Show us our Rickenbackers and tell us why you got one

pmg

I didn’t know you could jumper channels on a bad cat black cat

Seziertisch

Left it dusty to keep it authentic. This has been a bit of a project over the last 20 years.

I bought it through EBay from the US. I had it about a week and the R tailpiece literally tore asunder. Replacement is from Winfield Vintage, made by ABM in Germany (I think).

I put locking tuners onto it after a very unpleasant studio session where I had to restring it at 4 am because we wanted the sound of fresh strings. 

The pickguards and truss rod cover were custom made by a machinist friend of mine and Jack’s Instruments did the printing/embossing on the headstock.

The pickups are the original neck pickup rewound to 7.4K by Wizard Pickups. The pickup was originally 19k or so, and unusably muddy. It looked like someone just wound the bobbin until it was full. Gotta love that made in the USA quality. The middle and bridge are from The Creamery, Firebird pickups essentially, A5 magnets wound with 43 AWG wire to 9 and 10.5k respectively.

Controls are volume and (passive) treble and bass with a Creation Audio Redeemer on a push/pull switch. Selector is a standard 5-way Strat selector.

I’m experimenting with a Hosco Sound Offset Spacer at the nut and initial impressions are positive, though it’s quite a bit wider than the nut.

The bridge (the fourth one I’ve had on there) is a “Japan” ABR-1 which Huw Price and Chris Buck reckon gives the sound of a vintage ABR-1. I only recently put it so am still experimenting with string spacing. What feels best is to use the pre-slot for 6 of the strings and then carefully space the corresponding string of each pair. Using the centre pre-slot makes it feel closer to a 6-string when you pick it up. The higher 3 string pairs can be closer together without one choking out the other when you play further up the neck. I’m also liking having the heavier lower four strings sitting prouder than their corresponding octave strings, seems to make fretting them as a pair easier. I also recently dropped the action as it’s a 12-string and choking out on bends is not an issue. I’ve never had it playing better.

Oh, and it’s been refretted with stainless steel frets and plekked (at Plek in Berlin), and yes, the string pairs have been reversed from the sacred “Rick” way. And it’s a 360, I raised the pickguard off the body using the little rubber grommets to accommodate the Strat selector and allow me to run the middle pickup in under it without having route (Firebird pickup having no depth below the surface)

Penn

I’m have one, it’s just so different from the Stratocasters, Les Paul and Es345 I have. It’s it own sound and its own thing. It’s ace. 

I sold a couple of other guitars to buy it

Kylef

Marr, Lennon, Harrison, Tom Petty, Mike Campbell to name but a few. Have had a few Rickenbackers, but have settled on my Weller/Gallagher inspired white 330. 

BobHillman

Seziertisch said:

Left it dusty to keep it authentic. This has been a bit of a project over the last 20 years.

I bought it through EBay from the US. I had it about a week and the R tailpiece literally tore asunder. Replacement is from Winfield Vintage, made by ABM in Germany (I think).

I put locking tuners onto it after a very unpleasant studio session where I had to restring it at 4 am because we wanted the sound of fresh strings. 

The pickguards and truss rod cover were custom made by a machinist friend of mine and Jack’s Instruments did the printing/embossing on the headstock.

The pickups are the original neck pickup rewound to 7.4K by Wizard Pickups. The pickup was originally 19k or so, and unusably muddy. It looked like someone just wound the bobbin until it was full. Gotta love that made in the USA quality. The middle and bridge are from The Creamery, Firebird pickups essentially, A5 magnets wound with 43 AWG wire to 9 and 10.5k respectively.

Controls are volume and (passive) treble and bass with a Creation Audio Redeemer on a push/pull switch. Selector is a standard 5-way Strat selector.

I’m experimenting with a Hosco Sound Offset Spacer at the nut and initial impressions are positive, though it’s quite a bit wider than the nut.

