Rickenbacker 330/12 12 String

2003 Rickenbacker 330 12-string guitar in Fireglo. Two-tier white plastic scratch plate. Two Rickenbacker Hi-gain pickups replaced with two Rickenbacker Vintage 7.4k pickups. Three-way toggle switch. Five controls - bass and treble volume, bass and treble tone and a "blend" control. The blend control blends as much (or as little) of the neck pickup with the bridge pickup as required when the toggle switch in in the middle position (both pickups on). Schaller tuners. Semi-acoustic two-piece maple body. Thin maple neck with medium frets reinforced with a walnut "skunk" stripe. African rosewood highly-lacquered fretboard. Neck glued in (almost to the end of the body, which gives the guitar it's characteristic tone) Rickenbacker case included.

The definitive twelve string guitar. I would describe this guitar as sounding like a semi-acoustic with solid body characteristics. It sounds rich, bright, jangly, warm, chimey,(I could go on!)It also has a (wonderful!)nasal quality when ultra-clean. I retro-fitted this guitar with Rickenbacker's 7.4k Vintage Toaster Top pickups and added a 0.0047 capacitor between the treble pickup and it's volume pot to bring the guitar up to the '60's spec. These changes are absolutely necessary if the original classic Rick sounds are required, but not if the guitar is used in a more modern context (although distortion with the modifications sounds great). The alnico vintage pickups are less powerful and spiky sounding than the new, cheaper, ceramic pickups that come stock with most modern 330 12's. In my opinion the vintage pickups sound better,warmer and brighter than their modern counterparts. For the ultimate Rickenbacker 12 string sound, the 330/360 semi-acoustic twelve's are required. Although Rickenbacker's 400/600 series solid body twelve's have "the" sound, they're not as rich and warm sounding as the 300 series semi-acoustics.

Everything was fine with this guitar. The action needed just slight adjustment.

A very dependable, solid, high quality, well-made guitar for the price.
It's my main guitar at the moment (used as a 6-string). It has never let me down live.

Never used them.

I have been playing the guitar for 30 years. I also own a cheap "project" Telecaster copy with alnico pickups. I use this as a backup guitar. If the Rickenbacker 330/12 were ever lost or stolen I would have to replace it immediately! It sounds, feels and looks the best! The only minor concern for me is the 12 narrowly-spaced strings on the narrow neck - difficult to play, even for somebody with medium-sized hands like myself. But used as a six stringer, this guitar is comfortable and easy to play. It's best feature is the "blend" control which helps to shape my sound - a versatile extra. I have owned 11 Rickenbacker 300/400/600 series guitars. In my opinion, this guitar and Rickenbackers in general ARE the best guitars ever made. It beat the Gibson Les Paul and Fender Telecaster guitars I previously owned emphatically in terms of sound and quality. I would have liked a gold scratch plate and vintage controls, but never mind! From the moment I purchased my first Rickenbacker 360/12 back in 1993 I have almost NEVER wanted to strap on a guitar from another manufacturer. That says it all, doesn't it??

My Rick 330-12 is a '92 in Autumnglo, a rare finish. It's a red sunburst, but without the pinkish hue that you find in the Fireglo finish. The center of the sunburst is yellow and very nice. I think most people will know the features of the Rick 330. My only real complaint is that the volume/tone control layout is a little strange. I may have the pots rearranged so it's set up like those on a Les Paul, which make more sense to me. I would also have preferred a thicker and wider neck. It's difficult for me to make certain chord shapes because of the narrow width of the neck, so I barre those chords instead.

I love the classic look and vibe of Rickenbacker guitars. Nothing says "the 60's" more than a Rick. I play a lot of Byrds/Beatles/Who/Leaves/Love material on gigs, so having a Rick 12 is imperative to me.

I use a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and a Janglebox compressor with the Rick for that Byrdsy jangle. I also swapped out the stock Hi Gain pickups for vintage style Toaster pickups. The combination of the Rick 12 and the Janglebox is like having "Roger McGuinn in a stompbox." It's great! It's the sound I was looking for.

