones.

In my latter (spoiled years) I have been able to buy/sell/play many guitars, and I can only tell you that I have never been disappointed by a Ric, despite the fact that the absolutely most best-set-up and playable guitar I have in my collection now is... a cheapie Epiphone SG 400 that some previous loving owner had re-strung with an added Bigsby, but very well set-up after.

I own 2 330-6 string models and these are monsters for the jangle sounds, and that's what I bought them for.

The 330-12 is in a class by itself, but it can be intimidating, though I find it just about the friendliest 12-string on the market.

If you don't care for the hollow bodies'feel, the 650 feels very strat-like.

Anything that is profesionnaly set-up will play and sound better than a random unit picked up out of the box. Now, if you're not going to buy a guitar on the basis of the sounds it produces or ease of play, what else are you looking for?

[vker]

<<<<the absolutely most best-set-up and playable guitar I have in my collection now is... a cheapie Epiphone SG 400 that some previous loving owner had re-strung with an added Bigsby, but very well set-up after. >>>>

I also own one of those "cheapie" Epi SG 400's that I couldn't resist- in Alpine white from M-Friend,
and it is a great, ultra-playable guitar, perfect neck and feel. Grover tuners and nice wide fingerboard.
It does do the typical SG slouch though- ie headstock heavy.


<<<Now, if you're not going to buy a guitar on the basis of the sounds it produces or ease of play, what else are you looking for? >>>>

Well...the reality... a guitar that is "cool," either retro, unique, or a "showstopper," in one way or another !