Rickenbacker 330/6

Mine was made in the year 2004, I acquired it in January of 2005. Time is real. It's the 330, Fireglo, with the Vintage "Toaster" Pickup option, which was important to me in deciding to by this guitar. Two Tone, Two Volume, one "other" knob which acts as some sort of hi-pass filter/mix/blend/magic combustor knob which make the whole guitar more interesting to play from an electric point of view. The Vintage Toasters pickups are Alnicos, Alnico V's - as opposed to the ceramic hi-gains. From what I have read, the vintage pickups are supposed to be about 7-7.5k

"The original pickups used in the 50s were typically wound to 4.8-5.0k ohms. The 60s pickups were typically wound to 7.0-7.5k. The early reissues were wound to about 8.5k"

By Ted A. Breaux

There seems to be a whole world of modding the Toaster pickups by:

"All the old Ric 3 and 6 series guitars had a .0047mF capacitor placed between the treble pickup and its volume pot. Go to a good electronics parts supplier, and get an audio quality (silver mica or polypropylene) capacitor (less than $1.00), and insert it between the hot lead of the treble pickup and the volume pot. There is a ground lead (to the shell of the pot), and a hot lead (to the terminal), so make sure to put the cap in the right place."

I am not at that point yet, but I advise any of you to look into it and post results here. I am a young man, I never experienced 1964, I was drawn to Rickenbacker's because of their historic place in the world of guitars, their quality, their beauty, and Guy Piccioto.

I had a 12-string Rickenbacker 610 from the early 90's it was awesome, I wish I never sold it - but I didn't like the hi-gains, they weren't chimey enough - they were really punchy, very mid-rangey.. the toasters seem to have a lot of top and bottom and not much mid-range, this is a good sound for me. I do not like mid-range punch.

I don't know what kind of wood Rickenbacker uses, but it smells great. I got this guitar - and immediately took a big whiff of its sound hole.. it smelled like forever, and I knew that this particular guitar has something special about it.

Th bridge is weird, you can't see it, it's hidden behind a square metal plate, if you strum real hard a la John Mellencamp, you might cut yourself on the bridge cover. Some jerks complain about these bridges - but I can assure any of you potential Rick players out there that no string is going to fall out of the bridge string holsters.

I have recently become enchanted with soft picks - but i do use a heavy pick on quite a few songs, and I can assure you this guitar's bridge can withstand a heavy hand.

The tuners are Schaller, not Grover, but Schaller.

The neck is interesting, and I am here to solve a lot of problems. The word "thin" is used all to often and without a care when describing a Rickenbacker neck. What is thin? Are these folks refering to its width, its radius, its fretboard? I find nothing thin about this neck. It feels like a solid bat in my palm. I usually play an ASAT Classic with the standard vintage radius 7.5" thing, and I think the 330's neck is wider then that, and fatter. It's a girthy piece. Don't listen to any single person who tells you about the thinness, or thickness of a guitar neck... It's more subjective then another man telling you who to fall in love with. This baby's got weight.


Mine came with a fly silver hard-shell case. It's got a "Rickenbacker" metal name tag on it that is more then enough to raise an eyebrow of a fine feline who might be on the train home from far away across the aisle from you.


No Opinion = 10.

This guitar suits my musical style because I like to play messed up music. It helps me achieves this by being so perfect. I cannot make a mistake on it. Every person is a different being, and every guitar is a different piece of wood. If you think that you can change the world, you can - but if you are trying to be someone else, you might not be - if you played your strat licks on a 330. Rickenbacker is an enigma, their guitars are a weird combination of musical sounds. I could play funk, jazz, noise, acoustic-folk, or lead-sh+t on this thing.

Is it noisy? If I'm lucky.

Rich/Full sound? Yes. I once told a friend that this guitar sounds like (and I am not talking to fools here) that it sounds like if you took two strat guitars' bridge pickups voice with opposing harmonics (i.e high + low) and put it through its neck pickup. The versatility debate over Rick's is interesting, some people might say they are very versatile - others complain that they can only jangle. "Only Jangle"... if only.... I conclude that the man/woman who complains over this guitar's versatility has no musical ear. You've got to understand, however, that I am into full sounding rich harmonic guitar sound but I am not afraid to also embrace the weird and ineffectual, I like to work around a solid 60hz buzz.

I want to add one quick note about the beauty of the Toaster pickups - they really sound like a tele neck and a strat bridge at the same time. I love them. They are even nicer then Jazzmaster pickups when it comes to dead on strum-tastic discourse.

You can read other remarks on this category. This guitar was limitlessly loved in its creation. It's finish is especially beautiful because I bought it at Buffalo Bros. Guitars and I think they only take the nicer Ricks from the factory. Also take a look at PM Blues Guitar in Rhode Island. This guitar appears to be flawless... it's fantastically gorgeous... looks like a salmon caught fresh from the coast of Maine if white man had never arrived in the New World. You know white man is only spreading his pox still, but Rickenbacker's instruments might be working to fix this. They are spiritual, mechanical enigmas of time.