My only gripe here is that it is very hard for me to get a volume boost for solos, so I'm going to invest in a clean volume boost pedal. The Rick has a blender control that only works when the neck pickup alone is activated. It doesn't work when both pickups are on, and that is the sound I like for rhythm playing. I don't use the neck pickup alone, as I don't care for the tone that much.

Flawless. Perfect. I bought the guitar used from a collector on the rickresource forum who rarely played it and kept it stored away in its case for years. There wasn't a mark on it. Rickenbacker's quality control is and always has been superb. I wouldn't expect anything less.

When I first got the guitar, it needed a setup badly. My regular guitar tech, who doesn't like working on Rick 12s, put D'Addario strings on it. Bad choice. The guitar would not stay in tune. I took it back to him. He tweaked it more, but it still wouldn't stay in tune. I took it to another tech who knew Ricks well. He re-set it up and put Curt Mangum 10-46 strings on, which are made specifically for the Rick 12. This time, the guitar was "right." It stays in tune like a champ now. I can use it for five or six songs in a row, and even do Pete Townshend "windmills" on it, and it still stays in tune perfectly. That was real relief. I was afraid I would have to sell it.

I have never dealt with Rick customer service.

I have been playing over thirty years. This is a "lifer" guitar. I'll never sell it. It sounds great, plays great, and is totally cool.

Mine is a '92 330-12 in Autumnglo finish, a rare color. I bought it used from someone on the rickresource forum for a great price. I waited a long time to get a Rick 12 string, which is weird, because I'm a huge Byrds/Beatles fan, and always loved the sound of Roger McGuinn and George Harrison's Rick 12s. I think anyone reading this will already know the features of a 330-12. Mine came with Hi Gain pickups, which I swapped out for vintage style "toaster" pickups, which preserve the sound and look of 60's era Ricks. The only thing I might suggest is that Rickenbacker make the necks a little wider. They're very narrow, but you get used to it.

It suits my playing beautifully, as my band plays covers of Byrds, Beatles and Who tunes that use the Rick 12 sound. I use a Janglebox compressor, and it nails the McGuinn sound perfectly.

No complaints. Rickenbacker's workmanship is always excellent. I didn't expect anything less. The guy I bought the guitar from had it packed away for years and hardly ever played it. It looked brand new.

Rick 12s are finicky guitars if they aren't set up right. My guitar had tuning problems until I got the right strings and the right tech to set it up. You must use strings that are made specifically for the Rick 12, and the guitar must be set up and adjusted properly. In my case, I use Curt Mangum 10-46 gauge, and they work beautifully. It stays pretty much in tune for weeks. You can also use Pyramid or Thomastik strings, but I would stay away from D'Addarios in this case.

No opinions, but I have gotten the company president, John Hall, on the phone without much effort. Try doing that at Gibson. Think King Henry The Arrogant would pick up the phone? Yeah, sure.

I love this guitar to death, and I mean that. It's a lifer for me. If you want the Rick 12 string sound, don't waste your time buying a copy. Just buy a Rick. There's nothing else like it. But, be aware that Rickenbacker is a small company, and they are almost two years behind in filling orders right now, so it's best to buy a used one.

The guitar is a '97 issue, and I have to say I waited a LONG time to buy a Rick 12, which is weird, because I'm a huge fan of Roger McGuinn and The Byrds, as well as The Searchers, Beatles, The Who, and other sixties bands that used electric 12 strings. Most of you reading this will already know about the guitar and how it's put together. When I decided to buy a Rick 12, I went to the Rickresource forum and ran a wanted ad. Within days, a member contacted me and made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Done deal. Rickresource is GREAT guitar forum. Lots of good people there and NO attitudes. This Rick is finished in the rare Autumnglo sunburst, which was a special color for that year. Not too many of them were made. The overall workmanship is excellent, as is the case with most Rickenbackers. I will say I have had to work with the guitar quite a bit to get optimimum tone, but the work had been worth it in the long run.

