Rickenbacker 360/12 12 String

2007 model in Jetglo. It sports same features and appointments that have been on this model for over thirty years. I won't go into the specifics as they have been outlined here many times over.

This model comes with Hi-Gain pickups, but I installed the "vintage" scatterwounds on it, as I prefer the sound of these. Easy to get the "jangle," but also other nice sounds, as well.

Action as received was very good, although its usually not the fault of the manufacturer if action is poor when received. Too many factors contribute to the change of action once it leaves the factory, so I expect to setup guitars and basses when I receive them. Everything else was as expected from Rickenbacker--flawless finish, frets, electronics, etc.

I am no stranger to Rickenbacker guitars and basses. I expect this guitar to have the same longevity as others I own.

I have never had a warranty issue with any Rickenbacker instrument until this one. One of the tuning machines developed a problem that caused it to grind when adjusted, making precise tuning nearly impossible. I emailed RIC several times about the problem but the contact yielded no response. Now I've known about service/support issues in that past but always took these reports with a grain of salt, as the entire story is never known. Unfortunately, these support deficiencies are certainly a reality, and have changed my perspective of RIC. In the event of something serious happening to a new guitar, one might indeed might be left holding the bag.

This is a fine instrument, as are the other Rickenbackers that I own. But a couple of things come to mind in considering the purchase of another if this guitar was stolen. First, would I be willing to pay the 30% increase imposed by RIC for their guitars at the end of 2007--is the instrument and quality commensurate to this new price? Second, would I be willing to take that plunge knowing that product support is essentially non-existent? The answers would likely be no.

This review is for an April '94 360 12 Maple Glo with the "hot" 12k toaster pickups. It features
2 PUs with 3 way selctor, volume and tone controls, the special RIC 5th knob for blending
between pick ups or panning between 2 amps when plugged into the 2nd RUC jack. Very
well made, 2 truss rods, 24 frets and modern tuning keys.

There are two camps of RIC sounds out there. For Byrds you need the newer 7.4K toasters
for maximum jangle. Others prefer the Hi Gain pickups for more mids but still with that RIC
sparkle. The 12k toaster, manufactured only from about 1988 to 1999 (?) semm to be the best of both worlds through my ALL tube crate 50w Vintage Clun 2X12. The straight clean sound mirror's Tom Petty's "The Waiting". The dirty sound (yes on a 12) mirrors Rory Gallagher"s Strat (with "chang") through a Vox AC30.

In order to get this I had to turn both volumes up. turn the bass tone completely down.
roll off the treble tone by 25%, and THEN roll up the 5th knob to "just" where it engages the Bridge pick up. Toggle switch in the middle=great "chasngle" sound - toggle on
Bridge pick up in fully gained dirty channel= crisp "Voxy" drive.

I tried a few compressors, but didn't like how they interferred with fingering nuances and
the RIC has great sustain on its own.

Can you say Porche, or Mercedes. I had now idea how exquisite attention to detail comes with a real world class hand finished instrument. it feels good just holding it.

One input jack was slippy and it took only a quick rebend of it contact. The toggle was a bit
scratchy from Bass to Middle position - fixed also by a quick visual inspection and hand rebend.

I am a member of the RIC Corp forum site and have had several inquiries answered by
the CEO John Hall himself. The people who complain about RICs probably wanted the guitar
to "do" something for them without taking the time to get to know it on its own terms and
discover how to get what it has to offer so spendidly. Ordering supplies from them has been quick, and i have chatted personally or one-line with 2 current employees.

I give a 9 here only because I have never had any of the major problems others have and i
acknowledge that they do occur sometimes.

I have always wanted one guitar that could do it all. The RIC is strung with the regular
guitar strings first and, now that I have gotten the feel of it, plays just like a 6 string with
the added bonus of that harmonic "shraaang" as was intended when first built. Bends are
workable in 1/2 steps and this guitar is very playable fron frets 12 to 24. Your mileage may
vary.

Very surprised how, once dialed in, versatile this guitar is. Remember i spent time with its
narrow neck, but now it feels so automatic that a Les Paul or Fender actually feels too wide.

1966 Rickenbacker 360 12 string, two pickup (original "toasters"), Mapleglo finish, semi-solid body, passive electronics, three-way pup selector switch, "Ricko-sound" output jack for stereo application with case.

