Who do you associate with the Rickenbacker 325? 🔴Reverb: www.reverb.com/item/26022737?_aid=growsumo&gs_partner=Trogly 💰New to Reverb? Get $10 on Me ➡️ reverb.grsm.io/earn10 👕 Merch: teespring.com/basic-logo-4245?pid=211 🎸New Guitar Day Program: troglysguitarshow.com/ngd/ ❓Private Help Sessions: troglysguitarshow.com/help-appraisals/ 🐕 Episode Guide: 0:20 - Rick's History 1:16 - Famous Users 325 2:34 - Unique Specs (Tiny) 3:35 - Rickenbacker Hidden Pricing 5:19 - Inside Look 14:07 - How to String 16:34 - The 5th Knob 17:24 - Tone Demo 20:16 - Vibrato Arm Test 20:36 - Final Thoughts 24:16 - Blacklight Test 24:34 - Case + QC
Lennon didn't use these "tiny guitars to make himself look bigger." When the Beatles were in Hamburg during their first residency at the Indra Club, since they were earning some money playing, John decided he wanted to buy a Rickenbacker guitar because one of his guitar heroes, Toots Thielemans, played a Rickenbacker. He'd assumed the Rickenbacker guitars could be easily attained in Germany since the name sounds German, however, the owner of the shop informed him that it was an American brand, but he could get him one. The shop owner called the Rickenbacker supplier and asked them to send their cheapest model because the kid who wanted it didn't really care, as long as it was a Rickenbacker. The 325 hadn't been a popular seller and they were getting ready to discontinue the model, so they sent that one. John bought it and it became his first "professional" guitar, and the instrument that he's most associated with. Originally, it had a natural finish with the "gold" pickguard and truss rod cover, but he had it pained black after George Harrison got his Gretsch Duo Jet so they'd match. Then, when Beatlemania was born, during their first US Tour, Rickenbacker gave John the 1964 model with the white pickguard and truss rod cover. When viewing the three Ed Sullivan appearances during their first US Tour, their first two appearances, John has the 1958 model then for their final Ed Sullivan performance on that tour, he has the 1964 model.
Also John's guitar originally had two pickups. But since they weren't selling Rickenbacker recalled the 325 Capris and added a third pick up to some of them to try and spark more interest in them.
Interesting info ! This model was a gift from the Rickenbacker brand and made his debut on the Ed Sullivan show in Miami at the Deauville Hotel. This RIC´s model is a piece of history, no doubt about it !!
@@TheVinylBeatles His second one was. The first 325 was bought in a German music store, as per my account above. It was the 1958 model with the gold pickguard and truss rod cover. The 1964 model with the white guard and cover was gifted to him by Rickenbacker during their first US Tour and Ed Sullivan series.
@@stringsattached67 OK, I accept that. We all lust after what we all lust after. Some lust after a Vox Teardrop, some after a Mosrite, some after a '67 GTO, some after the the girl next doors Mother. Point. You lust after what you lust after and damn the price. Ugly and beauty remains in the eye of the beholder.
I never really got the appeal of the Beatles either. To me Ricks were played by The Who, The Jam, REM, the Plimsouls, Tom Petty, The Church and Fugazi. All these bands made more of an impact on me than the Beatles.
I've never played one of them gorgeous gahts. I've only seen others, on teevee having that privilege Now I could buy one.I don't if I should .after all how long is my little windfall GONNA last me if I buy things like that just because I phancy one?
@@stephenemmerton3223 How bad do you need "that" tone? I bought a Rick 4003 and it definitely sounds like a Rick bass. But if I hadn't wheeled and dealed for it, I could've gone with a P or J bass and been happy too.
Great to see you do one of these. They have an awesome clean, "jingily" sound. Perfect for rythem and finger picking. Try to find an angle fret model, quite hard to find, but worth the search. The tone seems to be a bit more aggressive, and the angled frets are very easy to navigate the fret board, especially when you are using full barred notes. I'm a Gibson guy true blue, but there's nothing like a Rick/Gibson/Strat line up in a 3 guitar song. I may be wrong, but I believe Blackfoot used this line up in "highway song" in the studio. Where in "Train Train" was 3 Gibsons, a Paul, an explorer, and V line up. Love the channel!! Have a great day.
@@stephenemmerton3223 The 21" scale length is most likely why I NEVER saw anyone with one of these in the 60's, (I'm 74). RIC was just as HEADSTRONG as the big car automakers, and C.F. Martin (No Truss Rod, 12 frets to the body) that is until Susana Hoffs sig. model came along, and NOW they offer different scale lengths, (go figure?). I am a Luthier/Builder , and have cloned 4 Rics to date, with #5 in the "Hopper". My 325 version has a 23" length, while all my 360 style 6's, and 12's are 25.5, (Longer than RIC).
Knowing that Lennon used 3/4 guitars makes the unusual banjo chords, jazz chords, and hand stretching licks he sometimes did make a lot more sense. Some of his songs make my pinky feel like it ran a marathon.
Yes those banjo chords are a killer, but playing them on small guitars must have been the right training. The Casino is a handful for normal chords, but by 1969 he was using those 4 fret chord for "I dig a Pony". He must have had a grip like a gorilla!
As a longtime RIC player, it's interesting to see some who isn't especially enamored by the brand or model make these observations and "discoveries". Taking it apart was hard to watch, but in the end you got to see the unique ideas and engineering that make these guitars on of a kind in a world of clone guitars. Well done over all.
Right? This could have gone a whole different way, but it was nice to see someone owning up to a journey of discovery. Painful that there's officially a generation who "heard a Beatles song in a uni course once", but that's the way the world goes round :-)
If you ever do another Rickenbacker it must be a 12 string, I don't think you'll like that headstock that much after restring it lol. Thanks for featuring one
Re: prices; Back in 2004, Guitar Center had a “blow out” for the 325c58 (known as the “Hamburg” model, whereas this one you demoed is the 325c64 “Miami.”) and they blew them out for about $699-$799. Rickenbacker did not authorize those prices and they were very upset. Within a couple years of that, I never saw another dealer publicly post the price of a new Rick. By the way, I waited 2.5 years for my first Rick, between August 2004 and February 2007. A 360/12c63. Rickenbackorder. 😉
I would prefer a Hamburg to the 80s vintage 320 that #hdntribute uses. Personally, not a fan of Ric as a company... and we have 4! Ric won't produce instruments to keep prices high purposely. Their customer service is terrible. Even at NAMM they are jerks!
Rickenbacker: "We don't advertise the price because we want you to admire the guitar without putting a price onto it!" *Ok ill take 10 free rickenbackers since im going to be admiring it without worrying about the price*
The old saying goes, "If you have to ask you can't afford it." But really, the price isn't out of line with other US made well known brand instruments.
@@peachmelba1000 The reissues are particularly expensive, especially since most (maybe all) of them are no longer being made, so there's very limited supply. The standard models are much more in line with other big American brands. I for example bought a 4003S brand new for $1820, and I probably would have been able to get a better deal, but my options were a bit limited being left handed.
Compared to an American PRS or a Japanese Ibanez or Gretsch I don't think they're in the same ballpark. Doesn't look like it would hold up for a touring guitarist either. But what the hell do I know......
L. Marc Does Rickenbacker still offer everything they make in both right and left handed versions? They used to be about the only major company that did it.
Besides john Lennon, and the already mentioned John Fogerty and Maurice Gibb, you can't neglect Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The Rickenbacker has a iconic own sound, that you can recognize in The Byrds and The Bangles, and every now and then a record appears with unmistakably the same sound, like Slight Return by The Bluetones. Once you know that sound you immediately recognize it.
i’ve been playing my Ric bass for a week now, and I can say it’s phenomenal! Feels like a whole different beast from any other brand, but i prefer it over anything else. Best bass i’ve ever laid hands on.
Rickenbacker's are my all time favorite guitars ever. I have a 330W (the walnut version), and it's the most unique sounding and playing guitar I've ever played. In studio and record production situations they're just wonderful, they always sound how you want them to sound, and sit in the mix so well.
Gorgeous guitar. Yes, every other company since Fender has made their guitar easier to work with, but there is a charm to having a guitar made by a company that figured out their own unique way and stuck with it.
The Beatles.The greatest band ever assembled.They changed everything.I remember the very first day their 45 single came out.Side A was I want to hold your hand.Side B was I saw her standing there..1964 I was walking around downtown trying to drum up business shining shoes.I was 13 at the time.I saw a very long line of kids coming out of the store door.The line went up the street about 75 feet and around the corner another 30/40 feet.I asked a girl in line what was going on.She said with excitement , we are all going to buy The Beatles record.So I walked to the front of the line.Looked through the big glass door and saw a large poster of 4 guys with long hair on the poster.I went to the end of the line and waited.about an hr but I bought the record.I brought it home and put it on the record player.I heard my Mom yell out What in the world is that.lol.Everything changed from that point on.The world changed..Trogley wouldn’t be here doing this if it were not for the Beatles.Beatles really popularized the Rick..After all Lennon’s acustic Gibson sold for over 2 million at auction..Lol..Figure it out..I like the little Beatle tune you played.Ive just seen a face I can’t forget the time or place where we just met she’s just the girl for me and I want all the world to see we’ve met.Fallin yes I keep fallin and she keeps callin me back agai.Had it been another day I might have looked the other way.
@@skiptracer2988 No, they weren't top tier musicians. But somehow all together, they created some of the greatest music ever written. In terms of assembling a band, I think that deserves the top spot. Not to mention they're the most successful band ever in terms of record sales.
