What makes Rickenbacker special?

[8mileshigh]

I was thinking tonight, why do I have such a thing for Rickenbacker? Is it the Beatles? Maybe, but I mean I love the promo films of Rain & Paperback Writer. I love the guitar sound on Revolver. I've had SG's and Epiphones, but never had that connection with them. The Byrds? Probably yes. Dave Crosby's guitar work I love. So Gretsch? Yeah I've had them and sold them. Again no connection? But Rickys are just somehow, more exclusive? We all know they have that cool sound. But to me it's the whole sound, look, feel, history that makes them so special.... there I knew I'd work it out. Thank you Rickenbacker Forum

[leftyguitars]

Gosh Graham, that was like reading "War and Peace"!

[kcole4001]

Maybe the fact that they're still almost entirely hand made, or maybe the elegant styling. Or because no one else seems to be able to come up with anywhere near as good FG type finish.
Those are my reasons.

[tony_carey]

The sound, the look, the history. I was never directly influenced by an artiste who played them & when I first came across them (a picture in a magazine when I was 12 or 13), I didn't know a thing about them, they could have been anything. But they were so beautiful, that I cut out the pictures & carried them around with me. It was only later that I found out that there was no way I could afford one. But at the grand old age of 18, I got my first brand new 4001JG & have never looked back.

What a sound though, after all these years, I still feel a genuine thrill when I hear THAT sound coming from my amp.....

[dswp]

I know that it’s been said before,,,

However, when I was 12, I lived, eat, and slept Chris Squire, Mike Rutherford and Geddy Lee.

Nothing in live mattered (other than girls), until I had enough money to buy my first Ric and Moog Taurus pedals.

[aceonbass]

When I really started getting into music in the very early 70's, it was Genesis, Yes and Rush. The images of those bassists,in particular Chris Squire with the power and dramatic flare he brought to bass playing, is what got me into Rickenbackers. A couple years later when I actually started playing bass, I knew what I had to have and how I wanted to sound from the start if I was going to play progressive rock.......
....or maybe it's just 'cause chicks seemed to like the way they looked.

[aceonbass]

That's too funney Dave. I did my post before I saw yours. We should definitely have a drink some time!

[beatlefan]

The sounds, the look, the history....that says it all.

Ricks are really timeless....what a great design!! IMHO,they look just as good now as they did in the 60's.....

[dswp]

Dane, the drinks are on me, hopefully at the next MARC...

[dswp]

O.K. we can all have a good laugh now..

It took me until I was 14 before I got my first Ric. LONG ago

[atomic_punk]

You weren't kidding! Were you Geddy's Patawon?

(Sorry, just watched Star Wars Episode III this weekend)...

[phlemmy]

still have that same bass?

[dswp]

No,

Like Geddy, I traded it for a Steinberger back in the 80's.

But back to topic, Rickenbackers are so engrained on me..

[phlemmy]

i was a strict fender jazz guy until i got my first RIC. i had played a few new ones and never liked them but when i did the motorhead tribute band i had to have one...ya know, so i could rock out like motorhead. at that point it just felt right and i sold off all of my jazz basses...i wish i would have kept my first one though.

[nattiep]

Steve, I don't want to sound nitpicky or nerdy but it's "Padawan"..

"Like Geddy, I traded it for a Steinberger back in the 80's."

So you were Ged's padawan learner...
Or did Geddy go to the dark side?

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Hey, Steve.. didja like the movie?