Rickenbacker 620

Rickenbacker 620 fireglo 08

21 frets, pearl inlays

rick o sound and standard output jacks

This guitar is the most versatile RIC ive played its pretty much good for all genres but really excels in indie and modern rock. when plugged straight into my peavey classic 30 with no pedals im in tone heaven but when i add my korg ax3000g fx pedal a vast amount of tone is sucked but this is no fault of the guitar. this guitar has alot more sustain than the 330 hense i sold my rick 330 to get the 620, this is a great sounding guitar and i would say the best in its price range

Action

the action on this guitar is really fast and plays effortlessly

Fit

this guitar is a full sized 21 fret guitar but is very thin and compact, very nice to hold

Finish

THIS IS WHERE IM GONNA MOAN....this finish on all RICS in my opinion need to be improved compared to its competitors ETC fender gibson and Jackson. dont get me wrong the finish isnt bad but not had good has fenders which lets it down

this guitar is solid i was making bridge adjustments once when i slipped with the allen key and was amazed all i did was little blemish which can only be seen under the light.

This guitar has never let me down

RIC forums are very good and have loads of experts on there to help and advise you with adjustment string gaugues etc

The best guitar ive ever played well worth the money i doubt u will find a better instrument for the money

'06 USA (all Rickenbackers are) 620 in Midnight Blue w 2 button top Hi-gain pickups, three way toggle selector, and 5 volume/tone pots.
Bought used with strap-locks and RIC hardshell case for $1199.

Chrome Schaller mini-tuner machines on the older style, bigger headstock. The sharkfin position markers are not full width.

21 frets.

"R" tailpiece.

I like the big percussive attack and sustain for Rock and Blues. It has a plunky sound using RIC strings (10-42). Intonation is spot on, and it stays in tune.

I'm using a Tech 21 TM 60 for all styles.

For single coils it is pretty hum free and quiet until played, and has a good full frequency range output (fat but with some Rick character).

Sustains better than Rickenbacker model 330's I've owned. The neck-through solidbody construction seems to help.

I also like the 21 fret design, which puts the neck pickup in a better place (to my ears) than a 24 fret design. I like to be able to get it mellow for a jazzy sound sometimes. 24 fret guitars sound too "pingy" to me when I try that.

Overall it gets the usual needed electric guitar tones for most styles of music, plus a little of that unique Rickenbacker jangle when wanted.

Rickenbacker also has other pickups including various vintage styles and the "new" Hi-gains have adjustable polepieces. This guitar has the regular Hi-gains and I'm pretty familiar with their sound. They work for everything I need to sound like in an evening at a bar, resturant, or concert hall (as a Rock/Blues/Jazz/Pop sideman about once a month).

I have never used the Ric-o-sound output. Only the mono.

Here's where it is a GREAT guitar.
Everything is first rate and perfectly made/assembled.

The Midnight Blue finish is perfectly smooth and flat everywhere, and the binding and fretwork is perfect.

The "R" tailpiece interferes with the saddle adjustment on the bridge a little, but I just keep using the same string sets which it is intonated perfectly for.

I've never seen an old Rickenbacker that looked bad except for an ancient 420 from the '60's that had had a hard life and was modified by Hippies.

No experience here.

I've had a half-dozen Rickenbackers, mostly used. Never needed any support.

I've played guitar since 1960 and have blown through a ton of gear.

This 620 is my Rock and Blues guitar (and the little bit of Country I fake sometimes).
I also have a Heritage H575 for Jazz and Bigband jobs, and a cheap Jay Turser semi-hollow for knocking around in biker bar gigs.

I don't get a lot of calls anymore but still enjoy playing the odd gig and jamming with friends and at parties.

I consider that I have two GREAT guitars, the Rick and the Heritage. Everything else is an also ran compared to these two particular guitars now.
Fenders, Gibsons, Gretsches, and Guilds have all had their season with me, but they don't seem to make the great ones anymore. Rickenbacker still does!

The 620 is plenty versatile and Ricks are in a class of their own: an acquired taste in their sound perhaps, like a Gretsch, but a really well made old school quality guitar.

USA made, pretty much all been covered, mines Jet-glo (black). Blend knob is a usefull feature that enables you to get more sounds out of this than other 2 single coil fitted guitars. The tailpiece is nice, allowing for a bit of vibrato as long as your carefull.

