Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Eastwood and REM seem to have some relationship, because Mike, Peter, and Scott have all used something Eastwood in the past few years.

I don't understand why; they are exactly quality instruments, IMO. Unless Eastwood is making them custom instruments...

Ain'tGotNoPokemon wrote:Eastwood and REM seem to have some relationship, because Mike, Peter, and Scott have all used something Eastwood in the past few years.

I don't understand why; they are exactly quality instruments, IMO. Unless Eastwood is making them custom instruments...

Mike too? (Apart from when playing Scott's map bass and Sidejack with the Baseball Project once or twice?)

I would say they're certainly decent quality, and the guys may well have a good relationship with the makers. As mentioned earlier, remember that Peter played a reissue Danelectro in 2001...

If you Google "Steve Wynn Eastwood", you will find a link to a video in which Steve Wynn talks about how Scott turned him onto Eastwood guitars during the recording of the first Baseball Project album, and how much he likes them (he describes them as better-quality updates of "the old classic cheap guitars"). He also says that when he bought his Scott got him the "special REM artist discount deal".

Sweden wrote:

Ain'tGotNoPokemon wrote:Eastwood and REM seem to have some relationship, because Mike, Peter, and Scott have all used something Eastwood in the past few years.

I don't understand why; they are exactly quality instruments, IMO. Unless Eastwood is making them custom instruments...

Mike too? (Apart from when playing Scott's map bass and Sidejack with the Baseball Project once or twice?)

I would say they're certainly decent quality, and the guys may well have a good relationship with the makers. As mentioned earlier, remember that Peter played a reissue Danelectro in 2001...

Danes are fine. I have owned an Eastwood before, and played several. It's the first time I have ever had a bad experience with a Korean made instrument, especially considering how much they cost (You can buy the vintage versions for less or the same price for the most part, and mod it to suit you needs).

Again, if there is a connection with the company and the band (The owner has a video or two of REM on his Youtube channel), I think they get a little more than a discount - They probably have much better versions than what you would buy off the peg in any store. When you see an artist with a cheaper, budget brand (Which I have nothing against), it's usually outfitted by the brand themselves. Squier has signature models that the musicians actually play live, but I'm certain that they are custom, or higher brand name, quality.

Now, I have never seen Peter or Mike in the studio with one of these things, but Peter does like cheaper guitars because he believes every guitar can at least do one thing good. We aren't just hearing Rickenbacker, Gibson, and Fender on a REM/Peter Buck project.

So called "budget" guitars can often sing with magic, as long as the songwriting is there. I don't see the Buck/Mills duo having any problems in this area...although "Stand" was very tough to swallow!

...wisdom

indianation65 wrote:So called "budget" guitars can often sing with magic, as long as the songwriting is there. I don't see the Buck/Mills duo having any problems in this area...although "Stand" was very tough to swallow!

...wisdom

I own some, and many today are made very well. I have nothing against "budget" models.

I own some, and many today are made very well. I have nothing against "budget" models.

My sense is that the quality of todays cheap guitars is, on the whole, much better than the quality of the cheap guitars that were available when I started playing 30-odd years ago.

That said, the Eastwoods (which I have never played) aren't exactly "budget" guitars -- the list prices on their website range from $700-$1700. Street prices may be lower, but at the upper end of the range you are approaching Rick territory. Eastwoods are made in Korea and China, and while I think the quality of Korean guitars can be good -- my Korean-made Fender Tele HH is a very decent guitar at its price point -- I doubt they're up to Rick standards

jdawe wrote:

I own some, and many today are made very well. I have nothing against "budget" models.

My sense is that the quality of todays cheap guitars is, on the whole, much better than the quality of the cheap guitars that were available when I started playing 30-odd years ago.

