Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Players who aren't Ric users underestimate Rickenbacker guitars for nothing but Jangle-pop. They think Ric guitars are used for nothing but chugging the chords. Ric basses are mostly used in Rock, but I have seen the 4001 and 4003 show up in Punk and Metal bands. Most people out here in the Big Easy have never played let alone even seen a Rickenbacker! No one (in New Orleans) could imagine a Ric guitar or bass used for anything but rock.

I've found the neck pickup of my 1997 can get a nice warm tone, great for Jazz. With a little distortion on it, it can sing the Blues pretty well. The 360/12V64 isn't really the Jazz type (for me), but I have gotten a nice warm tone from it before.

I tell those non-Ric people never underestimate the power of a Rickenbacker. A Strat is good, so is a Tele, and you can't beat a Les Paul or SG. The ES-175 and the ES-335 are good hollowbodies, but never you don't know what a 330 or 360 can do until you've tried.

Have you ever found a Ric guitar or bass of yours versatile for far more than what non-Ric users give it/them credit for?

JakeK wrote:Have you ever found a Ric guitar or bass of yours versatile for far more than what non-Ric users give it/them credit for?

Oh yes. I'll never forget the moment after a church service some years ago when someone approached the stage, asking where the flute player was.

It was my 650D, through a Boogie patch on the Digitech amp modeler I was using at the time. Now, the person asking wouldn't have known a Rickenbacker from a bookshelf, but that's not really the point. I'm constantly amazed at the amazing sound spectrum that this beautiful instrument can produce.

JakeK wrote:Have you ever found a Ric guitar or bass of yours versatile for far more than what non-Ric users give it/them credit for?

The stigma that Ricks have of not being versatile and only being good for certain music is a boatload of nonsense, which was started in most part by F*nd*r and G*bs*n loving players that dislike Ricks. The limitations of an instrument are for the most part in the hands of the player.
I'll use my Rickenbacker basses in any type of music and it will sound absolutely fine!

I have found through the years that Ricks are only suitable for playing good music, so far they have seemed to have had an allergic reaction to bad music.

Oh, I don't know. I've been known to play some pretty bad music on a Rick...

rickenbrother wrote: I'll use my Rickenbacker basses in any type of music and it will sound absolutely fine!

I agree with you 100% on the basses Joey! Nothing they can't do.

sloop_john_b wrote:

rickenbrother wrote: I'll use my Rickenbacker basses in any type of music and it will sound absolutely fine!

I agree with you 100% on the basses Joey! Nothing they can't do.

+1. I hope some day I can just refer to my actions rather than words on this subject. All I have now are half-decent clips and YT videos.

The basses are one thing, but I must admit that as much as I love my 330, it sounds like junk when the distortion kicks in. The sound is too "thin" for the harder stuff without effects, IMO.

I think the issue is that Rickenbackers sound so good playing rhythmic stuff that that's all people see. Sure, you could play blues on a Rick, but it's not really made for that, IMO.

dpowell wrote:I must admit that as much as I love my 330, it sounds like junk when the distortion kicks in.

Not sure if I'd call it "junk" - It's certainly a distinctive sound, the same way a Les Paul is when the dirt kicks in. I like it for certain applications. But that fat chunky humbucker tone is what most people think of when they want some distortion, which is something that a 330 can't really deliver on. Why is why I have a Les Paul, a Rick, and a smattering of Fenders. The Rick isn't gonna do it all, the Jazzmaster isn't gonna do it all, the LP...well, the LP might just do it all.

sloop_john_b wrote: Not sure if I'd call it "junk" - It's certainly a distinctive sound, the same way a Les Paul is when the dirt kicks in. I like it for certain applications. But that fat chunky humbucker tone is what most people think of when they want some distortion, which is something that a 330 can't really deliver on. Why is why I have a Les Paul, a Rick, and a smattering of Fenders. The Rick isn't gonna do it all, the Jazzmaster isn't gonna do it all, the LP...well, the LP might just do it all.

Still waiting for that LP thread, John...

I agree that there is a certain sound to an overdriven Ric - I used mine for everything when it was my only decent guitar. However, now that I have the good fortune to own some other makes and models, I'm much more partial to my LP when I want a heavier sound.

I rather am enjoying my experiments in alternative music to jangle/pop on my 360/12. Some time ago, for example, I took it with me to my favorite guitar shop and asked to test out two of their best selling delay pedals. One model was digital, and the other analog. Rockabilly on a Rick 12 string is really kinda cool, and one of these days I think I'll go for the analog delay pedal.
JimK

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jimk wrote:I rather am enjoying my experiments in alternative music to jangle/pop on my 360/12. Some time ago, for example, I took it with me to my favorite guitar shop and asked to test out two of their best selling delay pedals. One model was digital, and the other analog. Rockabilly on a Rick 12 string is really kinda cool, and one of these days I think I'll go for the analog delay pedal.
JimK

I am glad to see the Rick 12 opening you up to a whole new musical universe.

There was someone in Jazz way back who had a Rick toting bass player (US artist) if I can remember who the devil it was there might be some youtube footage.

A few years ago now, I recorded Georgia On My Mind that has a reprise that features a lengthy solo on a Rickenbacker 360v64 and I did not use any outboard effects to obtain a nice bluesy overdriven Strat like sound through my Peavey 212 Stereo Chorus amp. It is proof that a Rickenbacker guitar can be used for blues or jazz since I combined both elements on that particular song.