| Author |
Topic: Ric enthusiasts: Compare & contrast models NS & 59 to B6 |
Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
|
Posted 20 Mar 2022 6:54 am |
|
I've had an early postwar Bakelite B6 for decades that I absolutely adore, for both its playability and especially for its sound. I'm considering the purchase of either a late grayburst NS, or a 99.
1) I'm interested to compare and contrast the NS to the 99. Are they more alike than different? Would one be considered superior to the other?
2) How would either/or compare to my T-top B6? |
|
|
 |
Tim Whitlock
From:
Colorado, USA
|
Posted 20 Mar 2022 10:06 am
|
|
I have a postwar BD6 (same as B6 except for there's a cosmetic cover over the tuners) and a '37 Silver Hawaiian. I'm not familiar with the model 99.
I too adore my BD6! It is smooth and sweet and plays great. The volume and tone controls allow you to find a lot of variety of tones. It has the 1 1/4" horseshoe pickup which as I'm sure you know is full sounding and LOUD.
The SH has a characteristic hollow, metallic sound. Mine has only a volume control so I'm pretty much stuck with the basic sound. A tone control like on a later model NS would be nice. It has the 1 1/2" horseshoe (also very LOUD) and I find it sounds slightly warmer and sweeter than the 1 1/4". I would love to have a B6 with the 1 1/2" pickup but there's not a huge difference. The metal Ricks are often stuffed with newspaper to help diminish the hollow sound. Mine was not, so I stuffed it with poly foam. This helped a lot. Here's a clip I made played through an Evans amp:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxbAVubuA2g
I love both guitars but would easily pick the BD6 over the SH if I had to choose one. |
|
|
|
Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
|
Posted 22 Mar 2022 5:27 am
|
|
| Thanks, Tim. Good info. Just what I had been wondering about. |
|
|
|
Michael Brebes
From:
Northridge CA
|
Posted 22 Mar 2022 6:41 am
|
|
I used to have an NS and found that it sounded much better when I pulled out the newspaper and stuffed it with an old hand towel or two (can't remember). I think that was a suggestion from Rick Aiello years ago. I did keep the newspaper in a big ziplock bag and sent it along with the guitar when I sold it because it is the only way to date the guitar.
_________________
Michael Brebes
Instrument/amp/ pickup repair
MSA D10 Classic/Rickenbacher B6/
Dickerson MOTS/Dobro D32 Hawaiian/
Goldtone Paul Beard Reso
Mesa Boogie Studio Pre/Hafler 3000
RP1/MPX100 |
|
|
|
Ian McLatchie
From:
Sechelt, British Columbia
|
Posted 23 Mar 2022 1:13 pm
|
|
| I owned both an NS and a Model 59 and didn't hear a great difference between them. The enamel finish on the NS is maybe a bit heavier than the crinkle paint on the 59, but I don't know that should affect the sound all that much. My 59 was a better instrument than the NS, but I think that was primarily because it had a stronger pickup. Acoustically, they seemed about the same. |
|
|
|
