Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I've read a lot of posts, on other sites, that say that RIC's are not good guitars to play blues on. Why??? I've been about to get some really nice creamy blues sounds from my 660.

Why do some folks have to put guitar mfg's into certain catagorys? Any ideas?

Narrower fretboard = supposedly harder to bend, although I wouldn;t know since I am not into blues.

The Rickenbacker 4001/3 Bass does fine with Blues! I have heard blues played on a Rick. A guitar player in my old band from years ago, played blues licks really well on a JG 330. It was a great sound. More of the neck pickup works well for it I think..

I've played a lot of blues with Ric basses, especially the fretless. What would be the best Ric to use for blues and rock? How about a 620?

Rics do just fine for blues, but I think many musicians associate Rics with stuff like jangly Beatles/Byrds, Progressive rockers like Rush and
Yes, and Alternative artists like R.E.M.

And many of the most well known electric blues players are playing Fenders or Gibsons.

I agree with using a 4003 for blues. I'd put a RIC bass above most others. But I'd also take my 660 over any Strat that I've played. I guess it all comes down to personal preferance.

Thanks for the replies.

I remember the model 620 described as "a blues guitar" in a 70s RIC catalog.

Man - you can play the blues on anything.
As long as you got em'...

On John Mayall's website, there's an old picture of him with a psychedelic-painted 6(?) series Ric. No one would call him a power-popper.

A good song can be played with any guitar and still sound good. Too often, people want to stereotype the type of music that one would use a particular instrument with, especially if that instrument is a Rickenbacker.

As for me, I dare to be different. I use my Rics for all types of music. I've even used my 360/12 for the mandolin parts of some classic country.

I was once told that 99% of an audience couldn't tell the difference in sound, regardless of the guitar used.