The guitar came with Hi Gain pickups, which are standard on 330-12s. I hunted down a pair of toaster pickups and had them installed for the vintage look and sound. The Hi Gains are exactly that; very loud, but the toasters are "airier" and less ballsy, although plenty loud in their own right. It's still one of the loudest guitars I own. The jangle factor is definitely there and very pronounced.

No question, the guitar is beautifully built. No complaints at all. It came to me in used but mint condition.

The only issue I had with the guitar in the beginning was its inability to stay in tune. I knew Rick 12s were finicky guitars, but two trips to my usual guitar tech (who shall remain nameless and usually does great work), failed to solve the tuning problems. After doing a lot of research, I realized that you have to use strings that are specially made for Rick 12s. Standard D'Addario strings just don't work, so I bought two sets of Curt Mangum strings from Chris at Pick Of The Ricks in south Jersey, took it to another luthier, and now, it stays in tune like a champ. I can slam Townshend windmills on it and it STILL stays in tune. I can pick it up after not playing it for two weeks, and it's still pretty much in tune. I have had to adjust the neck from time to time due to the pressure exerted by 12 strings, but that's normal.

No experience with Rick customer support

This is a "lifer" guitar. I'll never sell it. It has the sound, the looks and the feel of a sixties Rick. I use a Janglebox compressor to get that jangly, chiming Byrds/Searchers/Beatles sound. The combination of the JB and the Rick is a marriage made in guitar heaven. SEe my review on the Janglebox her on HC. I use the Rick on live gigs all the time, and am looking to use it even more as my band progresses. I love playing it.

Classic 330/12 in fireglo bought used (it's a 2004 manufacture date). The fit and finish is beautiful, truly made by craftsmen who know what they're doing. The higain pickups with my Vox amp and compressor really sound great. I have really come to appreciate Rickenbacker's head and tuner design. So much easier than on conventional 12 strings with the elongated head. I can't believe that other manufacturers haven't adapted the style in some way.

I love the Beatles,Byrds,Who,CCR,Shadows,Searchers,Tom Petty, etc. anything with a chiming Rick 12 string. I'm using a Vox DA5 practice amp which actually sounds incredible. It has a lot of great effects but obviously, the compressor gets used the most. A great McGuinn sound for a low cost. But the neatest thing I've found about my Rickenbacker is how great it sounds unplugged! I had considered getting another nice acoustic 12 at some point, but this 330/12 may be the best sounding acoustic 12 I've ever played. Using the neck pickup and adjusting the tone a bit, I've played standard folk acoustic stuff in my living room and sounds great to my ear (just enough amplification.)

It was 3 years old when I got it, but the action and adjustments are great. I guess my hands are sort of medium sized so I haven't had much of a problem with chords and fingering provided I concentrate and take my time. BUT this guitar will FORCE you to pay attention to what you're doing!

I'm strictly a living room/garage amateur so I know it'll withstand my playing. Rickenbackers are well-made and very dependable from what I've observed. I love my Martin so I'd take it as a backup!

Not applicable at this time.

Been playing since 1977, my other guitar is a Martin DM acoustic. If either my Rick or my Martin were lost or stolen, I'd have to get replacements or maybe try one of McGuinn's 7-strings. Again, I love the Rick for its sounds and the fact that playing one,I believe,will improve your overall technique and ability.

I recently purchased a Fireglo model that had been hanging up (untouched, so I was told) in our local shop for 18 months. It is a 2004 edition, with all standard equipment. Came with a hard case, but no strap or lead like you might expect with a Fender for instance. Two pick ups, each with volume and tone controllers, a 3-way switch, plus a 'blender' switch to mix the sound. The 330 has just the mono input for the jack plug, unlike some of the other Rickies which also have a stereo input. Tuners are quite clever - one below the headstock plus one in the usual position for each set of strings, making the head no larger than the usual 6-string model.

