Rickenbacker 360/12 12 String

Brand new 2005 model - color code :BBR (blueburst)- 12string - 2 hi-gain pickpus - mono and stereo out - 24 frets
well, read previous reviews for full decription.

I don't know how to rate the "features" since its a matter of personal needs. Having features that you don't use does not make the instrument necessarily better...like having a ski-doo equipped with air conditioning while living in Antartica?!

It matches my style perfectly I guess, if only I could find words to define my music style...How does it sounds? The common cliche is the "Beatles". But if you really want to hear what range of sound a 360-12 can produce listen to Mike Rutherford back on the old Genesis albums whith Gabriel. (think of pieces like The Musical Box, Supper's Ready, Can-Utility and Coastliner, Selling England By The Pound, Cinema Show, Harlequin etc) In almost every tune, Rutherford used a 360-12 and never with the same tone/sound. He really demonstrated how versatile this guitar can be.
It can sound rich, open, or as delicate as anything else around.(take the time to explore what the 5th little knob can offer). Along with different pickup settings and tone controls, you would be amazed to hear the wide range of sound a 360 can provide - or any Ric 300 series for that matter.
achieve.

I use mine with two Vox VR-30 amps, a BoSS VF-1 fx processors (mainly for compression and modulations ) and a Boss RT-20 Rotary effect twin pedal. All in "living stereo"

I find this guitar almost dead quiet

Factory setup (pickup height - intonations - neck - almost perfect exept for the action witch I lowered to my taste in 15 seconds.

Finish is absolutely amazing from fretwork, paint, hardware, precision assembly, name it!

I don't see why this guitar should be different from my other Ric's meaning that these instruments may look fragile but there are not. I live in Canada in constant change of temperature and humidity and I never had warped neck problem. Sorry Fender, I can't say the same about you folks. For the rest, with minimum care, this guitar will survive me and by far. I would and will use it on gig without backup

Company always replied to question almost right away (e-mail) . On the other hand, I never had to report or deal with a physical problem. Warranty is 1 year, I think.

I have been playing bass and guitar for over 35 years. I am also a Waldorf and Access Virus synths fan.
I bought my 1st 4001 in 1973 and never lost track of what Rickenbacker is manufacturing, therefore I never really had to ask questions. I would not normally cry over the loss of material things...except maybe for my RIC 350 Ruby...and my RIC 230 Jetglo because there are no longer available.
If I compared this guitar against other brands? What for? What compares to a RIC? Maybe a Gretsch???This question with be relevant if we were talking about a STRAT for example, since most other serious manufacturers offer STRAT style/configuration guitars.
I do not wish the 360-12 had anyting else than what is on offer. Altough I wish I was born with 4 hands when comes the time to change strings.
I hope Rickenbacker will never be in a position where they would be forced to produce cheap instruments in order to survice as a company or to become greedy like , well let's not mention names...

2005 made in USA hi output single coils fire glow.

style is from beatles stones yardbirds who floyd to white zombie metalica sabbath ect. this guitar does amazing and uncanny things.
its very quiet even with distortion just dont stand right in front of the 4x12s
i have a couple 67 marshalls a 68 laney and a 65 vox it seems to work best in the high treble inputs unless you run distorted and it likes the vox and the laney just a tad better then the marshalls at this point.
that might change as the marshalls are like natural compresors.
alot of love went into building these guitars and its reflected in there performance it is a great guitar one of the very best ive ever played. its a 12 string with lightning action and a soulfull voice.

people say 2 things that dont seem to bother me they say you cant solo on this and the necks too thin im not having that problem.
the set up finish and everything is spotless on this guitar that explains the long wait folks have getting these into there stores.
even the case is really high quality.
this guitar is a real bargain at 1200 bucks.

jurys still out on durability but its crafted to very high standards but i plan to play it alot so i think that its on me and how ill treat it but it wont just sit in a case.

the president of the company has been known to help folks out directly
he seems very dedicated and the over all feel of the company is that they take there craft very serious.

this is my 1st rick after some things i had read i was worried i might not get on with it but i had plenty of testimony from all the great bands that had used it.
folks say its a 1 trick pony im not seeing this, theres alot of very diferent things in this guitar but it requires that you abandon what you think you know and take a step back i am doing all sorts of very unothodox things with it and its coming off quite well.
i admit it may not be for every one but if your serious about buying a few guitars in your life im certain a rick should be on your list at some point.
ive played along time and this guitar opens up new directions for me it was a good decision to buy it.

