Rickenbacker 360/12 12 String

Bought the Rickenbacker 360-12 12 string semi-hollow new in 1989. Color is "Fire-glo", a light red. It came with a hardshell case, but not with the cord you need to go stereo with the two pickups (I do "go stereo", but with effects and two amps, not the Rick version of stereo, so I didn't mind). The bridge only has 6 intonation pieces, which definitely means you can't perfectly intonate all 12 strings. The neck may be the same one they use for the 6 string version, because it's might narrow...and with my long fingers it's a tight squeeze playing a first position C chord. The tuners are laid out up and down, and sideways so you can easily pick which one (regular or octave) to tune. Most 12 strings have the octave string as string 12, regular E as string 11, etc. Not this guitar: the regular E is the first string you see if you look down while you're picking.

Out of all my guitars, I may play this the least...not because I don't like it, it's just that 12 string electrics aren't used that much by people other than Roger McGuinn, or Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers...so in my band that plays covers, if I bring more than one gtr. to the gigs, it's either an acoustic-electric, and/or a backup 6 string electric. I have recorded with it, and it makes a nice additional rhythm guitar for my original instrumentals. It sounds like you'd expect: Byrds-like, Beatles Hard Days Night-like, etc. One cool feature is the "Blend" knob, which when you have both pickups on, instesd of varying the volume knobs, you can leave the knobs on full and change the ratio of the two pickups with the blend knob.

The guitar was set up well by Rickenbacker. The finish is absolutely beutiful, and the way the guitar looks is one of the reasons I bought it.

I haven't used this on very many gigs, but it seems very sturdy. hardware and finish look like they'll hold up. The few times I've brought it on gigs, I didn't have a back-up per se, butI had the guitar that I was going to use for most of the material.

Never had to deal with Rickenbacker...a bass playing friend said they were resposive to him.

The down sides to this guitar are few, but noticeable. Changing strings on it is a nightmare...because the neck is narrow, the headstock is cramped for space, and the tailpiece, while cool looking, it's difficult to attach the strings to it. The 6 saddle bridge means that intonation will be compromised (you can get strings 12 and 11 equally out intonation wise, or make one perfect, and the other way out).
However, the guitar looks fabulous (the finish, and the "shark tooth" fret markers), it's got distictive tone, and the Beatles/Byrds/Tom Petty connection adds to the "cool factor". If it were lost or stolen, I would want to replace it, but the price has gone up considerably since I bought it (and I got a good deal back in '89)so I might not be able to afford a replacement.

I'm going to leave it to you to look at any of the other reviews, since they will all be basically the same. My Rik was brand new and cam with a case.

Now maybe I just got a lemon here, but my Rik sounded like a cheap asian-made guitar from the 1970s. No chime, no ring; just a tinny crappy sound.

The finish and cosmetics were godd, but the action was so bad I just couldn't play any bar chords cleanly. And I have hands of steel by now.

I have been playing for a long, long time. Over 30 years. When I was a kid, we all thought that Riks were awful guitars, unless you could get somebody to really do them over, and they still warped like hell at the least provocation. Tis like old times, I guess.

I'll stick with Gibson, Fender and those companies that imitate them (and keep up to their standards).

This is a Rickenbacker 12-string guitar. It was ,made in 1997, in The USA. 24 frets. Solid maple top, 2 vol. 2 tone. 1 "blender" knob, and 1 3-way toggle switch. Pickup config is 2 "Hi-gain" single coils.
P/u's made by RIC. Passive, all maple. Finished in Fireglo. Thinline body with a Rickenbacker standard 6-saddle bridge. Very-nice and stable Schaller tuners. Neck is the standard RIC length, shape , and width. Includes wrenches, high-quality SKB case, nessesary papers and polishing cloth. Standard, stock configuration.