Whilst this is of course an American guitar, it is associated on this side of the Pond with so many of our Brit heroes - Harrison, Lennon, Townsend, Weller, Johnny Marr (Smiths). I must confess I bought it to imitate the Beatles, the Who and the Jam sounds in particular, (plus Byrds and REM to be fair to the homeland of the instrument). And I certainly got the jingle-jangle that I was looking for - but this guitar can do so much more! It has an incredible bass tone to it when you pound the lower strings - every bit as aggressive sounding in this respect as my Les Paul.

Obviously the oft-cited drawback with a 12-string (and Rickies in general for some reason) is that "you can't do lead", but you can have so much fun with this guitar that it is not a problem as far as I am concerned - you can make it sound pretty good whatever you want to play.

The Action is good and the neck is narrow which suits my style, and the large body makes for a very comfortable fit when playing. There are no obvious flaws as far as I can tell - the shop where I bought it offer one free set up, which I may take advantage of at some point.

This is a more delicate guitar than I am used to. The body is partly hollow, and it is a very thin instrument compared to say a Strat or a Les Paul. I would imagine that if you are gigging with one of these, you would have to be more careful than usual - it feels quite fragile. I cannot offer any real opinion of long-term durability though as it is relatively new. Probably not a tool for the more heavy-handed axe-wielder.

Have not had any reason to use customer support as yet.

I play the Rickenbacker through a Marshall TSL-122 and it sounds fine - the bass is beefy when you need it to be, and the treble as you'd expect from this guitar is superb. Also, with 12 strings, it sounds like you've got a built in chorus pedal, the sound really fills out. I would liket to compare it some day to a Ricky 6-string.

The guy who sold it to me said I'd sound like Lennon, but it is far more versatile than just a 60's-copyist's instrument as it sometimes gets unfairly labelled. It was expensive, and unless you already own a 6-string, you probably would not want to get one of these as your luxury guitar; but for looks and sound quality, it rates up there with the best.

Pretty standard description here. Mine is is a '96 Jetglow 330-12 bought from Sam Ash in 1998. It's got the standard Schaller tuners, the 6-sting (well 12, with 6 saddles), blah, blah. It's the standard model. See below or above for more of the usual features.

I considered a 360-12, but held back a bit because I was looking for a reasonably priced 12-string - but something that I wouldn't ever have to upgrade. I don't play a lot of stuff that calls for 12-string, but I never wanted to have to worry about the probs. with Danelectros or other less expensive guitars. I think I picked a good one.

One of the things that makes this guitar sort of a challenge is that it really needs to be paired with an appropriate amp and effects to establish it's full potential. I play it through a POD (v.2 - Brit Class A), a recent Fender Deluxe Reverb, and a Vox Cambridge 30. It's def. not plug and play. I have just recently (tonight, as a matter of fact) gotten a decent tone through the POD. I think that most of that has to do with the limits of recording direct with a POD and not the guitar itself. It def. takes a lot of playing around (a good thing!) to get a usable tone when plugging in direct. The Fender amp (with a Sans Amp) sounds okay (it really has taken a bit of tweaking to get it to where I want it). It sounds AMAZING with the Korg Vox. I usually use the tube pre-amp with it and get some great tone with the distortion just barely breaking. Mic'ing with a single 57 on the cone and a decent condenser about 10' back beats direct any day and with the little Vox, I get a nice recording.

I'm not looking for a Byrdsian jangle. More like a full Peter Buck sound - a bassy 12-string backing - dense, with a little arp.

I love the 5th blend knob. With the pickup selector in the neck position I get a little too much mud no matter what I try (I think that it's my mic'ing and not the guitar, though). Flicking it down to the split position and adjusting the 5th knob, I can blend just enough jangle to even out the bassiness.

All things considered, I'll probably continue to record with the POD, but if I had to pick an amp (or mic one), I'm going to use the VOX Cambridge. I think that I ended up with one that works like it's supposed to. The Deluxe Reverb is passable (tube tone is really the only way to go), but even after almost 9 years, I still have to develop the tone on that one with this guitar.