I might replace the round wound strings with think flat wounds. I like flat wounds because they sound nice when playing swing-style licks a la Charlie Christian and T-Bone Walker.

I'll use this guitar for rhythm parts, but if you know anything you know that the best rhythmn parts can quickly become the lead, look into it - see Keith Richard/Pete Townsend/Tom Petty/Peter Buck/Guy Piccioto to realize that you don't need 9's and a L.Paul to take over the high-gain sonic space.

I figure that this guitar is reliable. It's seem pretty tuff. I always respected Rickenbackers that way. They look like figure skaters, but they play like hockey players. The neck is part of the body in a human way. I think this guitar will withstand some pure beatings. My luthier/guitar man says that the best thing you can do to your guitar is to play it. I'll play this thing.

Who cares. I support myself.

I've been playing guitar for over 10 years because I started playing guitar in 8th grade, when I was 13. I play music in a spiritual way. I am not looking to change the world, but I can see the world change what I play. I worry a lot when I buy guitar. I traded in a Guild Starfire III to get this guitar. Please allow me to tell anyone who might be reading this; the Fender owned Guild sucks. Fender Guild's are crappy lifeless instruments - don't be lied to, don't buy Fenders. So now that my Starfire is gone, and I have my 330 I feel great.

My main guitars are these:

1) ASAT Semi-hollow Classic: for blues licks, general treble pick-up ice chicken picken. This is my Zoot Horn Rollo guitar.
2) Guild '79 S-300D: I'd get a Les Paul if I could, but I haven't the cash.. meanwhile this thing mahagony set-up number is kickin' some righteous 70's DiMarzio's and ebony fretboard with 24 miniscule frets. This is my Santana guitar.
3) My 330. A strummer, a drummer, a bummer - a life sized versatile beauty, a trident with its Toaster Pickups from the ocean that make me wish I was dating again.

Ok, if you are still with me; allow me to drop some science on you. A Rickenbacker 330 (with toaster pickups) is (imagine this) a perfect smash-up between a Fender Jaguar and a Gibson ES-335. You can funk it up on the bridge pickup, you can blow blues somewher in the middle, or you can jazz forever on the neck pickup. If you have class, and an interesting idea about music; then I think you would be well served rocking a Rick 330. It might not have a Bigsby, but it sounds like an orchestal piece -- and it smells wonderful.

I will never get rid of my 330, everyone needs one.

Desert sand color. Not sure of the year. Looks like a gold top.USA baby. It has a big mahogany slab on the fingerboard.Built like a truck but graceful. Very well balanced and easy to put your arm around. 2 pickups, that are stock and very versatile.Very effective "blend control"that adds another tonal dimension.
Beautiful finish, no more like stunning....
"R" bridgepiece. I find it very easy to change a string quickly with it, despite the rock stars views below.

The high gain pickups are louder than my teles. Quite a difference. It has more treble than my teles, but it is a nice treble, not an ice pick in your ears that has to be tamed by an eq. (I find on most fenders and gibsons I only ever use one pickup as i have to change the amp eq or else the other one sounds awful.) Impossible to do on the fly. By way of contrast, on the ric, I set the amp, use any combination and it sounds nice to me.

Beautiful finish, puts my american custom strat to shame. I had to readjust the neck and reset intonation as it was bought used. Cannot therefore comment on the factory set up in all fairness.

Yes it has played live with great effect. It is a very versatile guitar and looks neat. It breaks up nicely with gain. The bridge is a breeze to change strings on, as you just have to catch the end slot of the string in the R tailpiece. My strings come wound in a circle, I'll bet your do too. So I unwind them, take the end, turn it so it sticks up and fish a bit under the tailpiece..I dont play in front of 30,000 screamin fans so it works. If I did play in front of 30,000 screamin fans, I'd have a guitar tech wouldn't I? Get a grip folks.

5 years. Never dealt with them. They've done their work building a fine guitar. The rest is up to me. A fair exchange I think.

I have too many teles, a les paul,a strats. ( All american by the way) This has a better rounded tone to my ears. As a special treat add a marshall 800 and let it feedback. Very stable. Doesn't do metal cause I don't. Doesn't do bluegrass and i do. It is my favourite electric guitar! Add it to a 40 watt traynor tube amp and there are no excuses for sounding bad. Unless you're not in tune, whch also would be your fault as this baby stays in tune no matter what. ( OK knock the tuning heads and it goes out daaaa) American made quality, took it apart for a look, nice woodworking, no gouges like my tele custom with the end pin that gets stuck open for 1400 US. I like the schallers strap locks added at no cost. Buy some straplocks for your strap and rock on. Great value as now I get to unload the more expensive ones listed above, ok maybe I'll keep just one tele as a backup.