OK, here is the biggest thing about this guitar. When I bought it, i was a huge beatles fan, and naturally, I wanted a guitar that would give the beatles sound, which it does in Spades. However, when my musical tastes started to mature and I moved on into higly-distorted music such as Creed, Nirvana, Godsmack etc., i used this guitar too. Trust me THIS GUITAR SOUNDS GOOD DISTORTED. Dont believe what everyone else says. It is a very good distorted guitar. Clean tones are good, and Distorted tones are even better. Everyone thinks that Ricks are only good for clean, while the Les Paul is good for Distortion. This guitar is very VERSTITLE. When run through a cranked marshall.....it is very very FAT. Thick , fat tones can be obtained through this guitar. the reason is, the guitar has a bigger,stronger, and longer neck joint, it has 12 strings , with its natural Chunkiness,and high-gain pickups which are about 13 OHMS. It does a very good Creed and godsmack tone. And, I am able to get this tone W/O modifying the guitar in ANYWAY.

Actually, the guitar was set-up very nice and to my liking straight out of the case. Pickups were nicely set-up. everything was pretty good. the only problem is The Rickenbacker standard is too small and i cant play lead on it. Also, tuning stability is very good, much nicer than other guitars. I have a Cheapo Fender Strat made in Mexico. After 1 hour playing w/ my band with all the chords and occasional soloing i do, the guitar is woefully out of tune.When i play the Rick, after 2 hours of normal playing ( withouht soloing of course, it goes outa tune when bending) it is still in tune. So go figure.

yes everything about it will last anything. The bridge screws and the Pup's screws are rusted, but thats becuase i sweat alot while I play.

Nothing had to be done to the guitar except the occasional Set-up at the Shop due to normal cicumstances.

Ive been playing for 4 years and as I said earlier i own a Cheapo Strat. My amp is a cheap Fender Frontman which isnt so bad. If it were stolen, i guess i wouldnt buy another (big surprise huh?). It sounds good and all, but the neck really sucks , and its hindered my development as a guitarist. Sure , i get the sound that i want. But, it doesent feel good. If i had another chance i would have bought a PRS or a Gibson SG, but i was too young and caught-up that i didnt know about it as much as i should. Looks great though...

According to the dating I did, looks like about a 93-95. It's Rick so it's made in USA. 24 frets I think, skinny frets. Maple semi-hollow body. Two pickups, hi-gain not classic toasters. Passive electronics, the classic 360 design. This is the contoured body style rather than the old "sharp-edged, George harrison" style. This is the McGuinn style that won't cut your arms as you play! Mine is all white including the back of the neck and the headstick with all black hardware including tuning keys and pickups. 12-string, 6 saddle bridge. Got it (barely) used for $1000 in Memphis. Came with the Molded Plastic Rick case with aluminum trim, owner's book and cloth. Has the Rick-O-Sound output jack and mono jack. Tuning keys are not so hot but they are passable. Might replace them someday.

There was no surprise with this guitar. I am the world's leading Roger McGuinn and Tom Petty fan and a high-ranking disciple of Pete Buck from REM. I knew what I was getting into, I had just had to wait forever to be able to afford one. It sounds beautiful with it's full "clonky" bass notes and crystal clear treble jangle. However, do not I repeat do not expect to get any other sound than this from this guitar. If you do you are over-expecting! Like Henry Ford said early on, "Our customers can have any color car they want, as long as they want black" so this guitar could be said: you can have any sound you want as long as it's a Rickenbacker 12 string sound. Unlike so many others who can only think of the McGuinn/Beatles/Animals applications for this sound, this guitar can be heard all over current and more recent classic rock: ie: Petty, REM, Matthew Sweet, Replacements, damn near any current country song. It is especially useful live when reproducing an acoustic part from a record. The extra bite and clarity as well as electric neck playability make the parts shimmer and stand out much more so than just putting a pick-up in an acoustic.

I got it used but it was perfectly set up and maintained when I got it -- with one exception: The mono output jack crackled and shorted out. I thought it was the test cable in the store. However, I have never bothered to fix that as using a standard mono cord out of the Rick-O-Sound stereo jack allows me to put the selector in bridge or combined mode but cuts off if I put it in the neck P/U position. Since I only use the bridge P/U for everything, that gives me a great on/off switch at the guitar that means I don't have to fiddle with my volume settings during a set break! Just flick it off and set it down!

