Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

So we've all been there: Excited about a new Ric, you tell everyone you know about your new acquisition. Inevitably some smart guy says something like "Oh, well, Rickenbackers are great if you're in a '60s or '80s cover band, but they're pretty limited, really."

Now one response is to mention that the Beatles, Byrds, Tom Petty, The Smiths, R.E.M., The Bangles, CCR, etc. etc. do not exactly describe a "limited" sonic landscape. Another is to dip into your vast stores of Rickenbacker knowledge and produce a great example of an atypical use of a Rickebacker.

So here's the question--if you're going to mention ONE solid example of a Ric guitarist who is outside of folks' usual expectations (jangle pop, essentially), who do you mention?

To get the ball rolling, I'll offer Ed O'Brien of Radiohead!

I think Lemmy should be mentioned. You don't find all that many Ricks in metal.

Unknown Hinson gets my vote.

Hardest banging Ric 12:

This one with a rare Ric (owned by a forumite now):

Editors.

fretbuzzard wrote:So here's the question--if you're going to mention ONE solid example of a Ric guitarist who is outside of folks' usual expectations (jangle pop, essentially), who do you mention?

The Edge on his 330-12 MapleGlo for 'Mysterious Ways'





Cheers,

Werner

fretbuzzard wrote:So we've all been there: Excited about a new Ric, you tell everyone you know about your new acquisition. Inevitably some smart guy says something like "Oh, well, Rickenbackers are great if you're in a '60s or '80s cover band, but they're pretty limited, really."

Now one response is to mention that the Beatles, Byrds, Tom Petty, The Smiths, R.E.M., The Bangles, CCR, etc. etc. do not exactly describe a "limited" sonic landscape. Another is to dip into your vast stores of Rickenbacker knowledge and produce a great example of an atypical use of a Rickebacker.

So here's the question--if you're going to mention ONE solid example of a Ric guitarist who is outside of folks' usual expectations (jangle pop, essentially), who do you mention?

To get the ball rolling, I'll offer Ed O'Brien of Radiohead!

Honestly----some of the worst offenders of the mentality that Rics can only do one style are many Ric owners themselves!

A trip to any confluence will confirm that (not that there's anything wrong with the confluences, or jamming---I love em!), but they are all decidely "jangle pop" slanted etc, based on the most famous Rickenbacker artist's etc...



My vote would be for The Edge, of U2.......he's been a consistent Ric user for a long time, and his stuff sounds anything but jangle...

A trip to any confluence will confirm that (not that there's anything wrong with the confluences, or jamming---I love em!), but they are all decidely "jangle pop" slanted etc, based on the most famous Rickenbacker artist's etc...

Get to a confluence with Trotty, Collin...... SRV nailed on a Rick!

Good one Howard. I was about to post SRV himself in the early days. He also played a Ric. However, Trotty is an excellent example.

If we're allowed to mention forum members, I nominate myself for atypical usage award too.

They've been referenced many time before in this forum but I think The Jam is a perfect example.

Oh and +1 for Unknown Hinson also.

A couple of my favorites:

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Cheers,

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Oh if we can nominate ourselves, then I must confess that I am decidedly unconventional when I play a Rickenbacker guitar.

The limits of Rickenbackers usually seem to be more the limits of the person saying they're limited in the first place if you ask me. I do certainly tend to stick with the more typical "Chime-Time" stuff, because I like it and that's why I started buying Ricks in the first place. I have, however, on occasion strayed from the path a bit (probably a brief hangover after visiting the local Guitar Center). When somebody gives me the old "one-trick-pony" ****, I just send them this sample. It has four tracks - one 2030 bass track set on "old Sunn 18" thunder-mud", a vocal track, a quickie drum loop, and one track of my 370/12, run through a JamgleBox and a bunch of Korg stuff (simulates the old Silvertone amp I had back in high school - right before it blew up). I find that an occasional brief excursion like this tends to drive the evil spirits out of my mind and allows me to properly return to my jangley, folk music roots.

http://webpages.charter.net/tbradshaw/M ... er%20x.mp3