Rickenbacker, betting on the past to ensure their future?

[jps]

With far more advanced technology, guess what Pat is using for that song in the new millennium?

[legato]

Like Lemmy, you never saw him with anything but his Rickenbackers, NEVER!!

[aceonbass]

I knew a guy in SoCal who was the rep for Minarik guitars, and played that bass before he gave it to Lemmy. That it was free was the only reason Lemmy played it a couple times, illustrating my point about "artists" playing whatever they don't have to pay for.

[sloop_john_b]

Laura Jane Grace has been playing a whole slew of Ricks with Against Me!:

[cassius987]

I knew a guy in SoCal who was the rep for Minarik guitars, and played that bass before he gave it to Lemmy. That it was free was the only reason Lemmy played it a couple times, illustrating my point about "artists" playing whatever they don't have to pay for.

Yeah, I can't think of a single time I ever considered an endorsement in buying my next instrument. Pretty sure RIC did not endorse Paul d'Amour when he was playing a 4001CS with Tool. My various endorser friends back in Denver really didn't sway me into buying what they played, nor did they try, thank God.

Some brand websites will show all the endorsements on the home page... Schecter comes to mind... and if anything my relative lack of interest in the majority of or even the entire list of endorsers can feel more like a turn-off to the brand. I'm glad for RIC that they don't have to look so desperate. Eventually there may be another pivotal instrument donation by RIC to an artist, such as there was to McCartney, but as I pointed out earlier the music game is really different these days. Some big name playing a Ric today will probably never have the kind of ripple effect it once did.

[rikk]

RIC is a much smaller company than Fender, Gibson etc. They seem to be proportional in who plays them. If they currently are at capacity why change anything. If in 10 or 15 years they drop in sales, then maybe give some to the then current players. Who knows what the music scene will be like in that timeframe.

[jdogric12]

With far more advanced technology, guess what Pat is using for that song in the new millennium?

An old G-303 into a GR-300! Nothing tracks as fast as a 300. It's amazing to me that not only has this piece of 1980 technology never been improved, but has not even been replicated since. All modern 13-pin systems track at around 20ms. The GR-300 tracks at 3-4ms.

[Ric5150]

When I mentioned guitars turning into "controllers" hooked to computers, I wasn't so much going there as here:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/ ... ent-guitar

Take a board, add 6 strings (bridge, frets, etc), plug it into a computer (or phone) with guitar models, stompbox models, and amp models and you're there for a lot less money than buying a "real" guitar and other gear. Sort of a Variax on steroids kinda thing. The day hasn't come yet but within 10-15 years, we may very well be at the point where the only guys saying they can hear a difference are the ones who always claim they can hear a difference. Don't get me wrong - I'm one of the guys rooting for real instruments, but it's getting closer.

[kt66]

I wish RIC would bet on their past more. The 320
is currently not available? How nuts is that!!

I know now the 325 63 is available.

[jps]

When I mentioned guitars turning into "controllers" hooked to computers, I wasn't so much going there as here:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/ ... ent-guitar

Take a board, add 6 strings (bridge, frets, etc), plug it into a computer (or phone) with guitar models, stompbox models, and amp models and you're there for a lot less money than buying a "real" guitar and other gear. Sort of a Variax on steroids kinda thing. The day hasn't come yet but within 10-15 years, we may very well be at the point where the only guys saying they can hear a difference are the ones who always claim they can hear a difference. Don't get me wrong - I'm one of the guys rooting for real instruments, but it's getting closer.

This song was recorded with the nylon string version.



Those silent guitars don't plug into computers, they have standard 1/4" instrument output jacks, and are used just like any other electric guitar. I think what Pat Metheny is doing with his orchestrion is closer to what you call a guitar controller, although he uses his Ibanez jazz box to do the controlling with associated outboard gear.

[Ric5150]

Those silent guitars don't plug into computers, they have standard 1/4" instrument output jacks, and are used just like any other electric guitar.

Yeah, I know, but they could. The computer just happens to be onboard. I'm just one step further away. Take the same 'silent' concept and do plug it into a computer and you can emulate a whole lot of different things - some more convincingly than others. It will get closer and closer to the real thing as time goes on. Better amp modeling, better stomp box modeling, and even modeling of specific guitar models - or even specific guitars.

[Grey]

Yeah, I know, but they could. The computer just happens to be onboard. I'm just one step further away. Take the same 'silent' concept and do plug it into a computer and you can emulate a whole lot of different things - some more convincingly than others. It will get closer and closer to the real thing as time goes on. Better amp modeling, better stomp box modeling, and even modeling of specific guitar models - or even specific guitars.

Technology changes. People don't. We have sequenced guitars already that would easily fool you in a mix, that dosen't stop people from wanting to see live concerts with real musicians. It dosen't stop people from wanting to learn a musical instrument, it dosen't make the acoustic guitar any less desireable around the campfire, or the piano any less useful in a concert all, or any other physical instrument that has been around for centuries. There were people who thought the electric guitar signalled the end times for classical musicians and all it did was usher in a new era of music that has withstood the test of time and coincided equally with its classical heritage. Don't fear the future.

[strummersteve]

Just my opinion here.....I noticed that when guitar companies expand, a cheaper version from that company emerges. Sometimes it would be marketed under a new brand name or worse the company will purchase a known brand and cheapen it. Some of these companies just use there brand name and make lower end models, which can make that brand less desirable in the future. I'm sure that we can all come up with many examples.
Rickenbacker is quite different from these other companies in that regard, They are a privately owned company that appears to be run in a very conservative manor, not mortgaging their future by expanding. They are running at capacity and are producing products that we all know and love. They choose quality over quantity. In the past they have made entry level instruments (Electro for example). The difference is that these were made in the same factory with the same quality controls in place. The resale value of these are just as high as an older (vintage) Rickenbacker. Rickenbacker will produce a new or vintage reissue every now and again. Whether they stay in production will always depend on the bottom line. Obviously in the model is not profitable, it will be discontinued. My long winded point here is we will see the Rickenbacker brand for a long time as the company appears to be content and solvent.

[Ric5150]

Yeah, I know, but they could. The computer just happens to be onboard. I'm just one step further away. Take the same 'silent' concept and do plug it into a computer and you can emulate a whole lot of different things - some more convincingly than others. It will get closer and closer to the real thing as time goes on. Better amp modeling, better stomp box modeling, and even modeling of specific guitar models - or even specific guitars.

Technology changes. People don't. We have sequenced guitars already that would easily fool you in a mix, that dosen't stop people from wanting to see live concerts with real musicians. It dosen't stop people from wanting to learn a musical instrument, it dosen't make the acoustic guitar any less desireable around the campfire, or the piano any less useful in a concert all, or any other physical instrument that has been around for centuries. There were people who thought the electric guitar signalled the end times for classical musicians and all it did was usher in a new era of music that has withstood the test of time and coincided equally with its classical heritage. Don't fear the future.

I'm not fearing the future. I'm just preparing myself for being "that weird old man with all those antique guitars and amps".

I do think the 'higher-end' guitar makers should be a little concerned, though. When software can make a cheaper and inherently inferior piece of hardware an equal or near equal to more expensive hardware, the former usually wins out.


Fortunately, a lot of musicians have some irrational tendencies about them, though.

[Tommy]

Fortunately, a lot of musicians have some irrational tendencies about them, though.

Yes, and this keeps many manufacturers afloat. Certainly a Hofner bass is not the best bass out there, but people pay three grand for one. Hard core musicians thumb their nose at modelling amps...we'd rather pay close to two thousand for the real deal. Irrational tendencies are a God's send for the musical instrument business.