Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

For anyone interested in Vox Teardrop nine-string guitars, Phantom Guitar Works has announced a limited run of these guitars on their website at www.phantomguitars.com . I originally contacted CEO Jack Charles last year and asked him to build me a custom reissue of the old Vox MkIX from the 1960's, and he agreed to do it in a limited run. He's also announcing a Brian Jones Teardrop 12-string and a Hollies Phantom 12-string. I currently own a Teardop 6-string and a Teardrop 12-string. In my opinion, his reissues are better guitars than any of the original Vox guitars that I've owned.

My 9-string Phantom Teardrop has arrived. It was built using (1) of (10) special necks. These necks fits several body styles (i.e. Phantom, Teardrop solid-body, or Teardrop hollowbody). According to Phantom, they have sold (5) guitars with this special neck. Mine is probably the only black Teardrop with vibrato. Here is the unique headstock:

Here is the body:

Nice! How does it sound, Randy?

Slightly off topic: How do their hollow body teardrop twelves sound?

Gary: It takes a little getting used to. An open chord like 'D' is almost like a twelve-string, but not quite. It's also odd playing an open 'G' because of the extra ring. I think it might feel more comfortable if I change the top three strings to a heavier gauge. Although Ricks are often mischaracterized at 'rhythm guitars', this truly is a rhythm guitar. No string bending on the bottom strings.

Isaac - I've never played one of their hollow-body twelve-strings. I have one of their solid-body twelve-strings, but I've been playing around with the neck set-up. It's definitely not in the same league as a Rick, but they are much better than the original Vox guitars. I know that Will Sargent from Echo And The Bunnymen currently uses Phantoms as his stage guitars.

I ordered a Mark IX when you first mentioned them last year. I had thought the octaves were on the E-A-D strings... but when I learned they were on the G-B-E strings, I changed my order to the Teardrop Deluxe. It's the black, hollow body model with the 3 humbuckers and vibrato. I like it.

Sir Andy: The stringing is definitely odd, but that's the way Vox built them in the 1960's. It was an idea (much like RIC's slanted frets) that never caught on. I had him put the vibrato on it just for looks. I'll never 'wang' it. I always wanted a Vox IX, just to have one. Unfortunately, every one that I've located over the years was in such poor shape I wouldn't buy it. Jack Charles (Phantom CEO) is great to work with, and is a collector himself. I've already discussed a few special order guitars, and he is more than happy to build them. That's a rare thing today!

Yeah, I know he was building them the way VOX did in the 60s... and I don't blame him. If only a left-handed neck were available to mount onto a rightie... then the octaves would've been where I had wanted them to be.

The one I ended up getting--being a hollow body--sure is light! No shoulder fatigue at all.