Yes this guitar is tough enough to be played live with reliability. However, I would definitely always transport it in a solid case and keep it wiped down after shows to prevent any damage to the finish. The strap buttons are solid (came with Schaller strap lock bolts). However, if I were touring alot, I would keep maybe a $300 Danelectro 12-string handy as a backup in case the Rick went out of tune suddenly due to humidity or a broken string (one broken string on this thing will wreck your tuning because of your floating bridge and tailpiece).

Haven't had to deal with them. I hear they're pretty tough to deal with and the fact that there are only two authorized dealers/repairers in my state of Georgia leads me to believe what I hear.

Unlike say a Strat or Les Paul which both can be eq'd and effected into many versitile uses, this guitar is like a person: completely unique. It makes one sound and it is a beautiful sound. However, if you want it to sound like a Tele, no go. Want it to sound like a Paul? Get a Paul. I have all of those guitars and use them all the time. But I could never get the Ric 12 sound from any of them no matter how much chorus and compression I tried on my Tele! If it was stolen or lost, I would immediately cry and then start saving my money for another. It is something I can not do witout now that I have had it. I have played it through several Fender amps and a Roland JC120. The JC120 is the perfect amp for this guitar but I cannot afford it so I am sticking with my smaller Fenders -- for now. I'd say I hate the fact that it is so hard to string these guitars, but that is part of the "personality" of Rick 12 strings.

made in U.S.A. 7-99 acccording to the warranty card.
24 frets, semi-acoustic, natural finish (maple-glo) maple body, neck is maple laminated with walnut (I think), rosewood fretboard, mother of pearl triangle inlay, binding on rear of body and neck and around cat's eye soundhole. Has two of the new style 7.4 ohm single coil pick-ups, new style raised lettering on headstock logo plastic, chrome hardware, three position p.u. selector switch, two tone, two volume and blend controls, all passive, but wired for stereo standard.
Came with standard Ric. 12 string covered bridge, individually adjustable saddles, "R" tailpiece. Tuners are Schallers, six on a side (three normal, three angled to rear).
Neck is very smooth and fast, not just for a 12-string, for any guitar. Pretty much a standard scale and width, standard frets.
Came in plush lined hardshell case, with polishing cloth and allen wrenches and the best owner's manual I've ever seen or read. If you don't buy the guitar, buy the owner's manual.
I wish it had the vintage silver case at these prices. The case it came in is a fine heavy-duty black tolex aluminum trimmed, plush lined plain jane with a dinky square RIC label stuck in one corner.
Also, I think a guitar in this price range ought to come with a strap, straplocks, a cord, spare strings AND the Ric-o-Sound kit, which is $75.00 extra.

This guitar is the benchmark for anyone who plays music from the 60's. Whether you play music by The Byrds, The Beatles, Stones (when they were good), Animals, Searchers-----if it has a 12 string part, THIS is THE 12 string. Obviously, I play a lot of classic rock. Works for Tom Petty's music too.
I play mine through a late 60's/early 70's silverface Fender Champ, completely stock and original. I also use my Crate Dx-212, which I reviewed here last yr.
Roger McGuinn used compression on his 360's, the 370 McGuinn Signature has it built in. Okay, but mine sounds great as is. I do use a little reverb when I use the Crate and set the amp on blackface, tweed, or the AC-30 models.
I've only had it a week and haven't really experimented with the Crate that much. Haven't had to, plug it in a Fender tube amp and you will have THE sound. No muss, no fuss, no hunting....it's right there.
These are the new pick-ups, they are louder than toasters, sound just as good as the toasters in my 64 330. Rich, full, bright sound? Look it up, it's spelled Rickenbacker.
Having said all of that, it is a 12-string which will limit what styles of music it's suited for. I haven't heard any unintended noises from the guitar. By it's very nature, it's going to sound sweet and clean and yes, "jangly".
I wouldn't think it would be suited to playing Hendrix or Sabbath.
I love the fit and finish on the guitar, it is perfect. I only have a few complaints: I HATE the black p.u.'s!!!!!!!!! They look like crap. They are UGLY, I can understand people changing to toasters for that reason alone! They look CHEAP, believe me, this isn't a cheap guitar, lists for around $1700.00 They sound great, look terrible. I even e-mailed Rickenbacker and told them the same thing. Attention all Ric owners--sic 'em! I thought about putting a band-aid over them, they are an eyesore!
It came with the only guage strings Ric makes for a 12. Bummer. I think I can do better making my own sets.