Bro it's 2020 and I am well into my 50s and I'm still going thru Beatle mania. Thats why 40 years ago l literally forced myself to play guitar. It was the best thing to ever happen to me( besides my daughter and family and friends) now l can play most anything l hear. To play the guitar with some quility equipment and just shred is the closest thing to being a God, its so poweful. In my opinion. So the Beatle's will live in my heart till the day l take a dirt nap. Thank you Beatles R.I.P JOHN LENNON GEORGE HARRISON'S GEORGE MARTIN
there 1st singel was love me do,,you usa lot think the beatles got famous after coming to your place,,,haha wrong ,,put it this way my school on angelsey n wales uk,,had lemmy from motorhead in,,girls came from liverpool on holiday and told him about an unknown band playing in the cavern,,he came and saw them,then when he got home he left school age15 and started his 1st band,,,this was before the beatles got famous in uk even...there was life before the usa
I've always been a massive Beatles fan and I got my love of Ricks and Gretsches from them, and I always loved the look of Lennon's black 325 so this was a really cool demo, man. Always love watching these and getting info about all these cool guitars
The 5th knob works two ways. If you roll off the neck pup tone the 5th knob acts as a blend pickup in the middle position. It brings back the neck pup tone to have three distinct sounds. Up is the neck/middle pup full bass. Middle, you add back the highs to the neck /middle pup and it blends it with the bridge pup. Down is the bridge pup alone. With the N/M pup tone full on the 5th knob as as a blend knob with switch in the center or up position.
I love Rickenbackers! And thanks so much for the correct pronunciation throughout the review. The 620 and 660 would have probably made you happier. Rickenbackers have a style, sound and feel that's all their own. I own one and I'll never sell it. My only criticism is their price has left the realm of reality in many ways, but they are all backordered, so there you go I guess. Other famous players have been Peter Buck of R.E.M., Tom Petty, John Kay of Steppenwolf and Roger McGuinn of the Byrds. Among many others!
I am a proud owner of a Rickenbacker guitar and I LOVE it. However, yes, Rics are somewhat if an enigma when it comes to guitars. Their design is very unique and very unlike most other guitar manufacturers. However, that's what makes them sound and feel so unique. I am friends with the owner of my local guitar store who are a Rickenbacker dealer and he has confirmed with me that they are in fact made in batches one model at a time. He has told me that he has sometimes had to wait more than a year for a certain model that he's ordered. If it's July and you want a 360 and they made them in May, you have to WAIT for them to come back around to the next batch of 360s. They refuse to do custom orders pr in any way break their production schedule. They claim this helps them maintain the quality and consistency of the guitars. Whether or not you believe that is up to you.
That iconic 8 Days a Week sound and John Lennon's vocal accompaniment is what makes this guitar legendary and I admit I'm lusting right now, I could probably never afford a vintage. I want the Ricki 12 more and all that George Harrison Tom Petty Roger McGwin stuff is more tempting.
Ironically, this guitar doesn't make an appearance on the studio recording. John played his acoustic guitar throughout, and George plays one of his Gretsch guitars as well as his Rickenbacker 360/12 on the intro and outro.
Rick's are known for their clean sound and for good reason, but I love their distorted sound. It's just so dirty and raw. It was great to learn a bit more about one of the most idiosyncratic guitars on the market.
Heard from a guitar center employee that the rickenbacker factory (located in Santa Ana California) likes to keep their production as close to what they were doing in the 1960's. To do that they use certain materials that are illegal to use in mass quantities. So to get around that they do a limited run on certain models on what they can produce legally using the materials they want. I believe thats why the price may fluctuate from year to year. I have a 4003 fire glo bass from 2017 and it was $2000 back then. Not sure what theyre going for now.
This is the best you've sounded in any of the playing demos that I've heard. To my ears, that guitar is great for your setup. I hope you try another couple Rickenbackers.
John Lennon bought his first Rickenbacker 325 when The Beatles were playing in Hamburg Germany. They didn't have a lot of money at that time, and he got a good deal on his first one because it had been in that music shop for a while and hadn't sold, so he bought it. And the fact that it was an American guitar made it attractive to him too. After playing the first one and liking it, he had a couple others after that. It didn't have anything to do with making him look bigger. I know a lot about The Beatles and never heard that one before.
Tom Petty was a prominent user of the rickbacker guitars. He used all sorts of guitars depending on need but Rickenbacker was featured in the cover of Damn The Torpedos album along with several videos like "The Waiting".
He bought it because he saw a highly respected jazz player, Toots Thieleman playing a Rickenbacker. And it was cheap enough that he could afford to make payments on it. Which according to George he never finished paying.
When you showed the "1958 rickenbacker 325" It was actually his 1964 Rickenbacker 325, despite the pickguard and trussrod cover kinda having the carpi color. By 1965 which the footage is from he would've been using his 64 Rickenbacker after retiring his 1958 Rickenbacker the previous year,
@@bradrichardson3539 Did not know that-thanks for the information. Btw, do you know when he last used it in the studio (or any specific songs, post Feb. 1964)?
I think this video made me realize I don’t ever see myself owning a Rickenbacker. I have always seen the shapes as kinda weird, and now that I know what the neck joint is like, how their marketing works and how they sound, I just don’t see one of them fitting anything I do :/ it was a great and informative video and probably saved me a bunch of money too, so thank you Trogly!!
ABOUT THE PRICE: (Sorry it's long) A lot of high end manufacturers restrict dealer's ability to display price. Mesa had done this for many years. Back in the 90s I worked at the East Coast Music Mall in Danbury, CT. The reason for the price ad restriction was a decision made by the manufacturer to help protect dealers. They didn't want you calling 10 dealers and just buying it from whoever offered it for less. East Coast got into big trouble because when they launched their mail order catalog in the 80s (they had the first nationwide, Musician's Friend type of operation), they would get around this by listing brand new items as "store demo" or "used mint" items. They got caught and lost a couple brands that way. Boogie was one. (They eventually got it back in the 90s). There are 2 parts to this: first, they want to maintain the value. High end products - real ones, like Boogie, Anderson, Suhr - aren't selling product to dealers for 50% of the MSRP. The discount is usually between 20 and 30%. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Sometimes, like Boogie, there are no discounts to the customer. You pay the asking price or Boogie won't keep the dealer. I say "real ones" because Fender and Gibson have expensive guitars, but they aren't boutique. And Gibson doesn't care if you sell a $10,000 custom shop piece for less than dealer cost as long as they've been paid. The other reason is that generally, the buyers of high end guitars appreciate, not only the product, but the efforts of the dealer. When I worked at Brian Guitars in New Haven, CT, before my "experience" with East Coast, I watched Brian tell customers to their face that they are welcome to go to another dealer and pay less, but to expect to be treated accordingly by that dealer. And they always came back. Because Brian knew how to make customers understand that if you care about your relationship with your dealer, you won't nickel and dime them. This didn't apply to the standard items. This is for high end gear that attracts a high end buyers. Some items are run of the mill and everyone sells them for whatever the market is. Thats why if you search for any basic Ibanez RG or Strat, you'll see 100 online retailers with it listed for the same price. Service after the sale, so to speak, is what high end brands want from their dealers. A dealer who sells stuff for less margin to make up the difference in volume will notoriously care a lot less about taking care of the customer later. They basically operate on the premise that, "hey, you got it cheaper than anyone else. YOU'RE WELCOME!" The countless examples of complaints about Guitar Center and the like are good examples of this. So the brand generally wants to take care of their dealers. They aren't Fender, who just cares about how many of their instruments you sell a year. And part of that is giving you a territory. So if all the dealers are selling the same high end, high quality item for the same price, then their dealers won't struggle to compete for sales with unscrupulous dealers who just want the sale and their products don't end up devalued. And to people who have an issue with that, it's fine. Those brands don't care and won't miss them. And not in a mean, dismissive way, but those people are notoriously difficult to please and they'd rather they kick tires elsewhere. Those people are generally fine with mid market level gear anyway and who also think everything should be 5% over cost when they buy it, but somehow still retain all its value when they are trying to sell it used. So it's not uncommon for Rickenbacker to do this. Especially because they aren't plentiful.
Very cool post Randy. I’m originally from CT so reading your post was like a trip down memory lane. Plus lots of good info. I learned a lot. Best wishes.
you see this to some extent in computers, look at newegg There are prices that manufactures are good with you telling people, there are prices they are ok with you selling the item for but if you are selling volume and don't care you are min maxing proffit, just that you are competing, you give up a bit of the proffit you would make, and many manufacturers aren't ok with you disclosing THAT price as it devalues their product, I know with games the moment I see one for a 75% sale and its 15$, I don't care if the best sale for the game is 50% and 30$ that game is now forever worth 15$ to me, In other areas, ask prices are like a used car lot, where I see you love this car, its 7000$, or I see you just want a point a to b, its 4000$, but if a friends son bought it the car would be 1200$ the way I see this rickenbacker, its brand new and already has issues with the coating reacting to the crap they put on it, that immediately tells me I wont pay more than 800 for it, because if they are messing up something so basic, what exle are the messing up? they could have very easily used chrome coated metal spacers and potentially a felt washer but instead, lets have this rubber eat our guitars.
alidan yeah, the used market is a whole other game. Dealers, whether auto or instrument, can get product traded in or sold to them at any number of different costs. Sometimes on trade where it costs them far less than its worth and they can charge whatever they want, or sometimes they pay cash and there's less margin. They also get to do things like convince an item has complicated issues when it merely needs minor adjustments. And 5 of the same thing new should all basically be the same price (feature for feature), but used there are factors that change that greatly like wear and condition or mileage on a car. Highway miles or in town miles? That sort of thing. And of course, I think value is up to us. I wouldn't pay $1,000 for that Rick. It's not my thing. I think they're neat, but I've played them. They play like guitars built in the 60s by Rickenbacker. Consequently, I won't pay $4,000 for a custom shop strat either. A Suhr or an Anderson, I will. But Fender's custom shop exquisitely builds strats. But with no improvement over the originals except for the fret work. Custom shop strats just feel like strats. With great fret work. I can get a used strat and have the frets done and spend the other $2500 on other gear. So just like the car: yup! If you're he'll bent on that guitar, you'll pay more than someone who just thinks it's ok. And that's fine. Plenty of players won't pay more than $1,000 for any guitar. That's fine too. I wish I was like that. No difference. I'd save a lot of money. So we place value where we see it. I think people are idiots to spend thousands on a vintage guitar. It's like, "I really want a vintage cell phone. I miss a locking buttons three times to text the letter c. And can I get a 1MP camera please? But to each his own. There's plenty to go around. 🙌🏻
I'm late to the party here (2024) but I gotta say that I'm blown away by the thoroughness of your review. I have been lusting after this guitar for about a year and you demoed everything I could possibly want to know about it. As an aside, sometime in '23 I was trolling around Ric's old website and found a place in its dark recesses where they actually had a list of their MSRPs. Was just on their new site today and could not locate it anymore. 😒
The fact that John Lennon was playing a kid-sized guitar during the Ed Sullivan days, and nobody cared or commented on this being odd, really ought to serve as a lesson to gear snobs everywhere.
