Beatles' Custom Rics of '66

lennon211 · Post by **lennon211** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 5:20 pm

I tried over on the corporate site to no result, so I'll try here. Ok, in BeatlesGear, the author discusses a set of Rics that were to be delivered to Lennon and Harrison in L.A. during the '66 tour. They were staying in a mansion and I think the Byrds were hanging out. Anyway, when Mr. Hall showed up with the guitars, he wasn't let in. The guitars are described as being a 325-style with a rounded top like the 360 NS and a 360/12 with an ultra-thin top and traditional 12 string courses with the octave string first. I'm wondering if there were any pics ever taken of these customs and what ever happened to them. Anybody out there got the answers?

jps · Post by **jps** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 5:26 pm

There is a pic on page 223 of the Smith book that shows something similar to the rounded 325 you speak of.

beefandbones · Post by **beefandbones** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 8:23 pm

If the Beatles and the Byrds were together in a Los Angeles mansion in 1966, it's likely that they were in no condition to receive visitors!

The guitar on page 223 of the Smith book may have been similar to the one intended for John in 1966, but I'd be surprised if Rickenbacker would have given him that particular one, since it's fireglo. It's a 320 shape (no vibrato, R tailpiece), with rounded 360-style contours, a 381-style pickguard, and hi-gains. But still, like Jeffrey says, it's similar to the style you mention.

Good question, Matthew!

beefandbones · Post by **beefandbones** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 8:26 pm

Mr. Hall Sr may have noticed that both John and George had switched to guitars with more powerful P-90 pickups by 1966. I wonder if hi-gains were developed in reaction to their switch? When asked to compare hi-gains to another brand of pickup, it seems P-90's often crop up in the conversation.

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 12:51 am

One guitar was/is thought to have been a 370/12 with a 'Byrd' or McGuinn wiring circuit like Roger was playing at the time.

High Gains weren't used in Rickenbackers until 1969, IIRC....

beefandbones · Post by **beefandbones** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 5:06 am

I'm not sure how long it took Rickenbacker to develop and produce hi-gains, but two or three years seems plausible, with the pickup redesign commencing in '66 after John and George switched to P-90s. Totally conjecture, though.

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 5:25 am

I think the pickup redesign was about mroe than just the Beatles - music was moving in a more "high-gain" direction across the board.

tennis_nick · Post by **tennis_nick** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 5:41 am

I find P-90's and high gains to be nothing alike. But I suppose it's hard to compare, you've got one in an all maple Rick, and the other in a CASino...

lyle_from_minneapolis · Wed Mar 07, 2007 3:39 pm

Imagine that jam.

karl_teten · Post by **karl_teten** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 5:18 pm

John Hall, with the new RIC's, was at the right place at the wrong time.

They guys were inside probably trippin' nuts on LSD.

This would have been around the same time when Peter Fonda showed up and was bumming out the scene with all his, "I know what it is like to be dead" talk.

lennon211 · Post by **lennon211** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 5:36 pm

Yep. That's the occasion that I'm referring to. I'm just wondering whatever happened to the guitars and if there have ever been any pics snapped of them. They sound incredibly cool and I think qualify as "lost" Beatles guitars, in a sense.

beefandbones · Post by **beefandbones** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 7:06 pm

But wouldn't Peter Fonda have visited in '65? By the time the Beatles made it to America in '66, 'Revolver' was already in the can.

rick36 · Post by **rick36** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 7:27 pm

It was '65. Peter Fonda showed them the then new movie "Cat Ballou" featuring sister Jane. Lennon was quoted as saying he hated the film. Probably didn't do much for any warm, fuzzy feelings towards Peter.

lennon211 · Post by **lennon211** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 7:53 pm

My bad. Sometimes without my books right in front of me all of the facts become jumbled.

wolfgang · Post by **wolfgang** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 9:34 pm

.. and your BIRD can sing... the Byrds
...when your BIKE is broken... Peter Fonda's bike
...when your priced possessions... the well known 12- string guitar
... I know what it's like to be dead... Peter Fonda...