Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Sorry if this is not the right forum to raise this question. Popular music throughout the decades tends to follow ages too. As a loose collection of periods I wonder which Rickenbacker model was the most popular (sold) during the last 5 decades. I've had a search, but was not successful. If i were to guess it would be the 330 six string throughout. Maybe the 12 string in 60s? Bass model.....?

Hard to say without sales data. Seems I recall it said that the early 80's was stronger on the bass front, but production was low all around then as well.

interesting you say that, as the first Rick I saw WAS in the 80s (on tv of course). Black and white 4003(?) during the "Madness" film clip "It must be love".

Well stereotypically... I mean go buy 100 guitar magazines from the 80's era, and look what dominates the advertising. Kahler and Floyd Rose whammys, headless guitars and basses, creepy guitar models from big companies... you can see why Ric's market share would be diminished in a market so lame.

What's wrong with that?! Here is my '80s bass.

Let's agree that "most popular" means "most units produced."

IIRC, John Hall stated on the RIC forum that the 4003 was far and away the best seller in terms of units moved in recent times, say the '90s and continuing through present. My guess is that the 4001/4003 models also dominated RIC sales numbers in the '70s and '80s.

Determining the most model units moved in the '60s would be an interesting and probably fruitless exercise for us ignoramuses. It certainly wouldn't be the basses. I am guessing either the 360 or 360/12 might have seen the greatest production numbers in the '60s, as the solidbodies were not all that prevalent and neither were (again, IIRC) the 330s.