The title for this thread may seem harsh, but I have honest concerns.
I have four Rickenbackers.
A 360V64, 1997SPC/VB, 340, and 650A. I had a 340/12 which I sold.
The more I play the 340, the more I'm drawn to my 1997 and 360. The 340 sounds thin and lifeless when compared to those guitars. The 340 doesn't sound dreadful, but its tones are not as rich, 3 dimensional, or sparkly as the others.
It yields a nice lead sound when distorted, but overall it's lacking something.
Is it the High Gains? The slightly different body dimensions?
I've played it through my Roland JC120, my Vox Pathfinder SMR, my PC-based recording preamp, and an Ampeg Jet II. Is it just me? Do I need a different amplifier to unlock this guitar's potential?
I have found myself thinking about what I could trade it for.
My 340 is a gorgeous guitar finished in Desert Gold with oven knobs. I wish it sounded as good as it looks.
Cheers, Noel
Why doesn't my 340 sound good?
Moderators: rickenbrother, ajish4
Undoubtedly Wooly, toasters would sound better than the Hi-Gains. My 1997 has 3 toasters, the 360 has 2. They typify the Ric sound.
Maybe a switch might endear this guitar to me a trifle more.
'course the neck on the 340 feels like a 2X4 compared to the other two.
Perhaps in the morning I'll feel better about it.
-nOel
Maybe a switch might endear this guitar to me a trifle more.
'course the neck on the 340 feels like a 2X4 compared to the other two.
Perhaps in the morning I'll feel better about it.
-nOel
Try doing the middle pickup rewire to control it via the fifth knob. This gives you every combination of pickups. I did it to my 325v63 when it still had the 11k toasters and it really opened up the tone. The middle pickup just seemed to muddy up the tone overall and I can see why Lennon disconnnected his. With the middle pickup controlled by the 5th knob you retain flexibility and awesome strat tones using it with the rear pickup
I subsequently unwound the pickups back to 7.4k which made it even better still.
The instructions are on this site.
I subsequently unwound the pickups back to 7.4k which made it even better still.
The instructions are on this site.
I had considered this, Philip. I even thought about installing a 5-way switch. Murkiness is not the problem, the 340 sounds thin and metallic.
I wondered about reverse wiring the middle pickup also.
I'm afraid I am going to give it a long kiss goodbye. I really wanted to hold onto it since it is a limited edition color, but I have my guitars to play -not to collect.
I think I'll have a chat with my shop owner/tech Bob Willcutt and see what he thinks (as far as mods go). I can't bring myself to work on my Rics. I don't mind soldering and adjusting my other guitars, but the Rics are sacred!
Torn in Kentucky, Noel
I wondered about reverse wiring the middle pickup also.
I'm afraid I am going to give it a long kiss goodbye. I really wanted to hold onto it since it is a limited edition color, but I have my guitars to play -not to collect.
I think I'll have a chat with my shop owner/tech Bob Willcutt and see what he thinks (as far as mods go). I can't bring myself to work on my Rics. I don't mind soldering and adjusting my other guitars, but the Rics are sacred!
Torn in Kentucky, Noel
Come on Noel, get in there and try a few things and try to find out what is wrong with that instrument. Case in point....in 60' I bought a new Fender amp and it sounded terrible but I didn't want to mess with it so I bought a different used amp to use. Big, big mistake.
Jump ahead to 2000....I got into that new old stock Fender amp and within a day I had found a cold solder joint from the factory that caused all the problem for over 40 years.
You have nothing to lose by checking out that guitar...it's your toy...get in there and fix it!!
Now, I have a new, unused Fender Bandmaster...it's so rare that collectors of this stuff have told me that they have never seen one.
But I would rather have used it because I don't collect these things, I use em.
Jump ahead to 2000....I got into that new old stock Fender amp and within a day I had found a cold solder joint from the factory that caused all the problem for over 40 years.
You have nothing to lose by checking out that guitar...it's your toy...get in there and fix it!!
Now, I have a new, unused Fender Bandmaster...it's so rare that collectors of this stuff have told me that they have never seen one.
But I would rather have used it because I don't collect these things, I use em.