In 1966 I was 16 years old and playing in bands. I was a huge fan of The Byrds, and after I saw them in concert I bought a brand new 360-12 in fireglo. It cost . . . $400 with a Ric case! I eventually sold it because I found out that 12 strings can be a bit of a PITA. I wonder what that guitar is worth now. BTW, if you give The Beatles whole catalog a listen, (not just their most popular tunes) I think you will be impressed.
Gavin Shear only if it’s the “old style” with the sharper double-bound horns. (Very rare). You can find “new style” rounded horn 360/12s from 1965-1968 for under $5000.
I did some adjustment and string change on one of these, the John Lennon signature model. I felt that the quality was far below the Gibson and Fender models I was used to.
That's it. I'm done with Trogly's inaccurate facts and bullshit. Unsubbed. 5:33 he says you put toast in a toaster. You infact put BREAD in a toaster. How could you.
I've been playing these 325s for years (the vintage reissue series, not the C series). Those are the best I've ever played. Can't say about the c series. I refuse to buy one. Quality of build was top notch in the mid 90s (mine was a March '96 build). It was the most balanced guitar I ever played. What this guy says here is uninformed twaddle.
Seriously well done tear down video! Thanks!!! BTW At 10:48, the potentiometers, including the mixer, are all 330K and the capacitors are 0.047 according to the Rickenbacker OEM wiring diagram
@@kirk4A there isn't such thing as the best band ever, at least talking objectively, I believe that all these people hating or pointing out that trogly doesn't like the same artist as them and just say that Beatles is God and Mozart wouldn't have been born if it wasn't for them is just stupid
You can get some of the more "ordinary" models like the 330s, 360s, or solid body 620 for much less money, especially used, which is the only way I'd ever consider getting another rickenbacker personally.
@@jrh11254 it was my dream guitar. I bought a brand new one in July. I now put it in the category of "be careful what you wish for." Past the return date, so I'll be selling it.
@@anthonys7336 - I think I understand. I bought a brand-new Hofner 500/1 in 2012. Had to have it - and I’m not really even a bass player. Eight years later and it still sits in its case - played on a handful of times, never gigged, and only plugged into an amp four or five times. Tried selling it on Craigslist a few years ago but didn’t get the first call on it. Good luck with selling yours - though, if you find a buyer, I don’t think you’ll lose money.
@@anthonys7336 I get it. Mine sat for 4 years because I hated how it felt. Then I spent serious time learning early Beatles songs and learned to love it. It’s quirky and weird but it grows on ya
@osborne007 Yea, cause your Korean Epiphone Coronet reissue is soo much better 🙄 I'm not a huge fan of Rickenbackers myself either, but I don't sit here and call random people dumbass and the person who runs this channel a dumb fuck just because they like something I don't. You're ridiculous and sound like an old, bitter, dried up man talking mad shit about someone elses gear that costs 6Xs what you're proudly displaying in your profile pic. Guess what? I've had plenty of Korean Epis that fell apart too. Only good ones are Japan, USA, and Indonesia. Go Troll someone elses channel you lame
When I was in elementary school on a Sunday night we got treated to THE BEATLES on the Ed Sullivan Show! Thats when I got my first guitar. I can't even begin to tell you the bands that played on that show. Even Elvis played, Rolling Stones, what a great time to have been a kid. A quarter could buy a bag of chips, a candy bar and a 16 oz soda and get change back. Compare it to the nightmare we live in today. What a time for music...the British Invasion...WOW! Thank you! Ray Boston Massachusetts
Saw one yesterday. $3,400.00. My good friend (who had two Rick’s) told me “A Rickenbacker always sounds like a good idea, until you buy one.”...Guess he had a low opinion of them.
They were about $2,499 back in 2016 at my local Guitar Center. I paid $1,900 for a Fireglo 330 that same year, but I ended up selling it because I never fully bonded with it. The feel of the lacquered fretboard was hard to get used to. The vintage ones are amazing, however! I played a '66 and put it up against my 2016 model and the difference was night and day. The new ones feel kinda cheap and plasticky in my opinion. I don't think they're priced appropriately for what they are. They've been coasting on their reputation (mainly their association with the Beatles) for far too long.
Thank you for the rundown on the Rickenbacker. They are enigmatic. I am particularly troubled that they use so many rubber bushings and then the strap studs are not my ”cup of tea". I was all set to track down a 330 fire glo. But, after your video I think I will stick with the Fender, Gibson, Gretsch and Ibanez higher end guitars. Those are a "what you see is what you get" style of guitars. Please keep those reviews coming!!!
Rick gave this model to John in Miami when they were on the Sullivan show again the next week after they first appeared in New York. The 'whammy bar' was bent by Lennon to move it out of his way. That modification of his is recreated in this model. McCartney turned down his first 4001 at this meeting. He accepted it the next year.
Thank you for all the videos Trogly. Your videos have always been a good way to keep my interest in guitars all the work you put into these videos are greatly appreciated
Thanks for scratching the ol' Ric itch, these things aren't easy to find. I'll be honest, I'm more drawn to their aesthetics over their sound, but it was still cool to learn about such an iconic brand.
When you started up on those opening licks from "Fortunate Son," THAT was THE tone that sells this guitar. There's just no good way to emulate that without it being played on this instrument. That's why Rics continue to be in demand and command the price they do.
Nice review, but a couple of notes; at the 1965 gig (1:34) the 325 Lennon is playing is the 1964: 5th balance knob, Rick vibrato, white guards/truss rod cover and Kluson machines. The '58 was thicker, 4 knobs-(no balance knob), Gold guards/truss rod cover, Grover 'sta-tite' tuners and a Bigsby B-5 tailpiece. Lennon retired the '58 when he received the '64.
I'm glad you did this video! I'm saving up to buy a new guitar soon and I was trying to decide between an ES-335 and a Ric 330. I'm still on the fence about which one I want to buy as I've played both and like them. They're kind of apples and oranges but to see how weird and sloppy some of the work on the Ric is, I'm tempted to find a good deal on a 335 for around the same price. If anyone has tried either/ both, feel free to leave a comment with some pros and cons :-)
Both iconic... and very different in feel and sound. The Gibson is more of an all purpose and is easier to adjust and get parts for. Palm muting the bridge on the RIC is not an option unless you remove the cover
I've owned both and am not a fanboy of either, but I l'd take a 335 over a Ric any day. The only of the 5 Rics I've bought over the years that I still have is a bass... and it's an Ibanez 70s knockoff one, not even a real Ric.
Tom Petty and Mike Campbell played a lot of different Rickenbackers, the 325 was one equipboard.com/pros/mike-campbell/rickenbacker-325-capri-black@@chrisgrabowski2678
I couldn't imagine anyone doing a demo, knowing nothing about the instrument! There we go, you did it! You'll pay up to $200, to have a 12 string intonated! Try the selector switch in the middle position, then use the 5th knob like a mixer.
I recently watched a few videos demonstrating Lennon's rhythm playing on early Beatles tunes, particularly All My Loving. Then afterwards watched the Beatles perform All My Loving on The Ed Sullivan show. Lennon's playing blew me away, especially after watching these talented guitarists trying to show what he played
I've got the 325 C58 model, and in addition to the alder body, it differs from the C64 in that the neck is un-lacquered, and has a 7.25" radius. I've replaced the Kaufman bridge with a Bigsby trem as most owners do. I've kept the retro stove-top knobs, but many replace for the round Burns knobs to fully "Lennonize" it. It also has a gold colored single-layer scratch plate and headstock cover. If you want "that" sound, nothing but an original Rickenbacker 325 can duplicate it. I don't even remember what I paid for it, but it was worth it. Great guitars.
They are not for everybody. I owned a Rick double neck in the 1980s, bass on top, six string below. I lived about 2 miles from their factory in Santa Ana, CA. I bought it used, and called them to find out about it, when it was made, etc. All they would tell me was that it was a custom model. It must have weighed 18 pounds! It was too heavy and cumbersome for me, so I sold it to a collector in L.A. I wish I'd kept it. I never have seen another like it. Good review.
I really like your input, but must make a correction. That it's his Rick 64 where you pointed it out as his 58 at 1:35. I knew his 58 had been retired as soon as he received the 64 in Miami.. At first I was all excited that it had made a final appearance and maybe the history books got it wrong.. But the knobs are black, double pickguard and the whammy system is nothing like the 58. Look close and you can see where the whammy bar is bent to get it out of the way. Keep up the great work though, it's liked and appreciated!!
Among my stash of guitars, there are 8 Rickenbackers along with a 4003 bass. I can tell ya that your first Rick is bootcamp for Rickenbackers. but once it's all sussed out, it's not been an issue for me, personally. Trogly, Rickenbacker also make a full-scale version of the 325 called the 350v63. I have one (along with its discontinued 12-string sister) and its full scale is easier to play...plus...you don't need 12's (or heavier) in order to intonate it like you do with the 325. I have smallish hands and Rick's banjo necks can be a character builder, even for me, with 12 strings crammed on top of that skinny bit of real estate, BUT their 660 and 1993plus models have wider necks. Those are especially a blessing in the 12-string persuasion. IMO, Ricks are like strats or whatever where if ya GOTTA have that tone, that's the guitar you go for. Peter Buck with REM uses their 12-strings and Paul Weller from The Jam is another notable Rick player. Regarding prices, Andy Babiuk's great shop, Fab Gear, is pretty good about advertising his prices and I've picked up a couple of rare Ricks from him, as well. Andy Babiuk's one helluva guy and also a not only a fine bassist (Empty Hearts with Elliot Easton) but also the writer of the Beatles Gear and Stones Gear books. Thanks for this vid.
