Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I have been a fan of both Merle Travis, and Chet Atkins for as long as I can remember. I was just wondering if there are any you 360 or 330 owners who play finger style guitar.

JimK

I play a great deal of fingerstyle stuff on my 360. At first, I had a little trouble as I've been an acoustic player for many years and the feel was very different. I had to adjust my right hand so that the thumb and fingers hitting bassier notes were lighter. Playing around with amp settings helped me get a more balanced sound across the strings too. After these minor changes/considerations, I've found the 360 responds beautifully to this style of playing-the strings have more "resistance" and "tension" at the right hand than other electrics I've fooled around with and this makes a huge difference for the fingerstyle approach (I'm not sure if I'm describing this particularly well). In any event, I've found the 360 works exceedingly well with right hand fingerstyle.

Interesting experience there, Bill. And it's pretty much what I would have expected a dedicated Ric player to say.

Having the early symptoms of RAS, I've been thinking that perhaps my second acquisition might be a 360/6 with high gains.

Any more finger pickers out there? Let's hear from you.

JimK

I usually play a sort of three fingers and a thumb banjo roll finger style on my 360/12, but with alternating bass lines that I play with my thumb. I also use a claw-hammer style when a song calls for a strum. If I want a brighter sound or just a convenient way to strum, I wedge a light flat pick between the bottom of my thumb and the edge of my thumb pick. I always manage to get a bright but balanced sound, and usually do not require compression to get the "classic sound" (or any other sound). Since it is a twelve, there is increased tension at the bridge, which is, as Bill said, a definite plus.

I mostly do my pickin' on a Martin. My style is a thumb pick, alternating with my index and middle fingers.

I would say the 650 or 660 are probably the best Ricks for doing Travis-style stuff - that wide neck is a big help.

I don't have a 330 or 360, but I do primarily play fingerstyle on my 660 DCM. The wider neck is perfect for it.

I guess I never would have thought of using one of the 600 series guitars being as they're solid body types. Both Atkins and Travis seemed to prefer hollow body style guitars. Just goes to show you that you can do most anything on any guitar, I guess.

JimK

I taught myself one fingerstyle pattern when I was 17, and can't seem to get it out of my system. Help!

Anyway, I seem to do best with acoustics. Wider string spacing, you know.

The slight width difference in my Gretsch 6122-59 is helpful...surprising how much difference about .020" (.5mm) per string in separation can make. I can fingerpick on most of my Ricks, but it takes lots of concentration on the 12s.

I'm a fingerpicking foofer, just like I play guitar. But isn't it about fun anyway?

It's definitely about fun, Paul! And fingerstyle is a really fun thing to explore. I have a 330, a 380L, a 381, and a 650C, all of which receive the fingerstyle treatment. I agree with Bill completely about the adjustments that are sometimes necessary in one's playing style, but only as it applies to the high gain pick-ups. Those things can really boom, so having a light touch is a must. My favourtie pick-ups for fingerstyle are the Ric humbuckers. They're very balanced, so you can strike each string with pretty much uniform force. But each guitar does very well in its own right.

Not sure about style (i'm afraid i don't have any), and i do not have either of the two mentioned (only a 650), but i always play with fingers, with just one exception (pick just doesn't feel comfortable for me).

But isn't it about fun anyway?

Absolutely!

I usually finger pick because when I started out, strange as it may seem, there weren't that many kids to play music with. So finger style allowed me to be the lead, rhythm and bass guitarist all at the same time. So far, I've played strictly acoustic guitar. But now I'm starting to actively wish to broaden out musically.

JimK

I play Travis style on all my Rics (except basses). I even Travis pick mandolin.

Bill, I wish I could hear some one play "Cannon Ball Rag" on a Ric. I'll bet that would really be quite a tour de force.

JimK

I'm predominantly a flat-picker, but on leads I use the pick as well as my middle and ring fingers - something I picked up from watching Richard Thompson.

Ted, McGuinn does something like that, too. Except he adapted a finger picking style that some folkies, including me, still use.

JimK