Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I've been a Les Paul/Strat guy for the last three decades. Time to venture out into new sonic waters.

What would be a good first 6-string Ric to get?

Im a bassist ( I own a 4001 and a 4003), but the 330 and 360 are great guitars. My band mate owns a 360 - in my opinion one of the nicest sounding guitars around

Welcome, So you finally see the light, or is that a Lightshow Rickenbacker!!!

Welcome Riffmeister. What is your budget? What is your playing style? Are you a lead or rhythm player?

Peter, if you like Les Pauls, you should try a 650C or 650D. It's the guitar that many a Les Paul player always wanted, but somehow never ended up finding.

Ric 360V64! Something with Toasters in it. You would not believe the incredible twang and sting I've been getting out of my Ric 1997 SPC.

Get yourself to a shop and plug a few in. I prefer the semi-hollow models to the 650s and other solid planks, but I have a 650A which is wonderful.

Let us know what you choose!

cheers, Noel

I play all styles, from classical to blues to rock to jazz. I will probably be using the Ric mostly for recording with my rock band:

www.jackdiesel.net

I'm looking for a significant departure from the usual Les Paul & Strat sounds. So it's prolly gonna be a hollow body or a semi hollowbody Ric.

What are the pickup choices?

P.S. This place is cool! Thanks for all your suggestions and help!!

Peter, If you REALLY want to depart from the crowd, get a 350V63. It has a long scale neck for easy playing, and three vintage toaster pickups, and semi-hollow construction with a small body, and lightweight at 7#. I would call it the UnStratocaster. That, and a 220 (the UnTelecaster) or 260 (UnTelecaster Deluxe) are the only Rick guitars I want besides my 650D. Throw a set of vintage pickups on a 650, and you basically have a stripped 660/6 with a 24-fret neck. Install hi-gain pickups on that 650, and you have a 620 with a fatter neck, better bridge, and 24-fret neck. The 650 is your most versatile solid body workhorse. It can also be had with tremolo bar. It is, of course, the UnLes Paul. The 330/6, 360/6 or 380L would be your UnES-335, etc. A 481 (body similar to 4003 bass) might also be in order, as it's unusual even for a Rick, sort of an UnExplorer or UnFirebird. Add one of those Tech 21 American Woman pedals endorsed by Randy Bachman, and it becomes an UnDun. Use anything but RIC pickups in your Rick, and it becomes an UnEthical.

To my understanding, all the modern RIC guitar pickups will interchange. If the guitar you want is not available with the pickups you want, you can change them out yourself. You can have humbuckers, hi-gain single coils, or toaster (vintage) single coils.

Most rockers would prefer the humbuckers, as they have less hum and they are "hot" for your high gain applications. They are clearer sounding than most other humbuckers, and much quieter than single coils. Basically, you get the quietness of humbuckers with single coil clarity. They compare in tonal quality to the pickups on my dad's old Gretsch, except they are a bit leaner and cleaner. There is NO muddiness to the tone like typical humbuckers.

Unfortunately, the 350V63, which is the coolest looking Rick guitar (to me), is also one of the priciest. I would definitely want the toasters in it if I had one.

And what does your bass player think of Rickenbacker basses? The bass section is the hottest part of the Forum, you know.

"That, and a 220 (the UnTelecaster) or 260 (UnTelecaster Deluxe) are the only Rick guitars I want besides my 650D."

A 220 and a 260??? A man after my own heart! I've got both and a 650D (with vibrato).

The only minor detail is the pickups on the 220/260 are NOT interchangeable (...not that you'd want to change them). They are a unique "bolt-thru" design.

I like the 350V63 idea. Very very Cool. And so Un-Fender and Un-Gibson!

However, now I'm re-thinking my needs. As I said, I've been a Strat & Les Paul guy forever. What I'd like to do is add a Gretsch and a Ric to my collection for some sonic diversity. Ric's are soooooo well known for their 12 string sound, that I'll probably go that route for my first Ric, and get a 6-string a hollowbody Gretsch of some sort.

So, the question for you Ric experts is:

Which 12 string? There are the larger hollow bodies, the smaller chambered bodies, and solid bodies, right? The larger hollow bodies of course *look* the coolest (IMHO), but which would be the best for recording? (probably my primary use for this guitar) Your cyber-thoughts are much appreciated!!

Welcome, Peter. Good luck with your twelve string shopping; that will be my next Ric purchase as well. Something you should be aware of is the different neck widths, the solid body 660/12 has a 1 3/4 inch neck (measured at the nut), the other models have a 1 5/8 inch neck, which some people find a tight squeeze. Also, a lot of folks here, myself included, prefer the sound of the vintage "toaster" style pick ups to the high gain pick ups which come standard on the hollow bodied (these are actually "semi-acoustic") models. This thread has an mp3 sample of a hollow body 360 equipped with the toasters:../7/9358.html"#FFEECC">

Peter,

Visit Pick of the Ricks. Check his website. His shop is in NJ, not far from Philly.

Thanks for the advice on neck widths and p/u choices. Also, I will *definitely* pay a visit to Pick of the Ricks. Awesome.......just what the Dr. ordered!