Like everyone else who bought one of these, I was inspired by George Harrison and Roger (Jim) McGuinn and the incredible sounds they got from these guitars. Unfortunately, I traded a 1959 Gibson ES-345 TDSV for it which now would be worth about $45,000. My Rick became the signature sound of the band I was in at the time. We were doing alot of vocal stuff; Association, 5th Dimension, Beach Boys...and the Rick was the perfect accompaniment. I played it thru a Vox AC-100 head (original Jennings all-tube model) into 2 Altec 417-B speakers in a Bandmaster cab (the Altecs were just like JBL's with the aluminum dustcaps). I used no effects - just wire from guitar to amp - tho I would have liked a little 'verb. Can you say "jangle"? I added a middle pickup about 20 years ago so it would look like McGuinn's. Truthfully, the center pup doesn't add much in the way of tone, and I probably spoiled the 'vintage-ness' - not that I will EVER sell this baby...

I don't remember much about how the set-up was when it was new. I tweaked it to taste, lowering the action as much as possible. Then I went to reverse-stringing, putting the high octave strings first before the low ones on the first 8. Had to use ****** little shims on the nut to compensate for height. Biggest problem with this axe is the 6 saddle bridge which does not allow for differences in intonation between octave pairs of strings. Years later, I bought an after-market 12 saddle bridge which helped, but not completely, probably because I use a bastardized custom mix of strings (.020w/.046w, .018w/.036w, .017p/.026w, .008/.017, .013/.013, .010/.010). Changing the strings is a ***** because of the tuner placements. Word of advice; never remove all the strings at once.

I've known a couple of people who owned these guitars and had the necks come off. The neck-body joint is a bit fragile and remember, there's almost twice the amount of tension with 12 strings. That's why in 40 years, I have never had all the strings off at once except to replace the tailpiece which failed after 30 years from metal fatigue. Happened in the middle of the night with the guitar in case in another room. The 'explosion' woke me up out of a sound sleep. I rarely take this guitar to gigs anymore except on special occasions or if I'm playing with a group doing alot of old Beatles & Byrds. It's a bitch to tune and keep in tune (tho I am way more tuning-conscious than most), and as good as mine plays, my left hand gets tired pretty quick.

Never needed it...

I've been playing for almost 50 years and own two Strats, a Paul Custom, a "frankentelly", two ovation acoustics (1 nylon, 1 steel), a Martin D-35, and a Fender bass; all I need to do what I do. Believe it or not, my Rick WAS stolen in 1969 out of our band warehouse. Two bandmembers went looking in every pawn shop in town and found it the next day. Cost me $60 to get her back, but I'd have paid 10 times that. The Rick 360 is THE 12 string guitar that started it all.

One of the most distinctive instruments ever built in terms of design, sound and construction. If you're reading this you know what it does and does very well. Quirky? Yes! Beautiful? Without a doubt!

Nothing sounds like a Ricky 12. Some consider it a bit of a bugger to play but once you get the hang of it.......

Absolutely spot on, no faults in assembly or set up. I've never touched it for adjustment!

All was well until I picked up the guitar the other day and noticed that the R tailpiece had snapped. I was now lumbered with 1000GBP's worth of beautifully made firewood! I contacted the UK distributers to inform them of the obvious manufacturing fault and they told me that I would have to return the broken item with a cheque for over a hundred pounds and they would send me a replacement eventually. The failure was obviously due to a manufacturing defect and the substandard material used in the tailpiece (as my metallurgical background shows!) but Rickenbacker refuse to acknowledge the problem or undertake to rectify it. Look on the web and there are plenty of examples of this!!

Frankly the customer support on this occasion was pitiful. An obvious manufacturing fault and duff materials has rendered a beautiful instrument useless!!!!!
This is a real shame as 10 years ago when I bought the instrument, the original one I'd bought developed a curve in the neck when viewed from above. The instrument was replaced within days with no arguments!
Come on Rickenbacker be all grown up and admit you've made a mistake, we'll love you even more for it!!!

Fantastic guitar, an icon played by some of the finest musicians ever to draw breath but let down by a manufacturer who couldn't care less!!

What you would expect. Not too much has changed, with the exception of the hi-gain pickups, which aren??t nearly as clear sounding as the original toasters, since about 1964. Mine is a brand-new 360/12, finished in June 2007.

As I said, the hi-gains aren??t very clear and favor the lower mids, so if you??re looking for the original Ric sound, get one with toasters. Intonation is also a bear on this guitar, as it has a 6 saddle bridge. Simple physics will tell you that when you have 2 completely different diameter strings, as you do on the bass courses, on the same saddle, there??s no way you can do anything but compromise on string length.

