Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I had the pleasure of doing some shows this weekend (as a drummer!) with my friend David Mclaughlin (a.k.a. 'Combo 850' here on the Forum) with the band Spingfield Exit..

http://www.springfieldexit.com/

We were also joined by Sammy Shelor and Jeff Parker of The Lonesome River Band...

http://www.lonesomeriverband.com/

Apart from the acoustic and bluegrass tunes we did, we also played some old-time country. David played his 1958 Combo 850 on the songs that required electric guitar. It was even used as tic-tac-bass on some songs! Coool....

I am hear to tell all of you that the Rickenbacker Combo 850 was/is one fabulous sounding instrument, especially in David's hands. I know that most of you have only seen an 850 in pictures and never heard one at all....you don't know what you're missing. It's just a crying shame they never really caught on. We had people coming up asking,"..What kind of guitar IS that??" LOL....These guitars are tone monsters.

It seems really cool to me that at these shows, the only place ANYWHERE in the world that a Combo 850 was being played was on our stage.

That does sound cool. If we start a campaign, do you think they'll bring the 850 back?

Well, I'll say this much: As a start, I can think of a list of people who would buy one....most people on that list know who they are and we all know eachother, LOL..

With a toaster in place of the HS p/up and have the HS available as an upcharge option, and three color choices: two-tone brown, blonde and Cloverfield Green. It would be something to behold.

You mean one of these babies, right?

Yes, in fact it was the blonde 850 in the middle of the pic. The green one sounds awesome too, but the blonde guitar was the one at the show.

I am delighted to find a nest of 850 enthusiasts. I used to own one and I agree with all that has been said here. If you are a Rick player who has played the 850, then you know that nothing else comes close. I believe these are the greatest guitars ever produced and it is an outrage that they became extinct.
I get the impression that the Rickenbacker Company does not realise how few are out there, how dearly they are sought after and any enthusiasm they have for the 850 is to say the least, hidden well.
The development of the three pick up version, all toasters I think, marked the transition to features of the 325 electrics in an 850 body and it was the offspring of this which became the 325(any one who knows otherwise then please let me know). It is little wonder that they had no need to build 850's anymore when the 325 became so famous thanks to Mr.Lennon and his group.
I have undertaken to replicate the 850 I owned using the body of a 610 as I believe that this was to have been the shape of the new solid bodies but the body would not take a horse shoe so after speaking with Mr.Seymour Duncan I am nearly there. We have been working with the schematics shown on the Rickenbacker.com site but they are not of the greatest detail and appear to have been drawn up forty years after the event. Would any luthiers or owners be able to supply me with more precise schematics and/or photos of the schematics and does any one have information regarding the tone selector switch, is it like Gretsch tone switches of the day?
I would like nothing more than an 850 but so few were made, possibly even fewer people know of them, so what kind of gamble are we asking Mr.Hall to make if we were to plead for the re- birth of this beautiful guitar?
I won't hold my breath but I would camp outside the factory gates to get my hands on one as it came off the line(don't panic Mr.Hall,I live in England!).
I am game for an 850 revivalist movement and would give it my full support so long that our enthusiasm for the 850 does not exceed our respect and thanks to Mr.Hall and Rickenbacker for that which they continue to do without equal.
All the best,

Bob.

Does the 850 have a short scale like the 325? It looks like it does..

Nope. It's a standard scale, although there was one Combo 850 made with a short scale like a 325...it has been nicknamed the 'Polynesian', which is the name of the group(Polynesians)that used it in the '50s.

With reference to my earlier question on the forum, we have the details required now for the completion of my Rick 850/610 project, but if there is any furthering of the suggestion to create a movement for the reintroduction of the 850 then I'm with it all the way.

All the best,

Bob.

I don't think the 850 transitioned into the 325 as suggested above when they started making a few all toaster versions (though they certainly shared the same jig). Aside from the Polynesian, which seems to have been built along with the first 325s, the very few all-toastered ones didn't seem to appear until after the 325s were already complete and gathering dust.

I think they were going the right direction with all toasters, though- they just gave up on it... that old horseshoe had to have been a turnoff to many. By this time, they were getting pretty lazy with marketing- the 850 wasn't in the crazy-obsolete catalogue that lasted from 1959 through most of the 60s, so there wasn't much chance of anybody ordering one- though it was in the pricelist for a really long time. Who'd buy something they couldn't see?

...but I say it's time for a new one. They should have the 850, 855, 860, & 865... the latter two modeled after that deluxe version that popped up recently. ...and go with all toasters so the bulk of the originals are still unique.

Tony: I agree. I think there is room for a contemporary 800 Series, IMO it would be a good product that could compete nicely in the PRS market of instruments.

As a side note to what you said about the Polynesian being made with the first 325s, I have heard that this guitar has a Combo-style sn# rather than in the V80-V108 range. Apparently V111(outside of the 28 numbers) is also a 3/4 scale, a '58 310 from what I've heard...

Hark. That's the opposite of what I'd read on the always-accurate internet. ...but since it has a 325 neck, I'd still say it was likely made during that run or after.

A contemporary 850... they could put a picture of a Powerpuff Girl on it to compete with the Hello Kitty Fenders.

LOL..Well, not THAT contemporary. But, a modern design that retains the majority of the original lines....I'll bet they'd fly out the door....

I had the opportunity and honor to play David's 850 at the Mid-Atlantic confluence in November. The guitar plays wonderful and has incredible tonal ranges available throughout the various settings. I heard some thick, rich tones at low volumes that I never would have expected to come from a solid body guitar. I had seen these guitars on John Williams's website for the past few years and always wanted to try them. A really cool looking guitar. Well, the guitar was way better than I dreamed. If they were ever made again, I'd have to spring for one. Thank you David for bringing these to the confluence. I can only hope that some day I may be able to acquire one of these rare gems.

Dave Did you also have a chance to play "Betsy"? One of Dave's guitars that is quite different.