I was looking for "vintage tones" without paying vintage prices.I do have the normal critters in my locker,Tom Andersons,PRS,Heritage,Fender, etc.I called Chris Clayton of Pick of the Ricks and he helped me with info that he knew or found out for me after 2 or 3 calls.I decided on a Rickenbacker 330/6 In Montezuma brown.Old style scatter wound toaster pickups were installed. Gold plastic guards and name plate with vintage knobs finished off the package. Schaller tuners keep this piece in tune. This guitar does what it is supposed to do VERY well.

This 330 is plugged into a Carr Rambler 2/10 or Vox ac30.The style I play is classic rock,country,blues. These rigs fit these styles perfectly. Some times shades of John and George are with me in the studio.

For a medium priced guitar made in the USA,the 330 is a very good value. Chris Clayton handled the setup chores because I was a little too anal about tone and setups. Therefore,I am not sure about the factory setup. Fit and finish are flawless between the woodwork and the hardware. Neck width may be a bit thin for some players but the frets are dressed in a very pro manner.

I have only played the piece on 7 gigs and have been in the studio for only about 2 weeks.This is too early to talk about durability ,but it seems to be built like a tank

I have not delt with Rickenbacker. I have only delt with Chris Clayton of Pick of the Ricks in NJ. He will treat you with respect and try to answer your questions. He is in the same class as Jay Wolfe of Wolfe Guitars in Florida. I have spoken to the Rick dealer in Las Vegas. All I got was attitude from a guy just trying to make a sale. HE DOESN'T EVEN PLAY. For a Rick call Cris, For a Heritage call Jay.

I will rate the guitar a high 9. This guitar does it's vintage functions well. I would get another 330 if this was stolen. My usual line up now is a Tom Anderson Tele style,Heritage 535, and this new 330/6. These guitars satisfy all my needs in a live situation along with the Carr and Vox. In a four piece band all the players and instruments must be of good quality even if you are at the local pub playing The Beatles,Stones,CCR and all the other guitar based bands.

Rickenbacker 330 "Montezuma Brown" (Ric's take on vintage sunburst)dual hi gain single coil pickups, neck thru body construction, bass/volume/tone and blender controls, schaller machine heads, standard hard case. Maple neck/body with rosewood fretboard - u know the score - everything you need and more. If you have to buck the hum and have a trem you can fit these mods aftermarket.

This guitar has a beautiful sound plugged and unplugged and that chime...! Also that blend control is so original and effective. Massive range of rhythm and lead tones can be coaxed from this 330.

I use a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe amp I play my own stuff - it is difficult to categorise - a kind of progressive indie rock with the focus on complex arrangements and many guitar layers. Anyhow the point is this guitar works brilliantly for me and my music resides in a different solar system to Townsend/Buck Weller Beatles or any of the other ole Ricky cliches. This guitar is versatile and a powerful creative tool - don't rule this out until you try one and don't stereotype the 330 - some ignorant folks call it an anachronism but the sonic versatility and tonal soundscapes that can be produced from this guitar drown out any misconceptions.

Before I bought this guitar I read with some scepticism the endless praise bestowed upon Ricks in this section - surely its not possible that a guitar manufacturer can consistently produce intruments of such quality in such quantity? - surely at the very least my luthier would have to spend an afternoon or two sorting my Rick out?.....but, no, no, no some minor intonation tweaks that took all of ten minutes and otherwise perfect action straight out of the box - unbelievable quality finish and set up - I thought someone was playing a practical joke on me when i opened up the box for the first time. A mindblowing painstakingly finished guitar that puts Gibson and Fender totally to shame.

The only thing worth mentioning in terms of negatives is perhaps the heavy lacquered neck. This does create drag and was a bit of a shock at first; however things are getting better now - the guitar just needs a little wearing in like a new pair of shoes. I personally have no problem with the narrow neck - it feels extremely comfortable and natural to me.

I'm sure it will outlive me - why do people keep saying these guitars are fragile - they feel as solid as a US aircraft carrier. As for the case - well I reckon this material could withstand a direct hit by a Daisy Cutter missile. The schaller straplocks are safer than the NORAD command and control bunker.

I am saving up for a fireglo 360 as a backup and am getting rid of my other guitars now that i've found the Holy Grail.

No idea - can't see why I'd ever need any

I've been playing for 7 years and have gone through twelve guitars in a nightmare of trying buying selling losing money and forever hunting for the Holy Grail in terms of tone, playability, asthetics and versatility. I've had three Gibson Les Pauls (each with completely different specs), two strats (one with a HB), two teles (one a thinline), a firebird, an ES135 etc I can barely remember them all. I experienced four serious quality problems with my Gibsons and have now sold them all. Fenders didn't really work for me either - quality and playability were always good but the tone somehow didn't quite do it for me. Some people hate Ricks and love Gibs/Fends/Gretchs etc everyone's different and has different priorities interests and tastes - that's really great and is what makes life interesting. I hope everyone finds a dream guitar that works brilliantly for them whatever the make/model.

