Rickenbacker guitars - your experience(s)

[quyet]

The Japanese copies have much wider necks. Real rickys are sooo thin, so a japanese 330 copy is the dream! I had a full scale Greco 325 but the body was still small. I was curled over and it slid off me while sitting. Best pickups I've ever heard, absolutely nailed beatles tones, but aesthetically it looked like it had been sitting out in the rain

[rickenbackerkid]

Yeah the price is a bit hot. Might be ok if you are sure you want one and one in new condition. Personally I would want an old one with the narrower 60’s style fretboard

[quyet]

Music Planet Takapuna has some real ricks on the wall to try. Perhaps your local shop too

[Jonny]

Hi-Gains are more of a hot Rock'n'Roll single coil, and in my opinion they are unlike anything else. Ricks with HiGains are brilliant guitars for overdriven sounds and if you want the vintage Jangle you really want the Rick Toaster pickups

The 5th knob on a Rick is a poorly implemented blend thing and is best either disabled or turned into a Bass Cut, which is what I have done.

The Rick bridge is great for jingle jangle, not great for rock guitar and might be best replaced - I'm going to get a Mastery for mine this year.

It's funny how opinions and impressions can differ.

I actually like the blend knob and find it very useful in terms of finding variations in the middle position tone. The bridge hasn't given me any issues and I do tend to dig the thing out playing rhythm (although set up for me is a ball ache with getting the four height adjustment screws right and not buzzing), and while the Hi Gain pick ups are hotter than the Toasters, you couldn't really call them high gain from a modern perspective. My Nocaster is significantly hotter.

That said, purely my impressions.

I think given the like / dislike that the guitar community has for Rickys, playing one before making a purchase is pretty important. The offer to have a jigger about with my 330 still stands if you are in the Auckland area.

[IMOCD]

Music Planet Takapuna has some real ricks on the wall to try. Perhaps your local shop too

I'm in the BOP. Nowt down here that I know of.

[rickenbackerkid]

Agreed about the High Gains- they might have been in like 72 or when ever they came out but they are not a hot pickup at all.

I also quite liked the blend when in the middle portion, but I really hated it when I went to the neck pickup, because it effects the neck position, and you have to remember to adjust it to get the volume volume neck sound. I want to flick to the neck and get a full volume, fat and dark sound for some leads.

[smallface]

I sold my 330 to smallface for $1800!

Mate, it's a mighty fine guitar and I'm loving it to bits

Here she is with the rest of the 6 string team.

IMG_20210104_132934.jpg (144.17 KiB) Viewed 1952 times

[rickenbackerkid]

[kdawg2a]

I sold my 330 to smallface for $1800!

Mate, it's a mighty fine guitar and I'm loving it to bits

Here she is with the rest of the 6 string team.

IMG_20210104_132934.jpg

I'm glad to see it's in good company! Despite my complaints, if you ever want to sell it, dibs!

[Dharmajester]

Aside from a very early Rick bass I had years ago I've only owned a twelve string 360. As a lover of fat necks I found the neck rather awkward and most of the classic 12 string stuff I played on it never sounded quite right. Recently discovered after picking up a 12 str Dano ( on which everything does sound right ) that the Rick's string arrangement with the lowest string of each pair on top is in contrast to other manufacturers who place the highest string of the pair on top.
Taken aback at the difference it makes to the overall sound...

[olegmcnoleg]

If it is the Ricky sound you are after, and not the look, you maybe want to try a Godin Radiator. They also have the toaster pickups, and loads of jangle. A better overall guitar IHMO with a rockier edge to it, and a LOT cheaper.

(Though you want to change the pickguard )

[smallface]

I sold my 330 to smallface for $1800!

Mate, it's a mighty fine guitar and I'm loving it to bits

Here she is with the rest of the 6 string team.

IMG_20210104_132934.jpg

I'm glad to see it's in good company! Despite my complaints, if you ever want to sell it, dibs!

Absolutely, will do!

[StrummersOfThunder]

I have owned a 360 12 string for about 6 years and 1989 330 6 strings for a couple.
Grant refretted the 330.
Both are phenomenal. I love them. Totally have their own thing going on. My advice tho would be to play one first to see if you dig it as they don't float everyone's boat.
I love the jangle.
Happy times

[StrummersOfThunder]

Mapleglo is my least favorite of the ric colours tho I have to say.

[GrantB]

I don’t want to get into “best years” arguments...but in my experience the 90’s saw a lot of good Ricks come from the factory. I have no idea as to why that might be. And Ricks are consistent on the whole.