New to Rickenbaker as well, need advice

foolsgold · Post by **foolsgold** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 11:29 am

Well, at least I sincerely want to be. I have an opportunity to buy 620, here in Europe. The thing is it costs around 1450 USD (1200 eur), comes with hard case, single coil and extra humbucker for bridge position (original). the thing is it's been made between 1982 an 1985. Don't know why the exact year is unknown. however, as I've seen I can get the new guitar (year 2010) as well. I need your opinion if the era mentioned earlier is OK for Ricks or should I consider buying a new one...

thanks for any advice!

Kees · Post by **Kees** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 8:01 pm

Any era is OK regarding Rickenbacker's. However, the 'extra humbucker' on this older guitar is atypical and seems a bit weird (most 620's from that era, like the current ones, have two single coil hi-gain PU's). The year can be derived from the jack plate (as is true for all Rick's). It seems like the new one may be the safer choice...

Best wishes,
Kees

8mileshigher · Post by **8mileshigher** » Tue Jan 18, 2011 1:41 am

foolsgold wrote: it's been made between 1982 an 1985.

Some of the 80s era Rics have slimmer necks and are a real joy to play. I have an '81 and its slim neck is by far, my favorite, compared with later-years ones, some whose necks are more of a handful. Hopefully you get a chance to test them out, to help in your decision process. All Rics have great feeling necks, but there are slight variances over the years, and each individual will have a preferance.

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Tue Jan 18, 2011 4:27 am

Welcome, Andraz!

The 2010 one will probably have full-width inlays (fret markers) which look really cool.

jps · Post by **jps** » Tue Jan 18, 2011 10:22 am

doctorwho wrote:Welcome, Andraz!

The 2010 one will probably have full-width inlays (fret markers) which look really cool.

The FWI sound better, too.

egosheep · Post by **egosheep** » Tue Jan 18, 2011 12:15 pm

8mileshigher wrote:
foolsgold wrote: it's been made between 1982 an 1985.
Some of the 80s era Rics have slimmer necks and are a real joy to play. I have an '81 and its slim neck is by far, my favorite, compared with later-years ones, some whose necks are more of a handful. Hopefully you get a chance to test them out, to help in your decision process. All Rics have great feeling necks, but there are slight variances over the years, and each individual will have a preferance.

How thin exactly is your neck? I have always wondered what the numbers are... what's a thick RIC neck, and whats a slim one?

8mileshigher · Post by **8mileshigher** » Tue Jan 18, 2011 7:49 pm

egosheep wrote:
8mileshigher wrote:Some of the 80s era Rics have slimmer necks and are a real joy to play. I have an '81 and its slim neck is by far, my favorite, compared with later-years ones, some whose necks are more of a handful. Hopefully you get a chance to test them out, to help in your decision process. All Rics have great feeling necks, but there are slight variances over the years, and each individual will have a preferance.
How thin exactly is your neck? I have always wondered what the numbers are... what's a thick RIC neck, and whats a slim one?

Thom --- I don't have the numbers with me, but let me see if over the next day or two, if I can measure around a couple of guitar necks with a tape measure and give you some idea of thin and thick. Maybe some other Forum members will have info on their neck variances to share too.

8mileshigher · Post by **8mileshigher** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 3:17 am

8mileshigher wrote:
egosheep wrote:
8mileshigher wrote:Some of the 80s era Rics have slimmer necks and are a real joy to play. I have an '81 and its slim neck is by far, my favorite, compared with later-years ones, some whose necks are more of a handful. Hopefully you get a chance to test them out, to help in your decision process. All Rics have great feeling necks, but there are slight variances over the years, and each individual will have a preferance.
How thin exactly is your neck? I have always wondered what the numbers are... what's a thick RIC neck, and whats a slim one?
Thom --- I don't have the numbers with me, but let me see if over the next day or two, if I can measure around a couple of guitar necks with a tape measure and give you some idea of thin and thick. Maybe some other Forum members will have info on their neck variances to share too.

OK -- I used a sewing basket measuring tape and the real scientific method of eyeballing the edge of the tape even with the plane of the fretboard and wraping the tape around the circumference of the neck. I took three measurements on each guitar, as the most notable thickness is where the square edged wood of the headstock is shaped down to the roundness of the neck at the nut. The measurements locations are below the nut; below the 1st fret and below the 15th fret.

1981 370 WB
Nut 3 1/16 inch
1st fret 2 6/8 inch
15th fret 3 1/16 inch

2006 330 Unbound neck
Nut 3 1/8 inch
1st fret 2 7/8 inch
15th fret 3 1/8 inch

A 1/16th of an inch is quite a difference and the density/weight of the bigger headstock on the 2006 model adds to the illusion of the big neck feel at the nut.

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