Experimentation is what makes playing fun. The guitar itself is just part of it. For me, this one keeps me looking and hearing. Right on.

Sam Ash stinks.

I bought this on a whim because I wanted a 12 string and Rickenbacker produces the standard. I pulled it off the wall and was stuck with a saleskid who knew nothing about anything other than "Rickenbacker is American" and knew absolutely nothing about the double truss rods or even how a 12-string needed to be set up (Neither did I, but, hell, I usually play a Tele). I orignally thought that the reason that I couldn't fret anything w/o an annoying buzz was that I have big hands and fingers and that I had to get used to the narrow neck. The salesperson told me that I had to tune it down to keep the neck happy. After a few weeks of frustration, I finally took it to a pro to have it set up correctly and to change the strings and figured out that the neck was warped in 3 different directions. I asked the tech (5th Avenue Fret Shop in Columbus) about tuning it down and he told me that that was for "shitty" guitars and Rickenbackers aren't shitty guitars. Once they were done, I had what I had been looking for. I may buy guitars off the wall again (never at Sam Ash who's salekids seem like saleskids and not guitarists), but I'll never do it again without a trusted guitar tech to put it into the condition it should be. What I ended up with was a classic, perfect. With a little adjustment in my fretting hand, I had what I was looking for - fat fingers and all.

This guitar is a freaking tank. Like any 12 string, it needs to be tuned before recording or after sitting for any length of time. The Schaller tuners tend to keep the thing in tune, but God help anyone who bups it against anything - Back to the tuner. I'm going to try to find a 12 saddle bridge at some point to help with the intonation past the 10th fret, but since I done play up that far up the neck very often with this, refitting it with the 12 string bridge isn't much of priority.

All things considered, if you respect it for what it is and take the care to make sure it's working as designed, it'll perform perfectly. I'd gig with this if I gigged, but I'd make sure it was ready to go before I ever take it out of the case.

Never had to contact Rickenbacker.

I will never have to buy another 12 string. I don't use it much, but if I make sure that it's tuned and ready to go, it NEVER lets me down. I like the Telecaster for most appegiated stuff, but sometimes nothing delvers those kind of textures and tones like a well-played 12 string. After having this for coming up on 8 years, I am convinced I made a decent acqusition and addition to my collection. This guitar is a standard and rightly so.

Re-stringing is a chore with the R-tailpiece, but even so, it's a labor of love. Plus, it just looks cool next to my Jazzmaster and Casino.

A standard in every way.

2005 330/12 in Mapleglow. Hollow body, of course, 24 frets, etc. Standard factory specs. I won't repeat the obvious.

There's a fair bit of tonal variation available, but what everyone wants is that Roger McGuinn tone: Both pickups and run it through a compressor. I plugged mine in and wham- there it was. I Played every Byrds lick I knew and they all sounded like the 1960s.

I bought mine sight unseen from Elderly Instruments- one of the very few dealers I'd do this with- and I was not disappointed. Set up was good, though I'd make some changes, and I couldn't find a flaw on the instrument. The Rick cases are very nice, too; much better hardware than you'll find on the typical Fender blow molded cases these days.

Everyone talks about how difficult it is to play that narrow Rick neck, but I don't have any problems, even with my XL sized hands. Technique makes a big difference- the closer you are to having a real classical fingering technique, the less problem you'll have with a Rick 12.

Judging from the guitars of others I've seen, I expect this instrument to outlive me by several decades. I always carry a backup, but in this case it would be just for quick switches in case of string breakage, and becasue you can't use a 12 on every tune.

N/A

Been playing for 35 years- occasional gigs. Got quite a few basses and guitars and other instruments.

I love it becasue it's a Rickenbacker 12, and there's sinply nothing else like it on the planet. If I lost it, of course I'd have to replace it. I lusted after a friend's 330/12 back when I was 14, and I finally got my own.