Okay, the guitar was perfect, straight out of the box, no flaws in the finish, everything was set up very well, everything tight and well adjusted. The action on this guitar is fanstastic. Who says you can only play rhythm on a 12? Listen to McGuinn. Who says you can't bend strings on a 12?
This guitar plays BETTER than ANY L.P. ever made, period. I've had my share of Gibson's over 35 yrs. and this 12 string has a better neck than any of them.

Ric has made this model for about 35 yrs. That ought to tell you it is fairly reliable. Would I depend on it, absolutely. The newer 12's have dual truss rods. The hardware is triple chrome plated brass, I believe it will stand up. Ric seems a little preoccupied with the finish, read the owner's manual. I've heard there have been problems with their finishes cracking and checking. The box mine was shipped in plainly stated " temperature changes can cause finish crack s to appear in your instrument, do not open for several hours."
First, how many of us are going to wait? Second, how many of us get ours in the original shipping carton? Third, if you are going to put a label like that on the box, why not put one on the case where someone can see it?
Did someone say strapbuttons? No way, This puppy has strapBOLTS!!! None of my regular straploks will work. I don't think you'll have to worry about stripping them out, unless you plan on towing a boat with it.
Would I use it live without a back up? Unless you're Tom Petty or Roger McGuinn, you'll have to, so will I. They do cost a LOT of money.

I've never had to get my 330 repaired, I've only had this 360-12 a week, so I haven't needed anything fixed and have never had to deal directly with Ric. I've heard a lot on the internet about people having warranty problems, but that's hearsay. I've known two or three intelligent, friendly Ric dealers, the rest were either complete idiots (I asked one to show me a Ric 360-12 and he brought me a 4001 Bass!) or they were snobs. If Ric has a problem, it's with their dealers. The guitar is under warranty for five yrs. from the date of manufacture, 7-99 as stated on my warranty card. That isn't exactly the way I'd do it. My guitar was made 7-99, I bought it last week, 5-00, that's nearly a yr. gone off of my warranty while the guitar sat in Elderly Instruments warehouse.

I think I've covered most of this, but just in case I left something out. I've been playing since 1964, been wanting this guitar since 1965 when I first heard Mr.Tamborine Man by The Byrds.
What kind of gear do I own, sit down, this may take awhile. I have two 330's, three Strats (including a 40th Anniversary, and one I just installed G-Vox on this morning), a Tele, and a hand-made one of a kind electric 12 string (which now goes into honorable retirement) that I bought in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1968 while I was in school. Amps: I have a completely stock, completely original late 60's/early 70's silverface Fender Champ and a Crate DX-212. Effects: a Dunlop Mr.Crybaby Super, an e-bow, and assorted stomp boxes, and a partridge in a pear tree.
I've pretty well studied this guitar, so there were no real surprises, other than the strapBOLTS.
If it were lost or stolen, I'd die, that simple, if I didn't, whoever stole it would. No brag, just fact.
Yes, I'd buy it again, but at these prices, it'd take awhile.
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. The fit and finish are excellent, perfectly balanced, not neck-heavy like some twelves. The sound? A voice from Heaven, that's why I call it "Angel". It looks, plays and sounds beautiful. It even sounds like a Rickenbacker when it's unplugged! Can you say that about ANY other guitar?
What do I hate? Thank You for allowing me to say one more time, with feeling, those are the UGLIEST pick-ups I have ever seen! Are you reading this Rickenbacker? The case and strings could use a little work too.
My favorite feature? The neck will shame a lot of six strings, like OVERPRICED Gibsons and even give some Fenders a run for the money. To those of you who like a Gibson neck, you have my condolences.
Over 35 yrs. I've compared every famous name guitar to this one. I might would have bought a Fender solid-body 12 made on the Jag body, but I never could find one. Are you listening FENDER? You have re-issued everything else? Why not the solid body 12?
Actually, I should have quit looking and bought this guitar yrs. ago. Sure, it's expensive, but have you looked at what Epi doublenecks are going for now? Forget the "real" Gibson doubleneck, unless you are rich. I even looked at the Dano's----not very hard. I'm old enough to remember when you literally couldn't give the things away. They claim to have the sound of the 60's, they sure do, the sound everybody tried to get AWAY from.
The choice was simple really. It's a Ric 12, nothing else sounds like it. Nowdays you can't tell a Strat from a Tele from a Les Paul, too much inbreeding and cloning, but the SOUND of a Ric 12 will ALWAYS stand out and be immediately identifiable.
Anything I wish it had? (Thank you Harmony Central) Prettier p.u. covers, anything but those ugly black p.u.'s. A vintage case that didn't cost $230.00 extra, better strings, or at least a different guage, not one size fits all and the Ric-O-Sound Kit ought to be included, along with a strap and extra strings.
Anything else I'd like to share? Does anyone know what my guitar will sound like with the Ric-O-Sound kit? Has anyone else ever bought one? Mine's on order, I'll let you know. Anybody out there know where to find square granny glasses? I have this urge to play Mr.Tamborine Man and sing through my nose for some reason.
I guess that ought to cover it. I think I've made enough people mad for one day.

