Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I've just had the wonderful fortune ( or misfortune depending on if your glass is half full or not ) of obtaining an absolute mint 370/12 Roger McGuinn in Fireglo.....#27 out of the run. This is a case of a little knowledge ( too little) rearing up and biting you. I had no clue that there were Mcguinns made without the compressor. I've come to find out that there weren't many thus making this a fairly rare guitar but that and a dollar will get you a cupa coffee. To me, a McGuinn and an onboard compressor are like soup and sandwich, love and marriage.....they just go together. Short of duct taping an aftermarket compressor to the pick guard is there anything I can do?? Would good old Mother RIC be willing to slap one in there??

Didn't you have an overrun at one point, Craig? You know, it was Jetglo, and you fitted a Tonewerks compressor circuit in there...

Either way, nice score, can't wait to see the pics!

You're right about the cup of coffee. Just use a Janglebox. I don't think even adding a correct original RM comp circuit would increase the resale value beyond what the guitar and circuit would cost together.

I'd kinda like to get one without the compressor. Still a fine instrument.

Yeah, I'm with the other guys on this one. Lump the onboard compressor and get a Jangle Box.
JimK

Get yourself a JB2. You won't be disappointed!

I played mine for literally decades without a compressor and did just fine. Still do. Even now, the only time I use a compressor is just a touch of the inboard when using my POD 2.0, and that's for the sound man's benefit.

#27 is listed here as Mapleglo, with the E1 circuit.
http://www.rickresource.com/rrp/RM370data.html

But then it's listed in the register as Fireglo.
http://www.rickresource.com/register/vi ... lebrity%3D

The one in the register is the correct one.....S/N B19499....2/24/88. That Mike Park's list has some serious inconsistencies.

iiipopes wrote:I played mine for literally decades without a compressor and did just fine. Still do. ....

+1

I usually just have the tone control switch on the third setting, no compressor.

Craig, are the controls on yours set up in the standard Volume/Tone/Volume/Tone/Blend arrangement? The RM compressor circuit has the controls as individual volume for each of the three pick-ups, plus a master volume, plus the tone circuit selector switch. I love the Volume/Volume/Volume/Master Volume arrangement.

John Hall, CEO of Rickenbacker, once admitted in an interview that the RM onboard compressor wasn't the best piece of electronics ever made and that they should have been working a bit more on it in the construction phase. In fact the compressor was known to be able to receive Radio Moscow (or something from Mars...) and when the batteries began to loose power the compressor dropped from full function to zero inm a few minutes... The RM models without compressor are very rare and prices are going up (on both types) - even these days.
In combination with a Jangle Box you will get a much better result - and tghat counts for any Rickenbacker guitar.

I had an RM for a few years (and like a lot of guitars sold it far too cheap). I thought the compressor was a curiousity and sounded ok playing around on my own but unusable in a band setting. I agree with those that say run it through a janglebox or pedal of your choice.

Looks like a little perseverance pays off. I finally found Joe and in about a month I'll have a loaded pickguard with the E1 circuitry/compressor. The best of both worlds. It can be kept completely original or easily converted.

Joe?

Walsh?