sterling Posted October 30, 2007 Share Posted October 30, 2007 http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20060224/ai_n16178409/pg_1 This is a great article from a 2006 article from the Chicago Sun Times. It tells about a chance meeting in Feb. 1964 between the president of Rickenbacker Guitars and George Harrison in a NYC hotel. Hall gave George the second Rickenbacker 360/12 ever made and rock and roll was never the same. When you think of all the great rock songs the Beatles recorded with the Rickenbacker and the Searchers with Needles and Pins and the Byrds Roger McGuinn....Wow! What a story!Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMan Posted October 30, 2007 Share Posted October 30, 2007 The 12 string "Ricky" is a wonderful instrument! I don't own one but I've played one numerous times and it definitely has an almost keyboard like quality to its sound. It really is like a "secret weapon" for a band's sound. On the downside though....they are a pain in the a@# to re-string and tune...and to keep in tune. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadie #3 Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 You think thats a tough one to restring and tune, try Wally's doubleneck. I would rather restring the Rick any day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMan Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 YOU GOT ME ON THAT ONE!!!! LMAO.....ALL MY SYMPATHY TO YOU ROADIE #3! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollies65 Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 Believe it or not 'Needles And Pins' distinctive A-Asus riff was NOT played on a 12 string but simultaneous six strings according to Mike Pinders and re confirmed in Dave Marsh's 'The 1,001 Greatest Singles Ever'. I thought it was a 12 string for decades...Oh well...still sounds great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trindy Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 Was it really? That's fascinating.Anyway, I love the 12-string Ricky, I admit I'm a sucker for it...next to the oboe it's my favorite instrument in terms of the sound. It sure got me listening to R.E.M. fast... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnO Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 I don't believe that Mike Pender or John McNally of The Searchers even owned 12-string guitars when they recorded "N&P"....but they got some shortly after - Burns gave them their first 12-string axes (in green sunburst finishes) as part of an endorsement deal. Burns 12-strings are an absolute b*tch to keep in tune, and they soon dropped them in favor of Ricks, Aria's and the occasional Danelectro 12-string. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Davie Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 Yes...I asked Mike that same question backstage at a British Invasion package tour in '93. (That night he was playing a beautiful Vox teardrop 12 string....sigh.)He set me straight and said it WAS two 6 string guitars. And, that right as the hit climbed the charts, "THEN...we were getting all kinds of 12 string guitar makers throwing their shit at us".McNally played the traditional 'Harrison' Rick 12 the night "mamacote" and I saw them play at the Empire Theatre in Liverpool, UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Early Wynn Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 This has nothing to do with 12 string guitars, but I saw the Searchers in 1983 at the Chestnut Cabaret in Philly and it was one of the absolute best shows ever. There couldn't have been more than 75 people there and you would have thought they were playing in front of 10,000. They played two completely different hour + long sets with lots of good stories in between. And they played a lot of songs from their two outstanding Sire albums from 1980 and 1981. I just thought I'd throw that in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnO Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 The last 4 times I've seen them (within the past 5 years), John McN's been playing a black small-bodied Ric 12 (620-12) and an ESP tele for his 6 string stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerpopcop Posted November 22, 2007 Share Posted November 22, 2007 Such a waste and it makes no sense. Lead singer Mike Pender left The Searchers in 1985 and has since been replaced by another singer. Mike Pender formed The Mike Pender's Searchers and spent money on equipment for his new lineup. I've seen both versions of the band and preferred The Mike Pender's Searchers. Pender's solo material isn't bad either and he did perform Hearts In Her Eyes when I saw them. The Sire Sessions CD by The Searchers contains the last 2 albums Mike Pender recorded with The Searchers. It is an absolute MUST. My favorite songs on the album are Love's Melody, Hearts In Her Eyes, Silver, Love's Gonna Be Strong and Infatuation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy K. Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 The Beach Boys and Herman's Hermits also used Rickenbacher 12-strings......but these bands' use was a bit more subtle, and less obvious than the Beatles/Searchers/Byrds/etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Goddard Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 On 10/31/2007 at 11:39 AM, JohnO said: I don't believe that Mike Pender or John McNally of The Searchers even owned 12-string guitars when they recorded "N&P"....but they got some shortly after - Burns gave them their first 12-string axes (in green sunburst finishes) as part of an endorsement deal. Burns 12-strings are an absolute b*tch to keep in tune, and they soon dropped them in favor of Ricks, Aria's and the occasional Danelectro 12-string. Interesting story. In my experience the Burns Double Six stays in tune really nicely, even at outdoor festivals or under hot theatre lights. Maybe the strings weren’t as good in those days? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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