Rickenbacker 6 string - what strings?

toescantalk

Anyone had great success with non-Rickenbacker string sets?

I'm hopefully swapping bridge out soon for Mastery so was eyeing up what strings to put on there too as the Rickenbacker ones don't seem all that, to me at least. Plus I like 11s!

lustycourtier

I've never even heard of ric strings! D'addrio 10s on my 330 without any issue. Love the stock bridge too 

ICBM

11s with a wound 3rd. I use either D'Addarios or Dean Markleys.

Bucket

I don't know but the neck is presumably so narrow I'd be tempted to just put four on.

toescantalk

ICBM said:

11s with a wound 3rd. I use either D'Addarios or Dean Markleys.

Cool. This works on other guitars so will do this too.

lustycourtier said:

I've never even heard of ric strings! D'addrio 10s on my 330 without any issue. Love the stock bridge too 

I'm sure it's incompetence in me setting guitar up. But it just isn't sounding right on a few strings, I'll call it "plinky". Thought I'd throw money at it with a new bridge rather than try and do something for free and angle the bridge or something

Bridgehouse

Ric recently changed their traditional string gauges - used to be 10-42, they are now 10-46 - you can get a copy of the original Ric strings from Rickysounds - and they are pretty good.

Nickel round wounds sound good if you want that 60s vibe..

ICBM

The Ric strings used to be compressed-wound, which is why the wound strings seemed an unusually small gauge - they're actually just as heavy as normal, but squeezed into a smaller overall diameter. It would be sad if they've abandoned that for the sake of offering 'conventional' gauges.

A wound 3rd is really important, I find - even a 10 set with a 17 G sounds a bit too clangy really. Not sure why it should be more so on a Rick than other guitars - although Gretsches are like that too.

Bridgehouse

ICBM said:

The Ric strings used to be compressed-wound, which is why the wound strings seemed an unusually small gauge - they're actually just as heavy as normal, but squeezed into a smaller overall diameter. It would be sad if they've abandoned that for the sake of offering 'conventional' gauges.

A wound 3rd is really important, I find - even a 10 set with a 17 G sounds a bit too clangy really. Not sure why it should be more so on a Rick than other guitars - although Gretsches are like that too.

Yep that's exactly what they have done.

Rickysounds have compressed wound made by the same factory but not badged as Ric strings. I've tried them and they are the same

oh, and they label them at the 'compressed' gauge - hence 10-42

ICBM

Bridgehouse said:

Rickysounds have compressed wound made by the same factory but not badged as Ric strings. I've tried them and they are the same

It's a shame they're still not offering 11s. The 12s are just a bit too heavy for me sadly.

Bridgehouse

ICBM said:

Bridgehouse said:

Rickysounds have compressed wound made by the same factory but not badged as Ric strings. I've tried them and they are the same

It's a shame they're still not offering 11s. The 12s are just a bit too heavy for me sadly.

That's Ric for you - do what they like when they like

I never liked the compressed wound with their high gain pups - much nicer with the toasters tho 

Brize

Bridgehouse said:

Nickel round wounds sound good if you want that 60s vibe..

Pyramid flat wounds are better...

dogload

I use ordinary D;Addario 10's on my 360 with no problem. It has early 80's Hi-gain pickups in it so that may be why it doesn't sound too clanky. 

On my 12-string I use Newtone 12-string sets, which supposedly replicate compressed-wound Ric strings. They're much cheaper and sound really good. They do a 6-string set too.

ICBM

dogload said:

I use ordinary D;Addario 10's on my 360 with no problem. It has early 80's Hi-gain pickups in it so that may be why it doesn't sound too clanky.

Yes, those sound better with lighter roundwounds - and as Bridgehouse said, not so good with the compressed ones.

Gassage

Try E, A, D, G, B, E.

SimpleSimon

I'd recommend Pyramid gold flatwound 11's....

Bridgehouse

SimpleSimon said:

I'd recommend Pyramid gold flatwound 11's....

I've wanted to try them for a while now - will have to give them a go

guitars4you

10-52's if you still like 10's  - thicker bottom 3 strings for additional meat and as such they tend to stay more in tune/rigid when you attack them  - 11-49's fine as well

If unsure about flat wound option then try D'addario 1/2 wound - they do a 10-52 option - touch more clarity than a pure flat wound string

toescantalk

SimpleSimon said:

I'd recommend Pyramid gold flatwound 11's....

 I've not tried flatwounds yet. So think I'll get a set and see...

SimpleSimon

I can highly recommend them if your after that 60's flavour on any type of semi.

Cabicular

I've broken one of the strings on my 12 string 360..
Going to have to sell it now...

TonyR

Cabicular said:

I've broken one of the strings on my 12 string 360..
Going to have to sell it now...

Aye, I can understand that - restringing a Ric 12 string is a real pain...