American made Mapleglo, which Rick-o-jack, non-toaster pick-ups, 2 years old. Great finish with wonderful grain in Mapleglo, finished fretboard. I also play a Gibson LP Classic, Tobias bass, Epi 6 string and Danelectro DC as well as this twelve string. Yeah, it's quite a transition between these instruments. The Rick's factory original except the strings, and a perfect pro set-up. I wouldn't change a thing.

I don't like the sound through my tube Vibrolux, too muddy. If I were stuck with this set-up I'd probably sell the Rick. I put it through my Peavy KB60 is it sounds 500% better. My sense is this is one guitar that absolutely needs a compatible amp. I sometimes run it through a Korg effects deck - terrific sound. It's very versatile as Ricks have a reputation for, and perfect for me as I play all kinds of music. A note though, if you want the classic Byrds sound I'd go for the toasters. You can get there without them but it requires a lot of working back and forth between amp/guitar (perhaps effects). Personally, I like the warmer sound.

Here the Rick really shines, (no pun ...). I bought it used and the previously owner had it professionally set - and it's perfect. The fit and finish exceeds the quality of my Les Paul & Toby. To offer a contrary opinion to some others, I like the thin and narrow neck. Yeah, twelve strings on this narrow neck takes getting used to and I do have big hands. Moving quickly to a C major chord is iffy until you get wired in. All and all I wouldn't change a thing. I've played for 30+ years and all types of guitars - I think this is an advantage. If your getting you fingering/positioning skills together this guitar could be a nightmare. The intonation is perfect and it stays in tune - credit to the guy/gal? who set it up.

My sense is this thing is built to last. It's a few years old and all is like new.

If this where stolen I'd immediately replace it. Negative comments about the tailpiece seem valid, though the chromed R is a nice look. My approach will be to have is professionally strung and set, who needs the hassle. Between my 5 guitars this one's the favorite, the Tobias is next. I think the quality feel, sound and finish make it a kick to play - love that chorus sound. A great value. It's even got me interested in trying out a Rick 6 string.

Features: The 360-12 I bought is a 1997 fireglo model with binding on the back of the guitar. The pickups are the "hi gain" ones that Rickenbacker has produced since the early 70's (or late 60's). There are 24 extremely thin frets and the guitar came with the "R" tailpiece. The guitar came with a 6 saddle bridge so I subsequently purchased a 12 saddle bridge as the intonation was imperfect. Rickenbacker has not changed the design of this guitar since the 1960's. That's why I give it a 5 for features.

All Rickenbackers sound the same. The higher gain pickups are not too different in sound from the old style "toaster" pickups. The toaster pickups are a little more brighter than the hi gain pickups but the hi gain pickups are definetly fuller. The guitar is extremely quiet. Either you love this sound (jangly and bright) or you hate it. For the "Hard Days Night" or early Church sound, this guitar is essential.