Action was much too high on this guitar when it arrived, so I took it for setup. My tech checked it out and found that the frets hadn??t been dressed properly, and some were too high. As it came from the factory, low action was NOT an option. Don??t believe it when they tell you they come from Santa Ana ready to play. Maybe some do, but this isn??t the first Rioc i??ve had problems with.

Finish had some blems, but overall not bad.

Reliability? Guess it??s solid enough, but as is it won??t stay in tune and is too hard to play.

Forget that. I tried, unsuccesfully, for several weeks to get them to respond to the message service on the site. I finally posted a message on the Ric forum, asking for help in contacting the company, where the CEO, John Hall, responded that such a feature didn??t exist on the Ric site, and that I must be lost (I believe his exact words were, "You must be lost, we don??t *HAVE* email on the site"). Another forum member, Blueflameric, pointed out, with links, that there was indeed such a service on the site. I had asked, respectfully, that he (Hall) inform the service department that I needed to contact them. After his insulting post, I wrote that I felt that was uncalled for and that an apology was in order. Then the entire thread disappeared and my access to the forum was revoked. Other posts I had put up (under a different alias) that were critical of the action and design of the bridge were revised to be complimentary of the instrument and company, or deleted altogether. And, of course, access for that alias was also blocked. It??s well known that John Hall himself is webmaster of that forum, and I guess he??s touchy when someone points out design flaws and poor customer service. Oh, and I did finally hear from the service manager, Kenny Howes, and I wrote him a detailed account of the problems with this Ric. Seems a bad fret job would be covered by warranty, or? He has not responded to my request for assistance, so it looks like the warranty is pretty much worthless.Can??t give Ric very high points for customer support. Sorry.

Overall, I??m very disappointed. I had really looked forward to this guitar, and, I guess if I were to sink more money into it, it would play fairly well, but I think I??ll probably sell it and invest the money in something more playable.

1965 Rick 360-12, Fireglo finish, standard equipment throughout.

Being more than 40 years old the guitar obviously has the classic pickups and construction. Pots and jacks are a bit scratchy but I leave everything turned up all the way so it's not much of a problem. The Rick's sound and playability do not disappoint. OTOH, most of the modern Ricks I've played are also very good.The instrument gets high marks for pride of ownership, though. It's the one iconic '60s guitar that the average player can still afford to buy. Go ahead--try to pick up a '65 Strat at a price you can swallow!

Actually it suits my overall playing needs less than I had imagined it would. I pictured myself using the 12 a lot in my recording work. Things didn't work out that way.

I've concluded that the Rick 12 is a perfect solution for doing covers of '60s tunes that were originally recorded with a Rick 12. Anything else, it sounds like you're trying to resurrect the '60s. No dishonor in that, but it does limit the guitar to a fairly narrow genre.

These issues are pretty irrelevant on a 42-year-old guitar. I was fortunate to find one in very good condition. As is the norm with older 12-strings, the first four frets were badly worn. My guitar guy managed to replace the four frets perfectly in spite of the Rick's varnished fretboard. Other luthiers had claimed it would be necessary to remove the varnish in order to do the fret replacement.

Of course the Rick 12 will handle live playing. Equally important, it will handle full-tension tuning at concert pitch for years on end.

The real question is whether it's wise to take a valuable vintage guitar on the road. I think I'd buy a newer Rick if I was going to gig with a 12-string.

The factory strap buttons are a busted guitar waiting to happen. Replace them with locking types. But keep the originals!

My questions to the factory have been answered promptly and constructively. I have found Rickenbacker to be the most responsive mainstream guitar maker when it comes to interaction with users.

The 360-12 is the perfect tool if you're playing vintage Byrds, Beatles, and Beach Boys material. Significantly less versatile for more modern arrangements. But still a pleasure to own and play.

I tried other electric 12-strings before buying the Rick but nothing else was in the same league. And the Rick just looks right when played on stage. There's no substitute for the real thing.