I love Rick guitars. I own a Jetglo 360v64 12-string and it's my baby. That said, Rickenbacker is a notoriously cranky, litigious and idiosyncratic company. They're basically the same Mom 'n' Pop company they were 60 years ago. Someone close to the company once said that they have no interest in getting bigger. There's no custom shop. There aren't endless artist models or tons of colors to choose from. They produce what they produce and if someone doesn't like it - tough. F.C. Hall was the last innovator at the company (President from 1953-1984). His son John took over the company and basically runs it like a generic manufacturing plant. It sometimes seems like they are more interested in pursuing copyright infringement lawsuits than improving, innovating and refreshing their product lines. They've basically coasted on their 1960s heyday glory ever since, which for me is cool but underscores the lack of young players choosing Rickenbacker (that and the price). As for the pricing; It's probably a bit of flexibility for the company so they can be in control of the retail price - they are VERY strict with their retailers. It's also probably something to do with the mystique of the company. They're different and they're expensive. They're almost a mass-produced boutique brand. Everything except the tuners is made in the U.S.A. Which gets back to price. People claim to want to buy American but they don't want to pay the price it takes to buy American. Ricks are well made (though, like anything, the quality can vary) and hold their value very well. If you can swing it, you probably won't regret it.
Have to agree with everything you said because it jives with what I have heard about Ric over the years. I'd like to add another aspect I've heard from dealers over the years is that Ric has no desire to leave California and open a factory anywhere else or produce a budget Asian-made product for that matter. So because of that their California factory must abide by that state's strict environmental regulations regarding use of nitro cellulose sprays and such. So that limits how many that they can produce and why the wait time is so long for your order. Trying to compare a Ric to a Fender or a Gibson is like comparing apples to oranges, and the Ric is a pineapple. And it's a myth that a Ric is not good for rock lead guitar. When I saw Tom Petty Mike Campbell had a slew of vintage guitars on stage and he used his black Rickenbacker for the most raucous tunes with screaming leads.
actually Lennon used the Guitar because it was easier to play the Chuck Berry Rhythms before the Beatles became famous. Anyone familiar with how to play like Chuck Berry knows this small guitar was a great help
They don’t advertise the prices because they are relatively expensive. It’s an OLD salesman’s trick. Many old-timers knew that if they could talk to you (or at least communicate) about the merchandise, they had a better chance of making the sale for high-priced goods. Years ago, I worked on a sales-floor. The owner said to NEVER allow a customer to leave the store without talking to him, assuming of course that you hadn’t been able to make the sale. I saw him turn over at least 80% of what otherwise would have been lost sales. Jerry was amazing!
Regarding Rick QC: there's a Rickenbacker factory tour video kicking around online in which there's a nice closeup shot of a tuning machine being screwed down crookedly and with the screw at a wonky angle to boot. Mind you, this was a video the company itself produced and published some few years ago. Seeing that destroyed any last shred of interest I had in owning one.
I think this is the first time I've ever seen somebody say they like the Accent vibrato. In my days of lurking on forums I never once saw anything but criticism of them (thinking back, it may have just been folks salty RIC didn't fit them with a Bigbsy like Lennon did). Thanks for the vid, loving those CCR tones!
It's tough for kids to realize the world actually existed before they were born. 😂 your guitar heroes play this guitar because they saw john playing it and loved it. The price thing is a bit snobbish on their part, they are still a fairly small scale operation producing a limited supply, usually involving a waiting list. They've refused to go mega production in a world that seems to have bowed down to the lure of cheap overseas labor. Thanks for the closer look
Roy Monfero lol who deserves to be rated higher? Everyone has tried to be them for more than 50 years, even people who don't realize it! You should learn to separate their intrinsic value to society from how much you enjoy listening to them
Yup and for THAT price I can get an American Telecaster and a Japanese Gretsch and be happier. Or if I get them both used I can get a decent used Fender amp too.
The 620 is much cheaper and less finicky. The High Gain pickups sound way better to me than the toasters. Still a weird guitar designed by aliens, but really cool.
Rickenbacker does everything their own way. Even the electronics are wired differently compared to Gibson and Fender. They make their own pick-ups. Yes, they string their own pair-ups! Their attention to detail is crazy. Hey Trogly--Please do a 12 string and a base guitar sometime.
Checked back and noticed I didn't say that Rick buys their pots from CTS who custom make them for Rick. They aren't 500, but 330's. And no, you can't buy 330's from Rick or CTS. These are some off the parts that they will not sell on their web site. They protect their business.
This particular model was offered for a lower price two years ago or so by a European webshop (far 'cheaper' than the price you mention). That price made me consider buying one. So some dealers do advertise with the price. I do think the policy adds to the iconic status.
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Who do you associate with the Rickenbacker 325?
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🐕 Episode Guide:
0:20 - Rick's History
1:16 - Famous Users 325
2:34 - Unique Specs (Tiny)
3:35 - Rickenbacker Hidden Pricing
5:19 - Inside Look
14:07 - How to String
16:34 - The 5th Knob
17:24 - Tone Demo
20:16 - Vibrato Arm Test
20:36 - Final Thoughts
24:16 - Blacklight Test
24:34 - Case + QC
Susanna Hoffs from the Bangles
Me
The Edge from U2 (I might be wrong because he does use Rickenbackers, but not sure about the models he uses.)
My favorite music era is the 60s, so i was exposed to it alot
I'd be gassed if this guitar had a 24 frets neck
Lennon didn't use these "tiny guitars to make himself look bigger." When the Beatles were in Hamburg during their first residency at the Indra Club, since they were earning some money playing, John decided he wanted to buy a Rickenbacker guitar because one of his guitar heroes, Toots Thielemans, played a Rickenbacker. He'd assumed the Rickenbacker guitars could be easily attained in Germany since the name sounds German, however, the owner of the shop informed him that it was an American brand, but he could get him one. The shop owner called the Rickenbacker supplier and asked them to send their cheapest model because the kid who wanted it didn't really care, as long as it was a Rickenbacker. The 325 hadn't been a popular seller and they were getting ready to discontinue the model, so they sent that one. John bought it and it became his first "professional" guitar, and the instrument that he's most associated with. Originally, it had a natural finish with the "gold" pickguard and truss rod cover, but he had it pained black after George Harrison got his Gretsch Duo Jet so they'd match. Then, when Beatlemania was born, during their first US Tour, Rickenbacker gave John the 1964 model with the white pickguard and truss rod cover. When viewing the three Ed Sullivan appearances during their first US Tour, their first two appearances, John has the 1958 model then for their final Ed Sullivan performance on that tour, he has the 1964 model.
Also John's guitar originally had two pickups. But since they weren't selling Rickenbacker recalled the 325 Capris and added a third pick up to some of them to try and spark more interest in them.
@@Mr.56Goldtop here is the actual Lennon guitar in the shop before he bought it in Hamburg!
Interesting info !
This model was a gift from the Rickenbacker brand and made his debut on the Ed Sullivan show in Miami at the Deauville Hotel.
This RIC´s model is a piece of history, no doubt about it !!
@@TheVinylBeatles His second one was. The first 325 was bought in a German music store, as per my account above. It was the 1958 model with the gold pickguard and truss rod cover. The 1964 model with the white guard and cover was gifted to him by Rickenbacker during their first US Tour and Ed Sullivan series.
The Tielmans Brother
The prices aren't advertised, because 'kidney' wouldn't look good on Sweetwater.
Good One !!! LOL !!
Huh?
A Rickenbacker is something you lust after and damn the price.
@@georgeboyer8158 I think they are ugly but to each their own. I'd never lust over one especially for Les Paul Price's..
@@stringsattached67
OK, I accept that. We all lust after what we all lust after. Some lust after a Vox Teardrop, some after a Mosrite, some after a '67 GTO, some after the the girl next doors Mother.
Point. You lust after what you lust after and damn the price. Ugly and beauty remains in the eye of the beholder.
“The Beatles... I know who they are.” Trogly, 2020
I never really got the appeal of the Beatles either. To me Ricks were played by The Who, The Jam, REM, the Plimsouls, Tom Petty, The Church and Fugazi. All these bands made more of an impact on me than the Beatles.
@@gringogreen4719 Beatles.
*beee-Tulls
@@gringogreen4719 All great bands, but The Beatles had impact on most of them!
Gringo Green No Beatles, and most of those bands you mentioned would never have existed.
"They're two thousand n..."
*Rickenbacker has entered the chat*
I've never played one of them gorgeous gahts. I've only seen others, on teevee having that privilege
Now I could buy one.I don't if I should .after all how long is my little windfall GONNA last me if I buy things like that just because I phancy one?
@@stephenemmerton3223 How bad do you need "that" tone? I bought a Rick 4003 and it definitely sounds like a Rick bass. But if I hadn't wheeled and dealed for it, I could've gone with a P or J bass and been happy too.
Great to see you do one of these. They have an awesome clean, "jingily" sound. Perfect for rythem and finger picking. Try to find an angle fret model, quite hard to find, but worth the search. The tone seems to be a bit more aggressive, and the angled frets are very easy to navigate the fret board, especially when you are using full barred notes. I'm a Gibson guy true blue, but there's nothing like a Rick/Gibson/Strat line up in a 3 guitar song. I may be wrong, but I believe Blackfoot used this line up in "highway song" in the studio. Where in "Train Train" was 3 Gibsons, a Paul, an explorer, and V line up. Love the channel!! Have a great day.
