Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Not really sure where to put this, but it should be noted somewhere.

From R.E.M. HQ, the offical R.E.M. page:

Sadly, Peter's signature Rickenbacker guitar was stolen from the stage immediately following tonight's [Sep. 9] performance in Helsinki, Finland. This is Peter's infamous signature Rick, which has been the staple of Peter's arsenal both live and in the studio since the band released Chronictown in 1982. Needless to say, this instrument means a great deal to Peter and to R.E.M. It is our sincere hope that whoever is responsible for the loss, or whoever has information which can help recover the guitar, will come forward to receive a generous reward, no questions asked.

Email information to [email protected] or phone (001) 706 353-6689.

http://remhq.com/news_story.php?id=888

Edit: more info on the guitar here: http://www.rickbeat.com/gallery/peterbuck/peterbuck.htm

I hate thieves !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thats sad i hope he gets it back!

Jeez..........that's terrible. I hope it gets returned. It's not like it could be sold to anyone with an honest bone in their body.

I hope the thief comes forward, and the genorous reward is they have him arrested without beating the s##t out of him!

I'm really surprised that this could happen -- you can bet that it will turn up, though. Maybe not for a while, but these days something like that cannot stay hidden for too long. There will be too many people looking for it. I wish Peter and REM the best of luck in finding it.

And if I find it, I promise to only play it once before returning it! I think I would choose "Begin the Begin". Such a cool opening.

Hope it gets it back safely and it's not damaged or altered in any way. It's the only guitar I picture him playing

I heard that he had a few copies of the original made awhile back, complete with Trucker decal etc.

I can only hope that it was one of the copies and not the original. It makes me sick to think that he trucked that guitar from sweaty nightclubs and dark basement gigs back in '82 all the way to Stadium Arenas just go have it stolen in this day and age (with supposed "security" at gigs etc..), that is of course if it's the original...

What a horrible horrible situation....as said, it will turn up at some point or another..What kind of collector/fan is gonna buy his hero's stolen gear? (at least I would hope not...)

Cheers,
-Collin

collin wrote:I heard that he had a few copies of the original made awhile back, complete with Trucker decal etc.

I can only hope that it was one of the copies and not the original. It makes me sick to think that he trucked that guitar from sweaty nightclubs and dark basement gigs back in '82 all the way to Stadium Arenas just go have it stolen in this day and age (with supposed "security" at gigs etc..), that is of course if it's the original...
-Collin

It was the original that was stolen. Bought by Peter back in 1982. He tends to use that one most of the time, except for gigs with other artists (where security presumably should be less prominent, one thought up until now).

Peter had one copy custom made back in the earye 2000's or so, see the link posted above. Then I believe another copy was made just a few years ago, as I've seen three identical 360JG's at the R.E.M. shows I've been two this year. At least one of the copies lacks the Trucker Girl decal.

In any case, this is pretty bad news for anyone into R.E.M....the fan community is pretty upset at this point, and I can just imagine how Peter feels.

/David

collin wrote: What a horrible horrible situation....as said, it will turn up at some point or another..What kind of collector/fan is gonna buy his hero's stolen gear? (at least I would hope not...)

I also would hope not, unforunately, there are private collectors that could care less. Steve Howe has been quoted as believing that his beloved 360/12 from the Going For The One sessions is in a private collection in Japan or France.

For R.E.M. fans, this must be the equivilent of Paul losing his Hofner, Chris losing his RM1999 or Jimmy Page his favorite Les Paul. What a shame! My old saying "Time wounds all heels" is appropriate here and I hope this guy gets his just reward.

just_bassics wrote:

collin wrote: What a horrible horrible situation....as said, it will turn up at some point or another..What kind of collector/fan is gonna buy his hero's stolen gear? (at least I would hope not...)

I also would hope not, unforunately, there are private collectors that could care less. Steve Howe has been quoted as believing that his beloved 360/12 from the Going For The One sessions is in a private collection in Japan or France.

For R.E.M. fans, this must be the equivilent of Paul losing his Hofner, Chris losing his RM1999 or Jimmy Page his favorite Les Paul. What a shame! My old saying "Time wounds all heels" is appropriate here and I hope this guy gets his just reward.

I was almost going to say the same thing, with the comment of it being like McCartney's 4001S being stolen. Peter has been loyal to his Ric after all these years too.

There are three "backup" copies of this guitar. I also recenty sent him some of the correct "Trucker's Mama" stickers, so those may end up adorning the copies.

Some very sad news, that guitar has a lot of great songs to it's credit. I used to be a big REM fan as a young teenager, after the Out of Time album I bcame somewhat disinterested with the band honestly, but Murmur, Reckoning, Life's Rich pageant and Document were a big part of my adolescence while really coming into being a musician. I hope this story has a positive outcome and his girl comes home safe.

On that note, I figured I would include her television debut on the Letterman show.

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Ahhhh!!!!!!!!



That's about all I can articulate right now.

This sucks. I had that guitar at my house for a week, right after the RIC 75th shows. I played "Wolves, Lower," "Driver 8" et al over and over on it.


Photos taken on my back porch, Fall 2006.

That guitar is the reason I own and play Rickenbackers. I hope this gets resolved soon.