Rischke Guitars
Production
Every instrument is manufactured with absolute precision and no detail is left to chance.
I am Norbert Rischke…
and in the first place, I make electric guitars for design aficionados and touring musicians who call the big stages their home: exclusive rock guitars for genuine stars and the great show – just show guitars of the superlatives.
I can just appeal to guitarists and bands over and over again: your audience have got ears and eyes … To add an optical trademark to your fantastic sound may substantially boost your musical career – just think of Rammstein, Kiss, or ZZ Top. And it is much fun – for both artist and audience.
This is exactly why I have developed these fantastic, absolutely show-proof series. Also for guitarists that may have already lost their hearts to a tele or strat I have fantastic models on offer.
My ‚181‘, for example, is similar to a Telecaster, but in the unmistakable Rischke style with humbucking or single coils pickups, reverse headstock and tremolo system. And it’s a real eye-catcher, too.
I am Norbert Rischke…
and in the first place, I make electric guitars for design aficionados and touring musicians who call the big stages their home: exclusive rock guitars for genuine stars and the great show – just show guitars of the superlatives.
I can just appeal to guitarists and bands over and over again: your audience have got ears and eyes …
To add an optical trademark to your fantastic sound may substantially boost your musical career – just think of strong>Rammstein , KISS , or ZZ Top . And it is much fun – for both artist and audience.
This is exactly why I have developed these fantastic, absolutely show-proof series. Also for guitarists that may have already lost their hearts to a tele or strat I have fantastic models on offer.
My ‚181‘, for example, is similar to a Telecaster, but in the unmistakable Rischke style with humbucking or single coils pickups, reverse headstock and tremolo system. And it’s a real eye-catcher, too.
The sound spectrum of Rischke guitars ranges from metal and rock to blues and C&W. I have designed some models especially for the ladies of rock.
I will also make bass guitars in the future. All basses will have similar features as the Rischke guitars: alder or ash body, maple neck, tremolo system and both humbucker and single-coil PUs.
I’m almost done with the first bass model. Only certain precision parts such as the tremolo system and bridge, which are exclusively manufactured for the Rischke models by hand-picked suppliers, are missing. The basses will be of top-quality too, and will be presented in the magazines in due time.
Eine Reihe Bodies wartet auf die Veredelung.
Wood
I much love US red alder or swamp ash for the body, combined with necks from Canadian maple. I share this preference with many stars from Hendrix to Zappa.
I prefer high quality Canadian maple for the neck. The hardness of the Canadian maple gives the sound more edge and presence. The wood comes from carefully selected and professionally stored stock.
Rischke guitars are much flexible sound-wise, thanks to the light solid-body construction and the combination of humbucker and single-coil PUs.
Wood
I much love US red alder or swamp ash for the body, combined with necks from Canadian maple. I share this preference with many stars from Hendrix to Zappa.
I prefer high quality Canadian maple for the neck. The hardness of the Canadian maple gives the sound more edge and presence. The wood comes from carefully selected and professionally stored stock.
Rischke guitars are much flexible sound-wise, thanks to the light solid-body construction and the combination of humbucker and single-coil PUs.
I pay much attention to the overall weight, as well as the right wood for optimum vibration behavior. The widely heard opinion that only a heavy guitar can produce a fat sound is not true. Instead, the best sound is created at least material condition.
Gitarrenhälse in verschiedenen Fertigungsstadien
Finish
The finishes are a real eye-catcher. The model ‚262‘ in Crystal White with rosewood fretboard is just fantastic in this combination – the true queen of this series. Particularly in the spotlight, this marvelous finish unfolds its brilliant fascination.
But also the models in Saphir Red with maple fretboard are irresistibly beautiful. Brilliant depth, unrivaled luster and a noble look.
The painting consists of 7 to 8 wafer-thin layers of acrylic lacquer. The elaborate finish gives the guitar, in addition to its outstanding looks, excellent vibration characteristics, tonal stability and a fresh, solid tone. My tests could not confirm the opinion that nitrocellulose lacquer must be used for an exceptionally sounding guitar. The acrylic lacquer I use is just perfect for my models: even after long and hard touring, hardly any scratches are visible – everyone well knows the problem buckle vs. body back –, and the finish is absolutely color stable over decades.
Saphir Red
Crystal White
Metallic Black
Fretting
I use medium jumbo frets from nickel silver.
The fretboards are made of ebony, rosewood, or maple, with 6 mm dot inlays. My favorite fretboard radii are 12 „, 14″, and 16″, but 10″ or 9.5 “ are also possible. Every guitarist should find ‚his‘ neck with perfect playability.
For me, for example, a 12″ radius is just perfect.
The hot PUs from Harry Häussel and LeoSounds are the icing on the cake with every Rischke guitar.
Pickups
Neck humbuckers sounded never particularly good to me. A single-coil in the neck position is more flexible while still providing sufficient punch, and together with a humbucker or split humbucker sounds much more defined and transparent. The pickup comes from the renowned workshop of Harry Häussel and LeoSounds and are manufactured exclusively for the Rischke guitars. In particular, the humbuckers and single-coils with chrome rim round off the design.
Tremolo system
Steel being the best and most exclusive material.
The steel block gives the tone a crisp attack and also makes it somewhat denser.
I do not use stop tailpieces; all my models come with tremolo system.
Whether brass or steel, a lot is possible here!
Manufacturing and distribution
Every instrument is manufactured with absolute precision and is patented worldwide. No detail is left to chance; I have been experimenting, improving, and optimizing the workflow for years.
Many parts are custom-made, such as Harry Häussel or LeoSounds pickups are made exclusively for Rischke Guitars.
Only the best potentiometers, 5-way switches, capacitors and the best vintage cable are used. All neck and switch plates are specially made, hand-polished and chrome-plated.
The processing of the Rischke cutaway is the most extensive: with special cutters only a small portion can be preprocessed, the much greater part is done manually.
My instruments are not available in retail or online stores, and should be directly ordered from Rischke Guitars. The same applies to individual components and spare parts. So every buyer will receive a very exclusive instrument.
Their unique looks and flexibility let Rischke guitars figure among the most exciting models worldwide.
Referenzen
This is what the trade press mean
‘Grand Guitars‘, the renowned guitar expert magazine, included a detailed feature on Rischke Guitars and models ‚261‘ and ‚262‘ in their 2/2016 issue (published end of February).
The guitars sound as outrageously good as they look exotic, and are made from the finest components too. These are … no guitars for eccentric posers, these are absolutely world-class instruments for serious musicians. And luthier Rischke really means it, as reveal the exceptional crafting quality as well as the techniques employed (all handwork).
This commands my respect, my great respect indeed.
Wood meets wire
Mr Rischke refers to his instruments as ‚rock guitars‘, so it’s clearly a job for the Marshall.
And yes, what has been said is instantly verified, and it becomes clear: here is someone at work who knows what he is doing. The neck PU delivers a sleek, or better, ‚prickly‘ Hendrix as confident as a clean and smooth jazz tone, and the bridge PU helps the guitar to meet its ambition to rock. Fat, but never muffled and always with fine resolution, it delivers all from the Australian rock axe to warm fusion sounds to rather extreme metal – the proper playing techniques assumed. These guitars are really versatile, and those who are not inclined to believe it may just treat themselves to the YouTube clips of Professor Werner Neumann from Leipzig … The master’s fusion lines sound excitingly delicious on these funky guitars.
