Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi, first post here. I'm a guitarist but I've never owned a Rickenbacker before. This seems like a great place for me to try and get some information on a guitar I inherited about a month ago.

I've done some searching around on this site for some information. I guess there were 1000 of these made and about half of them were Mapleglo. I have the original Ric case for this but there was no "authentication" paper work. Are there other ways to determin this guitar's authenticity? I've only had my hands on about 3 or 4 Rics in my life so I don't know the intricate details.

Any help on what this guitar is/isn't, does or doesn't do, or general estimated value would be greatly appreciated. I may even take an offer if it sounds good (I hope that kind of statement is allowed here...if not, I'll remove it). This guitar is WAY over my head and carries little sentimental value for me...so far.

I'm trying to post some pictures of this guitar but am having some trouble with the "code". Here's some links to where I have some pictures posted on my Photobucket account:
Full Frontal

pickguard

headstock

body

backside

output jacks

Looks legit to me. Does the onboard compressor work? Get in touch with Kenny @ Rickenbacker. He can help authenticate it for you. He would just need the serial number.

How does the onboard compressor work? Can you tell me how to set the knobs to test this? I'm sure it does. The original owner was meticulous about that kind of thing.

Thanks again

First thing to do is take the scratchplate off. You should find a 9v battery wedged under the circuit board. I'd put a fresh one in and put the scratchplate back on. Then turn the knob (just to the right of the one below the bridge) clockwise. Depending which position it's in, click it round fully, but don't force it! With the guitar plugged in you'll soon hear the difference. With the dial fully anti clockwise, you get a muffled tone, with each click clockwise it get brighter. The compressor kicks in for positions 4,5 and 6. Good luck and let us know how you get on.

I've got a guestion about the McGuinn signature guitars. Do they have the hot toasters or the scatterwounds? Roger's personal ones sound a little hot to my ears.

Cole

I think they're hotter rather than scatter. I think I read something like they're wound around 9.6??

I am sure the RM models have the "hot" toasters as these guitars were produced in the late 80s and early 90s. I believe The scatterwounds were first used in late 1999. There was some discussion here at one time about what would happen if the pickups on an RM model were changed to scatterwounds. Someone wondered how the sound would change through the onboard compressor. I don't recall if anyone tried it.

Very interesting. The "holy grail" of jangle has hot toasters. Makes ya' think.

Cole

Graham, the compressor does work exactly as you said it should. Hmm...sounds pretty cool! Thanks!!!

Now how do I get a hold of Kenny at Rickenbacker? Do I just call the telephone number that's on the site or is there a better way?

I have another question about the setup of this guitar. The way it's strung right now, each pair of strings is in reverse order than what it would be on an acoustic 12 string. In other words, if you strum with a downstroke, you are hitting all the lower tuned strings first. Is that the way this guitar should be strung or do I need to re-string it like an acoustic? I guess the nut slots really dictate how the strings should go, but I just want to make sure it's correct for this design.

Anyone have a ballpark figure on what this thing may be worth? As I said, I'm a guitarist but I've never been into Rickenbackers except as an admirer from afar. Love the Beatles and the tones Chris Squire and Geddy Lee got out of Ric basses!

I never got into Roger McGuinn though. Is there any songs I should learn by him that would utilize the tones of this guitar? Anybody have any recommended amps/effects setups that really showcase the tone of it? What the heck is "Rick-O-Sound" and how do you utilize that? I could records some clips, post them to my Soundclick page and put the links on here if anyone wants to hear them. I'm not an awful player!

Wendell wrote The way it's strung right now, each pair of strings is in reverse order than what it would be on an acoustic 12 string. In other words, if you strum with a downstroke, you are hitting all the lower tuned strings first...."

That is exactly the way it should be, all Rickenbacker 12 strings come this way from the factory.

Cool. I have a bunch of new 12 string sets that are flatwound that came with it. I guess I'll put a fresh set on this thing and see how jangely I can get.

Wendell - As for the worth of that old thing, I'll give you $500 for it right now. You know, because it's old and used and who'd want one of those "unplayable" old Ric 12 strings anyway? Besides, I'm a nice guy and all that...

OK, how about $750? And I'm talking "right now!" too. Don't hesitate, OK?

Seriously, welcome to the forum and you need to rock out on that thing! For starters, learn "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "Turn Turn Turn" by the Byrds, and get yourself a capo and do "If I Needed Someone" by the Beatles. Then go on to some Plimsouls and XTC songs.

If you're not into jangling after those songs, OK, I'll take it off your hands for $1000.

Deal?

Steve. Thanks for the great offers...really! You seem like a real swell guy welcoming me to the forum and offering to take this thing off my hands like that. And to double your offer before I can even say yes?!?! Man...too kind!

Seriously though, I'm going to try to learn at least the parts of those songs that really feature the sound of the guitar and record them for you all. Seems like a fun little project to do with this guitar to help me get to know it. I can hear that riff in "Turn Turn Turn" in my head right now! I've never heard of Plimsouls so that should be a ear-opener for me right there.

Got any recommendations on some amp sounds to go for? I currently have a PODxt Live, a Victoria 2x12 amp, a Marshall JTM45 2x12, a Bogner Ecstasy with matching 4x12 and a CAE OD100 head. I also have a bunch of pedals, COT50, Soul Bender, Fulltone Fat Boost. T-rex Betavibe, an old Small Stone, Carl Martin Delayla

I'm playing the RIC strait into the Victoria right now but I'm not happy with the "janglness" of it all. But then again, I haven't put he new strings on it or messed with the guitar's settings all that much yet either. Maybe I'll throw my treble booster on it or something.

Can't wait to dig into these songs!

In all seriosuness, what you have is a fairly collectible guitar, as you may know now. The guitar is worth $3000-$3500 without the original certificate, and probably $4500- $5000 with. I am guessing you do not have it.

Reproductions/reissues of the certificate are strictly not available from RIC, sadly.

Is that serial number E1 8181? If so, that's odd. I have what thought was every E1 month/year RM made in my database. I do not see this one.