Came with a nice case too. Wont give 10 as it isnt all singing al ldancing, but has more features than an average guitar.

I play ambient and post punk is indie. The guitar is perfect for this. It gives quite a modern sound thanks to the hot pickups. I'd describe it as sounding quite 'thin' but not in a bad way. It sounds how it looks, thin and glassy with plenty of harmonics. I use lots of effects and the hot pickups work well wich these, maintaining the guitars integrity.

Dont buy this guitar for heavy rock or blues. I dont feel it excels at those genres. Get a les paul or 335 style guitar for that (somthing with humbuckers).

There is bass to be had from the neck pickup though, just not a great deal of body.

Please note this is based on using it with a fender deville.

I am giving it a 10 for what i play but if you play lots of genres, this should not be bought as an only guitar.

Setup was magnificent, the finish was flawless and has a lot of depth to it. Pickups were a little high to the strings and caused some initial problems. Easy to adjust though.

I understand Ric's are made in relatively small numbers (compares to gibson and fender) therefore quality remains higher.

Its a slab of wood, should take punishment (would be stupid though, its so good looking).

Only point that may be weak is the tailpiece. Dont know yet though.

no idea.

Overall its great for post-punk and ambient. Also works for pop and indie rock. No for blues and heavier styles of rock though.

Looks wise, i like it. Its quite small bodied though so looks a little odd on larger framed people (my oppinion).

I paid near to street price and feel it was worth it.

I just bought a 2007 Rickenbacker 620 (six string version) with a Jetglo finish.?? I paid pretty close to the retail price for this guitar.?? It is much, MUCH more than I expected for my money.?? I'm very pleased with its features.?? The two "high gain single coil pickups" are loud and responsive and can compete with anything Fender or Gibson lays on the table.?? The neck is slim and very comfortable.?? I'm a big guy with fat fingers and the thin (but long scale) neck is very easy to reach the high positions and the sustain is incredible!?? I own several Gibsons and Fenders, but this guitar is my new-found friend!

I play many styles but primarily I play Country/Western/Punk/Rockabilly.?? The Rickenbacker 620/6 affords ease and response with all styles for me.

The fit & finish is just what you would expect from a TRULY American made guitar...perfect!?? Out of the box, this is the best solid body electric guitar I've ever purchased.?? There were no flaws.?? Action is great.?? The intonation is flawless.?? High quality tuners.?? Great bridge/saddle alignment.?? Pickups are loud and excellent.?? The neck- thru-body design of the 620 is true genius.?? I own two semi-hollow body electric guitars and if you're looking for feedback, the Rickenbacker 620 has it, when you need it.

I'm a professional recording/touring guitarist, (250 plus dates per year.)?? The Ricenbacker 620/6 has never let me down. You may want to keep some wax on the hardware if you travel through different climates.?? (I've done this with all of my guitars.)?? I can always depend on this guitar without a backup instrument.

I've never had any problems with this guitar.?? I don't expect to.

I've been playing guitar for forty-seven years, professionally for thirty-eight years. This guitar has everything! I don't wish that it has anything else. This is a solid guitar. If it were stolen or lost, I would definetly buy another one. I highly recommend the Rickenbacker 620/6 electric guitar!

Got it 2005. It has 2 single coil pickups with a volume and tone knob for each one. Also has a fifth mixing knob, which is quite handy. All maple with a rosewood finger board and neck-through design (for really nice sustain). I got the fireglo finish.

Ricks seem to always be generalized as a one trick pony that can only do the "Rick jangle", but this is quite far from the truth. The first time I ever played a rick was when I played a 360 head to head with an SG, and the 360 completely blew the gibson away. The 620 doesn't have quite the tonal quality of its hollow body cousin, but it still sounds great, and better than anything in its price range (or most above it). It has a wide variety of sounds if you take the time to find them...the rick jangle is easy enough to get, but what really impressed me was the deep,rich bluesy sound that came out of the neck pu. turn both pus on and you get a really full, versatile sound, which can growl nicely with just a little bit of overdrive. Its clean sound is absolutely amazing, almost acoustic at times, and just makes you want to do some finger-picking. People keep saying ricks sound different, and they do (better in my opinion), but this doesn't mean they cant do anything a fender or Gibson will do, because they can, a very versitile sound. I play through a fender blues junior and a gibson les paul junior, i would love to play it through a Marshall stack or a fende twin, but i havent had the luxury yet. (Note: you need to play this through at least a decent tube amp - a cheap solid state will not be able to deliver the rich textures this thing can pump out- will sound like crap.)