We all know the features for this guitar: High gloss finish (surprise, surprise, mine is Fireglo), solid maple construction for the body, laminated maple/walnut neck, standard Rickenbacker 360 body (quite comfortable), six saddle bridge (really not that bad for intonation as long as you use a wound low g string, although that goes for all of my guitars.) "R" trapeze tailpiece, a pain to restring in areas where the arch of the R gets in the way. Even worse with 12 strings. Nice Schaller tuners in the 90 degree angle configuration we all know and love. Very comfortable neck for me, it's thin horizontally, which makes lead and chords easier, thick vertically, which makes it fit right in my hand while I play it very comfortably. 24 3/4 inch scale, same as a Gibson. I don't know why everyone thinks that every Rickenbacker is a short scale guitar. Came with a nice hardshell flight case, made out of military grade plastic as opposed to wood covered with vinyl or something. The manual it came with can answer just about any question you will have (which is why I still don't know why everyone I asked prior to getting the guitar had no idea what the fifth knob does. Read the bleeding manual!) Made in March of 06, bought in December of 06 (the shop owner actually forgot that there was a guitar in the case, since he made the sensible decision to keep it in its case and away from grubby fingers.) 24 frets, and yes, I do use them all. All solid maple construction(except the neck.) 3 way selector, standard volume and tone knobs, and fifth knob which works as a secondary volume control for the neck pickup for blending it in in different amounts than possibly with just the one volume. This is why it only works when the neck or both pickups are activated, and not with just the bridge. When using the rick-o-sound stereo, which sends the signal for the neck pickup to one amp and the signal for the bridge pickup to another, it does the same thing, and also serves a a left-right balance due to the nature of the stereo. Two single coil high gain pickups. Anyone who says that these can not get a toaster sound obviously either did not try hard enough (if at all) or is deaf.
The guitar has some quirks about it, too, like the binding only on the back, which makes it incredibly comfortable, and the adjustable dual level pick guard, which lets you adjust it for your specific playing style. That's all I gave to say about features.

My style is whatever I listen to at the moment, which is always sixties music in some incarnation or jazz. This is a very underrated jazz guitar, and can get very nice warm jazzy sounds on the neck pickup. It can also get that stereotypical bright sixties rock/Byrds sound, and it is perfect for that 13th Floor Elevators/Golden Dawn/anything off the Nuggets compilation garage sound. The guitar is way more versatile than people think. The only thing hurting its versatility is the fact that it is a 12 string, and when you accidentally let one of the octave strings ring in the middle of a jazz solo, it sounds out of place. Luckily, the way that it comes strung, it has the regular string and then the octave string, rather than the other way around on conventional 12s. I have no dislikes about this guitar's sound.

Rickenbacker is famous for their finishes, especially Fireglo, their most popular flagship color, which is a burst with red on the edges fading to a natural center that will eventually fade or "amber" to a nice orangey red color that really fits the Fireglo name.
The setup was perfect when I got it, except the strings were a bit corroded (it WAS sitting around in a shop for several months before I got it.)The bridge, even if it is a six saddle bridge, intonates fine. The idea that it will only intonate well with a twelve saddle is such bollocks. Do people not actively seek out 3 saddle telecasters and, if they can't find them, modify them to be that way? With the exception of a few later Tom Petty songs, every well known Rickenbacker 12 song has been played with a six saddle bridge. If you are having any difficulty with the factory set up, it is probably because you replaced the stock strings with ones of drastically different gauge. The stock gauge strings (or something close) will intonate perfectly. Just remember that you should have wound low G and octave E strings. (That goes for most guitars, though.)There were no flaws on the guitar.

This guitar will withstand all kinds of abuse. The hardware will likely last the life of the guitar. It will definitely withstand live playing. The only time it ever failed me was when an ant crawled into the output jack and somehow got crushed in the contacts of the pickup selector, causing the Bridge pickup's signal to cease to exist. The strap buttons are solid, and will fit the Schaller strap locks with no modifications. I have played this guitar exclusively since December 4th or so, and it hasn't failed me yet (except the ant incident.) As such, I have and will use it without a backup, especially since I don't have another electric 12 and I use it for all of my songs.

The warranty is really not as bad as people think. Using different brands/gauges of strings will not void the warranty, nor will modifying it with RIC manufactured parts. It amazes me how many people don't actually read the warranty, which isn't as fascist as most. So far I haven't dealt with the company yet, so it isn't fair to give this area a rating.

I have been playing since seeing the Beatles play on the tele. Figure out how long. I have owned several Beatles guitars now, and this is rally the best (although the unofficial George Harrison signature model, the 360/12c63, is much more authentic to his first one, although if I added toasters to my current one I would have a 24 fret replica of his second 360/12 that he got in 1965.)My next Rickenbacker purchases will likely be either a 325c58 or c64 (the John Lennon models) or a 330 with toasters and vibrato (the poor man's Pete Townshend Signature) This guitar is perfect for fingerpicking due to the adjustable pickguard, the large distance between the strings and body due to the height of the neck at the neck/body joint (about one inch of clearance, even with extremely low action.) If it was stolen, I would buy another in a second (after searching all the pawn shops, etc. first.) I might try toasters in the future, since I have heard they have a slightly less harsh sound than the hi-gains, which would make them better for jazz. For now, the hi-gains are fine.
I think that's all I've got to say.