@@stephenemmerton3223 The 21" scale length is most likely why I NEVER saw anyone with one of these in the 60's, (I'm 74). RIC was just as HEADSTRONG as the big car automakers, and C.F. Martin (No Truss Rod, 12 frets to the body) that is until Susana Hoffs sig. model came along, and NOW they offer different scale lengths, (go figure?). I am a Luthier/Builder , and have cloned 4 Rics to date, with #5 in the "Hopper". My 325 version has a 23" length, while all my 360 style 6's, and 12's are 25.5, (Longer than RIC).
@@stephenemmerton3223 did you buy one?
Knowing that Lennon used 3/4 guitars makes the unusual banjo chords, jazz chords, and hand stretching licks he sometimes did make a lot more sense. Some of his songs make my pinky feel like it ran a marathon.
Yes those banjo chords are a killer, but playing them on small guitars must have been the right training. The Casino is a handful for normal chords, but by 1969 he was using those 4 fret chord for "I dig a Pony". He must have had a grip like a gorilla!
As a longtime RIC player, it's interesting to see some who isn't especially enamored by the brand or model make these observations and "discoveries". Taking it apart was hard to watch, but in the end you got to see the unique ideas and engineering that make these guitars on of a kind in a world of clone guitars. Well done over all.
Right? This could have gone a whole different way, but it was nice to see someone owning up to a journey of discovery. Painful that there's officially a generation who "heard a Beatles song in a uni course once", but that's the way the world goes round :-)
If you ever do another Rickenbacker it must be a 12 string, I don't think you'll like that headstock that much after restring it lol.
Thanks for featuring one
I totally agree one of the best sounding guitars out there!
String change on the 12 string can take hours...
@@bostonmainemike It's the R tailpiece that drives me crazy changing strings. So i swapped mine for a harp style.
Rickenbacker Lover73 HAHAHA! I sense a trigger finger in the lives of the McGuinn model owner's group!
There is a Rickenbacker 12 than with the flip of a switch drops it down to 6 strings. Model number slips my mind ATM
The coolest guitar you've ever done....love this guitar.....how could you not know that this is the guitar made famous by John Lennon
Re: prices; Back in 2004, Guitar Center had a “blow out” for the 325c58 (known as the “Hamburg” model, whereas this one you demoed is the 325c64 “Miami.”) and they blew them out for about $699-$799. Rickenbacker did not authorize those prices and they were very upset. Within a couple years of that, I never saw another dealer publicly post the price of a new Rick.
By the way, I waited 2.5 years for my first Rick, between August 2004 and February 2007. A 360/12c63. Rickenbackorder. 😉
Ay, remember that also thinking they were too expensive at that price point. 😆
I would prefer a Hamburg to the 80s vintage 320 that #hdntribute uses.
Personally, not a fan of Ric as a company... and we have 4! Ric won't produce instruments to keep prices high purposely. Their customer service is terrible. Even at NAMM they are jerks!
cool!
Just go on Thomann site and you can see the price, of course in the US they can hide the price and be anti-consumer.
What?! $699-$799?! Good lord...damn shame I was 3 years old in 2004...otherwise I would’ve scooped one up real quick 😂
Rickenbacker is the right mix of looking vintage while still looking current year.
lol you can see trogly sitting down in the reflection of the guitar in one of those first b-roll shots
You can also see me waving to you in another!
3:04
Good thing he had his pants on.
You can see him picking his nose in another reflection!
So sexy
Rickenbacker: "We don't advertise the price because we want you to admire the guitar without putting a price onto it!"
*Ok ill take 10 free rickenbackers since im going to be admiring it without worrying about the price*
Yes~
lol i wish
The old saying goes, "If you have to ask you can't afford it." But really, the price isn't out of line with other US made well known brand instruments.
@@peachmelba1000
The reissues are particularly expensive, especially since most (maybe all) of them are no longer being made, so there's very limited supply. The standard models are much more in line with other big American brands.
I for example bought a 4003S brand new for $1820, and I probably would have been able to get a better deal, but my options were a bit limited being left handed.
What the saying should be, "If you have to ask the price, the seller is an arrogant twat."
you got it
Compared to an American PRS or a Japanese Ibanez or Gretsch I don't think they're in the same ballpark. Doesn't look like it would hold up for a touring guitarist either. But what the hell do I know......
L. Marc
Does Rickenbacker still offer everything they make in both right and left handed versions? They used to be about the only major company that did it.
Besides john Lennon, and the already mentioned John Fogerty and Maurice Gibb, you can't neglect Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The Rickenbacker has a iconic own sound, that you can recognize in The Byrds and The Bangles, and every now and then a record appears with unmistakably the same sound, like Slight Return by The Bluetones. Once you know that sound you immediately recognize it.
And you just sent me to that song! Breath of fresh air then - and now!
Paul Kantner and John Kay are other major players. Paul would tour with 6 or 7 of them, half 12 string.
I like all your content, but I really enjoy when you do non-gibson stuff just because your* take on other stuff is so fresh.
*your
Trogly: you're not allowed to know the price
Also Trogly a few minutes later: it's $3,000
i’ve been playing my Ric bass for a week now, and I can say it’s phenomenal!
Feels like a whole different beast from any other brand, but i prefer it over anything else. Best bass i’ve ever laid hands on.
I love my 4001C64!
John Whalen ooooh damn! I almost bought a c64, but it sold just before i found my 4003S. I’d love a toaster pickup in mine!
Toaster pickups sound awful on basses. You dodged a bullet.
Swap out the factory bridge with a Hipshot or Badass and you're good to go.
Toast to toast toast in a toaster
Rickenbacker's are my all time favorite guitars ever. I have a 330W (the walnut version), and it's the most unique sounding and playing guitar I've ever played. In studio and record production situations they're just wonderful, they always sound how you want them to sound, and sit in the mix so well.
Gorgeous guitar. Yes, every other company since Fender has made their guitar easier to work with, but there is a charm to having a guitar made by a company that figured out their own unique way and stuck with it.
The Beatles.The greatest band ever assembled.They changed everything.I remember the very first day their 45 single came out.Side A was I want to hold your hand.Side B was I saw her standing there..1964 I was walking around downtown trying to drum up business shining shoes.I was 13 at the time.I saw a very long line of kids coming out of the store door.The line went up the street about 75 feet and around the corner another 30/40 feet.I asked a girl in line what was going on.She said with excitement , we are all going to buy The Beatles record.So I walked to the front of the line.Looked through the big glass door and saw a large poster of 4 guys with long hair on the poster.I went to the end of the line and waited.about an hr but I bought the record.I brought it home and put it on the record player.I heard my Mom yell out What in the world is that.lol.Everything changed from that point on.The world changed..Trogley wouldn’t be here doing this if it were not for the Beatles.Beatles really popularized the Rick..After all Lennon’s acustic Gibson sold for over 2 million at auction..Lol..Figure it out..I like the little Beatle tune you played.Ive just seen a face I can’t forget the time or place where we just met she’s just the girl for me and I want all the world to see we’ve met.Fallin yes I keep fallin and she keeps callin me back agai.Had it been another day I might have looked the other way.
They were great, but it's a huge stretch to say they were the.best.band ever assembled. They aren't even top tier musicians.
@@skiptracer2988 No, they weren't top tier musicians. But somehow all together, they created some of the greatest music ever written. In terms of assembling a band, I think that deserves the top spot.
Not to mention they're the most successful band ever in terms of record sales.
Bro it's 2020 and I am well into my 50s and I'm still going thru Beatle mania. Thats why 40 years ago l literally forced myself to play guitar. It was the best thing to ever happen to me( besides my daughter and family and friends) now l can play most anything l hear. To play the guitar with some quility equipment and just shred is the closest thing to being a God, its so poweful. In my opinion. So the Beatle's will live in my heart till the day l take a dirt nap. Thank you Beatles
R.I.P
JOHN LENNON
GEORGE HARRISON'S
GEORGE MARTIN
Until Jimmy Page came along & said "hold my beer".
there 1st singel was love me do,,you usa lot think the beatles got famous after coming to your place,,,haha wrong ,,put it this way my school on angelsey n wales uk,,had lemmy from motorhead in,,girls came from liverpool on holiday and told him about an unknown band playing in the cavern,,he came and saw them,then when he got home he left school age15 and started his 1st band,,,this was before the beatles got famous in uk even...there was life before the usa
I've always been a massive Beatles fan and I got my love of Ricks and Gretsches from them, and I always loved the look of Lennon's black 325 so this was a really cool demo, man. Always love watching these and getting info about all these cool guitars
The 5th knob works two ways. If you roll off the neck pup tone the 5th knob acts as a blend pickup in the middle position. It brings back the neck pup tone to have three distinct sounds. Up is the neck/middle pup full bass. Middle, you add back the highs to the neck /middle pup and it blends it with the bridge pup. Down is the bridge pup alone. With the N/M pup tone full on the 5th knob as as a blend knob with switch in the center or up position.
I love Rickenbackers! And thanks so much for the correct pronunciation throughout the review. The 620 and 660 would have probably made you happier. Rickenbackers have a style, sound and feel that's all their own. I own one and I'll never sell it. My only criticism is their price has left the realm of reality in many ways, but they are all backordered, so there you go I guess.
Other famous players have been Peter Buck of R.E.M., Tom Petty, John Kay of Steppenwolf and Roger McGuinn of the Byrds. Among many others!
The guitarist with the band Smithereens played a Rickenbacker, very underrated band
Saw them in concert last Summer with Marshall Crenshaw taking Pat DiNizio's
place. Great show, but he didn't quite fit the shoes of the original guy.
