New Memeber - May I Introduce Myself?

[Kustom66]

Hello Everyone,

I am in 7th Heaven reading all the posts here as I had no idea this forum existed or that there are this many people as crazy about Rickenbackers as I have been my whole life!

I played in high school bands in the late 60's and although the music scene was mostly getting into heavy psychedelic and rock by the time I started playing, my true love was the British Invasion, Folk-Rock and Garage Band stuff from just a few years before. I kept trying to sneak in songs like Gloria, Louie Louie, I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better, Hey Little Girl, Through A Window, etc., while my bands were moving into Santana, Hendrix, etc.

My first guitar was a sunburst Teisco Del Ray that looked like a Gibson 335. I thought it looked beautiful but it was a chore to play. Then the magic birthday came when my parents took me to a local music store and the salesman took us in the back room and started to open up guitar cases for me. They were just $100 to $250 used guitars then, but they included the most expensive guitars in the world now - early 60's Strats, Telecasters, Les Pauls, 335's, Mosrites and more. Finally, he opened a silver case to the most beautiful guitar I had ever seen - a gleaming, mint Rickenbacker 370 in FireGlo. My 16 year old heart literally skipped a beat! I picked it up and couldn't believe how easy it was to play with its narrow, fast neck. I immediately told my parents that this was the one I wanted and even though it was one of the most expensive ($200) they bought it for me.

I quickly realized that my brown Silvertone sit-on-a-chair combo amp wasn't cutting it and the next step was a one or two year old blackface Fender Bandmaster with two bottoms. Soon thereafter came a Shure Unisphere mic, Arbiter Fuzzface and a Vox CryBaby. I was all set!

The band that I was in for two gig-filled years did quite well and we won a regional battle of the bands, appeared on local TV and were asked to tour with Vanilla Fudge (couldn't do it, we were all in high school!). By the mid-70's I tired of playing and sold my guitar and amp. The 370 went to a friend and I made him promise to give me right of first refusal if he ever sold it. Though we are long distance friends to this day, it still bothers me that he: 1) took off the pickups and put giant humbuckers on it! 2) sold it without ever telling me.

In the late 90's my midlife crisis hit me with a burning desire to get some gear and start playing again. I acquired a 1967 360 in FireGlo, a 1968 370 in MapleGlo, a Tom Petty 12-String in FireGlo and really, really cool 1991 360v64 FireGlo with double binding that was converted to a 1961 look-alike with a gold pickguard, trussrod cover and oven knobs. To go along a picked up a 1966 Band Master, a mid-70's Deluxe Reverb that was "black-faced" and had a JBL in it, a Blues Pearl amp and a few more fun items. I still had my mic and CryBaby. My old band must have gotten hit with midlife crisis's also and we had a reunion in Milwaukee (where we were originally all from) in 2002 and recorded a CD in a real live studio. I know that recording now days is no big thing, but for us (who had never recorded before) it was the thrill of a lifetime!

I am sorry to say that I have never been able to put a new band together. I have had a few auditions with "hobby bands" and the like, but they were all into 70s stadium rock and I just didn't want to do the music. I am still looking.

I have an irrational love of Rickenbacker guitars and pretty much any gear that comes from or looks like it is from the 60's. While I love playing them (and I am strictly a mediocre "rhythm player") even if I lost my hands I would have my Rickenbackers close by just so I could look at them all day long.

I can't wait to start participating in this forum and especially look forward to meeting any fellow members who live in or near the Minneapolis area! I would love to: 1) form another band 2) get another 60's FireGlo 370 3) get a 60's 365 or 375 in FireGlo.

By the way, my mid-70's blackfaced Deluxe Reverb sounds best with my Rics. I attribute it to the crystal clear, chiming JBL.

[phlemmy]

Welcome!

[winston]

Welcome Michael,

You are now in the company of like minded friends.

[wj350]

Hi Michael!

Bill

[godber]

Welcome Michael . That sounds like a very elegant way to have a mid life crisis, I hope mine happens in my 90's and with as many guitars!

Looking forward to seeing the (guitar) pictures.

[clearblue]

Welcome Michael. It is good to hear your past has been filled with Rickenbacker guitars. I would bet money you will be able to find the guitars you're looking for using the forum resources.
(I lived in Northern MN for 25 years before moving to So Cal)

[rikk]

Michael, Welcome and great first post!

[beatlefreak]

Welcome to the forum, Michael!

[Kustom66]

Thank you for your greetings, everyone!

I should mention that in the past ten years I've bought, sold and traded other Rics to get the ones I have now, so I have also owned a Carl Wilson 6-String FG, a 1997 Rose Morris FG reissue, a new 370 FG, a new 360 JG and a 350v63 long scale neck JG. I wish I had kept the CW and the 350.

And I must point out to Mark that I am 54 years old, not in my 90's! I had my musical midlife crisis in the late 1990's.

I'll take some pictures of my Rics in the next few days.

[ric325v63]

Welcome, Michael! I resonate well your comment "strictly a mediocre "rhythm player"". That's the way I feel. Although, I sure have a lot of fun being a rhythm player with my 330. Jon

[admin]

A fantastic post Michael. Welcome home. You have crossed over to the Rickenbacker dimension. We are glad to have you on our bandwidth.

[drkatherine1]

Hi Michael..........welcome from another newby. I am 52..........and if its the midlife crisis that is causing my guitar collection to sprout Rics then so be it. It could be a lot worse...........um..........vacations, jewelry, plastic surgery, or clothes. Rics seem to be a much better investment and teaching high school special ed students...........it is my mental health outlet. Come back often..........I think you will find many here who will what they can do to help you as they have with me.

[ozover50]

Welcome, Michael...... I'm sure you'll have a great time here.

Talk about mid life crisis!! In December '03 I had two guitars - a Squier Strat and a Yamaha acoustic/electric. Not much more than three years later I have 33 guitars, a bass, half a dozen amps and a pile of accessories and stuff. Included in that lot are 13 Rickenbackers!! Plus I have travelled around the world once and visited the US for a second time...... just to attend Rickenbacker confluences and visit friends from this forum.

What can I say? It kinda gets to you!!!

[scotty]

Welcome Micheal. Beware this forum is addictive.

[JakeK]

Welcome aboard! You'll learn a lot and have all sorts of friends here!