The guitar is beautiful. I had no idea a simple burst finish on flat, sanded maple could look so good, but it will put some of those fancy les paul finishes to shame. The guitar came set up perfectly (nice, low action) and the intonation was dead on, no need to fix anything.(I have fooled around with it a little since then, and it is pretty easy to tweak it to fit your style, only hard part is changing strings with that R tailpiece.) This guitar is hard to put down, it feels like such a work of art.

Built like a rock, enough said. Slammed the headstock hard into a door jam once and all it got was a little ding in the laquer that is barely noticeable, to my great relief.

Never had any reason to deal with anyone over there.

This is a great guitar. I also have a nice fender strat which rarely gets played because i cant stop playing the 620. I have also often considered getting a gibson, but never really see the reason to shell out the money when i already have this gem. I hope to get a ric 360 soon (pretty similar to the 620, but just a little better all around)and then I should be set on guitars, except maybe a les paul in the distant future. This guitar is not a strat or tele, and its not a les paul, but its versatile enough to be used in place of them in alot of cases. And it has a sound that just cant be beat!

Mine is the only Montezuma brown ricky 620 i have ever seen a review for, which kinda freaks me out :) I bought this in 2007 (this year), and it had been sitting in the shop brand new for 4 years (as its a 2003 colour of the year, non repeated at this stage). The finish is absolutely gorgeous. I personally love the body style - the top cutaway almost looks like a custom designed handle, and if i hadnt paid through the nose for the thing i would be tempted to use it as a handle in some of my more 'aggressive' shall we say?? - performances. The mini schallers look great. Straight through neck design is gorgeous.

It is quite a small guitar, as other reviews have stated. Almost like a 3/4 sized body, but has the full compliment of frets. Totally solid. I personally like the look of the solid body ricks more than the 330 shape or other semi-hollow shapes - they just look tougher and more edgy, whereas the 330s have that elegant retro look. The 620 is a great medium between them. I love the 2 hi output single coils - their sound is fantastic. So clean. And yet on the right amp it just sings and resonates beautifully in the dirtier range. So much sustain on this guitar. That blend knob - quite strange. I notice it works more on the bass pickup in my case, and you get a wide variety of sound. Blended the pickups sound great together. More on that in 'Sound'.

The case is something else. Its a great case but would be good if it had a proper recess for storing stuff like strings or picks etc. The current one is quite shallow, and with no locking top your gear will fly all over the place. It is however a great quality case and i love that smell... dont know what that is actually!

I play in a band that is indie-rock with a synth element, and this guitar suits that style perfectly. Of course the ricky is made beautifully, so the pickups are of great quality and would be shielded well, so unwanted noise isnt a major issue with this guitar. Most of the time i find this to be an issue with the wrong type of Amp (ie a Vox Valvetronix vs Vox AC30CC2X - not much of a noise issue with the latter).

The sound is unmistakable in my opinion, and i have heard nothing like it on other good archtop guitars. First thing to say is that beautiful ringing sustain. Just cuts through me. On a good quality valve amp, cleans are so bright and jangly. The bass pickup (with the blend right down) will have a gorgeous bluesy tone. put the blend switch up and it gets progressively more trebly and jangly. Flip the selector to treble pickup and you can get that crunch tone that i would go for in some instances. Mix the two, overdrive it via valves (not pedals) and turn blend it half way, and you get a gorgeous ringing fuzz, which is exactly my sound. There is plenty of tonal variety on this guitar, however as someone else has said you have to keep in mind they are single coils. For that crunchier sound that i love, its perfect for it.

A tip - and this is only my opinion - if you want that fuzzy sound you cant beat a rick in this area, as long as you have the right amp being overdriven correctly. That is to say if you were to plug a tele in to the same amp, you would not get as good a sound.

Action is beautiful on this thing. Some minor fret buzz on mine, but i think action is a little too low on some strings. The guitar takes a little getting used to (the night i bought it i gigged with it, without even properly setting it up or getting used to it). The shape of the guitar (twin cuts) allows for very easy access to the upper register, and the 'belly cutaway' i guess you would call it sit beautifully against your chiselled (or otherwise) body. Very ergonomic, everything well within reach.

Straight out of the factory i found this thing didnt need much adjustment at all, besides the minor buzz issue i was saying before. This was not like buying a new car - everything works beautifully straight out of the box.

This guitar will definitely withstand the rigors of live gigging. It is tough. You could drop it a million times and it wouldnt break, not that i would personally want to. The hardware and finish all look good, however i did notice that the R tailpiece looked to be cast iron which had been chromed. I didnt really like that, and as a previous reviewerr had stated it has potential for the chrome to peel. It would have also been nice if the nut was bone, instead of a plasticy rubber, but otherwise all good. I would totally use this guitar for all gigs, no backup.

I have been playing guitar for 15 years. To be honest i have only ever owned bad quality guitars (old strat copies, a couple of accoustics and semi's, but nothing crazy or expensive like this). I have played american strats, tele squiers, Gibson and Epiphone les pauls, Matons, ibanez... The only thing that even comes close was the vintage american strat. The clean sound on that compared closely to the Ricky, but doesnt cut it. The resonance is what i initially hear, and the jangle. Wood quality and build all contribute to this. The ricky is no exception on great quality.

I would definitely replace this, if i had the money.

I love 99% of this guitar. I dont like the underside of the tailpiece and the (what i consider) the slightly dodgy nut. what is strange is that i know the guitar is brand new however i have NEVER seen another montezuma brown in the 620. Even googling it produces very minimal results. The colour is definitely a major drawcard to this guitar for me, because of the fact it is so different.

This guitar + Vox AC30CC2X or a 212 - ultimate combo.

My 620 is superbly finished in Fireglo. The 620 is a solid body guitar, and quite small (shorter overall than a Strat!) but perfectly formed - bijou, you'd maybe say (pretentious? moi?). Rickenbacker are deservedly renowned for the quality of the build and this one is no exception. No structural or cosmetic flaws which I can find.

The neck is surprisingly chunky, but comfortable. Like all Rickies it is narrow - those who are used to Gibsons and the like (as I am) may find it cramped, but you soon get used to it. Fine for the stretchy chords, less so if one has fingers like pork sausages.

It is not really a feature packed instrument - 2 high gain single coils each with tone and volume controls, selector switch (usual bridge/both/neck configuration) and that mysterious Ricky blend knob. This is my 4th Ricky and the first one on which I have actually noticed a difference using the blend knob.

Tuners are mini Schallers, efficient and accurate. The strange Ricky bridge with its 4 supporting screws is badly designed in my view (especially as regards adjusting intonation), but hey it's a feature not a fault.

I got mine s/h (made in July 2003 according to serial no), and the previous owner had fitted Schaller straplocks, which is a plus for me. Don't have the original strap buttons though.

My main amp is a reissue Fender Twin Reverb 65, which I reckon is a pretty good match for Rickies. It is not too hard to get that classic clean Ricky jangle. You don't need to compress this guitar as much as you do, say, a 330. It is also a more versatile guitar than Ricky critics would have one believe. In these days of multi FX the old "one trick pony" cliche is wearing thin. This guitar does pretty well whatever you want it to do, though it does have its own distinctive character (just as Gibsons and Fenders do!). It will do dirty but does clean better. It will also do lead, but some may see it mainly as a rhythm instrument.

The single coils mean you can get it to cut through any mix. In fact you could probably get it trebly enough to shatter the windows in a nearby office block. It never sounds muddy. I'm giving it a 10 because I like to play as clean as possible without sounding thin and Rickies really let you do this.

Because I got it s/h, it has been nicely played in by one careful owner. The neck is dead straight, but the action was to me a wee bit high (for a Ricky) so I have taken it down a tad. The lighter one's touch the lower the action will go, and most Rickies will go very low indeed if that's what one likes.

The nut is perfect, but a couple of the bridge slots look a bit sloppy (previous owner maybe, rather than the factory) and I will file them cleaner when I have time. One of the knobs has its silver insert missing.

Pickups are standard modern Rickies rather than the vintage "toast racks". This is probably a heresy which will get me thrown out the Ricky Fellowship of Brothers and Sisters, but I prefer the new pickups anyway.

Apart from the minor niggles, this is one beautiful little guitar and a joy to play. I am not sure it saw much action with its original owner. The bridge cover was still in place and the first thing most Ricky owners do is take this off to facilitate string muting. I plan to make up for lost time.

It seems a pretty solid guitar, certainly more robust than my 330s. My only worry about gigging it would be that it got damaged or marked, it is a very good looking guitar.

My main guitar will still be my Gibson 335, I reckon, but the Ricky will definitely suit some songs and be used as much as possible.

I have never dealt with Rickenbacker so I can't comment. Spares are available in the UK via Rosetti, but I have never dealt with them either. I am waiting for the inevitable tailpiece failure which seems to dog modern Rickies, and the hassle of getting an exchange!

I have been playing since my early teens (now in my 50s) but am still just a weekend warrior, and don't really gig much these days, just play with friends. I love owning and playing good guitars though, and the 620 is certainly a beautiful player. If it was stolen I would replace it, but not before I had hunted down and terminated the thief.

My main guitar is a 335, I also have Fenders Strat and Tele, Martins, a couple more Rickies and various bits and pieces, more guitars and gear than I know what to do with really, accumulated over a long period.

Rickies are just fantastic instruments, though - better made and finished in my view than any of the other big companies' guitars, and better looking than all the competition. I admit that they are an acquired taste - players seem either to love them or to hate them. Guess where I sit.

The only thing I hate about Rickies is that I don't have more of them. A couple of years ago I passed up on a near-mint 4001 bass which was going at GBP 650 (about $1400?). I am still kicking myself.

I bought a 620 Mapleglow about a year ago through Musicians Friend. The features are as per their standard. It has everything one needs for a good electric guitar. As a relative beginner to guitar (44 years old, and been playing for two years) the fifth knob is a probably a bit more than I actually need. If in doubt, just leave it set in the middle. Inclusion of a good quality case is nice. It puts the guitar in the realm of ???quality??? instruments.

As a new player, I probably don???t pull as much variety of sound out of this guitar than some of the more experienced players do. It has a pleasing sound, and the overall quality of the guitar makes me want to live up to it. I tend to play mostly through the neck pickup seeking a nice clean sound.

People often forget that electric guitars create sound through a series of equipment: guitar, cable, amplifier. The result is a sum of all three parts. I play it at home through a small practice amp, so there is a limit to how good it can sound. In fact, I don???t think I???ve heard the guitar???s real voice yet. My teenage son uses the guitar in a band at school playing rock tunes from the last decade or so. I think they use a Roland Cube 60. We are planning on investing in a new amp later this year. Even though the guitar is part of a chain, I also believe that as good as the equipment is, it???s the person holding it who really makes the difference. A good player with a crappy guitar will still sound good.

To sum up, this guitar is capable of making truly wonderful music, whatever that may be. I feel that I will be able to grow into it for years. I know that any flaws in my sound are due to me, not the instrument.

Wow. This guitar is absolutely beautiful to look at, to touch. Even the smell is very distinctive. Some people complain about the ???out of the box??? set up. I think that as long as adjustments can be made, assume that the guitar will need a little tweaking to make it the way you want it.

What really matters is the basic quality of construction and finish. Very well crafted.

With two people using it, this guitar gets played for about two hours every day. Being mostly at home, it is pretty gentle playing, though. The only problems we have had were some loose screws. The little plastic cover on the pick up selector switch came off, and we could not find it anywhere. It took us awhile, but we finally tracked down a replacement. A few weeks after that one of the volume knobs came off. It was the little grub screw on the side of the knob that had come loose. It was easy to put back on. Yes, it was a bit annoying, and I thought ???here we go,??? the whole thing was falling apart. Then we just went around the whole guitar with a small screwdriver and tightened everything up. We will make a habit of doing that every six months or so.

Other that those two little hiccups, this guitar seems to be as solid as a rock.

So far, they are batting at 50%.