Mine was made in Oct 2005 and I purchased it brand new with factory case and all paperwork. It has quite alot of features including the Rick O Sound jack, German made high quality Schaller tuners, all high quality heavy chrome hardware, high gloss fretboard, 24 frets, white binding on inside edge of soundhole, around the neck edges, and around bottom edge of guitar. I love the neck and action as I have small hands and have no problem chording this one. Finish is the Fireglow finish which was absolutely beautiful and flawless. Comes standard with the 2 high gain pickups, adjustable 6 saddle bridge, volume and tone controls, 3 way selector switch and 5th knob feature. It came with the standard form fit Rickenbacker hardshell case which fits the guitar like a glove. Also included are warranty card, care and instruction manual, Rickenbacker cloth, and Rickenbacker foldout advertising brochure. All U.S. Made in California.

I've been looking at 12 string guitars for a couple years now trying to decide the best value and playability for my money and kept coming back to the Rickenbacker as best overall value. It sounds absolutely beautiful thru my Fender twin 12. You can adjust the controls on the guitar to get about any great 12 string sound imagineable. I've tried other 12 strings and this Rickenbacker soars way over the others in sustain, playability, and smoothness of action.

Set up from the factory was perfect, action superb, neck absolutely straight, finish and fit were superior to anything I've seen. I put on my 3 power magnifier glasses and went over this instrument from top to bottom and can say without reserve this is the most perfect guitar I've ever seen. All wood and contours are blended perfectly, absolutely no seams are visible.

The guitar looks like it could withstand anything that came its way in the line of live playing. Being that all the hardware and electronics are of the highest quality I see no reason to have a backup with this one. Strap buttons are solidly screwed in and beefy, the finish is impeccable.

I've delt with the company CEO, John Hall on some problems I had on a 325C58 and was told to try one of the current modern models instead of a reissue, since the reissue models were made to exacting specs of the original models, and no better or worse than the originals. I being bullheaded figured all Rickenbackers were the same in quality until I tried this new 360 12 string. I should have listened to Mr. Hall as I was dead wrong thinking that a reissue could be compared to a new model Rickenbacker. If I'm wrong I'm wrong and have no problem saying it. Mr. Hall I fully apologize to you and Rickenbacker. This 360/12 has far far exceeded all my expectations of a 12 string guitar.

I've been playing for over 35 years and own a Gretsch, Kramer and Gibson, all 6 strings. This is the first 12 string I've had and find it to be the absolute best in quality and workmanship. There's nothing I dislike or would have made different or changed. The favorite feature is the Rick O Sound which I intend to explore as soon as I get around to it. Rickenbacker did an absolutely superb job on this one and I'd have to commend all those workers who labored over its manufacture to produce such a fine qualiy and superior instrument. If it were lost or stolen I'd defenitely purchase another without reservation. Lastly I will say make sure you buy from a reputable dealer of Rickenbacker and buy new verses used. In the long run your getting your money's worth in that you'd be assured of an instrument that hasen't been tampered with, obused or generally not taken care of.

Beautifully Finished carved maple top, High gain single coil pickups, with 24 fret neck (Very Thin Neck) Pickups have a little noise in them.

The case is made for the guitar, and is good quality.

The guitar seems to be fairly light weight and comfortable.

Unique full sound. I like to fall back a little on the volume controls to get a nice, almost acoustic/electric sound from the guitar.

I used my 360/12 the other night through my Fender Acoustasonic Jr and a microphone in the other channel to play for a dinner party. It was excellent! I had originally intended to use a flat top, but was glad that I used the Rickenbacker once I realized how it filled the room. One of the guests commented that "You don't normally see someone playing a Rickenbacker when it is just a guitar and voice". That comment made my day! That is the showmanship part! The guest mentioned that he loved the sound of it.

The Action is the best I've seen. The finish is impecable.

I'm planning on trying to wear this guitar out. I think it is going to take a long time.

The dealer has been excellent (Dave's Guitar / LaCrosse Wisconsin)

Rickenbacker knows they produce quality, and in my opinion, they have an attitude. They probably have a right to have one.

I have been playing for 41 years. I have a house full of top quality guitars. I play mostly acoustic with a lot of experimentation using other instruments.

The thin neck is challenging, but not unmanageable.

I am facinated with this guitar, and particularly the sounds that I can get from it. I play occasionally with an eclectic group of musicians and they fell in love with it too.

The Rickenbacker 360/12 was expensive in my opinion for an electric guitar, but worth it. I guess I have spent a lot more for acoustic guitars.

Mine is a 2005 model with the new headstock design (fully slotted - they go all the way through) in Fireglo. You probably know all the rest - made in SoCal, I wanted the toaster pickups. Everything appears to be first class; the switchgear, the metal parts, the mini Schallers, etc.

