Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'd been told by someone once that I'd be better off playing my '89 Rick 360/12V64 instead of the '66 360/12. His reasoning was that the '66 was much more valuable and would be too bad if it got damaged. To me, if I can't play and enjoy a guitar, I don't want to own it. I've known folks who had beautiful vintage pieces "squirilled away" and I've heard the phrase "I can't afford to own it". If they get pleasure out of just knowing they own the guitars, more power to them. Personally, I want to play and enjoy them!

I tend to agree with you. For example I have three antique pocket watches. Although two of them are in need of repair, the third one I keep about my person all the time. That one is my daily time keeper. It's somewhere in the 80-90 year old range, but it keeps time like it did when it was new.

Guitars were built for a purpose. They should be put to that use, unless that is they are structurally too fragile. In which case, they belong in a museum.
JimK

The 1996 Van Buren/Ft. Smith Arkansas tornado really rammed this home for me. I had a bunch of stuff ruined, including a mint condition 1933 Philco Type 89 radio. Fortunately, my guitars were spared. I've always taken care of my guitars, never abused them, but always loved owning and playing them. I just share this experience to let folks know that nothing lasts forever. Play and enjoy them.

fabandgear wrote:I'd been told by someone once that I'd be better off playing my '89 Rick 360/12V64 instead of the '66 360/12. His reasoning was that the '66 was much more valuable and would be too bad if it got damaged. To me, if I can't play and enjoy a guitar, I don't want to own it. I've known folks who had beautiful vintage pieces "squirilled away" and I've heard the phrase "I can't afford to own it". If they get pleasure out of just knowing they own the guitars, more power to them. Personally, I want to play and enjoy them!

I'm with you. If I'm not playing it, it's going to find a new home soon. I admit that nothing of mine is an irreplaceable vintage piece, but I have some nice instruments, including my Rick 330/12. It's from around '96/'97 and I've owned it longer than any other electric I've ever owned. I'll be thinning the herd soon to acquire a 620/6, preferably FG.

fabandgear wrote: His reasoning was that the '66 was much more valuable and would be too bad if it got damaged. To me, if I can't play and enjoy a guitar, I don't want to own it.

Yeah, that's crazy. I'll take super rare vintage Rics out to a gig or confluence, no problem.

I might not choose to take these out if I were going on tour or something, but for the odd gig out, sure.


But, people's definition of "play and enjoy a guitar" can differ. Can you not play/enjoy a guitar from the safety of your own home? Of course.

Both are nice guitars, Forrest. I play mine, but, having said that, I would think twice about gigging in certain venues, or loaning it...

All of mine get played out at one time or another. That's what they're for, right?

Dave12 wrote:Both are nice guitars, Forrest. I play mine, but, having said that, I would think twice about gigging in certain venues, or loaning it...

A wonderful quote from that pearl of literature "Gilligan's Island" (with apologies to Willie S.) "Neither a borrower nor a lender be!"
You're right, though. I wouldn't take prized guitars out to a gig where it might get beyond rowdy! My point is that I've known folks who were miserable because they were so worried about their instruments that they might as well not have owned them. That just isn't me.

jps wrote:All of mine get played out at one time or another. That's what they're for, right?

+1 I still need to find matching hot pants for my 360 MID tho!

scotty wrote:

jps wrote:All of mine get played out at one time or another. That's what they're for, right?

+1 I still need to find matching hot pants for my 360 MID tho!

They have them here - what's your age in dog years? http://www.barkindogclothes.com/barkind ... tsets.html

Play 'em all!

godber wrote:

scotty wrote:

jps wrote:All of mine get played out at one time or another. That's what they're for, right?

+1 I still need to find matching hot pants for my 360 MID tho!

They have them here - what's your age in dog years? http://www.barkindogclothes.com/barkind ... tsets.html

Gawd about 300?

I agree 99% of the time. But for a few rare finds, such as that mid 60's 360 that was still in the shipping carton about 4 years ago on Ebay. It's not a rare guitar, in that there are 1000's of 360's from 65-69, but this one was a time capsule with unopen case candy, and to play it just makes it 1 of the thousands, and that fact that it cost an extra $2000 over a mint one at the time. I would keep that one a time capsule, back in the shipping carton!

That's a great exception. I wouldn't want to see John Lennon's guitars out on stage being man-handled either. But I don't own any museum pieces, so all of mine are fair game for playing.

It's like having a Shelby Cobra in the garage... drive it! Your Camry will get you there, everyone knows it, but get out the Shelby and give it some gas.

If you're not going to play/drive the **** out of both of them then you only need ONE of them.

Naturally, I wouldn't take the '66 to a campfire singalong or loan it out to a young metal band, but if it were mine I'd be playing it for all it was worth.