Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

This was a topic on the RIC website that I responded to. I realized that I haven't shared this story with too many people other than a couple college buddies at the time, and later my wife. I haven't had many other "visions" since then, but thought you might like the story.

I was always a Beatles and Byrds fan who loved the classic Rickenbacker look and sound. In college, I had to write a fake commercial for a speech class. I had been listening to the Byrds' Greatest Hits, and decided to do a commercial about a new Byrds album with the original members re-uniting. I titled the album, "Full Circle." Imagine my shock and surprise when the Byrds did indeed re-unite less than 2 years later for their album, "Byrds" on Asylum Records. The first cut on the album was titled "Full Circle!" The album didn't do very well, but I felt that with my commercial having proven prophetic, I was destined to buy a Rickenbacker 12, like Roger McGuinn played, when I could afford it. Some 15 years later, I had sold most of a vintage comic book collection and had enough money to buy my holy grail guitar. I purchased my fireglo 370/12 RM brand new in 1989 and still have it. I wouldn't sell it for any amount.

What a great story!

It would have to be a 370-12 with a flame maple top in bright red to almost pink FireGlo.

Y'all may have read my story on the company site, but I'll drag it over here anyway:
Having been a Byrds fan since day one, during the late 80's I started keeping an eye out for a Ric 12 string.One fine Sunday while grubshopping, I espied a guitar ragazine with something Ric on the cover, and inside an article about two new models, the 381-12V69, and the Roger McGuinn model.Bought the mag, read and re-read several times, and the next day ,started checking music stores for a price on one.Only one dealer gave a serious quote, after calling Ric, and they got my money.Several months later, it arrived.
Nirvana!
Having to wait for it gave me time to pay it off up front.
I still have it and it's still my favourite,even now that I have other Rics.

Honestly, the Ric of my dreams is probably the most prosaic and most typical of the Rickenbacker line; a 360 12 string, fireglo finish, with stock hi-gains. It isn't the look that I'm going for so much as the sound. When I ordered it, I knew full well that the company was backlogged in a serious way, so I thought I'd play it smart and order one of the most common models with one of the most common finishes available. And I have to admit, after seeing all the fireglo guitars photographed and posted either through this site, or over at corporate, I think I'm rather getting to like fireglo quite well, actually.

I can't wait to get it. I wonder how it will change my song writing? What an exciting thought!

JimK

Currently, the Rick of my dreams would be a 650C in Mapleglo (saw one at NAMM, breathtaking), with vibrato (tell me I can still order that, PLEASE) and Hi-gains.

I'm this close to emailing Mr. Parks.

Otherwise, I am dreaming of a 350 in MG, and a Macca Bass, headstock and all.

A 360 WB with checkered binding and 60s touches or 381/6, with a sparkle rinish a la my Gretsch Silverjet, but with the finish over the entire body, not just the top of the body.

In the 60s my dream Rickenbacker was a Fireglo 330/6 that was in the window of a music store in the city. I remember the store well - Clemens Music in Russell Street. I used to catch a tram into the city with a friend of mine and we'd spend hours in that store.... regularly walking out having bought nothing except maybe a plectrum - no money!! The proprietor was very nice and always welcomed us even though we were basically tyre kickers.

Move forward to the early 80s (when I was no longer interested in playing) and a relative of my then wife bought a Fireglo 330 and Vox amp (with the chrome stand). I wend to a New Years Eve gig that his band played at and loved the sound but it didn't 'light the fire' enough to get back into playing.

Move forward to 2003 and for some reason I decided (out of the blue) to buy a cheap guitar and amp.... I still don't know why! Fiddled around with the Squier for a while then basically left it alone. My son picked it up one day and tried to play it left-handed, so I showed him a couple of basic chords that he could play 'upside down'. That sparked my interest again and I began to play more.

Later that year I decided to invest in a 'serious' guitar and was looking at a Gretsch G6128T double cutaway Duo Jet but I wasn't totally happy with it. When looking at the other guitars hanging on the walls of the 'high end' room at the music store I saw a Jetglo 330/6. The price was comparable, so I went home to think about it. I called the store on Monday to reserve it but it had been sold on the Saturday and not surprisingly they didn't have another and couldn't get one.

So the Google search began and I eventually emailed a store in Queensland and they asked the distributor if they had anything available. Lo and behold they had a Fireglo 330 with the vintage pickup option in stock. Needless to say the bank transfer happened very quickly and by early the next week it was delivered to my office. I still tingle when I recall opening the case..... wow!!

12 Rickenbackers later I still have it - all of them in fact! I may sell a few but the first one is going nowhere.

So...... a dream of some 40 years ago eventually became a reality!!

I love it when dreams come true!

And now that you have your Rics, Aitch, I bet you wonder what you did without 'em! They have a way of changing you life....

They have a way of changing you life....

My word....... and how!! And it's still changing...... it's now more about people than guitars.

Absolutely.... It's a whole lot of fun meeting others who are as crazy about Rickenbackers as we are--both online, and in person!

melibreits wrote:I love it when dreams come true!

And now that you have your Rics, Aitch, I bet you wonder what you did without 'em! They have a way of changing you life....

Naahhh! I've no idea what you mean, Melibee! There I was, down and out, eating from trash cans, wheeling my shopping cart around from Guitar Center to Guitar Center, hoping for a cast-off...then...BANG! My first Rick!

But, seriously, no group of people I've ever belonged to could ever match the great feeling I get when I'm among you folks all.

I have several Ricks in my own dreams...my first was a Capri. Good friend and longest member Jwilli came up with one, which I restored and deluxed. The second was a Rick 12 acoustic, and John Hall offered me one which "needed a bit of work". There are a couple more of my fantasy Ricks in restoration, and one by one, the others will find their way. And if I don't end up owning them, I've at least worked on just about one of everything in the last couple of years.

jingle_jangle wrote:

melibreits wrote:I love it when dreams come true!

And now that you have your Rics, Aitch, I bet you wonder what you did without 'em! They have a way of changing you life....

Naahhh! I've no idea what you mean, Melibee! There I was, down and out, eating from trash cans, wheeling my shopping cart around from Guitar Center to Guitar Center, hoping for a cast-off..

Wow! A shopping cart! What luxury!

JimK

I think if John Denver hadn't already beat me to it, I'd write a song called "This Old Guitar" about a player's love for the dream Rickenbacker.


I may do it anyhow, just use a different title.

JimK

Dream'n Rick: