Rickenbacker 650S Sierra

This is basically the same guitar as the 650D Dakota wuth gold hardware. The setup is similar to a Les Paul - 2 humbuckers, 2 volumes, 2 tones. It has saddles which can be adjusted in all three axes. By Ric standardss, there are not a lot of features. No stereo output or blend knob. Solid body. Maple neck-through design with walnut wings. 24 frets. Non-locking Schaller tuners.Hardshell case included.

Wow! These are the best sounding humbuckers I've ever heard. Yjey have almost all of the brightness and clarity you would get from single coiks. These are relatively low output humnuckers and are neither harsh nor muddy. They are surprisingly good clean and excellent overdriven. For metal and similar styles, you;d want higher output pickups. Eocs have a reputation as being rhythm guitars, but these pickups are quite suitable for leas as well.

Mine was used, so it had a bumber of nicks, etc. The finish is merely oil-finished, no lacquer. It is a beautiul natural finish. The two woods are very different ic colot, so there is a racing stripe look. The gold hardware looks excellent, and the metal pickguard is a plus..

Rics are as durable as any guitar made.

The company itself is quite responsive, and the web site is good. Two potential issues. Repairs are done only at the factory, which can be inconvenient. The warrannty is 5 years (OK, although some are lifetime), but is is only for the original purchaser, and it starts from the date of manufacture rather than the date of purchase.

I own about 20 guitars - Parker, Fender, G&L, Gibson, Martin, Taylor, etc. I had wanted a Rickenbacker for some time, but didn't like the narrow neck on most models. The 540 series has a wider neck, which I prefer. This is a budget model Ric, but it is an excellent quality guitar. It has mire systain and is better suited for lead playing than I had imagined. Ric doesn't make real low end models, but this is excellent value for money.

This is the same guitar as the 650D Dakota except it has gold plated hardware. Rickenbacker has a very good website, so it is best to go there for all the features. The unusual features are natural walnut body and headstock wings bisected by the one-piece maple neck that extends the full length of the guitar. Unbound 24 fret fingerboard with black dot inlays. The string saddles individually adjust in all 3 axes. The pickguard is metal instead of plastic. The neck has dual truss rods to help prevent neck warpage. Everything is high quality. The control knobs are chromed metal instead of cheap plastic. It looks great! Comes in an SKB carrying case as standard. I am knocking off a point as it does nt have the optional vibrato.

Humbuckers are standard, and they sound fine, but I ordered mine with the optional scatterwound vintage reissue pickups that come standard on the 660 series 6 and 12 string guitars. They sound as good as the old Gretsch Filtertrons, and seem to be higher output than most vintage single coils. They have less noise that most single coils pickups, but not as quiet as the humbuckers. They get the old Rick jingle-jangle sound but are also hot enough for more modern styles of playing that use sustain and a high gain amp. Unique sounding and versatile as well. The volume and tone controls have a wide range.

I set the action to suit myself. Some people like lower action, and Ricks can achieve very low action, but mine is set high enough to also allow slide playing as well.

The neck adjusts very easily and holds its adjustment. The tailpiece is one of the best in the business and bridge adjustments are easily performed. Full 24 fret neck with body cutaways for easy upper fret access. The synthetic nut was well cut and has very shallow slots compared to most others.

The tung oil finish on walnut and maple is very beautiful. All the wood is very high quality. All the wood has a very smooth satin finish. There is no binding on body or neck. No neck binding is needed on the neck as it is well shaped. I prefer rounded body edges to bound edges as found on the 620 and 660 series.

The Schaller mini-tuners work very well and hold a tune better than most. The neck is wider than standard Rick necks and has a C cross section that I like. A maple fretboard sits on a single piece maple neck. The neck is smooth and fast. The strings are far enough from the fret edges that they do not easily fall off the edge when fretted. You can adjust this feature with the roller saddles on the outside strings. I like mine best with both strings near the middle position.

A quality guitar based on a simple and effective modern design. None better at this price.

I have never seen another guitar that is more sturdily built. I think it is a little better in this regard than the 620 or 660 series that are the most similar in the RIC lineup. Schaller locking strap lugs keeps the guitar from falling off the strap. Make sure you get a strap with the matching Schaller components. They connect and disconnect very easily yet hold very securely.

I have bought 3 Rickenbackers, all of them were ordered sight unseen. They were all well made and look beautiful. One is a 4004L Laredo bass, which actually weighs 1/4# less than this guitar! I have never had a breakdown. That is the best customer support. It looks like Rickenbacker cares about their customers, judging by the quality of their guitars. I have sent email to the company that wasn't answered, but email seems to not be a big concern to them according to other reviews, and with every teenager having a computer these days it is easy to see why. I hear they always talk to you over the phone. Parts are available off their website. They send you a printed catalog if you call or fill out a form on their website. I got a poster catalog of all available models with my new guitar. Nice touch! All repairs are done at the factory with no official dealer service network. My dealer does set the guitar up to customer specs and checks for any problems before shipping the guitar. I hear that Rickenbacker rates a 10 for major warranty problems, but can get standoffish with very minor issues. Take care of the minor issues yourself, because it's cheaper and faster than paying shipping costs and waiting.

Unlike Gibson and Fender, Rickenbacker builds a large percentage of their total production to individual customer order. Customers put up a deposit and wait about three months for their guitar. Satisfaction has to be high, or the system would not work. Rickenbacker has never went under, unlike Gibson, Gretsch and Fender, so management must be doing something right. Rickenbacker does not overcharge for their instruments when you look at what you get compared to the other brands. It would be hard for me to order another brand sight unseen.

I like the Ricks with the wider neck. I own another 650D with humbucker pickups, besides the 4004L bass. Also a Tacoma Chief acoustic. I mainly use Marshall AVT20 and AVT50 amps. My next Rick will probably be a 380L PZ Laguna with the piezo pickups that can be blended with the humbuckers for a unique sound. A 660/12 in Fireglo would also be nice, if the 12-string bug ever bites. Maybe one of the vintage 4001 model basses as well, but for now I am satisfied.