I have contacted Rickenbacker by email twice. Once with a question about strings which they returned promptly. The other with a question about ordering a replacement for the switch cover that came off. Sent the email a month ago and still no reply. Grrrr.

I gave this a nine, just because it???s an average of all the scores above. When I was deciding on a guitar to buy, I did lots of research and reading opinions and reviews. I wanted something that was good upper middle quality and was happy to pay for it. I also wanted something a little bit different from the average Strat.

Another aspect that attracted me to the Ric was that they have a fairly simple collection of guitars on offer. The 620 is simple the solid body six string option. Some of the bigger makers like Fender have SO many makes and models, it???s difficult to tell the difference and to understand why the huge price differences up and down the range on models.

After a year, I can say that I am extremely happy with the choice, and would do it again in a second. It???s easy to spend both more and less on a guitar. While $1000-ish is a lot to spend on anything, I think it???s very good value. I never think about the money anymore. I just enjoy the beautiful instrument that I have the privilege to play every day.

Paid $1400 US--yes, they're getting more expensive--partly because it's a discontinued custom color. My Rick 620 has all the standard features for this model. It was made in August, 2006, and I bought it in February, 2007, from Fuller's Vintage Guitar in Houston, Texas. The color is Amber Fire Glo. I went with the High Gain pickups on it. I seriously considered Toaster Top pickups, but I already have a reissue Model 1997 with Toaster Tops, so I just left it stock. Features include the "R" tailpiece (more about that below), along with standard hardware, etc. The only thing I've really done to the guitar (and probably most Rick owners do the same) is to remove the chrome cover for the bridge. I usually dampen the strings with my palm when I play, which is terribly awkward with the cover in place. I love the size of the guitar: nice, small, very light body of maple. The through-neck construction on the 620 means that it sustains a lot longer than most Ricks. I think it also helps with the voicing og the neck pickup, along with the fact that it's a 21 fret neck. On other Ricks (that is, with 24 frets and semi-hollow bodies) the neck pickup tends to sound very weak to me, which isn't too bad if you're going for a kind of 50s jazz sound, but it seems limited in its use. Not so with the neck pickup of the 620. It's fuller, sustains much better, and really makes this guitar more versatile than a 330 or 360. Like several other reviewers, I can't figure out why more famous folks don't play the 620. It really seem like a no-brainer to me! My feature rating isn't super high, but it's only because this is a very straightforward instrument. If you don't like Ricks in the first place, you probably won't seriously consider buying one anyway. I absolutely love the SKB case it comes with. More manufacturers should switch to them!

The 620 has a great sound, especially when played at high volumes. The maple body really helps the cut through the mix in a very pleasing, musical way. As several people have mentioned, one can coax a lot of different sounds out of a Rick if you know how to manipulate the fifth "blend" knob. It's worth experimenting with. I usually leave it set in the middle position between the two pickups, but I have been known to change it on occasion. The 620 sounds better through my Music Man 212HD than through my silver face Fender Champ. I have a feeling that the Champ can't really project the nuances of the guitar, especially at higher volumes. Of course, speaking about guitar sound in this age of multi-effects units can be misleading, since you can make just about any guitar sound radically different with multi-effects. I usually use a Digitech Genetix 3 (darn, I've forgotten the exact name of the thing) but I think you know what I'm talking about. I use it mostly for a bit of compression and for reverb, since the reverb footswitch on the Music Man gave up the ghost years ago. Botto, line is that this guitar sounds great by itself through a decent tube amp.