2005 Rickenbacker 360/12 in jetglo (black). Semiacoustic. Maple body and neck, rosewood fingerboard, triangular MOP inlays. Came standard with bound neck and back of body. 24 frets for bluewailing solos (sarcasm). Treble and bass tone and volume controls plus the famous fifth knob for blending. Came with a six-string bridge and "hi-gain" pickups, several points deducted for this very fact. To keep a 12-string intonated, you need a 12-string bridge. For more on the pickups, see the sound section.

Naturally the 360/12 sounds great strummed acoustically. This is *the* classic 12-string guitar. Everyone knows why you want a Ric 360/12 - for the sound of the '60s, the Beatles, the Byrds, the Searchers, the Beau Brummels, the Beach Boys, and of course in later times Petty, R.E.M., et al. However, this guitar as is will categorically ***not*** give you that. The hi-gain pickups are just that - waaaaaaaaaaaaay too hot to come anywhere near the classic Ric Sound. I had to pay another $160 to obtain a pair of vintage Ric toaster-top pickups as well as another $80 for a 12-string saddle bridge. Okay, now that's a classic Ric 12-string. I play through a Vox 30-Watt Valvetronix amp on clean settings, boosted a bit with a Keeley-modded Boss BD-2 and a four-knob Keeley compressor. A compressor is an absolute sine-qua-non must for any Ric using the vintage pups. McGuinn used one. Anyway, the sound with this set-up is, in my opinion, the Holy Grail of all guitar sound. I love my Heritage 555, but the one single thing it can't do is sound like this. Rings, chimes, sustains, the height of euphony. The guitar equivalent of cathedral bells. Ric places the bass strings above the octave strings to produce a somewhat beefier 12-string sound. I also had my luthier swap the strings to make it more chimey. Just gorgeous.

With the hi-gain pups, my rating here would be a 3. A 360/12 with hi-gains is firewood, absolutely useless (who wants a 12-string with a lot of gain? it's not recognizable as a 12-string!!) and it is a joke that Ric sells them this way. Even more obnoxious is that Ric essentially makes your guitars when you order them, and it takes forever to get them, but they won't install vintage toaster pups in the factory!! It hurts!!

Action was fine, only had to lower it a tiny tad. Naturally, as a 12-string, it requires quite a bit more pressure to barre. The black "jetglo" finish is pretty straightforward, but certainly beautiful and even. Nice job with the bindings. Ric slathers buckets of goopy lacquer finish over the fingerboard, and their frets are narrower than most companies', but neither of those things bothers me substantially.

Why, then, the toiletsville rating in this area? Two reasons - first, the 6-string bridge (which I replaced immediately along with those waste-of-electronics hi-gain pups) had zero business on a 12-string despite the Rickenbacker company's protestations to the contrary. Second, the Kafkaesquely skinny neck. I am sad to say that this guitar, which produces the favored guitar sound of my dreams, is going on consignment, because it is simply too difficult for me to play. I wish I could compare finger girth with you, the reader of this review, because if you're an average guitar player, my fingers are probably a little skinnier than yours. I couldn't fret chords (D, G, and C shapes all caused problems) on the fly without my fretting fingers interfering with other strings at least half the time. I even had my luthier, James at Dietze Music, redo the nut to separate the string sets a little more. That helped a little bit, but it still didn't come close to comparing to playing a 12-string with an un-psychotically skinny neck (an Epiphone Riviera). Absolutely unacceptable.

The kicker is that the Rickenbacker company knows darn well that the colossal majority of guitar players have trouble with the neck width of a 360/12, and yet stubbornly refuse to make one with a wider neck. Why not? I suppose it's a matter of tradition. That's the way they've always made them, and if you can't play it perfectly, you must be a peon. If you want a reasonably wide neck on a 12-string Ric, your only recourse is to buy a 660/12, which is a solid body, a much different look and approach, fortunately comes standard with a 12-string bridge and toaster pups and has the wider neck - and which Ric makes in numbers which are infinitismally smaller than the demand for those three coveted features. "Kafkaesque" fits to a T. Oh, and it gets worse - people say "try a 660/12 first?" How, praytell? They are the rarest of all factory-made Rics. You aren't going to find them hanging on a GC rack. You can "try them" by buying one, or, more accurately, ordering one and waiting over a year for it to arrive. Isn't that great?