The bridge (the fourth one I’ve had on there) is a “Japan” ABR-1 which Huw Price and Chris Buck reckon gives the sound of a vintage ABR-1. I only recently put it so am still experimenting with string spacing. What feels best is to use the pre-slot for 6 of the strings and then carefully space the corresponding string of each pair. Using the centre pre-slot makes it feel closer to a 6-string when you pick it up. The higher 3 string pairs can be closer together without one choking out the other when you play further up the neck. I’m also liking having the heavier lower four strings sitting prouder than their corresponding octave strings, seems to make fretting them as a pair easier. I also recently dropped the action as it’s a 12-string and choking out on bends is not an issue. I’ve never had it playing better.

Oh, and it’s been refretted with stainless steel frets and plekked (at Plek in Berlin), and yes, the string pairs have been reversed from the sacred “Rick” way. And it’s a 360, I raised the pickguard off the body using the little rubber grommets to accommodate the Strat selector and allow me to run the middle pickup in under it without having route (Firebird pickup having no depth below the surface)

What's the bar between the bridge and tailpiece?

slacker

Thanks for posting the pic. Yes you can jump channels on  an early bad cat. It's more or less a matchless.

Seziertisch

BobHillman said:

Seziertisch said:

Left it dusty to keep it authentic. This has been a bit of a project over the last 20 years.

I bought it through EBay from the US. I had it about a week and the R tailpiece literally tore asunder. Replacement is from Winfield Vintage, made by ABM in Germany (I think).

I put locking tuners onto it after a very unpleasant studio session where I had to restring it at 4 am because we wanted the sound of fresh strings. 

The pickguards and truss rod cover were custom made by a machinist friend of mine and Jack’s Instruments did the printing/embossing on the headstock.

The pickups are the original neck pickup rewound to 7.4K by Wizard Pickups. The pickup was originally 19k or so, and unusably muddy. It looked like someone just wound the bobbin until it was full. Gotta love that made in the USA quality. The middle and bridge are from The Creamery, Firebird pickups essentially, A5 magnets wound with 43 AWG wire to 9 and 10.5k respectively.

Controls are volume and (passive) treble and bass with a Creation Audio Redeemer on a push/pull switch. Selector is a standard 5-way Strat selector.

I’m experimenting with a Hosco Sound Offset Spacer at the nut and initial impressions are positive, though it’s quite a bit wider than the nut.

The bridge (the fourth one I’ve had on there) is a “Japan” ABR-1 which Huw Price and Chris Buck reckon gives the sound of a vintage ABR-1. I only recently put it so am still experimenting with string spacing. What feels best is to use the pre-slot for 6 of the strings and then carefully space the corresponding string of each pair. Using the centre pre-slot makes it feel closer to a 6-string when you pick it up. The higher 3 string pairs can be closer together without one choking out the other when you play further up the neck. I’m also liking having the heavier lower four strings sitting prouder than their corresponding octave strings, seems to make fretting them as a pair easier. I also recently dropped the action as it’s a 12-string and choking out on bends is not an issue. I’ve never had it playing better.

Oh, and it’s been refretted with stainless steel frets and plekked (at Plek in Berlin), and yes, the string pairs have been reversed from the sacred “Rick” way. And it’s a 360, I raised the pickguard off the body using the little rubber grommets to accommodate the Strat selector and allow me to run the middle pickup in under it without having route (Firebird pickup having no depth below the surface)

What's the bar between the bridge and tailpiece?

A damper to control ringing behind the bridge 

pmg

slacker said:

Thanks for posting the pic. Yes you can jump channels on  an early bad cat. It's more or less a matchless.

How about a c.2013 model? Ie that iteration before the kmaster?

26.2

GavRichList said:

I’ve had a fair few of them as people will know, but I’m down to one which won’t ever go. My ‘91 360, which is a perfect guitar. 

At one point my collection was thus:

@boromedic and @punchesjudy are the lucky beneficiaries of my insatiable thirst to avoid poverty. 

Oh, and technically this one is in my house at the minute too. 

Radiohead were the main force in my youth I’d guess. But they’re beautiful guitars regardless of heroes, and I find myself drawn to their players. Marr, halstead etc. I could love Ride if only the singing wasn’t so shite; Andy Bells FG 12 is glorious. 