Speaking for myself I love this Rick - I can't put it down - if only I'd tried one earlier. I am saving up for a 360 now and will hold on to this special piece of craftmanship.

Rick has a relatively low profile and their guitars are easy to overlook but try one - if you are still searching for your identity(guitar-wise that is) who knows it might be the end of your journey.

Oh and if someone stole it i would hunt them down, handcuff them to a ghetto blaster and max the volume with Britney, NSYNC and Avril Lavine on the CD changer.

Manufactured in March 2003 and purchased in June 2003 so it was still fresh! Ordered it from a local shop from the catalogue as no-one in our area keeps Ricks in stock. After much deliberation, I went for the Montezuma Brown (2003 colour) and fell in love with it as soon as it came out of the box - I still think WOW every time I take it out of the case. High output pickups and a hard case. Two volume controls and two tone controls plus that wierd 5th knob which on my model does blend properly unlike some that I have read about here. Schaller tuners and THAT Rickenbacker tone - no other guitar sounds the same.

Nothing sounds like a Rickenbacker. That jangle is just priceless. My only problem is that my amp needs to be pushed to get the true tone out of any guitar, which makes it impractical at home as there is no headphone socket. One minor dissapointment is how quiet the guitar is when being used as an acoustic - my Les Paul Custom is louder!
On the tone front, anyone who says that the Rickenbacker is a one trick pony, has never played one. There is a huge range of tones that come from this guitar - my favourite is the classic jangle.

When the guitar arrived at the shop, the box was still bound and had not been opened at the distributors, so I was the first one to open the box since the guitar had left the factory. Action and intonation were perfect. Only the bottom E string was out of tune ( and even that was only slightly ). Not bad for a guitar that had been shipped accross the Atlantic. As for the finish, this thing could be used as a piece of furniture - it is FLAWLESS.

Guitar feels very solid and reliable - despite looking slightly fragile. Finish is tough and looks like it will last forever. Have not gigged with it yet as I would die if anything happened to it.

Hope I never need to find out.

Been playing for around 20 Years, my other guitars are Ibanez EDR470 (impulse buy - much regretted - I hate that thing), Fender Strat (highway), SG Standard and a Les Paul Custom. The Custom is the pick of the bunch, but the Rick is a close second. This is one of the classiest looking guitars on the planet - much better than the 360. No one apart from me has touched this guitar since it left the factory and it's going to stay that way.

This is a 2003 model in Fireglo with the Vintage RI Toaster pickups. If you're even reading this, I'm sure you know all the specs. It came with the standard black plastic case and case candy. The dealer even threw in a new set of strings which I totally didn't expect seeing that he gave me such a great price.

My tastes in music are the British 60s Invasion stuff and the early 70s American FM Radio stuff.

I'm using a 1965 BF Fender Twin amp with factory Jensens. I don't use any effects. Frankly, I don't know what most of them do.

This guitar is not noisy at all, I'm real happy about that.

It gets all those signature Ric sounds that can only be associated with a Ric. I wanted the Toaster pickups because they have Alnico magnets whereas the new High Gain pickups use Ceramic magnets. I find the Alnico more "musical" whereas the Ceramic is too "in your face". And to have the genuine Ric sound, especially for the (now) vintage stuff that I play, high gain and Ceramics just won't do!

Needless to say, this guitar IS all of the sounds one would expect from a 'true' Ric. Loads of variety and it is extremely versatile. It has a wonderful frequency response which surely covers all bases. Just for kicks, I wanted to see how it "dirtied up". Believe it or not, it holds it's own reasonably well.

I don't want to sound like a "rubber stamp" here but I like everything about it.

The factory setup was awful: High action, lousy strings, bowed neck; the neck pickup was barely missing touching the strings because it was up so high and the bridge pickup was set way too low and far away from the strings. ANY guitar I buy is immediately setup to my own personal specs and so, I really don't give much weight to any OEM setup, even if it was 99%. Sure, it would be nice if nothing had to be done, but that's not reality (to me, anyway).

From a construction/hardware point of view, the guitar is flawless. There are no buzzes, mystery rattles, etc.

This guitar is built to last. Rics always were and still are one of the most durably made guitars.

The strap buttons are Schaller Straplok mates and so, no worries.

I'd depend on it as my #1 on a gig but on general principle, I'd never gig with only one guitar on hand.

I perceived them as in a hurry to get me off the phone. They aren't too quick to answer e-mail either.

Luckily, the guitar is first rate and so, I never had to deal with any warranty issues.

Warranty: 2 years for the finish, 5 years for construction. There's a twist: Commencing from the day the guitar was born.

I've been playing 40 years. I own several "high end" Gibsons and Fenders.

Rics are an enigma in a way. It's strange. To those who truly desire one, they will know all about it well before they purchase it. There's never any surprises

Sure, I'd replace it if it disappeared.

I just love the whole Ric thing; you gotta love 'em. Again, and Ric players know what I mean, you take the good with the bad and be more than satisfied with what you've got. And believe me, there really isn't any bad. I honestly can't pin it down to one feature. The guitar has it's own unique personality which works with you and that silly grin you have on your face while just enjoying the heck out of it.

I compared it to other guitars such as my 335, a 137, etc. I chose this one because there's something about the sound, the look and the ease of playability a properly setup Ric gives you. It's truly unique.

I'd like to mention that the guitar is now properly set up. The neck is wonderfully straight, the action's nice and low (not overly) and it sustains like a ....! It is a joy to play and I guarantee, you can get lost for hours playing it.

its got all the same spec as all the other reveiws say its got..However mine has a Turquoise finnish and ive only heard of another Turquoise finnish and that was after reading it on here.. but i must say old chaps it is rather raunchy..

Now onto the juicy bit and most interesting..the sound on this thing is just perfect. The set up i use is Boss Ps2 pitch shifter/-Electroharmonics Big Muff P1/-Electroharmonics small stone/-Unknown brand Chorus(held together with masking tape and cost #30 new about 10 years ago and probibly worth about a quid on ebay now!!!) and then on into a V100 Valvestate Marshall Combo + 4x12 Cab.
The music style that i play is that New blues type, hence the pitch shifter and the fact we dont have a bass player, but also i play other stuff along the indie rock lines. My influences come from british bands such as The Who, Small Faces, Kinks, but also to add to that i enjoy bands such as the Flur de leas and the Chilli Peps along with American 70s funk and even German Techno Techno Techno.
We are a very loud band, by telling you that i dont think you could possibly imagine unless you heard us live but to get to the point this guitar delivers every time, from the inflences ive forementioned and the lineup i use this guitar exceeds all my expectations.
The only problem from playing at high volume is the feedback and as we all know these bad boys can really screach so to offset that i wear earplugs and the crowd have hearing aids during working hours.
To get that warm Townsend sound i use the 3rd overdrive channel without any gain, every thing elce on 10 with reverb on about 6-7, this gives me that warm full thick sound thats clear and you can hear every note then kick on the muffler for that instant fuzz thats trippin me back to the 60s dude...

I bought this second hand and found out that this was made in 94 in America. I thought that when i bought it, it was brand new and i mean 10/10 condition.The guy in the shop just said " we got this off a private collector who needs some cash" and i assumed that it was some kid who bought it, got bored, sold it 2 months later. I aquired this axe in August 2003. A lot of people say the necks too thin, action to high blah blah blah.. i have had no probs with anything play wise or sound wise except the 3rd string rattles but you cant hear it when at volume and when it comes to re stringing the little monster that "R" tailpeice is plop. However i did read two other reveiws who said they found the same things as i. The "R" tail peice thing was resolved by using a capo during restringing manouvers.. what a clever chap.
I think the build of this thing is so tuff it makes me wanna fart.

This guitar will last forever if looked after i think... come and see me in 50 years and i will tell you i guess.
I think the strap nuts could let it down though as they need to be tightened every other song and if you forget it may fall off mid song and make you look a right pratt.
I do gig with a back up. it is an Epiphone Casino. The sound is simmilar but not the same.

none needed so far.

To sum up this axe i would say im very happy. The build, the finnish, the sound, and the classic look that no other guitar can touch make it a true classic.
I also own a Epiphone Casino, Epiphone 335 Dot and although both have reasonable too good qualities, they both feel as if they could snap at the first sign of fire. Two things that spring to mind are when i use the old "turn down the oposite pickup and flick between the two" to give that Pete Townsend stutter, the Riccy could go all day but the Casino after a while, the selector switch came loose then fell off, and the 335 Dot has a crackle when i turn any of the dials around and at times the dot can sound cheap.
People say they would buy another if it got stolen... ive got mine insured for well over and above the value so i would just claim.

june 2003 Mapleglow 330/6.the usual configuration. Bought new with all the case candy -wrenches, cloth, and the like- all harware is high end-consistant with rick standards- Two points keep it from being a 10: 1.the "R" tailpiece is neat looking but, frankly, a bad design from a string-change-on-the-fly-standpoint. 2. I wasn't expecting a les paul "tiger top" but the wood is not only bland but has some knots that detract from the gracefulness much admired in a rick.

If you're not aware of/into the skinny neck, tiny frets, and the whole trancendant quirkieness of a Rick you probably will never read this

This guitar has an amazing tonal variety and range. I bought it for very clean jangle pop (suprised?) but I also play in a very heavy band and this produces everything from punk to thrash tones as well. Listen to the Smithereens or Fugazi if you doubt. The rick's ability to handle distortion is the least understood aspect of this guitar. Try it. Also, The 5th high cut knob can be used to great effect with practice. It will jangle, but also a lot more.

I use it with both solid state and tube amps and get great results all 'round. The major flaw is the typical single coil/semi hollow tendency to feedback at high volume. The rick's thing is bright clean tones and it does the job as advertised.

What you are buying in a rick is not only "the sound" but the quality and reliability it implies. I sort of wish I had gone with black because as I mentioned the maple is a little bland but this is not a reflection on the workmanship. Maple will have knots and variations in it but one always hope. If it leaves the factory there are no flaws. I do wish the bridge had more height clearance but within its range it is infinitely adjustable. Be prepared for itty bitty frets and imagine how cool this would be with gibson jumbos.

With the understanding that it is hollow, this is very reliable. The neck through /carved to combo is tough to beat. the laminated neck is very stable and, while a little goofy looking, is well made. For a grand it ought to be. Having spent more for guitars, this is actually a good value. It will last forever and maintian resale value.

Well, here we go... Rickenbacker seems to feel that if you make 'em right you don't need customer service, or even basic civility. They will NOT return emails and if you call them on your dime they are abrupt to the point of rudeness. Also having owned a pirate/lawsuit rick copy I respect their copyright zeal but making parts impoossible to get only harms the legit customers as the serious pirates will make thier own. Thankfully the product is great because service after the sale is a joke.

I have a thing for retro/ vintage guitars. I have a pre cbs strat and reissue fenders and gibsons and the like. The rick is worthy of the hype. Force of habit is the only thing keeping it from being a sole daily driver -gotta have my strat- and I plan on gigging it this weekend w/o a backup. Built like a brick, only wish I had bought one years ago.b

MOst of the features have been listed in prior reviews. I did a lot of experimentation with the knobs when my Rick came in. Ya know what? The 5th knob is pretty much totally redundant. It's advertised as a "blend" between the two pickups when the selector is in the middle position. In reality, it does NOT role off the bridge pickup volume . But it DOES role off the neck pickup, when the selector is on neck only! In other words, on a 330 it's an extra, reversed neck pickup volume knob. Whoop-dee-doo. Apparently it has more functions with the stereo output that comes on a 360. OTOH, at least there's an extra knob to mess with if I ever want to modify the electronics- no routing necessary.

Now that that's outta the way, this is a 330 6-string in mapleglo. Ordered painlessly from Elderly, in Michigan, and apparently made in June of 2003. I've been looking for a guitar for approximately a year before pulling the trigger on this one. I initially looked at strats and clones. While they are very comfortable to play, I just don;t dig on strat tones at low volume levels. Too thin for my uses. I also looked at some ES-335 styles, but went with the rick for reasons of price and aesthetics. I'll get a vintage ES-335 when the lottery favors me, or maybe a heritage or hamer after my next raise.

Now, let me go over the features of this guitar that stand out after aproximately 20 hours up close and personal.

I like the neck. It's a tad narrow for some people, but I don;t understand what all the fuss is about. My other guitar is a 12 string accoustic. THe backup for that is an MIM Jazz bass, so I was predisposed against the thin nut width, but after about 10 minutes it felt totally natural. I actually consider the lack of neck binding (which comes standard on the 360s) as a bonus, because it leaves more real estate for bending and such.

If overall aesthetics and design is considered a "feature," then highest points in this particular category. This is the classiest looking axe out there, bar none. Not as gaudy as a super-flamed-maple boutique guitar, yet more sophisticated than a mullet-rockers' LP or battle-axe-shred-machine; yet again not nearly so generic as a fender. I'd have paid good money for a non-functioning version of this guitar to admire as fine art.

Overall, some great features, most of which you can read about below. Because of the redundant 5th knob (which actually could have been used for something useful) I'll dock a couple points. This is a qualitative rating, not quantitative, btw.

I play Indie-pop stuff, clean and distorted, as well as faux-jazz and Celtic music. Sometimes I'll get ideas for pieces by listening to Anonymous 4 and other early music groups.

The gear list - right now, I'm just using a cheap peavey SS practice amp, so take the following comments in the proper context. However, I have played many 330s and 360s through tube fenders and a few voxes, so take that into account as well. I'll echo other reviewers' comments - the fenders sound better to me than voxes. This thing has gratuitous upper end, and fenders complement it well.

The sound, unlike some would have you believe, is multi-dimensional. The most prominent feature of the trademark "ricky sound" is upper-mid + treble TO BURN. MOre than most of us will ever need. It's NOT ice-pick-in-the-ear treble like on a mexi-strat bridge pickup, however, so it is quite useful. I'd imagine it's fantastic for cutting through in a live situation, and many prominent musicians would probably agree.
Lurking under the high end, surprisingly, lies a lot of warmth and semi-hollow "woody" tone. The trick is to find the sweet balance between these two ranges of the sonic spectrum. For me, the best way to get there is to adjust tone from the amp, rather than the guitar. I do not know why, but rolling off the guitar's tone knobs seems to take out most of the volume as well, which is kind of a bummer. On my POS amp, I get the best clean sound by putting the treble tone control at about 10 O'clock and cranking the bass and mids. This might sound like heresy, but give it a shot. If ya don't like that setting, use this review as evidence of declining taste and moral decay in our fast sinking culture.
On the guitar, I get mnost of the volume from the neck pickup, with a little from the bridge for bite and clarity. If the tweaks work out right, you get that luscious, ringing chime that everyone knows, but also with substantial bass and midrange. It's an awesome tone. Ricks are famous for the high-end, but a 330 or 360 will blow 90% of all strats out of the water in terms of ballsiness and guts. My pocketbook wanted strat, my ears wanted a rick.I suspect that with a decent amp, the overdriven tones would be fantastic, but that is not the type of music I normally play, so I'll refrain from comments there.

To recap, loads of upper frequencies + warmth that can be brought into the mix with a little creativity. This works for rhythm in a pop-band (duh) but also for blues and jazz!

Positives and negatives here.

Pain first.
On many settings, string volume varies considerably. The G and B string are significantly louder than everything else. The high e sounds underpowered. After talking to a respected Rick luthier about this, apparently the volume unbalance is caused by the pickup design, relating to pole-pieces, bobbins, magnets, and other details. I couldn't solder if my life depended on it, so I'll skip the arcana.
Anyways, I'm gonna try a few things to see what can be done. Already, the problem seems most prominent on the middle pickup setting. Since I mostly use the neck pickup soloed (can you tell I am a bottom-feeder?) the guitar is quite usable as-is. The next step would be to try a different guage of strings, which I would be doing anyway. Options after that get more involved, and range from truss-rod tweaks to open-heart surgery on the pickup to gettting new pickups entirely. This is an annoying problem.

That said, the solution might be quite simple - don;t let this scare you off the brand. Most 330s do not have this problem. Just play your guitar before you buy it.

Cosmetically - WOW. Fantastic finish, beautiful natural-grain maple. The back piece has some nice if irregular quilting, enhanced to a 3-d look by the clearcoat. First rate.
The guitar came with a free special polishing cloth so it's easy to maintain. They lacquered fretboard is quite beautiful, if a bit draggy, but you get used to that fairly quickly. Unfortunately, it looks like some air but under the lacquer where it comes in contact with many of the frets. The lacquer has whitened in these locations. But this is not a big deal and does not really bother me in the slightest.

The action was medium-low and very comfortable when it arrived from elderly. A wee bit of fret-buzz, but it does not transfer through to the amp. Besides, the neck should bow a little bit more when I get around to heavier strings.

One other minor issue- the G string vibrates sympathetically and audibly between the R tailpiece and the bridge whenever I play a note on that string. It does not transfer to the amp, but it's a minor nuisance. Again, I'm hoping something as simple as a string change will solve this. In the meantime, there's the old ALvin Lee feedback-control trick - stick a piece of masking tape on the strings behind the bridge. I tried that, works like a charm, The tape is behind the tailpiece too, so aesthetic sensibilities reman gloriously unharmed.

All in all, an extremely playable and attractive instrument. The workmanship is first rate. I am a bit disappointed with the string-volume issue, and will update this review when I learn more.

Er, not too much insight here. The finish will last forever with proper care, as will the hardware. The schaller strap pins are a bit goofy though, at least until they get fitted with strap locks. I have no worries about the electronics, switches, or tuners, either.

I'd gig without a backup as long as the guitar remained comfortably distant from clutzy roadies and mosh pits. Seeing as this is my only electric six-string, there is not much choice in the matter. I'll probably pick up a 650, 380L, or ES 335 clone as a partner to this guitar at some point.

This is another pro-con category
5 year warranty - con
One authorized repair location, on the left coast. BIG con here.

Prior experience with Rickenbacker - none over an actual guitar. However, I do participate in a lot of online forums. So does John Hall, CEO of Rickenbacker, guitarist, and surf-rocker. He has taken time to answer my questions about particular models. From his dealings with other owners, he has created the impression of intense dedication to the company, but more importantly, to these instruments. Definitely a Positive here!

As far as Elderly is concerned, they did a good job with the set-up. My case arrived with no keys or adjustment tools, however.

On the basis of no actual warranty conferenes with RIC, this category goes unrated.

Been playing guitar since 1989 and bass for a year longer than that. Before that I played Highland bagpipes competitively. (seriously). Before that, it was a kazoo.

I wish I had asked the guys at elderly to check string volumes.