If my fingers were elfinly skinny, I would rate this a 7 or an 8 and be keeping the guitar.

It's a semiacoustic, but I would be less afraid of damaging it than with my Heritage 555 (an adaptation of the Gibson 335) because it's more sturdily designed, and the finish is like tooth enamel. Everything seems very solidly done. You pay a fair amount for a Ric, but you certainly get what you pay for (with the caveats I've noted elsewhere).

I can't say much about customer service, because I haven't had to deal with the company. Read other reviews - the experience of many has been that Rickenbacker is arrogant and hard to contact. I would be pretty darn nervous dealing with them if anything happened to my 12-string (before selling it). My only contact came through my dealer when I ordered the guitar and asked about factory installation of the 12-string bridge and toasters. No dice, of course. It strikes me that Rickenbacker has very little interest in meeting customer wants and needs. You will have it their way (the opposite of Burger King) or they will shrug their shoulders and you will buy something else. Of course, if you want "the Sound," no you won't.

I've been playing electric for a little over a year, but I've been a connoisseur of guitar sounds for 31 years. Before you snort and stop reading, finish reading what I have to say, and compare what I say to what everyone else says. I'm right about what I'm saying here! I also own a Heritage 555 and a Ric 330, which is a fantastic instrument (after the installation of toasters, naturally) which is 9+'s across the board except for, of course, customer service.

It makes me weep that I will have to sack this guitar, as the sound it produces is incredible. But I can't play it. Neither can legions of other players. Ric knows this, and they won't fix it by producing a 360/12 with a real neck width. They know that most people like their guitars to be in tune, especially when you're dealing with octave strings, but they won't add a 12-string saddle at the factory. They know that the gargantuan majority of the people who buy a 360/12 want the vintage sound via the toaster pick-ups, but they won't do that at the factory, either. Why not? Because they don't have to. There's nowhere else you can go to duplicate the Sound and the gorgeous look of their instruments. Plus, they can charge more when you order the 12-string saddle and toasters. For the dealer to install, of course. Arrogant, arrogant, arrogant!!! All that said, yes, I will be ordering a 660/12, because there's nowhere else I can go. The best thing about Ric is the price. If you have skinny fingers, and make sure to buy the 12-saddle bridge and toasters for your dealer/luthier to install, by all means get this guitar, and even after those obnoxious additions, you'll have a great value. If not, then you'd better order a 660/12, which, from all accounts, does a better job of producing the Sound than semiacoustic knockoffs by other companies. The difference in price covers the cost of the toasters and 12-saddle, but just think, they were factory-installed! Isn't that great? Just be prepared to wait a year or two, no exaggeration.

My 360/12 is in a fireglo finish, and was made in 1998. I am the second owner and have had it for five years. Nice wood graining is visible where the burst fades to light. This Ric has been professionally modified with a 12-saddle bridge and toaster pick-ups. I also added vintage-looking knobs. Why these come with a 6-saddle bridge is beyond me. All other features are standard. The truss rod system is a welcome feature to help keep the neck straight and true.

Rickenbackers, esp the 12 strings, have a very unique sound, and the toaster pickups are essential if you want "THE sound". I've been using this guitar in a cover band for a number of years and I think it is a fantastic rhythm guitar: rock, country, pop, 60s-70s music, etc. I've found this guitar to be much more versatile than many might think and as a few have posted here. The pick ups are powerful and offer a range from jangle to deep bass. The middle position on the pup selector switch can produce lovely near-acoustic tones. Even when overdriven, the Ric-12 produces some surprisingly nice results. I've never had problems with hissing or other annoying sounds.

I've played my Ric Twelve through a Fender Cyber Twin and now through a modified Fender Hot Rod Deluxe (up-graded speaker and tubes--essential mods for this 40w tube amp). The tube amp really punches the sound and the Ric 12 comes alive compared to the solid state amp I used previousl (the Cyber Twin, BTW, was a very good amp for a cover band that did everything from Motown to R&B, funk, surf, country, classic rock, disco, 80s-90s styles, etc).

Beautiful finish and detailing; the Ric corporation is among the best at this. The guitar was ready to play when it arrived. A tweak by a local guitar tech and it was perfect. The 12-saddle bridge keeps the intonation spot on. My Ric stays in tune, even with heavy use during a gig.

As mentioned by others, the necks on the 330/360 series are narrow, making it a challenge to play. I watched the McGuinn video several times and learned from it how to modify certain chords. I've had this guitar for five years, and the difficulty playing it can drive me mad at times. But the sound is pure heaven and worth the hassle. I've never played a 660/12 (with the wider neck) but would love to compare the two necks. A friend of mine has an older "Harrison" 12-string Ric. The necks are the same width but for reasons I can't figure out, his is easier to play than mine. Bottom line: be patient!

