So...Rickenbackers. What do I need to know?

GavRichList

hate them. Almost never mention loving them, especially the mid/late 80's - early 90's ones. 

26.2

My 330 https://flic.kr/p/2pRXFQH

Rickys are great and not one-trick ponies at all. I’ve had a few and a couple of things I’ve learned from gigging and recording with them are:

1) Not all hi-gain pickups are the same. They’ve varied the output over the years quite dramatically. The higher output ones (around 14K iirc) are awful and have very prominent mids that are very hard to eq out. I don't know the exact history here, as they’ve come and gone, but I found they were very common on 330/360 models from around 2000-2007. 2007 is definitely the year they changed back to lower output hi-gains and they’re great after that. Pre-2000 I’m not sure. Toasters are good if you can find them, but I found them a bit thin for recording. 

2) if the jangle is what you’re after, you may have to work for it. A nice low-gain od or boost with flat mids should get you there with a bit of trial and error. 

3) They are GREAT with plenty of gain. You can ride a wave of feedback and set up huge soundscapes very nicely indeed. 

Petepassion

My '97 330 loves a fuzz pedal.
I don't know if it's my imagination, but with a rocky sound it seems to sound better the more aggressive I play.

rze99

Have a 330 6 and a 330 12 both have the so named high gain pickups ….. but they’re not that hot 

narrow nuts - ok for me I have slender fingers but it’s a blocker for some.

The pickup pole pieces are adjustable and it’s helpful to adjust for height

I use ground wound strings and a foam block under the R tail piece - that keeps the sound really focused 

I always use both pickups blended to favour bridge pickup 

I use comp and EQ to get THAT tone v. 

I’m ok with body shape and neck but I’m rarely bothered by any shape or profile.

not massively keen on the lacquered fretboards but mostly I’m using these guitars for edgy chord tones 

oeljadi

They looked bloody cool in the hands of Guy Picciotto of Fugazi. 

thermionic

rze99 said:

The pickup pole pieces are adjustable and it’s helpful to adjust for height

Most of the ones I’ve seen are not adjustable allen key bolt heads, like mine:

Unless I’m missing something?

GavRichList

thermionic said:

rze99 said:

The pickup pole pieces are adjustable and it’s helpful to adjust for height

Most of the ones I’ve seen are not adjustable allen key bolt heads, like mine:

Unless I’m missing something?

entirely depends on age. The newer ones have allen key adjustment on the top of the pole-pieces. 

Musicwolf

GavRichList said:

entirely depends on age. The newer ones have allen key adjustment on the top of the pole-pieces. 

ICBM

I'll raise the Fireglo one with this...

Ruby Red 1988 360.

Teyeplayer

ICBM said:

I'll raise the Fireglo one with this...

Ruby Red 1988 360.

Wow doesn’t do that justice -and I’m only usually a fan of red on an SG or 335. Absolutely stunning 360.

GavRichList

ICBM said:

I'll raise the Fireglo one with this...

Ruby Red 1988 360.

Right near the top of the guitars that fretboarders own that I would like to own list, that. Utterly unnecessary. Wonderful. 

Gomers

This is a great resource for all things Ric.

https://www.rickenbacker101.com/

Penn

ICBM said:

I'll raise the Fireglo one with this...

Ruby Red 1988 360.

You’re a very naughty man. That’s lovely. 

Boromedic

GavRichList said:

ICBM said:

I'll raise the Fireglo one with this...

Ruby Red 1988 360.

Right near the top of the guitars that fretboarders own that I would like to own list, that. Utterly unnecessary. Wonderful. 

I've got second dibs!!

thermionic

OK if we’re showing them off, here’s my ‘99 330.

It’s the perfect Fireglo imho - no yellow/orange tint in the middle and a rich dark colour at the edges. There’s subtle birdseye in the top as well. Pickups read 10.7k/10.5k bridge/neck. It has also has the thickest neck of all the guitars I’ve owned (and measured) at 23.1mm at the first fret and 23.4mm at the 12th. It plays nicely with a low action but found 10s felt very loose, so I recently put on a set of 11s (and it still plays surprisingly easy).

Creed_Clicks

Here's a lad I know at the IPO festival in Liverpool last weekend. He usually is straight into an amp. You can hear the bite the Ric has, even with dodgy phone video quality. I do have a hankering now for a 330 again.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DY0HTRpIg6Q/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Sporky

This was my 360. Lovely thing.

 

Gomers

thermionic said:

OK if we’re showing them off, here’s my ‘99 330.

It’s the perfect Fireglo imho - no yellow/orange tint in the middle and a rich dark colour at the edges. There’s subtle birdseye in the top as well. Pickups read 10.7k/10.5k bridge/neck. It has also has the thickest neck of all the guitars I’ve owned (and measured) at 23.1mm at the first fret and 23.4mm at the 12th. It plays nicely with a low action but found 10s felt very loose, so I recently put on a set of 11s (and it still plays surprisingly easy).

Spot on Fireglo on yours, very nice guitar sir.

merlin

I've only owned one (a black 660 bought from @JerkMoans of this parish) and apart from getting cramp in my left hand if I played it for over half an hour, it was great. Different. 

Wazmeister