Down to one!!

26.2

My 330

https://flic.kr/p/2pRXFQH

prowla

I do keep some spares too.

Neil

Penn said:

I’m have one, it’s just so different from the Stratocasters, Les Paul and Es345 I have. It’s it own sound and its own thing. It’s ace. 

I sold a couple of other guitars to buy it

Just lovely. 

I don't own one but a 360 in fireglo is what I yearn for. 

skay

This is my 1995 Rickenbacker 330 that I bought new from Coda, and after a refret with proper sized frets, it's become my number one again.

It pairs perfectly with my Z-Wreck Jr, which shouldn't come as any surprise seeing as it's very much in the Vox camp, and can go from warm and full to having an amazing bite that adds aggression and power without ever sounding harsh. With a little push from a Hotcake and Analogman Bad Bob Boost (both bought from this very Parish), and with some magic added by a Thorpy Fat General, it is actually a great guitar for a covers band I'm in, and I'd never thought I'd ever say that about a Rickenbacker!

edit: sort of missed the second part of the question of ‘why’ I bought one:

It was mainly John Lennon for me as I was (am) a massive Beatles fan, so it had to be jetglo like John’s, but Ride were a big influence in the decision, as were The Blue Aeroplanes, as these bands made the sounds I wanted to make with it rather than the typical jangle.

Make no mistake, I also love the jangle and paired with my AC30, this edge-of-breakup that it does so well was my sound for many years. I got into Fugazi about 8 years ago and loved how aggressive they made a Rickenbacker sound, so this made me revisit the guitar and have it refretted to make it more playable, then playing some Jam covers in my current band at the end of last year saw the return of this guitar again and I’ve played it non-stop ever since.

Paul_C

Damn, I want another Rickenbacker now.

Teyeplayer

Paul_C said:

Damn, I want another Rickenbacker now.

Ditto. This thread is lethal. I’ve had five of the bloody things and always have the same gripes and yet keep going back every couple of years. 

Trude

rze99 said:

For me, I liked The Jam and then later REM and Tom Petty and Beatles. I had to have a Rickenbacker.

What was amazing is that my now wife bought me a Fireglo 330 as an engagement present "because I remember you said you fancied one". Hey, she listened and remembered and met my wishes! I had to marry her...25 years ago, so we just celebrated our Silver wedding (if not our silver hair!). 

Here are pics

1998 Fireglo and 2009 Jetglo 12 

Still use them. Here's how I make em sound.






 
 

Aside from the guitars (which are extremely cool of course), that's a CRACKING tune! Love that to death. A proper earworm of a riff, and I was getting J Mascis vibes too from the vocals.

Never had a Ric, but this has given me a hankering...

Creed_Clicks

Mines a Greco....

Kylef

Embarrassingly, I forgot about this one 

rze99

Trude said:

rze99 said:

For me, I liked The Jam and then later REM and Tom Petty and Beatles. I had to have a Rickenbacker.

What was amazing is that my now wife bought me a Fireglo 330 as an engagement present "because I remember you said you fancied one". Hey, she listened and remembered and met my wishes! I had to marry her...25 years ago, so we just celebrated our Silver wedding (if not our silver hair!). 

Here are pics

1998 Fireglo and 2009 Jetglo 12 

Still use them. Here's how I make em sound.






 
 

Aside from the guitars (which are extremely cool of course), that's a CRACKING tune! Love that to death. A proper earworm of a riff, and I was getting J Mascis vibes too from the vocals.

Never had a Ric, but this has given me a hankering...

Thanks! Pleased you took the time and enjoyed it. The Ric 12 is on the track I'm recording now... 6 tracks into the album

JMS96

My ‘87 360. Bought off reverb 7/8 years ago, it’s a bit of a mystery. I think it started life as a black-on-black, which they did that year and hence the black truss rod cover. These had black plastics but chrome hardware, unlike the noir, which is all black. The toasters look to be factory originals but have no labels. 

Previously owned this one which was a beaut.