As others have said, the string spacing on the neck is very tight. If I detune to D then capo up two frets I have no problems at all, but I think I am going to try to force myself to play without a capo. Sloppy left hand technique just won't cut it here, so I'll have to practice and I think this will result in an improvement in all my playing. I am wondering if a new nut with the slots cut just slightly wider would help, but that would be my final act of desperation. I've only had the guitar a few days, so even though I have big hands, I should really try to get used to the neck.

Others have commented that the "R" tail piece can be a problem, but I haven't changes strings yet. There are some good tips on the Ric website though and I'm not expecting major issues.

Well, they say it's a "one trick pony" and to some extent that's true, but the sound is incredible. If that bright, jangling, Brit-pop sound is what you are after I think only the Ric produces it.

I'm using it through a Line 6 Pod XTL into an Atomic, a 60s Fender Champ, and also into my M-Audio monitors.

The single coil toasters are a little noisy (especially near a CRT monitor) but they nail the sound.

Everything was just superb. It was set up by the dealer (North Coast Music) perfectly. The action is super low, and the attention to detail is stunning. The neck is super slick, the shark toth fingerboard inlays are all perfect, the binding is flawless, as is everthing else on the guitar. Ric's finishes put all other major guitar manufactueres to shame.

Well, I've only just bought it, but these guitars have been around essentially unchanged for many years.

Rickennbacker really seem to stand behind their products. When the CEO and the Production Manager constantly answer forum questions on the company's website, it says a lot.

I've been playing for over 30 years and I have a small collection of high quality guitars, mostly US-made Fenders and Martins. I'm thrilled with this guitar, and the dealer has provided excellent service shipping it to me in New Jersey from Wisconsin. I really think that the only thing you could comapre it to is another Ric 12. If it was stolen I woudl definitely try to get another, and now I'm seriously thinking of a 6-string Ric to go with it.

'03 USA production, Fireglow, Standard RIC 5 knob set up, "High Gain" Pu's, Schaller tuners ect. Pretty much the same guitar they have been making for 25+years.
Included HSC, two wrenches, manual and cloth.

Great guitar for pop songs, nice and full sounding, perfect for singer songwriters who want something differnt than the typical acoustic.

Usual incredible RIC standard...

100s of these guitars are around for 30+ years, not expecting any problems.

Never contacted them, rumor has it theat they are a "spirited" bunch...

This is it,, the one I have been looking for for YEARS...RIC guitars are INCREDIBLY hard to find in my area. This one was in the personal collection of the shop owner who was using it in a "Beatles" display in house(Vox amps, Ludwig kit, Hoffner bass ect.) He got hold of a vintage 12 and put this out for sale! MINT condition...! Pricey? perhaps, but worth it..

This guitar is a 12 string, a six string, and the top half of an electric mandolin. I bought one 25 years ago, sold it, and no other guitar satisfied me since. I bought it for the beatles sound, but ended up using the front pickup mostly. Sounds great on smooth jazz and classical. I also use it for a hand exerciser. After playing classical on this, a classical feels like a ukelele. Having bought my second ric, I don't mind putting a humbucker somewhere on here.
I've played with the stereo option - heard little difference.

It is the only electric that sounds good on classical or piano music.
This guitar is picky about the amp it is matched to.

Gitar was fine from the factory, but was helped by adjusting the neck and bridge. I recently tore it down and found sawdust under the pickguard. No more!

This is pro equipment. It expects to be used and probably dropped (not by me). The only reason for a backup is to have a six string for dirty sounds.

Never dealt with company.
Never tried to get it repaired.
The warranty is one page long.

I've played for 40 years My ric would never wander off and get lost.
If it were stolen, I would have a new life mission: To track down this subhuman creature and cut pieces off until it began to gain the proper reverence and appreciation for others' rickenbackers and the proper revulsion for anyone that could possible jepardize a
defenseless ric. I love my ric. and am happy to be its caretaker.

Made in 2004, fireglo finish, vintage pick-ups, you know the rest. Minus 1 on features for only 6-saddle bridge, minus 3 for narrow neck, plus 1 for toasters, plus 2 because you can take off 6 strings, and convert it into the greatest and coolest 6-string guitar in the world!

I'm into original, melodic, atmospheric rock, with tight drums and good lyrics. The 12-string Rickenbacker sound will hopefully add a new dimension to the songs I choose to use it on, for recording purposes. I use a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe amp, and a few basic Boss pedals for delay, chorus, etc. The sound, once you find something to use it for, can be like heaven. If you are picking lots of notes, I find that it is best to capo up a few frets, to give more room between strings on the neck. Picking backward will give you a balanced attack against both strings of the pair, it can sound like a harp or harpsicord, it sounds wonderful with just a little delay, and reverb, straight into a recording machine. I also play without a capo, for the challenge and work-out of it all. In this scenario, I may tend to play it more like a 6-string, picking down, you will get the occasional "bling" of both strings, mixed in with a low string and some muted strings, but still full-sounding. I find that you don't have to play it perfect, most of the time. A muted string here and there will not stop this guitar from singing. Also, lightly strumming open chords with light distortion can produce a wall of droning sound, quite edgy, quite use-able. This is the sound. If you can play it, the sound cannot be beaten for what it is.

