RickenJagger 4000

Talk about modding or building your own guitar from scratch.
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Deed_Poll
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Re: RickenJagger 4000

Post by Deed_Poll » Sun Feb 14, 2016 11:42 am

Cheers for your comments, everyone!

Here's the RickenBlaster 628 mk3. More of a Starcaster feel to the horns, rounded like a 360. I think it's getting there, tell me what you think!

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Re: RickenJagger 4000

Post by loveinathens » Sun Feb 14, 2016 11:50 am

I don't think the Starcaster hybrid is as catchy as the 335 or the Jag hybrids you modeled tbh.

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Re: RickenJagger 4000

Post by Deed_Poll » Sun Feb 14, 2016 12:11 pm

Hey LIA,
The Jag one is basically ready to happen, with both the more traditional 4000 series pickguard and the Jag style guard and plates. I can do those with any pickup combination, with or without the plates and with any switching configuration. So the Starcaster style isn't really competing with that one.

I really appreciate your feedback. From my point of view there are a couple of things that might make this design more suitable than the 330 or the 335 styles.

Firstly, I feel this one would work better as a bolt on neck. The pocket, being based on the Starcaster, is more traditional Fender style and has more support for the heel on both sides. I find sometimes set neck shapes modified to be bolt-ons look a bit square in the heel, which may or may not be an issue.

Secondly, the offset shape of the Starcaster vs the 335 means the pickguard can keep that teardrop shape that is just such a classic feature if the original designs. I just about made the 335 one work by borrowing some of the Gibson guard, but the more I look at it, I think it looks a bit fussy. I also think the 335 horns look a bit wrong as a flat top without the original carve like on the Gibsons.

So now I am thinking I will do a '330' version of this, by sharpening up the horns a bit and tightening the roundover. Then I'd have two models that go together a bit better perhaps, and differentiate themselves a bit more from the Rics. I guess we'll see how the 330 one looks and see if you still prefer the old one!

Thanks again.
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Re: RickenJagger 4000

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Sun Feb 14, 2016 1:11 pm

Deed Poll, this latest iteration is gorgeous!! I agree with the you about the 335 horn shapes. It looked really good, but there was something about it I couldn't quite put my finger on. This latest one is perfect!
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Re: RickenJagger 4000

Post by Flurko » Sun Feb 14, 2016 1:41 pm

If you do that last one like an offset 330, I'd really love to see it with bound pointy horns, like a 330v64, it has IMHO the best of the Rick features.

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Re: RickenJagger 4000

Post by loveinathens » Sun Feb 14, 2016 2:07 pm

Deed_Poll wrote:Hey LIA,
The Jag one is basically ready to happen, with both the more traditional 4000 series pickguard and the Jag style guard and plates. I can do those with any pickup combination, with or without the plates and with any switching configuration. So the Starcaster style isn't really competing with that one.

I really appreciate your feedback. From my point of view there are a couple of things that might make this design more suitable than the 330 or the 335 styles.

Firstly, I feel this one would work better as a bolt on neck. The pocket, being based on the Starcaster, is more traditional Fender style and has more support for the heel on both sides. I find sometimes set neck shapes modified to be bolt-ons look a bit square in the heel, which may or may not be an issue.

Secondly, the offset shape of the Starcaster vs the 335 means the pickguard can keep that teardrop shape that is just such a classic feature if the original designs. I just about made the 335 one work by borrowing some of the Gibson guard, but the more I look at it, I think it looks a bit fussy. I also think the 335 horns look a bit wrong as a flat top without the original carve like on the Gibsons.

So now I am thinking I will do a '330' version of this, by sharpening up the horns a bit and tightening the roundover. Then I'd have two models that go together a bit better perhaps, and differentiate themselves a bit more from the Rics. I guess we'll see how the 330 one looks and see if you still prefer the old one!

Thanks again.
Great call with the neck joint! I love how you Ricced up the Starcaster form factor by making the horns rounder, but I just feel the overall offset shape takes the fire away from the distinct charm of the Ric pickguard. It's one of the few instances where I'd prefer something a bit more straight-waisted. I'm excited to see each and every single one of your ideas though. All of them are really thought out, and the Jag 4000 you posted in white is IMMACULATE.

I guess what makes this tricky is the Starcaster, 335, and 330 are all particularly distinct. I'd like to see where this goes! Thanks for responding!

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Re: RickenJagger 4000

Post by Grey » Sun Feb 14, 2016 8:43 pm

Deed_Poll wrote: I think it's getting there, tell me what you think!
Body looks great. Personally, i'd drop the tab between the pickups and tweak the headstock a bit. I know you're trying to avoid making it too much like a Rickenbacker, but the rounded edges and the very shallow taper just looks odd to me. I think the base needs to be flared out more and the angular top needs to be less exagerrated, which essentially makes it look more like a typical Rickenbacker headstock but that's part of the problem when trying to re-invent an already balanced design. I mean, there's already a lot of Rickenbacker elements in there so what's wrong with one more to make the headstock look a bit more balanced? IMO, of course.

edit: Hope you don't mind me hijacking your image a bit, here's an example of what I was thinking. Same goes for the other two re: the headstock. The upper half is pretty much standard Rick, but with a symmetrical base ala Gibson.

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Re: RickenJagger 4000

Post by Deed_Poll » Mon Feb 15, 2016 7:08 am

Cheers Grey, yeah that looks really good!

Weren't you saying earlier in the thread the old Gumby headstocks aren't protected? Because one of those with the radius around the edge would look pretty cool I think. You are definitely right that the headstock needs to be bigger with this body style. I'll have a play and see what I can do.

I might also move the body a little further up the neck for two reasons. First, it would mean the pickguard can intersect the neck pickup closer to the top. I think that's one of the reasons the tab is looking a bit off. Secondly it will mean the neck pickup / bridge pickup distance will be slightly smaller, bringing a bit more Starcaster proportions into the design.

Cheers!
Last edited by Deed_Poll on Mon Feb 15, 2016 7:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: RickenJagger 4000

Post by Grey » Mon Feb 15, 2016 7:11 am

Thanks, I wouldn't go to court over it but as far as I know the "Gumby" headstocks from the same era as the Combo and Tulip bodies are fair game and not protected.

The fact that RIC's legal team hasen't gone after Nelson Guitars for their Socialite (which looks exactly like a Combo 900) seems to support that theory.

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Re: RickenJagger 4000

Post by Plumerai » Tue Feb 16, 2016 6:22 pm

I have an idea for the guitar from the first page. Make the front of the headstock white, but keep the sides/back black. Here's a pic of my brother playing my metropolitan with that color scheme..

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Last edited by Plumerai on Wed Feb 17, 2016 3:16 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: RickenJagger 4000

Post by dylanafghjkl » Tue Feb 16, 2016 9:49 pm

Man, the more 4000/jag-esque ones are absolutely beautiful

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Re: RickenJagger 4000

Post by Jazzecaster » Wed Feb 17, 2016 12:53 pm

These are all works of art but the Jag/4000 types might be the best thing I've seen in years. :?

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Re: RickenJagger 4000

Post by Dok » Mon Apr 04, 2016 10:37 pm

I just found this thread. Hot damn. As long as the neck actually gets wider than the nut as it approaches the body, I want one. Er, many.
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Re: RickenJagger 4000

Post by Trout » Mon Apr 04, 2016 10:55 pm

I like the fact that the bridge pup is outside the pickguard. Very nice!
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Re: RickenJagger 4000

Post by jakeisjake » Wed Apr 06, 2016 6:21 pm

i'll join the supportive chorus!

great work!
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