2004 Jetglow

Body Type Semi-Acoustic
No. Frets 24
Scale Length 62.9 cm (24 3/4")
Neck Width at Nut 41.3 mm (1 5/8")
Neck Width at 12th Fret 49.2 mm (1 15/16")
Crown Radius 25.4 cm (10")
Body Wood Maple
Neck Wood Maple
Fingerboard Wood Rosewood
Weight 3.6 kg (8.0 lbs.)
Overall Length 101 cm (39 3/4")
Overall Width 38.1 cm (15")
Overall Depth 38.1 mm (1 1/2")
Neck Binding No
Fret Marker Style Dot
Tailpiece "R"
Bridge 6 Saddle
Neck Type Set-in
No. of Pickups 2
Type of Pickups Hi-gain
Output Type Mono
Machine Heads Schaller

The controls for the sound are great.... it allows a much more versitile selection of sounds.

This guitar definately sounds great.... but not quite a 10.... Because it's a 12 string, you use a bit thinner strings on it, thus losing the bassy bottom end of its 6 string brother. The High Gain pickups are my favorite over all others because they have the output and bass of a humbucker, without losing the brighness. The Rickenbacker is the only guitar that I have heard that can have such a spectrum of sounds from bassy to bright... or both at once. Way to go on a very versitile sounding instrument.

The 12 string doesn't lend itself to distortion all that well, because it's a 12 string.... but with a bit of overdrive it still sounds pretty darn good. I've used it to create a big wall of sound behind other more distorted guitars. Sounds great. No real feedback issues.

The finish was very good, not a flaw on it... after a year the lines up the neck where the maple and the walnut? meet are beginning to show. The finish isn't cracked here though. The fretwork is excellent and the electronics well mounted. The main thing I must flaw it for is that the nut slots weren't cut deep enough. This makes it hard to play around the nut. I sent it to my local luthiere and had it corrected. Now I am very satisfied with the playability. I was able to get the intonation accurate with just the 6 saddle bridge.... go figure. Admitedly the luthier was a big help there, although it was well intonated from the start. I prefer the Dadarrio 12 string set to the RIC.

The 330 is the workhorse hollowbody Ric. It's cousin the 360 is much more carefully routed to round up the edges, remove bulk, and increase resonance. I feel like if I were to take a 360 on stage, someone would break it... the 330 can take more of a beating because there's simply more wood there. For the most part the guitar is build like a tank... the neck is very sturdy and everything fits together with not even the slightest hint of separation or movement. I've had a minor issue with static in the switch. Nothing some contact cleaner didn't fix.

They've always been good to me, but they can definately pose a challenge when you need parts and such. Their biggest problem is preventing RIC knockoffs in the market.

If I had it to do over, I think I'd rather have the 360 just for the cosmetics. I bought this on a whim. I was in the store and my friend Craig handed it to me telling me it just came in. I was the first to play it.... the sound charmed me... I took it home. The rest is history. Rickenbacker is a sound that is often imitated, never duplicated.

Relatively new (<=2003/04) Maple-Glo 330/12. Toaster P/Us, Schallers. Interesting--ingenius things like the magnetic trapeze tailpiece which probably cause more trouble than not, but are fun, nonetheless.

Style is what the young 'uns call "alt.country" (which I always just called eclectic, but go figure). Anyway, there's always room for McGuinnish/San Francisco-like freakishness. I build it in.
Sound? Oh, come on. Once I started breathing again. . . . .

Bought it used (I am second owner, figure original owner got tired of changing the strings on it). Looks like a Cadillac, a maple Cadillac.

Frankly, I think I could likely knock a building down with it. I plan on gigging with it, no reservation.

Been playing for, shucks, 18 years? Semi-pro (for kicks, not fame nor money). Have an American Tele and a sweet Epi Korina Vee. Play through a Fender Twin. Also play bass--an Epi EB-3 (short scale) through a Hartke 3500 and Peavey cab.
For my band and some of the songs I have been writing, the jangle is just the thing. I was originally considering something like a Danelectro, but when I came across this one. . . well, nothing else would really do, anyway.