I initially tried Pyramid strings and loved the sound. However, I developed very bad tendenitous in my left hand (non picking hand). This became severe and local doctors weren't able to help. Playing the Ric was near impossible. While on a Ric chat room site, I learned that the problem might have been with the high tension of the Pyramids. Sure enough, a quick change to Ric strings and the problems in my left hand were gone instantly!

The Ric-12 always draws comments at gigs. It sounds great and looks great. The penetrating Ric sound can bring many tunes alive.

This is a very solid guitar, surprisingly so for a semi hollow body. I've used this guitar a lot in the past five years; never had a problem with reliability, never had to go to a back up. It might appear to be fragile, but it is built solidly.

The factory warranty is weak and pathetic. Never had to deal with the factory.

I've been playing for almost 40 years. I'm in a rock cover band and a jazz/blues band. I would be devastated if something happened to this guitar. The Ric 360/12 is a legend and it's incredible to have one and be able to produce that unique sound. I did not shop around for any other electric 12, this was the only guitar that I lusted for.

My other gear: Fender USA Big Apple Strat, Ibanez AS73 (335 style), Gibson L-5 Wes Montgomery. My amps are a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe (with mods as descsribed above) and a Polytone Minibrute for jazz gigs.

The best multi-featured electric 12 string on the market! The Rick I have is a 2005 Fireglo, one of the few made in USA hand made manufactured items left in this country. The 360 12 is quite possibly the modern reincarnation of the Geoge Harrison original model. With the high gain pick-ups and more modern shape, the sound is incredible, possibly better than the original toaster model.

Having the Rick-O-Sound is the best idea since stereo was invented. You can play with a splitter box (Rick-o-Sound) cable two different amps and get a treble and bass sound contrast that has depth beyond having just one amp. I actually play the Rickenbacker 360 12 through three amps via two Line 6 pods: A Marshall JCM 800 Combo (For the high end), Marshall JCM 2000 half stack (For bass), and a Carvin Nomad 112 with a Carvin half stack (For a full warm mid range). A couple of Marshall 1912 extension speakers round out the sweet stereo surround sound.

The body style is classic semi-hollow with a Nike logo style sound hole. That is what attracted me from the start when I owned a 300 series Rick 6 string electric back in the 70's. It looks so modern and fresh even dating back to the 60's.

The Tuners are a very compact novel right angle idea, simple, and easy to use with very accurate tuning that stays in tune. In comparison, I have a Floyd Rose system on my Metal Strat that is great but very complex. (The closest thing to my volin fine-tuners on the bridge which I prefer.)

The neck is narrow and takes a while getting use to. I play a Taylor accoustic 12 and that is the ultimate neck. Though once you get to know the instrument, it is still challenging but much easier. The neck is reminencent of my old Gibson 12 accoustic.

The standard plastic case is unreal. Some people don't like the rectangular shape, but it is the most spacious of all for carring accessories. Lots of space for strap, tuners, and even strings and polish plus cloth!

For some people, this guitar is a night-mare. Others refer to the Rickenbacker 360 12 as a dream. In reality, the Rickenbacker is the finest electric guitar ever made and sounds like heaven on earth. If you want to play like the Byrds, Beatles, The Who, (even Led Zepplin) and want the 60's and 70's sound this is "it".

The Rickenbacker is not a guitar for beginners or one with fat fingers. Extensive experience playing an accoustic 12 string is a must to easily adapt to the instrument. It is well worth the trip to master the Rick, as the sounds you can get from this instrument is exceptional. The highs are unparalleled. The base is as good as it gets. The mid range is full and depth of character is very satisfing and warm. For rhythem and lead the Rickenbacker 360 12 is the best all around guitar for vintage and modern sound.

I believe my Rick is factory set and is perfect as far as action. I didn't like the way the factory strings the tweleve string backwards. My Rick 12 is strung like other 12's. The Rick 360 12 is hard enough to play as it is let alone having the thick six strings reversed. Strung normally, it is playable without having the additional tongue twister feature. To Rickenbacker factory: Why?

Fit and finish is exceptional. The fireglo finish is outstanding and layers of lacker is bullet proof compared to other guitars. The lackered neck is a very nice feature and is mirror like, as with the rest of the fine instrument. (Not sticky at all contrary to what some people's opinion of the glossy neck finish.)