I've had 4 wives but I still have my 60' 360!
Thanks for the words of encouragement. David, I'm certain the guitar is in pristine shape. The electronics are fine and I recently had it adjusted/set-up. I ordered it new from Ric. I really think it's come down to taste and preference. It must be the Hi-Gains. There's no doubt in my mind that this 340 could easily become someone else's soulmate.
I'll lament its loss because it's such a striking instrument.
Now my Epi Dot, I do need to tear into that beast to repair the electronics. Talk about lax quality control at the factory!
-N-
I'll lament its loss because it's such a striking instrument.
Now my Epi Dot, I do need to tear into that beast to repair the electronics. Talk about lax quality control at the factory!
-N-
Thin and metallic? That to me describes a mexi strat, not a Rick of any variety. Here's another voice urging you to at least rewire the blend knob before you do something "irreversible!" The biggest mod anybody can do to a guitar is sell it!
"The only worthwhile conquests are those wrested from ignorance"
-Napoleon
-Napoleon
-
rickenuser
- New member
- Posts: 30
- Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2003 11:45 am
Noel-I can relate to how you feel about not wanting to work on your Rickenbacker. I have a 360/6 that was beautiful and played nicely, but just wasn't giving me the "sound". I also own a '64 1997 and a 360/12v64. I was very apprehensive about working on it, but I bit the bullet, r&r'd the hi-gains with toasters, and now it is the total package. Night and day difference, and I don't have the complex of working on my Ricks anymore-Give it shot-get to know it more intimately...Good luck!!!
-
profjeff
Noel--Here's one more POV just to confuse the issue even more. I am a big fan of the hi gains. I have a 360/6 and a 360/12, and both sound terrific--full of chime and complex harmonics. I have recorded dozens of songs with both of them and noone mistakes the Rick sound for anything else. I recently auditioned several Ricks with toasters at Wildwood Guitars here in Colorado (http://www.wildwoodguitars.com) and I like them too. My wife (an excellent guitarist/vocalist and musician in general) feels that the toasters lack body and bite.
My hi gains really like Thomastik Infeld Power Brights (.010-.046), and I had to raise my action a bit because the pole pieces were too close to the strings. I also cranked down the pickups against the foam mounts to lower them about 1/16". This allowed the strings to vibrate more freely.
There are so many factors that effect tone. I would be hesitant to replace the pickups or rewire the guitar before I tried some different strings and setups. Maybe the guitar just needs to be played alot to get the wood molecules moving and loosen up the dense finish. You could do what The Edge does to his 360/12 and kick it across the stage a few times. On second thought, maybe you should just crank up an amp and play the **** out of it...I mean literally, play the **** right out of it until you have a great sounding guitar. Stand right in front of your amp and let it squeal for awhile, then whang out a huge power chord that makes your fillings rattle. Keep doing this until your goldfish are swimming belly up and you can't hear your wife yelling at you. Once you have reached the point of temporary deafness, your 340 won't sound any worse than your other Ricks.
I have some sound clips on my website:
http://home.attbi.com/~drjeffreyb
My hi gains really like Thomastik Infeld Power Brights (.010-.046), and I had to raise my action a bit because the pole pieces were too close to the strings. I also cranked down the pickups against the foam mounts to lower them about 1/16". This allowed the strings to vibrate more freely.
There are so many factors that effect tone. I would be hesitant to replace the pickups or rewire the guitar before I tried some different strings and setups. Maybe the guitar just needs to be played alot to get the wood molecules moving and loosen up the dense finish. You could do what The Edge does to his 360/12 and kick it across the stage a few times. On second thought, maybe you should just crank up an amp and play the **** out of it...I mean literally, play the **** right out of it until you have a great sounding guitar. Stand right in front of your amp and let it squeal for awhile, then whang out a huge power chord that makes your fillings rattle. Keep doing this until your goldfish are swimming belly up and you can't hear your wife yelling at you. Once you have reached the point of temporary deafness, your 340 won't sound any worse than your other Ricks.