I am a proud owner of a Rickenbacker guitar and I LOVE it. However, yes, Rics are somewhat if an enigma when it comes to guitars. Their design is very unique and very unlike most other guitar manufacturers. However, that's what makes them sound and feel so unique. I am friends with the owner of my local guitar store who are a Rickenbacker dealer and he has confirmed with me that they are in fact made in batches one model at a time. He has told me that he has sometimes had to wait more than a year for a certain model that he's ordered. If it's July and you want a 360 and they made them in May, you have to WAIT for them to come back around to the next batch of 360s. They refuse to do custom orders pr in any way break their production schedule. They claim this helps them maintain the quality and consistency of the guitars. Whether or not you believe that is up to you.
That iconic 8 Days a Week sound and John Lennon's vocal accompaniment is what makes this guitar legendary and I admit I'm lusting right now, I could probably never afford a vintage. I want the Ricki 12 more and all that George Harrison Tom Petty Roger McGwin stuff is more tempting.
Ironically, this guitar doesn't make an appearance on the studio recording. John played his acoustic guitar throughout, and George plays one of his Gretsch guitars as well as his Rickenbacker 360/12 on the intro and outro.
Rick's are known for their clean sound and for good reason, but I love their distorted sound. It's just so dirty and raw. It was great to learn a bit more about one of the most idiosyncratic guitars on the market.
Heard from a guitar center employee that the rickenbacker factory (located in Santa Ana California) likes to keep their production as close to what they were doing in the 1960's. To do that they use certain materials that are illegal to use in mass quantities. So to get around that they do a limited run on certain models on what they can produce legally using the materials they want. I believe thats why the price may fluctuate from year to year. I have a 4003 fire glo bass from 2017 and it was $2000 back then. Not sure what theyre going for now.
They keep the price high, to avoid having to build more than they want to build.
That Rickenbacker sounds as clean as an acoustic
This is the best you've sounded in any of the playing demos that I've heard. To my ears, that guitar is great for your setup. I hope you try another couple Rickenbackers.
The intro to “If I needed someone” always comes to mind when I think Rickenbacker. That sound is so unique.
John Lennon bought his first Rickenbacker 325 when The Beatles were playing in Hamburg Germany. They didn't have a lot of money at that time, and he got a good deal on his first one because it had been in that music shop for a while and hadn't sold, so he bought it. And the fact that it was an American guitar made it attractive to him too. After playing the first one and liking it, he had a couple others after that. It didn't have anything to do with making him look bigger. I know a lot about The Beatles and never heard that one before.
Same here. Never heard that one
Michael Albee John was also attracted to it because one of his music idols “ Toots Thielemans” played a similar model Rickenbacker.
Thanks you for clarifying.
He confused trivia: Kurt Cobain played jaguars to make himself look bigger
I never heard that one either. Lennon was 5'11" so not a small man anyway.
Tom Petty was a prominent user of the rickbacker guitars. He used all sorts of guitars depending on need but Rickenbacker was featured in the cover of Damn The Torpedos album along with several videos like "The Waiting".
Thank you so much for making this Trogly! Love your videos and love Rickenbackers!
It's said that John liked the short scale for playing progressions his baby finger didn't have to work so hard.
Exactly, all that Chuck Berry stuff is a cinch on those little necks.
He bought it because he saw a highly respected jazz player, Toots Thieleman playing a Rickenbacker. And it was cheap enough that he could afford to make payments on it. Which according to George he never finished paying.
Makes sense👍
plus he played those wonky banjo chords
When you showed the "1958 rickenbacker 325" It was actually his 1964 Rickenbacker 325, despite the pickguard and trussrod cover kinda having the carpi color. By 1965 which the footage is from he would've been using his 64 Rickenbacker after retiring his 1958 Rickenbacker the previous year,
I believe he retired his '58 Rickenbacker 325 the moment he got his '64 model which was during the taping of the Ed Sullivan Show in Miami, Feb. 1964.
@@duffbaker9554 onstage yes, but he recorded with his 58 still after receiving the 64.
@@bradrichardson3539 Did not know that-thanks for the information. Btw, do you know when he last used it in the studio (or any specific songs, post Feb. 1964)?
@@duffbaker9554 there are pictures of him using while recording beatles for sale. I don't know exact songs and dates though.
I think this video made me realize I don’t ever see myself owning a Rickenbacker. I have always seen the shapes as kinda weird, and now that I know what the neck joint is like, how their marketing works and how they sound, I just don’t see one of them fitting anything I do :/ it was a great and informative video and probably saved me a bunch of money too, so thank you Trogly!!
ABOUT THE PRICE: (Sorry it's long) A lot of high end manufacturers restrict dealer's ability to display price. Mesa had done this for many years. Back in the 90s I worked at the East Coast Music Mall in Danbury, CT. The reason for the price ad restriction was a decision made by the manufacturer to help protect dealers. They didn't want you calling 10 dealers and just buying it from whoever offered it for less. East Coast got into big trouble because when they launched their mail order catalog in the 80s (they had the first nationwide, Musician's Friend type of operation), they would get around this by listing brand new items as "store demo" or "used mint" items. They got caught and lost a couple brands that way. Boogie was one. (They eventually got it back in the 90s).
There are 2 parts to this: first, they want to maintain the value. High end products - real ones, like Boogie, Anderson, Suhr - aren't selling product to dealers for 50% of the MSRP. The discount is usually between 20 and 30%. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Sometimes, like Boogie, there are no discounts to the customer. You pay the asking price or Boogie won't keep the dealer. I say "real ones" because Fender and Gibson have expensive guitars, but they aren't boutique. And Gibson doesn't care if you sell a $10,000 custom shop piece for less than dealer cost as long as they've been paid. The other reason is that generally, the buyers of high end guitars appreciate, not only the product, but the efforts of the dealer. When I worked at Brian Guitars in New Haven, CT, before my "experience" with East Coast, I watched Brian tell customers to their face that they are welcome to go to another dealer and pay less, but to expect to be treated accordingly by that dealer. And they always came back. Because Brian knew how to make customers understand that if you care about your relationship with your dealer, you won't nickel and dime them. This didn't apply to the standard items. This is for high end gear that attracts a high end buyers. Some items are run of the mill and everyone sells them for whatever the market is. Thats why if you search for any basic Ibanez RG or Strat, you'll see 100 online retailers with it listed for the same price. Service after the sale, so to speak, is what high end brands want from their dealers. A dealer who sells stuff for less margin to make up the difference in volume will notoriously care a lot less about taking care of the customer later. They basically operate on the premise that, "hey, you got it cheaper than anyone else. YOU'RE WELCOME!" The countless examples of complaints about Guitar Center and the like are good examples of this. So the brand generally wants to take care of their dealers. They aren't Fender, who just cares about how many of their instruments you sell a year. And part of that is giving you a territory. So if all the dealers are selling the same high end, high quality item for the same price, then their dealers won't struggle to compete for sales with unscrupulous dealers who just want the sale and their products don't end up devalued. And to people who have an issue with that, it's fine. Those brands don't care and won't miss them. And not in a mean, dismissive way, but those people are notoriously difficult to please and they'd rather they kick tires elsewhere. Those people are generally fine with mid market level gear anyway and who also think everything should be 5% over cost when they buy it, but somehow still retain all its value when they are trying to sell it used. So it's not uncommon for Rickenbacker to do this. Especially because they aren't plentiful.
Very cool post Randy. I’m originally from CT so reading your post was like a trip down memory lane. Plus lots of good info. I learned a lot. Best wishes.
you see this to some extent in computers, look at newegg
There are prices that manufactures are good with you telling people,
there are prices they are ok with you selling the item for
but if you are selling volume and don't care you are min maxing proffit, just that you are competing, you give up a bit of the proffit you would make, and many manufacturers aren't ok with you disclosing THAT price as it devalues their product, I know with games the moment I see one for a 75% sale and its 15$, I don't care if the best sale for the game is 50% and 30$ that game is now forever worth 15$ to me,
In other areas, ask prices are like a used car lot, where I see you love this car, its 7000$, or I see you just want a point a to b, its 4000$, but if a friends son bought it the car would be 1200$
the way I see this rickenbacker, its brand new and already has issues with the coating reacting to the crap they put on it, that immediately tells me I wont pay more than 800 for it, because if they are messing up something so basic, what exle are the messing up? they could have very easily used chrome coated metal spacers and potentially a felt washer but instead, lets have this rubber eat our guitars.
Very well explained.....thanks bro!!!
Thank you Randy.
alidan yeah, the used market is a whole other game. Dealers, whether auto or instrument, can get product traded in or sold to them at any number of different costs. Sometimes on trade where it costs them far less than its worth and they can charge whatever they want, or sometimes they pay cash and there's less margin. They also get to do things like convince an item has complicated issues when it merely needs minor adjustments. And 5 of the same thing new should all basically be the same price (feature for feature), but used there are factors that change that greatly like wear and condition or mileage on a car. Highway miles or in town miles? That sort of thing. And of course, I think value is up to us. I wouldn't pay $1,000 for that Rick. It's not my thing. I think they're neat, but I've played them. They play like guitars built in the 60s by Rickenbacker. Consequently, I won't pay $4,000 for a custom shop strat either. A Suhr or an Anderson, I will. But Fender's custom shop exquisitely builds strats. But with no improvement over the originals except for the fret work. Custom shop strats just feel like strats. With great fret work. I can get a used strat and have the frets done and spend the other $2500 on other gear. So just like the car: yup! If you're he'll bent on that guitar, you'll pay more than someone who just thinks it's ok. And that's fine. Plenty of players won't pay more than $1,000 for any guitar. That's fine too. I wish I was like that. No difference. I'd save a lot of money. So we place value where we see it. I think people are idiots to spend thousands on a vintage guitar. It's like, "I really want a vintage cell phone. I miss a locking buttons three times to text the letter c. And can I get a 1MP camera please? But to each his own. There's plenty to go around. 🙌🏻
I'm late to the party here (2024) but I gotta say that I'm blown away by the thoroughness of your review. I have been lusting after this guitar for about a year and you demoed everything I could possibly want to know about it.