That said, the Eastwoods (which I have never played) aren't exactly "budget" guitars -- the list prices on their website range from $700-$1700. Street prices may be lower, but at the upper end of the range you are approaching Rick territory. Eastwoods are made in Korea and China, and while I think the quality of Korean guitars can be good -- my Korean-made Fender Tele HH is a very decent guitar at its price point -- I doubt they're up to Rick standards

The Saturn 63, which I owned, cost me over 600, and it was not even on par with a Squier in terms of quality. For 600, back when I bought it, I could have gotten a new Mexican Fender, all are very well made, or a used American. When I finally sold it, I had to sell it for around 200 to my local music shop. It's a funny story how I got the guitar too, because I couldn't afford a Ric, worked really hard to get just enough to get the Eastwood (The current Saturn 63 is like a cross between a Jazzmaster and a 360).

Ain'tGotNoPokemon wrote:The Saturn 63, which I owned, cost me over 600...the Eastwood (The current Saturn 63 is like a cross between a Jazzmaster and a 360).

I was just looking at a photo of a Saturn 63 today, the original Hopf, not the knock-off!

Thought I would share this pic from OurREM:



Incidentally, PRS made Peter a blue custom model, which he gave to my friend Rick Fowler. Rick is the only musician to record with Bill Berry after his retirement (If you don't include #9 Dream).

http://s1.zetaboards.com/OurREM/topic/3139356/1/ Here's our own Peter topic, with some of my pictures.

Ain'tGotNoPokemon wrote:Incidentally, PRS made Peter a blue custom model, which he gave to my friend Rick Fowler. Rick is the only musician to record with Bill Berry after his retirement (If you don't include #9 Dream).

And if you don't include at least two fan club singles, and Love Tractor, and Sherry Joyce, and David Causey...and I believe he also played something on the Rana album he produced. Rick Fowler does cool stuff, but credit where credit is due, or something...

On topic: it is indeed very odd to see Peter playing that PRS. Think he also is seen using it once or twice in the Tuatara footage that exists from '97 or so.

Sweden wrote:

Ain'tGotNoPokemon wrote:Incidentally, PRS made Peter a blue custom model, which he gave to my friend Rick Fowler. Rick is the only musician to record with Bill Berry after his retirement (If you don't include #9 Dream).

And if you don't include at least two fan club singles, and Love Tractor, and Sherry Joyce, and David Causey...and I believe he also played something on the Rana album he produced. Rick Fowler does cool stuff, but credit where credit is due, or something...

On topic: it is indeed very odd to see Peter playing that PRS. Think he also is seen using it once or twice in the Tuatara footage that exists from '97 or so.

Sherry Joyce sings with Rick, as well.

Ain'tGotNoPokemon wrote:

Sweden wrote:

Ain'tGotNoPokemon wrote:Incidentally, PRS made Peter a blue custom model, which he gave to my friend Rick Fowler. Rick is the only musician to record with Bill Berry after his retirement (If you don't include #9 Dream).

And if you don't include at least two fan club singles, and Love Tractor, and Sherry Joyce, and David Causey...and I believe he also played something on the Rana album he produced. Rick Fowler does cool stuff, but credit where credit is due, or something...

On topic: it is indeed very odd to see Peter playing that PRS. Think he also is seen using it once or twice in the Tuatara footage that exists from '97 or so.

Sherry Joyce sings with Rick, as well.

Fair enough. Rick was of course involved in most of the stuff on that album.
Just wanted to point the slight hyperbole in the statement about Rick. Hope it's yours and not his...

Well, I mentioned Rick to mention the PRS of Peter's he now has. It's one of his main guitars now, along with a Tele.

Makes me wonder how long Peter has had any sort of relationship with PRS.

Sort of getting back to the original tone of this topic, "the stringing and playing style of Mr. Buck," I noticed long ago that his right hand is always elevated above the guitar. I find this difficult and must use my right ring and small finger as a base against either the bridge or pickguard, dependent upon which guitar I use. Don't most players have his/her own "something" that is unique? A second Buckism I noticed long ago was his tendency to loosen his fretting arm sleeve and let it dangle a couple of inches up, strumming sleeve in tact. No matter, PB is my favorite player of all-time, Marr, Ronson, Frehley and Nugent sitting closely in chairs, waiting their turn to go on!

Addendum: Personally, I'd consider anything that sells new up to about $650 as a budget guitar. Where the arbitrary $700 threshold originated was my own wallet many years ago.

...wisdom