Paul Weller's black Rickenbacker 330

RandallFlagg

I'm a big fan of The Jam and always found Weller's black 330 to be iconic and I still get dewy eyed when I see pics of it.

I'm not sure if the black Rickenbacker 330 with misplaced hand painted black pickguard, black truss rod cover and eventually a non stock stop bar tailpiece was the 'Going Underground' white guard one that he used in 1979/80 with modifications, or a different one, but Weller used it almost exclusively live as his go to Ric through 1981 and 1982. I believe he gifted it to Steve Craddock in later years.

My favourite Weller tones came from that guitar, from the Bingley Hall Transglobal Express tour gig, to the performance on the Tube, his sound was thicker with more mid range than before and he clearly hammered this guitar hard.

There is something unique about Weller's style of playing with the Jam, especially live, where he seems to create a wall of sound making chords blend into one another and his picking pattern is hard to distinguish, especially on songs like Funeral Pyre. Notably, he played his barre chords most of the time with his thumb wrapped over the top. He used the A barre chord at 5th fret on the top 4 strings with an open A string on quite a few songs to great effect.

i have had a couple of Ric 330’s over the years but never could get them to sound like Weller, in fact I've never heard anyone get that same sound. Even Russell Hastings doesn't get there with From The Jam.

iconic guitar and tone, right up there for me.

Kylef

It was at the recent Jam exhibition, and you're right it was given to Steve Cradock of OCS. He still uses it. 

http://i346.photobucket.com/albums/p437/Kylefarrell/Rickenbackers/249E2200-BE42-4E2F-8B9F-3208C0BCC1C8_zps4mmr7dd6.jpg

It was the white one that did it for me. So much so I made a copy, although I am an oasis fan aswell. Like Stevie, the white one was gifted to Noel Gallagher. 

http://i346.photobucket.com/albums/p437/Kylefarrell/Rickenbackers/9C035574-E078-4A15-8C99-1E649B09DD31_zpsax93comi.jpg

AvalonAndy

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RandallFlagg

Kylef said:

It was at the recent Jam exhibition, and you're right it was given to Steve Cradock of OCS. He still uses it. 

http://i346.photobucket.com/albums/p437/Kylefarrell/Rickenbackers/249E2200-BE42-4E2F-8B9F-3208C0BCC1C8_zps4mmr7dd6.jpg

It was the white one that did it for me. So much so I made a copy, although I am an oasis fan aswell. Like Stevie, the white one was gifted to Noel Gallagher. 

http://i346.photobucket.com/albums/p437/Kylefarrell/Rickenbackers/9C035574-E078-4A15-8C99-1E649B09DD31_zpsax93comi.jpg

The white one has aged to lovely cream colour now, do Rics use nitro finish? 

shugz

I think the man PW is severely underrated as a guitarist. Same as his hero, Steve Marriott. Both fine guitar players in their own right but maybe the songs/ vocals/ style thing overshadows that contribution a bit. Both i think would have been lauded players if they'd 'just' been a band's guitar player and nothing else.

Obviously just my 2ps.

Cheers 
Hugh

Neil

Personally I loved the look of his early fireglo 330 which matched Bruce's bass.

Sassafras

If it's not fireglo, I don't wanna know. IMO.

Iamnobody

I must admit a Fireglo 330 is on my want list. I'd take black though.

Weller is/was definitely underrated as a guitarist. In a 3 piece it's not easy to be the only guitarist - let alone frontman as well.

As @shugz says he's an all rounder with a great voice, good songwriting skills and he can play. 

Paul_C

I bought my 330 largely because it looked a lot like the black Weller one, it's currently owned by a friend of mine but has hung on my wall for the last few years because his missus doesn't know he bought it

lustycourtier

Neil said:

Personally I loved the look of his early fireglo 330 which matched Bruce's bass.

They weren't rice though were they? Jap copies with Ric TRC from memory...

slacker

I've got a black 330 and Weller was the reason I got one. I use 'in the city' as a guide, I've got various Vox type amps and I cant turn them up enough to get the sound. I listened to the From THe Jam guy and he's using Marshall's. THe SMithereens used marshalls as well. 

I've got a love hate relationship with mine as I have a 360 that is much better sounding guitar. I've never played a bad Ric but my 360 is sweet. Before I sell or trade any guitar I always play it as s goodbye exercise. I played the 330 this morning-cant do it. 

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m202/csexton62/IMG_1788_zpsnlklvwr3.jpg

RandallFlagg

slacker said:

I've got a black 330 and Weller was the reason I got one. I use 'in the city' as a guide, I've got various Vox type amps and I cant turn them up enough to get the sound. I listened to the From THe Jam guy and he's using Marshall's. THe SMithereens used marshalls as well. 

I've got a love hate relationship with mine as I have a 360 that is much better sounding guitar. I've never played a bad Ric but my 360 is sweet. Before I sell or trade any guitar I always play it as s goodbye exercise. I played the 330 this morning-cant do it. 

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m202/csexton62/IMG_1788_zpsnlklvwr3.jpg

Weller used Marshalls for the Sound Affects tour and by the sound of it the album.

Neil

lustycourtier said:

Neil said:

Personally I loved the look of his early fireglo 330 which matched Bruce's bass.

They weren't rice though were they? Jap copies with Ric TRC from memory...

Is that right?

I had no idea.

Gadgie

I would like a Ric for sure.

slacker

RandallFlagg said:

slacker said:

I've got a black 330 and Weller was the reason I got one. I use 'in the city' as a guide, I've got various Vox type amps and I cant turn them up enough to get the sound. I listened to the From THe Jam guy and he's using Marshall's. THe SMithereens used marshalls as well. 

I've got a love hate relationship with mine as I have a 360 that is much better sounding guitar. I've never played a bad Ric but my 360 is sweet. Before I sell or trade any guitar I always play it as s goodbye exercise. I played the 330 this morning-cant do it. 

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m202/csexton62/IMG_1788_zpsnlklvwr3.jpg

Weller used Marshalls for the Sound Affects tour and by the sound of it the album.

didn't know that thanks..could get expensive. 

AvalonAndy

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impmann

I don't think it is, mate... he has one of his own...

http://www.musicradar.com/totalguitar/steal-their-sound-steve-cradock-paul-weller-ocean-colour-scene-250841#

AvalonAndy

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mburekenge

shugz said:

I think the man PW is severely underrated as a guitarist. Same as his hero, Steve Marriott. Both fine guitar players in their own right but maybe the songs/ vocals/ style thing overshadows that contribution a bit. Both i think would have been lauded players if they'd 'just' been a band's guitar player and nothing else.

Obviously just my 2ps.

Cheers 
Hugh

I know some people diss it as 'Dad rock', but Weller's playing on Heavy Soul is just fantastic imo

lustycourtier

mburekenge said:

shugz said:

I think the man PW is severely underrated as a guitarist. Same as his hero, Steve Marriott. Both fine guitar players in their own right but maybe the songs/ vocals/ style thing overshadows that contribution a bit. Both i think would have been lauded players if they'd 'just' been a band's guitar player and nothing else.

Obviously just my 2ps.

Cheers 
Hugh

I know some people diss it as 'Dad rock', but Weller's playing on Heavy Soul is just fantastic imo

Yeah I recently revisited that record after hating it on release (but did see the tour). It's got some crackers on it 

RandallFlagg

I struggle with a lot of Weller's solo material, a lot of his songs are quite tuneless and forgettable and his singing voice has become odd lately. I love pretty much all of The Jam, there was a handful of Style Council songs I liked and a few from his first 3 solo albums and just the occasional song after that.