As an aside, sometime in '23 I was trolling around Ric's old website and found a place in its dark recesses where they actually had a list of their MSRPs. Was just on their new site today and could not locate it anymore. 😒
The fact that John Lennon was playing a kid-sized guitar during the Ed Sullivan days, and nobody cared or commented on this being odd, really ought to serve as a lesson to gear snobs everywhere.
9:14 Soo you are the kind of guy that disassemble your brand new guitar without even playing it a bit first. Nice.
In 1966 I was 16 years old and playing in bands. I was a huge fan of The Byrds, and after I saw them in concert I bought a brand new 360-12 in fireglo. It cost . . . $400 with a Ric case! I eventually sold it because I found out that 12 strings can be a bit of a PITA. I wonder what that guitar is worth now. BTW, if you give The Beatles whole catalog a listen, (not just their most popular tunes) I think you will be impressed.
A 1966 fireglo 360-12 in good condition would fetch $12k easily. There's a 68 mapleglo for $20k on reverb.
Gavin Shear only if it’s the “old style” with the sharper double-bound horns. (Very rare). You can find “new style” rounded horn 360/12s from 1965-1968 for under $5000.
@@s2seltaeb Amazing I didn't realize they varied so much in price depending on that.
@@guitarocd9984 Nah.. my rick is very stable and set up well. Even with the 6 saddle.
@@guitarocd9984
Actually made me laugh out loud! Thanks for that!
I did some adjustment and string change on one of these, the John Lennon signature model. I felt that the quality was far below the Gibson and Fender models I was used to.
That's it. I'm done with Trogly's inaccurate facts and bullshit. Unsubbed.
5:33 he says you put toast in a toaster. You infact put BREAD in a toaster. How could you.
I've been playing these 325s for years (the vintage reissue series, not the C series). Those are the best I've ever played. Can't say about the c series. I refuse to buy one. Quality of build was top notch in the mid 90s (mine was a March '96 build). It was the most balanced guitar I ever played. What this guy says here is uninformed twaddle.
@@joellebrodeur1015 I was talking about toast mate.
I noticed that too😀
Seriously well done tear down video! Thanks!!! BTW At 10:48, the potentiometers, including the mixer, are all 330K and the capacitors are 0.047 according to the Rickenbacker OEM wiring diagram
What a ridiculously absurd instrument. Love it! That brightness sounds harsh by itself, but man was it an important part of the Beatles sound.
Probably the only guy to ever film the breakdown of a rickenbacker and show the whole world how they are made lol I love you trogly
How did you not know that John Lennon played it, he’s the one who made it famous and why so many want the guitar today🤦♂️
Not everyone cares about the Beatles brother.
@@kirk4A evryone cares about the Beatles, there the greatest band ever.
@@kirk4A there isn't such thing as the best band ever, at least talking objectively, I believe that all these people hating or pointing out that trogly doesn't like the same artist as them and just say that Beatles is God and Mozart wouldn't have been born if it wasn't for them is just stupid
You adjusting the knobs every few seconds drove me crazy! I was so relieved when you switched over to “just playing.”
Always thought I wanted a Rickenbacker for my collection....now, not so much...not enough Bang for the Buck...Thank you for the info!!
You can get some of the more "ordinary" models like the 330s, 360s, or solid body 620 for much less money, especially used, which is the only way I'd ever consider getting another rickenbacker personally.
This was my dream guitar when I was in middle school! Finally bought one and Its awesome! Wish I had more time to play it.
jimmorrison789 - how much do you want for it?
@@jrh11254 it was my dream guitar. I bought a brand new one in July. I now put it in the category of "be careful what you wish for." Past the return date, so I'll be selling it.
@@anthonys7336 - I think I understand. I bought a brand-new Hofner 500/1 in 2012. Had to have it - and I’m not really even a bass player. Eight years later and it still sits in its case - played on a handful of times, never gigged, and only plugged into an amp four or five times. Tried selling it on Craigslist a few years ago but didn’t get the first call on it. Good luck with selling yours - though, if you find a buyer, I don’t think you’ll lose money.
@@anthonys7336 I get it. Mine sat for 4 years because I hated how it felt. Then I spent serious time learning early Beatles songs and learned to love it. It’s quirky and weird but it grows on ya
I REQUESTED THIS AND IT HAPPENED!!!! 😎
osborne007 not really. They have this tone that is very bright in their guitars and very thumpy in their basses.
@osborne007 one mans junk, is another's mans beatles cover band treasure 😎
osborne007 What do you gain for putting people down like that? Come on man...
@osborne007 Yea, cause your Korean Epiphone Coronet reissue is soo much better 🙄 I'm not a huge fan of Rickenbackers myself either, but I don't sit here and call random people dumbass and the person who runs this channel a dumb fuck just because they like something I don't. You're ridiculous and sound like an old, bitter, dried up man talking mad shit about someone elses gear that costs 6Xs what you're proudly displaying in your profile pic. Guess what? I've had plenty of Korean Epis that fell apart too. Only good ones are Japan, USA, and Indonesia. Go Troll someone elses channel you lame
@@_dmfd ..nice comment, I was gonna say something of the sort, but you allready did😄
When I was in elementary school on a Sunday night we got treated to THE BEATLES on the Ed Sullivan Show! Thats when I got my first guitar. I can't even begin to tell you the bands that played on that show. Even Elvis played, Rolling Stones, what a great time to have been a kid. A quarter could buy a bag of chips, a candy bar and a 16 oz soda and get change back. Compare it to the nightmare we live in today. What a time for music...the British Invasion...WOW!
Thank you!
Ray Boston Massachusetts
Saw one yesterday. $3,400.00. My good friend (who had two Rick’s) told me “A Rickenbacker always sounds like a good idea, until you buy one.”...Guess he had a low opinion of them.
The way Trogly says Rickenbacker is so amusing lol, really the Bob Ross of the guitar guys
They were about $2,499 back in 2016 at my local Guitar Center. I paid $1,900 for a Fireglo 330 that same year, but I ended up selling it because I never fully bonded with it. The feel of the lacquered fretboard was hard to get used to. The vintage ones are amazing, however! I played a '66 and put it up against my 2016 model and the difference was night and day. The new ones feel kinda cheap and plasticky in my opinion. I don't think they're priced appropriately for what they are. They've been coasting on their reputation (mainly their association with the Beatles) for far too long.
Thank you for the rundown on the Rickenbacker. They are enigmatic. I am particularly troubled that they use so many rubber bushings and then the strap studs are not my ”cup of tea". I was all set to track down a 330 fire glo. But, after your video I think I will stick with the Fender, Gibson, Gretsch and Ibanez higher end guitars. Those are a "what you see is what you get" style of guitars. Please keep those reviews coming!!!
1:30 the guitar in the background falls down 😂
Yup.. The Epiphone Texan got too much vibration!!!
Rick gave this model to John in Miami when they were on the Sullivan show again the next week after they first appeared in New York. The 'whammy bar' was bent by Lennon to move it out of his way. That modification of his is recreated in this model. McCartney turned down his first 4001 at this meeting. He accepted it the next year.
What a strange guitar. Kudos for playing “I’ve Just Seen a Face” in the demo. Great Beatles deep cut.
My favorite Beatles song finally gets some more attention haha
Thank you for all the videos Trogly. Your videos have always been a good way to keep my interest in guitars all the work you put into these videos are greatly appreciated
I'm thinking of getting 2 rickenbacker 360's! 1 is gonna be Ruby Red and the second one is gonna be black!
Thanks for scratching the ol' Ric itch, these things aren't easy to find. I'll be honest, I'm more drawn to their aesthetics over their sound, but it was still cool to learn about such an iconic brand.
When you started up on those opening licks from "Fortunate Son," THAT was THE tone that sells this guitar. There's just no good way to emulate that without it being played on this instrument. That's why Rics continue to be in demand and command the price they do.
Nice review, but a couple of notes; at the 1965 gig (1:34) the 325 Lennon is playing is the 1964: 5th balance knob, Rick vibrato, white guards/truss rod cover and Kluson machines. The '58 was thicker, 4 knobs-(no balance knob), Gold guards/truss rod cover, Grover 'sta-tite' tuners and a Bigsby B-5 tailpiece. Lennon retired the '58 when he received the '64.
I'm glad you did this video! I'm saving up to buy a new guitar soon and I was trying to decide between an ES-335 and a Ric 330. I'm still on the fence about which one I want to buy as I've played both and like them. They're kind of apples and oranges but to see how weird and sloppy some of the work on the Ric is, I'm tempted to find a good deal on a 335 for around the same price.
If anyone has tried either/ both, feel free to leave a comment with some pros and cons :-)
If you've ever considered an Epiphone Sheraton II they're fantastic semi hollows that are made in Korea
Both iconic... and very different in feel and sound. The Gibson is more of an all purpose and is easier to adjust and get parts for. Palm muting the bridge on the RIC is not an option unless you remove the cover
@@GoIdenApple it's a one trick pony if it has a one trick owner. They're more versatile than you'd imagine
i have a ric 360 natural finish and its my baby (edit: its a new 2004, it was around $1200 from Manny's in NYC)
I've owned both and am not a fanboy of either, but I l'd take a 335 over a Ric any day. The only of the 5 Rics I've bought over the years that I still have is a bass... and it's an Ibanez 70s knockoff one, not even a real Ric.
I’m glad I’m not the only person not to get the beetles hype while still being able appreciate their music.
Tom petty played a richenbacher
And Mike Campbell from the Heartbreakers too
It's about the model, not the brand.
ricKenbacKer
@@chrisgrabowski2678 it's about disposable income. OMG, I think I'm a socialist!
Tom Petty and Mike Campbell played a lot of different Rickenbackers, the 325 was one
equipboard.com/pros/mike-campbell/rickenbacker-325-capri-black@@chrisgrabowski2678
Your reviews are my absolute favorite ol' Troggles! I hope to see you do a Rickenbacher bass one day.
Just a clarification, Maurice Gibb's name is pronounced "Morris."
