In guitar world interview, george harrison said "rickenbackers sound like chimes." There has always been that unique sound of rickenbackers. I am curious, What actually does it - is it the single coil pick ups, electronics or body shape? Or something else. I love that Gsus4 chord in hard days night. It doesn't sound the same if played on another guitar and not a rickenbacker.

What is the correct way to play the Gsus4 chord? I have seen it printed different ways. Some sound right and others don't. While we are on it, what is the correct way to play the opening to A Hard Day's Night?

I am going to go way out on a limb and take a SWAG that the body is resposible. I say this because acoustically the guitar sounds unique as well.

My apologies. I meant to ask about the opening to Eight Days A Week.

Partly the all maple body. Maple has a very bright tone.

Partly the tailpiece. The string length behind the bridge adds some unique resonance and intonation qualities.

Partly the metal-encased pickups. Similar to Gretsch, Telecaster and Jaguar pickups, adding metal to the field of a pickup dramatically changes it's sound.

The opening chord to AHDN is a G7sus4 chord is played like this (low to high):

353533

I don't know of an A chord in the song. Perhaps you're thinking of the opening riff to "A Ticket To Ride"?


E---0-------0-----0---------0-------------------------
B-----2---0----------2---0----------------------------
G-------2--------------2------------------------------
D-----------------------------------------------------
A-0------------0---------------0----------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------

Hi!

A Hard Day's Night is what I am going through right now but browsing this great forum is a great way to find something else to focus my attention on.

I play the AHDN opening D11 chord (a sus4 chord with the fourth tone on top as an 11 and no sus4) like this (beginning from low E string which is excluded):

X00213

The outro is a arpeggio style playing the chord above and then releasing the tension to a X00211 (dm7)

The verse:

The opening chord is played and then landing/leading perfectly to this jangeling G major chord 320033 variant for a powerful rythm guitar drive. The second chord used is the C9 played like 032033 after getting back to first chord you play the sub dominat chord Fadd9 XX3213.

The G on top is a very clever method for maintaining the ringing/jangling sound through all these three chords.
The rest is just "normal" C7 and D7 chords using these:
X12310(C7) and X5453X (D7)

Take care

Björn

PS. I will try to add the Eight Day's A Week chords the next time I have a short computer session. :-)

Lightmover...All the elements you mention above certainly contribute to the "unique sound of Rickenbackers." Also, George Harrison's 360/12 featured a different stringing pattern from the traditional 12 string configuration. This was an idea of F.C. Hall's to give the instrument a more distinctive sound. That jangle, ring and chime is the Rickenbacker sound!