Welp. NGD: Rickenbacker 330/6.

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Jonesie
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Welp. NGD: Rickenbacker 330/6.

Post by Jonesie » Mon Mar 13, 2023 5:08 pm

After I got my 60s mutt Jazzmaster I hadn't really been feeling my Marrguar. It was fine, but there were things I didn't like about it that I really couldn't get over and didn't want to go out of my way to change. So I did what any sane person would do and listed it for sale / trade in multiple locations. I got a couple of bad offers (an early 00's Gibson acoustic and a Schecter Shredder guiar) and then an absurd offer of a pool table, delivered. I declined those. But then I was searching for stuff on my own and put "Rickenbacker" in on Craigslist, and this guitar popped up. It'd been listed for a month, and I've always been curious about Rics, so I reached out.

I met up with the guy this evening and did the trade straight up. My Marrguar had some dings (as do most of them) but this thing is in PERFECT condition. He said he bought it because a friend of his had one that he liked, but once he owned it he realized that it didn't feel right to him, so it just sat under his bed.

Now I'm not going to lie, Fireglo isn't one of my favorite Ric colors (gimme that jetglo or mapleglo), but I think this is a pretty unique looking burst. The important thing is that this sounds great. Really fun, and different than anything else that I own. The fretboard isn't as weird as I thought it'd be. Sure, it's different than your general Fender or Gibson, but totally workable. I can actually play some decent leads on it too. It needs a light setup, I went up a string gauge from 9 - 46 to 10 - 50, so the truss rods need adjustment, and with the dual rod thing I'm not fucking with it.

Anyways. Here it is. I can post more pictures when there's better lighting. I'm probably going to ditch the made in america sticker eventually. Just didn't feel like dealing with it tonight.

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Re: Welp. NGD: Rickenbacker 330/6.

Post by cestlamort » Mon Mar 13, 2023 10:43 pm

Congratulations! That burst looks to be early 2000s?

It’s a bit of a side step from Fenders but there’s a ton of overlap too and I think Rickenbackers are somehow more alive in many ways.

Dual truss rod isn’t too a big deal to adjust, but I’ve only had to do it maybe once. (It is a different approach so read up first) the neck should be pretty much flat.

And yeah, ditch the sticker. It’s a weird rickenbacker (cult) thing

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JSett
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Re: Welp. NGD: Rickenbacker 330/6.

Post by JSett » Tue Mar 14, 2023 12:00 am

Well done, I'd say you came out well on top with that trade! I too am not a huge fan of Fireglo but it still looks good.

How's the but width and profile? I'm seriously tempted to try a Rick (never played one). I know the boards are very flat but if they can be had with a Fender-ish profile and nut width I could be drawn in.
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Re: Welp. NGD: Rickenbacker 330/6.

Post by Zeus » Tue Mar 14, 2023 3:53 am

JSett wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2023 12:00 am
I know the boards are very flat but if they can be had with a Fender-ish profile and nut width I could be drawn in.
They're most often a 10" radius, so not too flat at all - and traditionally (up to the 70s?), they were 7.25".

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Re: Welp. NGD: Rickenbacker 330/6.

Post by Jonesie » Tue Mar 14, 2023 4:29 am

cestlamort wrote:
Mon Mar 13, 2023 10:43 pm
Congratulations! That burst looks to be early 2000s?
2009! So close, ish? It's slightly salmony. I don't hate it though.
JSett wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2023 12:00 am
Well done, I'd say you came out well on top with that trade! I too am not a huge fan of Fireglo but it still looks good.

How's the but width and profile? I'm seriously tempted to try a Rick (never played one). I know the boards are very flat but if they can be had with a Fender-ish profile and nut width I could be drawn in.
The neck is actually pretty chunky. Kind of a D shape. The nut width is fine, feels comfortable and similar to my other guitars, it does stay a bit narrow all the way down towards the bridge, so I'd say the one thing it might not be great for is delicate fingerpicking, which isn't a thing I do anyways. I also have pretty big hands, so YMMV.

The board is a 10" radius like Zeus said, but it does feel strangely flat? I don't know if the lacquer coming right up and over the frets maybe gives the illusion of a flatter radius or something.

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Re: Welp. NGD: Rickenbacker 330/6.

Post by JSett » Tue Mar 14, 2023 4:35 am

Jonesie wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2023 4:29 am
The neck is actually pretty chunky. Kind of a D shape. The nut width is fine, feels comfortable and similar to my other guitars, it does stay a bit narrow all the way down towards the bridge, so I'd say the one thing it might not be great for is delicate fingerpicking, which isn't a thing I do anyways. I also have pretty big hands, so YMMV.

The board is a 10" radius like Zeus said, but it does feel strangely flat? I don't know if the lacquer coming right up and over the frets maybe gives the illusion of a flatter radius or something.
Chunky D I can live with for sure.

