Does anyone play slide on their Rickenbacker 330? I had a 330, sold it, and I think I may be looking to replace it. I've gotten really into slide playing in the interim and wanted to see what others thought about playing slide on a 330.

It sure would be good for you to get another 330 again!
I play slide but always use a lap steel. I own 2 Ric's and have never used them for slide. However this does not mean you cannot. Maybe someone else on the forum will have more knowledge on this and be more help. Just a passing thought, have you ever considered buying a lap steel? I've purchased a few vintage lap steels lately. Rickenbacker used to make many lap steels, various models, you see them on the bay along with other vintage lap steels.

From what I've heard, you would pick up a Rickenbacker 330 and a lap steel at a good price in your country at present.
Not saying it would be cheap but it is the right time to buy. I know for a fact sellers will talk turkey at present in the USA, when it come to money, they all of a sudden talk in any language under the sun! Even Aussie speak!LOL

Some of those old vintage laps sound killer! Have you ever heard a lap played via a stereo delay into 2 amp simultaneously! The sound is a WOW factor.


jbudweiser

Playing a slide on a Ric takes practice, just as picking up a Ric after years of playing other brands. I had to play mine for some time before I was completely comfortable with it, and when I tried slide on it, it took a little practice to perfect it.

I play overhand, as if I were playing a lapsteel. This is especially helpful on a Ric because playing underhand would require more bending of your wrist than normal. I enjoy pumping the volume up on the neck pickup to get a fat jazzy sound. You won't sound too bluesy playing slide on a Ric, in other words.

Just a word to the doubters: Anything can be done on a Ric with practice.

My 480 has a flat fingerboard radius so it takes a slide real easy, I mostly only use the slide for some older Faces material though.

I'm sure a 330 would be a great-sounding slide instrument, but on a properly adjusted Rick, the string height is too low for effective slide playing. I'd suggest raising the bridge a bit. Granted it won't fret "like a Rick," but if you're really into slide playing, this probably won't bother you so much.

Now, if you're playing nothing _but_ slide on this particular instrument, there's a simple gadget available that raises the strings at the nut. It's just a bent piece of metal that sits over the nut, and under the strings. No attachment screws--100% reversable. It's made for round-neck resonator instruments, but there's no reason it won't work with others. Granted, the spacing is wider than that of a 330 nut, but if you're not fretting the strings, it shouldn't be an issue:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Nuts,_saddl ... 1&xsr=3171

Thread revival. I play slide on mine with no problems. There's no reason you can't play slide on one at all.

The main reason it is difficult to play slide on a Ric is the low action. Anyone from George Harrison to Duane Allman had their guitars action raised to play without the frets getting in the way. However... I play, using a fiberglass Dunlop slide, on my 620/12, and with the lightest touch, it sounds quite heavenly. I also use a pair of toe-nail clippers to achieve a sitar sound, if you're into that too.

Well, yeah, you definitely have to set it up for slide, just as you would any guitar. I set mine up not too low, so I can do a bit of slide, though I am primarily a non-slide player.

Slide on a 12, huh? Interesting.

I used my 320 for slide for a couple of years. I raised the action a bit and it was smooth and easy to play. Very fast due to the shorter scale.

I haven't touched the action. You just need the lightest touch and a lighter slide.