Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hey gang. Why were some Rick models called "Combo" in the 50's/60's? What exactly is it a "combo" of? Were they meant to be sold to small musical groups aka "combos"? Or were they a "combination" of features from other instruments? Thanks, JD

Jason: I believe that combo refers to the combined rotary and switched tone controls on the early Rickenbacker models.

It should be fun to see how many answers were get to your good question.

They came with fries and a coke

Nope.

The guitar is named after the "Combo Waterhole", which is a waterhole on the Diamantina River in Queensland, Australia.
The song "Waltzing Matilda" is allegedly based on a real incident that happened there in the 1890s, and is actually the only song you're legally allowed to play on your "Combo".
Be careful, the lawyers are listening. Many a Combo player has ended up in jail for 'Rocking out' on their little Ric.

As they're hollow body, you can play them acoustic, or electric;or acoustic/electric, or electric/acoustic.Unless the power's out.

Don: A good point and also something I have read before - acoustic and electric features combined.

They're made of wood, steel, nickel silver, copper, plastic, and a bit of paint, etc.

Or not...

I thought the Combo was the illegitimate lovechild of a Comstock and a Jazzbo!

Were these originally sold as a package deal of some sort - you know, guitar + amp? When I was in Rudy's on my recent trip to NYC, he had a combo and was stressing that it came as a package deal - Rick guitar and Rick amp.

jdogric12aolcom wrote:Hey gang. Why were some Rick models called "Combo" in the 50's/60's? What exactly is it a "combo" of? Were they meant to be sold to small musical groups aka "combos"? Or were they a "combination" of features from other instruments? Thanks, JD

I would really like to know the answer to this question, ...perhaps John Hall could enlighten us?

"Combo", you know as in a band, i.e. "Hey, that was a pretty hot combo that played last night". Maybe the term has died out.

johnhall wrote:"Combo", you know as in a band, i.e. "Hey, that was a pretty hot combo that played last night". Maybe the term has died out.

"Maybe the term has died out"

Thanks for the post Mr Hall, ...I think you nailed it with the quote above.

johnhall wrote:"Combo", you know as in a band, i.e. "Hey, that was a pretty hot combo that played last night". Maybe the term has died out.

Yes, as in "did you hear that hot Combo 1000 and that M8 amp?" "Yowza, yowza, yowza".

Ah, neat, I got it! Thanks Mr. Hall.

These days I usually only hear "combo" as a small jazz group.