Okay, here we go! The finish on the guitar itself is absolutely gorgeous--it's in Amber Fire Glo, which was color of the year for 2006. I've heard that they've stopped doing colors of the year in order to catch up on a 2 year backlog of orders. It's a real shame, because I'm sure a lot of folks bought guitars in these colors since Rickenbacker doesn't really feature much in the way of options for their guitars. Anyway, this has to be one of the most beautiful colors I've ever seen on a guitar. The colors are much more vibrant than standard Fire Glo, which, in all honesty, looks dull in comparison. The amber stain has been used on the binding and the triangular inlays, which gives it a very "vintage" look. It's roughly the same crea, color as the binding of my early 80s 4003. The neck is small, like most Ricks (which suits me, since my hands are pretty small anyway) and is a trye "U" shape. The center maple piece that runs all the way through the body has very nice figure to it, and a great swirl on the headstock, next to the nameplate. The "wings" of the body are a great deal plainer than the through-neck. Okay, here's where I have a problem. I bought the guitar on February 16, 2007, after considering purchasing it for a couple of months. Like everyone, I looked the guitar over carefully before I bought it, knowing how squirrelly Rick is about customer service. Wouldn't you know it, when I went to change the strings for the first time, I noticed a flake of chrome coming off the "R" tailpiece--very small, but it looks like it could get bigger. It's also in a spot that will get a lot of moisture from my hand as I play, so it could rust. I called Rick several times and spoke to two different people at Customer Service. Basically, the response was that the WHOLE guitar is under warranty, so I would have to return the WHOLE guitar in order to get them dinky tailpiece replaced. Uh... gee, aren't electric guitars made in many pieces so that you can replace the piece that needs it? My point to them was, what if, in transit, something happens to the rest of the guitar? What a headache! Any way, I may just leave it like it is until it gets worse, or I may replace the "R" with a Rick Torsion Vibrato (Ac'cent reproduction) which would give it a more vintage look. Other options: a "trapeze" taipiece, or even a Bigsby B5. Anyway, anyone buying a Rick should know that they're on their own as far as fixing anything is concerned. Would I ever buy another Rick? Yes. I guess it's one of the disadvantages of Rick being a small, family-run company.

I actually think that the 620 is built to last. I think it's THE guitar for me. I doubt I would ever play with a backup. I don't think I'd need one. By the way, one tip on replacing strings with the "R" taipiece: replace them one at a time, fron the outside going in. This keeps an even tension on the bridge, so the bridge stays put instead of falling off the top of the guitar.

See above!

Despite everything, I would (and have!) recommend this guitar to others. You just have to know what you're getting into with the seriously anemic customer support. I don't know--perhaps that adds to the quirky charm of the brand.

Mine is a 2005 fireglo. It's got all the features Ricks are famous for....the three way switch, the four knobs (volumes on bottom) and the 'mystery' knob that so many people don't seem to understand. The rick-o-sound jack.
The glossy neck and triangle fretmarkers.
It's a rick--its got everything it should have.

I play a lot of Beatles and Tom Petty stuff, so I was looking for a Rick. I was just about set on the 360 when I played a 620 in a store and feel in love with it.
Having already decided NOT to go with a 12 string (too much of a hassle. I have no patience), I was going to get a 6 string anyway. But I want some of that famous jangle.
The 620 sustained for days and days, and despite the small neck, it was a joy to play, and had enough jangle for me to get the sound I wanted.
I was sold. Didn't buy the one in the store because it was a jetglo, and nice as that was, I wanted the fireglo finish. So I ordered one and away I went.
They always say that nothing sounds like a Rick, and that's true. Everytime I play it, I just can't believe how great it sounds. The 620, as I mentioned, has so much sustain that it handles rockier tunes with ease, and yet still sounds like you want it to sound. And with a little chorus, I can get close enough to a Byrds sound for my needs.

No need to go on and on here. Everyone knows Ricks have the most gorgeous finishes around, and my 620 is no exception. I gasped when it came out of the case for the first time. Just beautiful. Even my wife appreciates the look of this guitar. I don't understand why 620's are not more common--they sound and look great and are so fun to play. It's a little on the small side, (kind of like a tele), but that's part of its charm.

This is my newest guitar (got it Feb. 07), so I'm still babying the heck out of this thing, and haven't taken it out of my house yet.

Never dealt with Rickenbacker.

I've been playing for 9 years. I own american teles and strats and a gretsch 6120dsw. I use fender amps. I don't play as well as I probably should to justify the gear I have, but it inspires me to play and it makes me feel good. Life is short, so why not?
I waited a long time to get my first rick, and now that I have one, I understand why rick-lovers say you can't have just one.
I completely understand the allure of these instruments. They aren't one-trick ponies like a lot of people think they are. Sure, you don't want to do speedmetal on a rick, but it sounds great with some overdrive (most effects, really) and it just cuts through on my hot rod deluxe's clean channel.
I think everyone should have a rick 620 in their collection. It's just such an awesome, original guitar that looks and plays great.