The action on this guitar was way too high when I bought it and had it adjusted by tightening the truss rods. The 6 saddle bridge was simply horrible (Rickenbacker should make all their 12 string guitars equipped with the 12 saddle bridge). The fretting is flawless and the wood has a really nice flame.

The guitar is very solid. It stays in tune for the most part and appears to be dependable. I have read that the hardware tarnishes easily over time. I would use it without a backup only because this guitar is limited in its use, i.e., there are not too many songs for which one uses this guitar.

I have not dealt with the company. This is the second Rick I have owned and I have not really had any problems with them. Rick should however have authorized repair places around the country. I live in Hawaii-it would be difficult to send my guitar to California for repairs. It would probably just as cheap to have a guitar tech repair it as shipping costs would be expensive. Rick should also offer a life time warranty as well.

I recently sold this guitar (in fact I sold it yesterday). Although the sound was great, this guitar ranks as the most difficult ever to play because the fret board is too thin. Everytime I played an open C chord, I thought I was going to get carpal-tunnel syndrome. Basically, you need to have extemely thin and long fingers to play crisp and clean notes. Also, the "R" tailpiece was the biggest pain in the world as it slipped out of the tailpiece constantly. Rick should have stuck with the trapeze tailpiece (in fact, if you absolutely need to buy the 360-12, you should get the 360-12V-64 since it has the trapeze tailpiece and the old body looks cooler anyway). I love Rickenbackers. I have a 360V64 and it sounds great. But until Rick widens the fretboard (like the Tom Petty Model) and until they get rid of the "R" tailpiece, I will not buy this guitar again.

This guitar was made in Santa Ana,CA USA.Rickenbacker is a really good company(so i've hearde)since The beatles used them.This guitar is an electric 12-string,which is the guitar for the Rick jangley sound,semi-hollow,double cutaway ,with a rosewood finger board with triangular inlays.This guitar is very trebly and will give u a jangley tone even at meltdown so it is not the guitar for metal and some kinds of alternative.Since it is a 12 string and has a 6 saddle bridge when the strings are bent,the string will be out of tune,so its not a good guitar for lead.Also it has a very thin neck so it is hard to play barre chords for a long time.

This guitar suits some of my needs since i play 60's music alot.But i do play alternative so i cant really solo with it.I'm using it with a fender frontman 15,which is the MOST CRAPPIEST AMP EVER MADE.That amp brings out all the worst tones at distortion.so i cant really hear the Rickenbacker sound.But i played it with a vox AC 15 so now it sounds really good in clean and distorted rembrantds sound.

The guitar was set very well at the factory.Everything about the guitar straight out of the case is really nice playing.But i gave it a six because the action over time starts to deteriote.I had to bring the guitar to the shop 2 times. So it is very hard to tune and set-up

Yes it will withstand live playin.Everthing about the guitar will last through touring except the tunning and maybe the set-up.Yes u can depond on it execpt u must really play it and test out the tunning before playing or it will sound really bad against the band.I use it without a backup but i tune it befor every time i play.

I've been playin for 5 yrs.And i've never played a better sounding guitar before.If it was stolen i probobly would'nt replace it.I have sort of a love/hate relationship with the guitar.I hate it when i pick it up and discover that its not in tune after i tuned it 3 days ago.But when its tuned i love it because it sounds so nice(through that vox AC 15 at the store).I wish it came with a 12 saddle bridge.

Mine was new in 1995. Fireglo finish, comes with a good solid hard case - virtually a flight case - and a cloth, wrench etc. As if you didn't know, this is a 12-string, semi-solid guitar made of solid maple which is routed out and a slab then stuck on the back. This standard model is bound only on the back, there used to be an option to have binding on the front too. It has a striped neck and headstock, made of different strips of wood. All the wood is either slightly flamed or quilted on mine and the finish is virtually flawless. The tuners are Schaller - personally I prefer the vintage type which I think are also lighter in weight. The strap buttons are Schaller and compatible with straplocks, but you have to buy the buttons and the locks for your strap - just like Fender, Godin and doubtless others too. 24 fret, bound neck, sharks tooth style full width inlays. High output pickups. The standard bridge is 6 section - I changed mine for a 12-saddle model to improve intonation.