Assuming my rick went away, I'd definitely get another rick if I could afford it. Otherwise I'd simply save up and practice my bass playing.

I love the aesthetics, the uniqueness, the vintage mojo and vibe of this guitar. Is is tremendously elegant, in a classy, understated kind of way. It sounds fantastic, and it is very well-made. I hate the string-balance problem, but there's penty of dead horses to beat over in the discussion forums, if you're up for that.
I looked for a guitar for about a year before pulling the trigger, so this was definitely not an impulse buy. I considered strats (too generic and wimpy-sounding) Gibson semis (Too expensive OR questionably constructed - read ES333 comments here) and Korean 335 clones like the Artcore and the Epi Sheraton. In the end, nothing seriously challenged the Rick that I could afford. MOstly, because the Rickenbacker is unique, perfect for the type of music I play, and cool as all! I also considered a 650 and a 380 Laguna, but since those are as common as Red Sox world Series victories, I never really had the chance to play one before buying.

In terms of finish and 330 vs. 360, those were tough calls. Nothing beats a black 330 for balls-out attitude. OTOH, nothing beats a natural 360-12 for mellow grace. In the end, it was a compromise. NO regrets - it's beautiful.

I wish this guitar came with talent and skill in an easily digestible pill.

Find a guitar you love and play it. I have. If this review leads you to a Rick or something else, more power to you!

1998 Rickenbacker 330 in Turquoise. It has all the standard 330 features but mine seems to be different in that the neck width measures a good deal wider than my other Rics. This is very noticeable in the bridge spacing which is completely different from my '88 360WB. The finish on this guitar is amazing, very deep and tough. These are about the most well built guitars out there and the attention to detail is unmatched in the guitar industry. For a guitar with a fairly basic set up (2 single coil HiGain pu's and a 3 way selector) you can do more with this guitar than just the typical requisite rhythm playing that Ricky's get pigeonholed into. I have a Roland GK2 synth pickup attached to mine which fits perfectly between the bridge and the pickup with the rest of the unit affixed to the R tailpiece. I use mine for anything you could play on a guitar and find it suits every style I can throw at it. The neck (which takes some people getting used to) becomes very familliar and is as fast as any neck you will play as long as you don't hold back. Don't be afraid to push this instrument hard, t will reward your efforts. 9 for a well done standard setup, though I would like humbuckers with coil taps to be available.

Being a largely experimental guitarist I require a greater tonal range and responce from a single guitar than most. Do you like the way a Strat, SG, Les Paul or Telle sounds? Well, I have studied the sounds that those make and with the right pick attack and amp settings you can do them all with this and you can get that amazing Rick tone that is only possible on one of these. Super bright to thick and warm lows are all built in. Just spend the time finding them. I use a great deal of feedback based sustain and you can only do that with a semi hollow guitar. You can really get notes to ring long enough to grab a bite and come back and it would still be playing, Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah! These sound GREAT with an overdriven amp. And yes, you can play metal solos on it.

I bought this at Sh*tar Center and they are known for not treating their stock with the greatest of care so I'm not supprised that the set up was off. Ric's have 4 way adjustable bridges so you know that you can get any action you need. I have had my action so low that it was TOO low yet had no buzz at all. The fit is 100% right on and perfect. All hardware is of the highest quality and nearly bulletproof. Ricks are great about never going out of tune as well.

I have used this guitar live as long as you don't Pull a Pete Townsend on it you should have no worries. I do recomend you get some strap locks because of the position of the strap button, but that is good advice for any guitar. Playing live or for extended periods of time is not a problem as the guitar is well ballanced and fairly light for its size. As long as you aren't prone to breaking strings this is possibly one of the best guitars to gig with for a whole show. Even holds perfect tune for a week or more! SOLID.

Rickenbacker service? Don't bother Emailing them. The guitar is pretty bulletproof but if there is a manufacturing flaw (which is very rare) Ric will take care of you. The warranty is a year or so. Chances are you won't need it, ever. I can have most stuff fixed myself if need be. I haven't talked to them in a while. Be warned, they have a bad rep, BUT you are getting a great instrument at any price. I think the company that sells you an instrument should do more for you than the manufacturer. Oh Ric is very selective about the people that sell them. That may be in their favor. going for the 'ol 5 here

I have been playing 12 years and for 9 of them I've been using Ricks almost exclusively I have a custom Ric 370wb with 3 humbuckers and a 330/12 with a custom finish, also a Riff rick 330 copy which is no comparison to the original. That quality can't ever be duplicated, just the look. I've got 3 danos, an eppi 6/12 a $48 strat a flying v and I play through a 4x10 Fender hot rod and the Ricks and hot rod make a fine combo. If you haven't tried one out give one a chance. trust me, I was a staunch Les Paul guy for a while. Les Paul's a Les Paul but the Rick has proven itself limitless to me. It is fun to do music your own way this is the instrument for me to do just that, be myself.