Beatles on a budget ?!?

[Mid Life Crisis]

Originally Posted by craigs63

I have the blue Agile 12 string shown, the color is much better in person than that picture. I don't find it as horrible as the other commenters here do, your mileage may vary.

It is my replacement for a stolen Danelectro 12 string (sparkle blue), which weren't being made at the time. Both the Agile and Dano have a wider neck than most Rickenbacker 12's (except the Tom Petty and one other model?), I haven't sprung for flatwounds yet. I will probably try coil taps at some point, when I get ambitious.

I also have a Rickenbacker double neck (12 string and 6 string), but it doesn't get much play.

I don't understand the dislike for that Agile 12-stringer. I think it looks pretty cool!

[cactusrob]

Another Beatle sound tip?

I watched "LENNONYC" the other night on the local PBS station. Someone was talking about how he would de-tune his D string just a bit so that his Aunt Mimi could differentiate his guitar from George's when she heard their songs on the radio...

[sub006]

I like old and new Danelectros, especially the Longhorn basses.

But in the opinion of some collector/players, the '60s Vox Phantom and Mark 12-strings sound BETTER than Rickenbacker 12s. Maybe we should have picked some up back when they were cheap!

+1 on Pyramids.

[craigs63]

Yeah, some fretboard markers would be nice.





This is from 2001 or so? I probably have 90% of the junk in the closet in the exact same place...

[Blazer]

How heavy is that double neck?

I figure that with a hollow body construction it should be managable, but then again I read that Roger McGuinn got one and didn't play it live because of the weight.

[craigs63]

Originally Posted by Blazer

How heavy is that double neck?

I figure that with a hollow body construction it should be managable, but then again I read that Roger McGuinn got one and didn't play it live because of the weight.

I don't have a super-accurate scale, if I remember right it was around 12 lbs. difference on my bathroom scale, carrying it vs. not.
Other drawbacks include one or both necks not being where you want them, and a stringwinder doesn't fit in-between the necks too well.

[BucksStudent]

Oh my, the company that always get straddled with the Beatles. I guess if you're talking early Beatles, it's hard to not mention them (But please calculate the songs George used his Gretsch versus the 12-string; I recall more of the former).

I've always found the Beatles were better and more innovative in their later years. Hmm, I wonder why John and George stopped playing those other guitars and got Casinos, Strats, and others? Oh the laughter on the end of this computer.

Never mind the idea of a copy; I think any Electric 12 string with enough compression, the right amp... You'll forget there was even a company that existed with the letter R.

[capt pearl]

Originally Posted by OaklandA

This one seems more Gretsch Country Gentleman type:

http://www.rondomusic.com/product3006.html

Nice shape. Man, I'm just so not a fan of gold hardware.

[capt pearl]

Originally Posted by supersonicman

http://eastwoodguitars.com/GTRs/clas...assic6_frm.htm
http://eastwoodguitars.com/GTRs/clas...ssic12_frm.htm
You're welcome

Wow. Thank you. Great price on that 12.

[capt pearl]

Originally Posted by msfenderarg

I guess you can get Ringo fairly cheap, Sir Paul on the other hand, well... I think he'll cost ya' a bit more...

Yeah, and Ringo'd prolly be more fun to bend an elbow with!

[Telenator]

If you're going to gig with the guitar I'd steer clear of the Agile unless you're willing to put a few bucks into it. At that point, those IRK5 Indie guitars look interesting and a possible alternative to a real Ric especially if they have adult size necks.

RIC claims their 330 and 360 necks to be 1 5/8" wide at the nut but the one I owned barely measured 1 9/16" and was just a hair under 2" at the heel. A real RIC is a beautiful thing but not much good if you have large hands and can't actually play it!

I'm surprised though at seeing such a close copy of the RIC in production.

[capt pearl]

Originally Posted by BucksStudent

Oh my, the company that always get straddled with the Beatles. I guess if you're talking early Beatles, it's hard to not mention them (But please calculate the songs George used his Gretsch versus the 12-string; I recall more of the former).

I've always found the Beatles were better and more innovative in their later years. Hmm, I wonder why John and George stopped playing those other guitars and got Casinos, Strats, and others? Oh the laughter on the end of this computer.

Never mind the idea of a copy; I think any Electric 12 string with enough compression, the right amp... You'll forget there was even a company that existed with the letter R.

So, how much of the overall Early Beatles sound is 12 string and how much is Gretch?

Mostly I'm just looking for a cheap, fun box that'll make me think "Beatles" while I'm goofing. This fella in walnut definitely might work , but, hey, in this economy and with this crazy network of fanatics, who know what great stuff I might find . . . heh.

-capt p, thankful for friends and family, and tdpri

[BucksStudent]

Originally Posted by capt pearl

So, how much of the overall Early Beatles sound is 12 string and how much is Gretch?

Listen to the first five albums. George didn't get the Ric 12 until A Hard Days Night, I think, and that was their third album. He didn't use it on every song on that album, and then look at the two next albums. He used the Gretsch more all together.

[FirstBassman]

Originally Posted by Telenator

A real RIC is ... not much good if you have large hands and can't actually play it!

I disagree. But let's not go there again.

I'm surprised though at seeing such a close copy of the RIC in production.

It happens.

[FirstBassman]

Originally Posted by BucksStudent

George didn't get the Ric 12 until A Hard Days Night, I think.

RIC owner Francis Hall gave George a 360/12 in February 1964 in New York. (When George had a cold during their first trip to the U.S.)

Harrison used the guitar on “You Can’t Do That” and “I Should Have Known Better” and brought it to the A Hard Day’s Night recording sessions.

[Telenator]

Originally Posted by FirstBassman

I disagree. But let's not go there again.



It happens.

You went there! Sorry, I should have been more specific about "my" big hands and being unable to play the guitar. I tried for a year, then built my own.

I understand your experience is different. I won't contest that. All anyone needs to do is ask and they'll find many people on both sides of the issue with their own experiences and preferences. It's the stuff "options" are made of!

[Tele-machus]

Some good suggestions here.

Still, let's not take anything for granted... If you want to get anywhere near the ballpark of the Beatles guitar sound, the first thing you absolutely MUST have is a player with the talent, restraint, and taste of the late great George Harrison. (And maybe a VOX amp...)

[Telenator]

I think a Tele goes a long way towards getting some of those Beatles tones.

[BucksStudent]

Originally Posted by FirstBassman

RIC owner Francis Hall gave George a 360/12 in February 1964 in New York. (When George had a cold during their first trip to the U.S.)

Harrison used the guitar on “You Can’t Do That” and “I Should Have Known Better” and brought it to the A Hard Day’s Night recording sessions.

Yes, I know the legend behind the guitar.

Those two songs are on the release of A Hard Day's Night, bro.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Hard_...#Track_listing

[FirstBassman]

Originally Posted by BucksStudent

Yes, I know the legend behind the guitar.

Well ... bro ... you said: "George didn't get the Ric 12 until A Hard Days Night, I think."


I was providing the exact circumstances.
And, it's not a legend.
It really happened.

Those two songs are on the release of A Hard Day's Night, bro.

Yes, they are on the album. But "You Can't Do That" was recorded before filming of AHDN:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Can%27t_Do_That

Not sure about the other song and frankly don't really care.