This sounds awesome. I have put a Starr Labs squeezer compressor in there and have wired it so I can use the second Rick-o-Sound output for compressed sound (which is switched on when you plu in there) and normal on the standard output. With this, I pretty much have nailed the tone of McGuinn, Petty, Beatles, Hollies, Bluetones etc. It has a loud, powerful bright sound, full of overtones, also lots of bass.

Generally, superb. I have only changed the set-up when I installed the 12-saddle bridge. It literally played perfect out of the box - in fact, it was in tune. The only flaw is where the channes have been routed for the strings to go through the headstock - very untidy and I think they are always like this, but you only see it if you're looking for it. The fingerboard, lacquered rosewood, and frets are immaculate and put Fender and Gibson to shame.

This guitar is well-made, top quality hardware throughout. It is therefore very reliable. Even when I wired the compressor in, I found wiring which looked like it was designed in the '50s - very solid. it even keeps in tune.

I haven't had any problems, but when I was looking for some info I got a personal e-mail reply from Mr. Hall - the owner of Rickenbacker. There is some excellent support stuff on their website.

I've played for 20 years and have all kinds of gear. For this guitar, you need an amp with bags of power and heavyweight speakers - like a Twin or similar. I have used a Peavey Duel with 2x12" and now a Vibrasonic with 1x12" which is even better. A Vox AC30 and Roland JC120 are also commonly used with this type of guitar. There is nothing like it. Best of all, the new ones are just as good as old ones - I generally don't like old gear as I really look after my stuff and don't like messy guitars. Yes, I'd replace it if it was stolen but I might look hard for a Roger McGuinn model.

I purchased this guitar in 1995, but I don't think the design has changed much in the past 30 years. The body is semi-hollow maple, rounded in front with binding on the back and a high-gloss finish. It has a set neck design with a maple and walnut neck and a rosewood fingerboard. There are 24 frets; the scale is 24 ?", and the fingerboard has a 12" radius. The 360 has two single-coil pickups, with volume and tone controls for each pickup and an extra tone control, which I won't try to explain here. The bridge is a six-saddle (the intonation is fine on all 12 strings), and the tuners are Schallers. The are mono and stereo outputs, but to use the stereo, an optional "Ric-O-Sound" adapter must be purchased.

I'll give a conditional "10" for the sound. This guitar needs the right amp to sound great-through many amps (even some very good amps), this guitar sounds downright mediocre. I used to own a Marshall JTM-30, and the Rick sounded so bad through that amp that I quit playing it for a while. I currently own a Vox AC-15, and it sounds GREAT through that amp. It also sounds wonderful through most Fender amps, and every Matchless I've tried. Sound is highly subjective, but if you know (and love) the Rickenbacker sound, you can really only get it with a Rickenbacker-just remember that the amp is part of the sound equation.

Everything was set up pretty well initially, but it soon developed a slight neck bow. What should be a simple adjustment is complicated by the fact that this guitar has dual truss rods, and 12 strings. In order to adjust the neck, all 12 strings must be loosened, the truss rod cover must be removed, both truss rods must be carefully adjusted so that the right amount of tension is on each side, then the truss rod cover is replaced and the strings re-tightened, and if everything isn't just right, the process must be repeated.

With the exception of a couple of truss rod adjustments, the only problem I had was with a noisy output jack. I was able to easily fix it myself. The construction appears to be very solid and I'm sure it will hold up well. I doubt that very many people use a 12 string as their only guitar-if they did, I don't think that a back-up guitar would be necessary.

I've never dealt with the company, and I don't know the length of the warranty. The only 'repairs' (truss rod adjustment and output jack) were done by me.

I've been playing for about 25 years and have loved the sound of a 12 string Ric since the days of the British invasion and the Byrds. I'm glad I've had the chance to own one, but I doubt that I'd replace it if it were lost or stolen. I have sort of a love/hate relationship with this guitar: I love the sound, but some of the design aspect are puzzling or frustrating. The most maddening thing about this guitar is the difficulty in changing strings-I can't believe that Rickenbacker hasn't addressed this issue in all the years they have been making this guitar.