I have some sound clips on my website:
http://home.attbi.com/~drjeffreyb
Mark, I like what you said about 'get to know it more intimately'. A good guitar should echo the sound of your soul. It should both stimulate the eyes and the ears. You should almost lust to play it when you can't. And when it's in your hands, it should be both familiar and exciting. I'm not making that connection with the 340.
In trying to explain my position to some friends of mine, I've waxed poetic, comparing the guitars to some notable women (not to be interpreted as sexist):
340 = Marilyn Monroe
1997 = Audrey Hepburn
360 = Leslie Caron/Ingrid Bergman
Marilyn can capture the whole room's attention and cause every man to wish he could hold her in his arms. But those charms are thin and shortlived when held up against Audrey, et al.
So I have decided to let someone else have Marilyn. It may well be their dream. To confirm my intent, I played my 360V64 virtually all day today.
I am happy to have owned the 340, however, and pleased that it's been immortalised (in a way) in recordings. Its lead tone can be compelling. On a song called 'Desert Ship' from my band's forthcoming album, the 340 yielded a delicious, creamy lead tone on the solo. I also used it for some compressed arppegios here and there. But when I used it for a song which features some clean, detailed picking ('Atlas') I knew it wouldn't be with me forever. We had to scrap the take. I re-recorded it with the 1997. The 340 sounded like cardboard compared to that.
It's odd, considering players such as Paul Weller and Johnny Marr, both whom have profoundly influenced me, always got such nice sounds out of their 330/340s.
It just wasn't meant to be -for me.
I have already begun shopping for its replacement.
A 360/12 maybe - as I don't have any roundtop Rickies. Or maybe *gasp* a Fender Tele Thinline or '72 Custom.
Thanks for all the words of advice and encouragement.
Consider the 340 'for sale'. I am sad, though. I think the 330/340 profile defines the Rickenbacker look. Sweeping crescent, neck not touching the body until almost the 22nd fret(!), R tailpiece... sigh.
Jeff, I'll check out your clips soon.
I'm a devoted user of solid state amps. My Roland JC-120's clean headroom and tone perfectly matches my guitars. My Vox mini stack is a wonderful compliment to the 360V64. Does a 330/340 NEED a valve amp to be fully realised?
Perhaps there is something in that.
Cheers, Noel
*end of ramble
In trying to explain my position to some friends of mine, I've waxed poetic, comparing the guitars to some notable women (not to be interpreted as sexist):
340 = Marilyn Monroe
1997 = Audrey Hepburn
360 = Leslie Caron/Ingrid Bergman
Marilyn can capture the whole room's attention and cause every man to wish he could hold her in his arms. But those charms are thin and shortlived when held up against Audrey, et al.
So I have decided to let someone else have Marilyn. It may well be their dream. To confirm my intent, I played my 360V64 virtually all day today.
I am happy to have owned the 340, however, and pleased that it's been immortalised (in a way) in recordings. Its lead tone can be compelling. On a song called 'Desert Ship' from my band's forthcoming album, the 340 yielded a delicious, creamy lead tone on the solo. I also used it for some compressed arppegios here and there. But when I used it for a song which features some clean, detailed picking ('Atlas') I knew it wouldn't be with me forever. We had to scrap the take. I re-recorded it with the 1997. The 340 sounded like cardboard compared to that.
It's odd, considering players such as Paul Weller and Johnny Marr, both whom have profoundly influenced me, always got such nice sounds out of their 330/340s.
It just wasn't meant to be -for me.
I have already begun shopping for its replacement.
A 360/12 maybe - as I don't have any roundtop Rickies. Or maybe *gasp* a Fender Tele Thinline or '72 Custom.
Thanks for all the words of advice and encouragement.
Consider the 340 'for sale'. I am sad, though. I think the 330/340 profile defines the Rickenbacker look. Sweeping crescent, neck not touching the body until almost the 22nd fret(!), R tailpiece... sigh.
Jeff, I'll check out your clips soon.
I'm a devoted user of solid state amps. My Roland JC-120's clean headroom and tone perfectly matches my guitars. My Vox mini stack is a wonderful compliment to the 360V64. Does a 330/340 NEED a valve amp to be fully realised?
Perhaps there is something in that.
Cheers, Noel
*end of ramble