Who cares
I couldn't imagine anyone doing a demo, knowing nothing about the instrument! There we go, you did it! You'll pay up to $200, to have a 12 string intonated! Try the selector switch in the middle position, then use the 5th knob like a mixer.
5:32 You don't put toast in a toaster 😁
well, I mean, you know...it's raw toast
lol.
I do. Extra burnt and crispy.
You know what they say
@@buranflakes Toasters, toast toast!
wow this is one of the best sounding guitars i've ever heard on your show
Get your ears checked.
I recently watched a few videos demonstrating Lennon's rhythm playing on early Beatles
tunes, particularly All My Loving. Then afterwards watched the Beatles perform All My Loving on The Ed Sullivan show.
Lennon's playing blew me away, especially after watching these talented guitarists trying to show what he played
Im happy just to dance with you is another very impressive piece of rhythm
@@mats5676 I will definitely check this out, thanks friend
Many people who can play guitar really well can’t play All My Loving the way Lennon did, it’s hard!
I've got the 325 C58 model, and in addition to the alder body, it differs from the C64 in that the neck is un-lacquered, and has a 7.25" radius. I've replaced the Kaufman bridge with a Bigsby trem as most owners do. I've kept the retro stove-top knobs, but many replace for the round Burns knobs to fully "Lennonize" it. It also has a gold colored single-layer scratch plate and headstock cover. If you want "that" sound, nothing but an original Rickenbacker 325 can duplicate it. I don't even remember what I paid for it, but it was worth it. Great guitars.
This model doesn’t have a 7.25 radius ?
Do a 70s Hagstrom Swede!
They are not for everybody. I owned a Rick double neck in the 1980s, bass on top, six string below. I lived about 2 miles from their factory in Santa Ana, CA. I bought it used, and called them to find out about it, when it was made, etc. All they would tell me was that it was a custom model. It must have weighed 18 pounds! It was too heavy and cumbersome for me, so I sold it to a collector in L.A. I wish I'd kept it. I never have seen another like it. Good review.
I've never heard anyone ever say "Rickenbäcker". Interesting.
Right?! I'm used to saying and hearing 'Rickenbahker'.
Watch 'Echo In the Canyon', Tom Petty pronounces it the same way, he'd know lol
That is the correct pronunciation.
I really like your input, but must make a correction. That it's his Rick 64 where you pointed it out as his 58 at 1:35. I knew his 58 had been retired as soon as he received the 64 in Miami.. At first I was all excited that it had made a final appearance and maybe the history books got it wrong.. But the knobs are black, double pickguard and the whammy system is nothing like the 58. Look close and you can see where the whammy bar is bent to get it out of the way. Keep up the great work though, it's liked and appreciated!!
And Susanna Hoffs, from Bangles.
Among my stash of guitars, there are 8 Rickenbackers along with a 4003 bass.
I can tell ya that your first Rick is bootcamp for Rickenbackers. but once it's all sussed out, it's not been an issue for me, personally.
Trogly, Rickenbacker also make a full-scale version of the 325 called the 350v63. I have one (along with its discontinued 12-string sister) and its full scale is easier to play...plus...you don't need 12's (or heavier) in order to intonate it like you do with the 325. I have smallish hands and Rick's banjo necks can be a character builder, even for me, with 12 strings crammed on top of that skinny bit of real estate, BUT their 660 and 1993plus models have wider necks. Those are especially a blessing in the 12-string persuasion. IMO, Ricks are like strats or whatever where if ya GOTTA have that tone, that's the guitar you go for. Peter Buck with REM uses their 12-strings and Paul Weller from The Jam is another notable Rick player.
Regarding prices, Andy Babiuk's great shop, Fab Gear, is pretty good about advertising his prices and I've picked up a couple of rare Ricks from him, as well.
Andy Babiuk's one helluva guy and also a not only a fine bassist (Empty Hearts with Elliot Easton) but also the writer of the Beatles Gear and Stones Gear books.
Thanks for this vid.
Heaven, I'm in heaven,
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak
I just bought this guitar a few months ago, I would definitely recommend it (I'm also 6ft 2')! Especially with flatwounds!
I love Rick guitars. I own a Jetglo 360v64 12-string and it's my baby.
That said, Rickenbacker is a notoriously cranky, litigious and idiosyncratic company. They're basically the same Mom 'n' Pop company they were 60 years ago. Someone close to the company once said that they have no interest in getting bigger. There's no custom shop. There aren't endless artist models or tons of colors to choose from. They produce what they produce and if someone doesn't like it - tough.
F.C. Hall was the last innovator at the company (President from 1953-1984). His son John took over the company and basically runs it like a generic manufacturing plant. It sometimes seems like they are more interested in pursuing copyright infringement lawsuits than improving, innovating and refreshing their product lines. They've basically coasted on their 1960s heyday glory ever since, which for me is cool but underscores the lack of young players choosing Rickenbacker (that and the price).
As for the pricing; It's probably a bit of flexibility for the company so they can be in control of the retail price - they are VERY strict with their retailers. It's also probably something to do with the mystique of the company. They're different and they're expensive. They're almost a mass-produced boutique brand. Everything except the tuners is made in the U.S.A.
Which gets back to price. People claim to want to buy American but they don't want to pay the price it takes to buy American. Ricks are well made (though, like anything, the quality can vary) and hold their value very well. If you can swing it, you probably won't regret it.
Have to agree with everything you said because it jives with what I have heard about Ric over the years. I'd like to add another aspect I've heard from dealers over the years is that Ric has no desire to leave California and open a factory anywhere else or produce a budget Asian-made product for that matter. So because of that their California factory must abide by that state's strict environmental regulations regarding use of nitro cellulose sprays and such. So that limits how many that they can produce and why the wait time is so long for your order. Trying to compare a Ric to a Fender or a Gibson is like comparing apples to oranges, and the Ric is a pineapple. And it's a myth that a Ric is not good for rock lead guitar. When I saw Tom Petty Mike Campbell had a slew of vintage guitars on stage and he used his black Rickenbacker for the most raucous tunes with screaming leads.
actually Lennon used the Guitar because it was easier to play the Chuck Berry Rhythms before the Beatles became famous. Anyone familiar with how to play like Chuck Berry knows this small guitar was a great help
Welcome to the weird, illogical, beautiful world of Rickenbacker!
They don’t advertise the prices because they are relatively expensive. It’s an OLD salesman’s trick. Many old-timers knew that if they could talk to you (or at least communicate) about the merchandise, they had a better chance of making the sale for high-priced goods. Years ago, I worked on a sales-floor. The owner said to NEVER allow a customer to leave the store without talking to him, assuming of course that you hadn’t been able to make the sale. I saw him turn over at least 80% of what otherwise would have been lost sales. Jerry was amazing!
Regarding Rick QC: there's a Rickenbacker factory tour video kicking around online in which there's a nice closeup shot of a tuning machine being screwed down crookedly and with the screw at a wonky angle to boot. Mind you, this was a video the company itself produced and published some few years ago. Seeing that destroyed any last shred of interest I had in owning one.
I think this is the first time I've ever seen somebody say they like the Accent vibrato. In my days of lurking on forums I never once saw anything but criticism of them (thinking back, it may have just been folks salty RIC didn't fit them with a Bigbsy like Lennon did). Thanks for the vid, loving those CCR tones!
In case it hasn’t been mentioned: Maurice Gibb pronounced his name ‘Morris.’
Austin, I am a Gibson guy for life, but I love Rickenbackers.
It's tough for kids to realize the world actually existed before they were born. 😂 your guitar heroes play this guitar because they saw john playing it and loved it. The price thing is a bit snobbish on their part, they are still a fairly small scale operation producing a limited supply, usually involving a waiting list. They've refused to go mega production in a world that seems to have bowed down to the lure of cheap overseas labor. Thanks for the closer look
Beatles are over rated.
John Lennon was a wife beater
@@roymontero4066 How so? According to most any aficionado of modern music, they were the absolute best singer/songwriters of their time.
@@dynadude56 " Best songwriters", half their hits have been stolen or "inspired" from older songs.
Roy Monfero lol who deserves to be rated higher? Everyone has tried to be them for more than 50 years, even people who don't realize it! You should learn to separate their intrinsic value to society from how much you enjoy listening to them
i want this guitar more than anybody could ever know
Well this made me know I never want to buy a Rickenbacker ever.
Yup and for THAT price I can get an American Telecaster and a Japanese Gretsch and be happier. Or if I get them both used I can get a decent used Fender amp too.
You could even get yourself a Kiesel or some good Schecter
@@AvaToccoRodriguez I have a Schecter S1 Elite and I love that thing.
This model is super short scale. Full scale models aren't trashy sounding like this model.
The 620 is much cheaper and less finicky. The High Gain pickups sound way better to me than the toasters. Still a weird guitar designed by aliens, but really cool.
Rickenbacker does everything their own way. Even the electronics are wired differently compared to Gibson and Fender. They make their own pick-ups. Yes, they string their own pair-ups! Their attention to detail is crazy. Hey Trogly--Please do a 12 string and a base guitar sometime.
Checked back and noticed I didn't say that Rick buys their pots from CTS who custom make them for Rick. They aren't 500, but 330's. And no, you can't buy 330's from Rick or CTS. These are some off the parts that they will not sell on their web site. They protect their business.
You didn't know john Lennon used a rickenbacker your fired
My friend and band mate Dave had this model built in the 80s. It sounded really good and very easy to play, I wish I had one like it.😊
Trog you forgot Tom Petty he was a big Rickenbacker guy
And his pal Mike Campbell!
@@montemichelbleu Yeah! Tom and Mike love them
@@sagrado5 And Peter Buck, and Susanna Hoff, and Roger McGuinn... :-)
Paul Weller of The Jam.
This particular model was offered for a lower price two years ago or so by a European webshop (far 'cheaper' than the price you mention). That price made me consider buying one. So some dealers do advertise with the price. I do think the policy adds to the iconic status.
You just said the magic word... European. The price protection situation is in the US only. Maybe Canada as well.