Would you say the nut was more Fender or Gibson width/feel? I have medium size hands but like to play thumb-over a lot so if a nut is above about 42mm / 1 11/16" I tend to find it a little uncomfortable. The low taper up the neck is alluring as the thumb-over chords would be way easier up past the 5-7th fret mark
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Re: Welp. NGD: Rickenbacker 330/6.

Post by Jonesie » Tue Mar 14, 2023 5:25 am

JSett wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2023 4:35 am
Jonesie wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2023 4:29 am
The neck is actually pretty chunky. Kind of a D shape. The nut width is fine, feels comfortable and similar to my other guitars, it does stay a bit narrow all the way down towards the bridge, so I'd say the one thing it might not be great for is delicate fingerpicking, which isn't a thing I do anyways. I also have pretty big hands, so YMMV.

The board is a 10" radius like Zeus said, but it does feel strangely flat? I don't know if the lacquer coming right up and over the frets maybe gives the illusion of a flatter radius or something.
Chunky D I can live with for sure.

Would you say the nut was more Fender or Gibson width/feel? I have medium size hands but like to play thumb-over a lot so if a nut is above about 42mm / 1 11/16" I tend to find it a little uncomfortable. The low taper up the neck is alluring as the thumb-over chords would be way easier up past the 5-7th fret mark
I'd probably say more on the Fender side of things. It doesn't feel much different than my Jazzmaster.

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Re: Welp. NGD: Rickenbacker 330/6.

Post by Larry Mal » Tue Mar 14, 2023 5:44 am

JSett wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2023 4:35 am


Would you say the nut was more Fender or Gibson width/feel? I have medium size hands but like to play thumb-over a lot so if a nut is above about 42mm / 1 11/16" I tend to find it a little uncomfortable. The low taper up the neck is alluring as the thumb-over chords would be way easier up past the 5-7th fret mark
I measured the nut width on my 330 and it was exactly the same as my vintage Fender type guitars, and one millimeter more narrow than the modern Fender type nut width as found on American Standards. Also a millimeter more narrow than my MIJ Jazzmaster.

They are very comfortable to play.
Back in those days, everyone knew that if you were talking about Destiny's Child, you were talking about Beyonce, LaTavia, LeToya, and Larry.

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Re: Welp. NGD: Rickenbacker 330/6.

Post by JSett » Tue Mar 14, 2023 8:07 am

Jonesie wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2023 5:25 am
I'd probably say more on the Fender side of things. It doesn't feel much different than my Jazzmaster.
Larry Mal wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2023 5:44 am
I measured the nut width on my 330 and it was exactly the same as my vintage Fender type guitars, and one millimeter more narrow than the modern Fender type nut width as found on American Standards. Also a millimeter more narrow than my MIJ Jazzmaster.

They are very comfortable to play.
This is the kind of dangerous information I wanted to, and didn't want to, hear.
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Re: Welp. NGD: Rickenbacker 330/6.

Post by Jonesie » Tue Mar 14, 2023 8:22 am

JSett wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2023 8:07 am
Jonesie wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2023 5:25 am
I'd probably say more on the Fender side of things. It doesn't feel much different than my Jazzmaster.
Larry Mal wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2023 5:44 am
I measured the nut width on my 330 and it was exactly the same as my vintage Fender type guitars, and one millimeter more narrow than the modern Fender type nut width as found on American Standards. Also a millimeter more narrow than my MIJ Jazzmaster.

They are very comfortable to play.
This is the kind of dangerous information I wanted to, and didn't want to, hear.
It's definitely a unique guitar, so I'd try before you buy for sure.

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Re: Welp. NGD: Rickenbacker 330/6.

Post by panoramic » Tue Mar 14, 2023 8:38 am

Rad looking guitar, congrats!
I used to be cool, now I just complain about prices.

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Re: Welp. NGD: Rickenbacker 330/6.

Post by BoringPostcards » Tue Mar 14, 2023 9:17 am

Congrats, Jonesie! I absolutely love RIC 330s.
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Re: Welp. NGD: Rickenbacker 330/6.

Post by Jonesie » Tue Mar 14, 2023 11:34 am

Now with less Made in the US stickers and more booze!

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Re: Welp. NGD: Rickenbacker 330/6.

Post by sal paradise » Tue Mar 14, 2023 12:21 pm

Lovely
I have nothing to offer anybody, except my own confusion?

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Re: Welp. NGD: Rickenbacker 330/6.

Post by cestlamort » Tue Mar 14, 2023 12:22 pm

The necks aren't that different from Fenders near the nut, but they don't taper the same way so the 12th fret doesn't feel much wider (so it's not as easy to tell where you are). Which is one reason I've really been into my Marr Jaguar, honestly.

Do the pickups have the hex pole pieces? They should in 2009.

Nice that the lower horn isn't too pointy, and that's not too salmon-glo. It will maybe warm up some with some sunlight.
Here's my old 2007 330-12, which was really salmony:
Image
it did mellow a bit on the front:
Image

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