It was shipped from Minnesota to Florida during winter, so I expected some issues. Neck had a bow to it, fretted strings ring out nicely. Action considerably too high. Finish is awesome, some minor flaws near the tuner slots inside the headstock.

Like many looking for a 12-string Ric, I was torn between the 360 and 660. Unlike those who favored the 660, I was not too keen on having my 12-string be solid-bodied, plus, I have never come across a 660. I even love the sound of this thing unplugged, it is the most amazing looking and sounding thing, but it is friggin' hard to play well. My hands sweat and I can't play anything difficult for too long. It's one of those "no-pain-no-gain" scenarios, when you learn how to use it successfully, you will feel a sense of accomplishment, like finishing a D.H. Lawrence novel! At that moment, the stubborn Ric Gods will smile down on you, and say, "see, we didn't change it or ever make the neck wider, just so you could feel the way you feel right now". Then you can stare at it, love it, hate it, ponder it, be inspired by it again. If it were lost or stolen, I would call it fate, and try a 660, having known the 360, hopefully well. If the 660 won me over, I would then have to own a 360 6-string, because they are the coolest!

The most beautiful guitar you'll ever see, and it's not all asthetic. There's nothing on this guitar that's just for show, it all serves a purpose. First off there's 24 frets. That's two entire octives which makes me wonder why all guitars don't have it just for symetry or whatever. Also, unlike alot of other guitars, especially semi-hollow, it's extremely easy to get to all the frets. The pick guard is one of the most ergonomical I've ever seen. The height can be adjusted or it can just be removed altogether. The toaster pickups look and sound great. It's got volume control for each pickup (I was always jealous of this when I only had a Strat). It feels great and is easy to play either sitting down or standing up, doesn't slide off your lap and the weight is balanced excelently. I don't know if I'll ever use the rick-o-sound stereo output, but I feel cool with it there. Also, I've still only a bare understanding of the 5th knob that seems to chane the volume of the neck pickup. The only back thing I can say is that I've heard that the R tailpiece breaks, and aside fro that it's kind of a pain to change the strings with the R moving around (it disconnects from the guitar when not held taut by the strings). Also, you've got to pay real close attension to which tuning peg controls which string when tuning. <b>One of the best things about this particular guitar is that it's almost the exact dimensions as the 360 6 string.</b> The only difference is the extra tuning pegs that make the head of the guitar need to extend an extra inch or two. The neck length, width, etc. are all the same.

I've always been a single coil fan, but I love the sound of these pickups. What's more, I love the sound of this guitar with no amplification at all. With all 12 strings in and with clean amplification, it's one of the most beautiful sounds you'll ever hear.

The action on my particular model was a little off. I thought it was the guitar at first, but after tightening the action (Myself, with no ill effects yet) it is now perfect. I bought it used so I can't say that the guy before me didn't do that. The finish is great and evertying else was set up fine. Oh, also the nut on mine was loose, but I actually use that to my advantage. when I want 6 strings I slide the nut off center a little to balance everything out. It stays in place well once the strings are on and tight.

I would imagine that this guitar will last a long time. I'm not sure if that's becuase it's durable or because anyone who owns it will treat it better than their children.

I never thought that I could get away from Stratocasters much less Fender, but after playing this guitar I won't be putting it down anytime soon. Perfectly combining great looks, feel, and sound with amazing double-coil pickups and semi-hollow body. In fact, if you've ever considered another hollowbody, whether it's Gretsch, Epiphone, or Gibson, play one of these first because I swear it blows them all out of the water.

Wonderful guitar design in nearly every concievable way.

Sweet hollow body sound in a perfectly contoured shape.

Great tuners--the alternating pattern allows you to: (parapharsing George Harrison) "tune your guitar while drunk".

An amazing neck that just goes on forever! On most guitars, the body attaches to the neck somewhere around the 14th fret. On this guitar, you don't run into the body until close to the end of fretboard itself--24 frets sweet frets! You can play chords all the way up the neck. I love it.

A lot of people complain about how skinny the neck is at nut. This is true, but I get around it by using a capo on 2nd or 3rd fret. I don't know. It's just not an issue for me.

Great sounds with this guitar, although it takes a lot of experimentation if your not used to it. Pyramid flat-wound strings are the ideal strings. They're expensive, but last a long time, and are essential for getting the classic 12-string sound this guitar is famous for.

no problems