The quality of the wood, metal, pick-ups are of the highest order. The guitar is light and comfortable to play. Not like my old Les Paul, very heavy and a neck strain in long sessions.

The cut away body is perfect. And the 24 fret neck is a joy though a challenge to play because the strings are so close together.

A Bullet proof semi-hollow guitar!

I have been playing 38 years. I own two Taylors, a six and tweleve string accoustic as well as a Metal Strat, and a couple of classical guitars. I also have played a Ramerize Concert A in the past.

I would buy another Rickenbacker 360 12 in a heartbeat if it was lost. The only other guitar I would consider is an accoustic Taylor GS with a big accoustic sound. That would augment my collection, not replace the Rick.

The tone, sound, overall look of the Rick 360 is incredible. I love the jingle jangle sound, and the way it goes perfect with my vocals. The Rick 360 is the best guitar I have and would be hard to replace. It blows the doors off of any other tweleve string, as well as any other guitar. Period.

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

Interesting mix of features.

Neck is unique?double truss rods. I hear that fixing any serious neck problems with this guitar is as expensive to fix as buying a new one, mainly due to fact that neck extends through body rather than bolting on. The skinny neck is an issue?it just is and you need to be able to adapt to it to enjoy this guitar otherwise you?re going to be miserable and never want to play it. The skinny neck is much less of a problem for the 6 string version of the 360, but for the 12 string it requires changing the way you play. Chords that work on a six string can be hard to pull off on this guitar?or may sound too muddy because of the additional strings. Likewise, chords that sound anemic on a six string can sound really great on this guitar. It?s a whole learning process trying to determine what works and what doesn?t?but for me, that?s part of the joy of this guitar. I bought it because I wanted something different. I wanted a new challenge. If you are not open to adapting your style though and simply want to continue playing things the way you?re used to, do yourself a favor and don?t buy this guitar?you?ll just be frustrated. Of course, you could always go with the Dakota version of the 360, which has a wider neck. I think some of the solid body models also have a wider neck.

Tailpiece: beautiful?and fun too, if you?re in to Sonic Youth ?play behind the bridge? tactics. However you pay a price for this beauty. The tailpiece is inherently unstable and known to break off quite violently after time, due to the intense 12 string tension. Rickenbacker hasn?t changed it though because of aesthetics?it just looks really great.

The Rick O' Sound option is cool.

Assuming you can get used to the skinny neck, and can figure out the mix knob, and the Ric?o?sound options, and get the tuning under control?this guitar sounds great and is really fun to play. It?s certainly a very distinctive sound. Everybody calls it ?jangly? which I don?t happen to think is a very good description of its sound. It?s certainly leans toward the treble side and the low e string is has a lot less punch than on most six strings?which can be annoying sometimes. The sound is very full and droning rather than jangly to my ears?but like any guitar, a lot of the sound depends on how you play and what you play it through. The guitar sounds best with some type of compressor going; otherwise the strings tend to be a little uneven. Partial chords and triads sound great. Open chords sound great. A soft touch sounds better than heavy riffing?the notes sing out better. This is not a good guitar for fast and loud puck rock and power chords?it gets muddy. However, contrary to what some people claim, the guitar does very well with overdrive or distortion?it?s gets a really intense driving sound which is great for a lot of single note lead stuff. String bending can be done, but is hard to control intonation because often the octave string bends at a slightly different pitch than the low string and gives an ugly dissonant sound. With some practice and discretion, moderate bends can be pulled off from time to time. Though, one of my favorite bends (F# to G on the low E string) sounds like complete crap?forget trying to play Ventures or Duane Eddy licks on this guitar!

This guitar needs a flat pick to sound good?which is rather limiting if you tend to switch off between Travis-style finger picking and flat-picking as I do. It?s not that you can?t fingerpick?it?s just that it sounds extremely uneven.

I have scatter-wound toaster style pickups. In all truth, I just think the black high-gain pickups are ugly as hell?and that was reason enough to pay extra to get some toaster pickups installed for my new guitar. The toaster pickups are inherently weaker, but are supposed to be more ?sixties? sounding. I haven?t played enough Rics with High gain pickups to be able to point out the differences. I suspect a lot of guys prefer the vintage pickups just because they want their guitar to be as ?authentic? as possible?regardless of the advantages of the high gain pickups.

Ric o? Sound
I like this option and think its pretty fun. I know most guys ignore it. Granted it takes a few more minutes to get yourself set up than if you just plug in to a single channel amp. But I think the payoff is worth it. It gives you a lot of sound options to play with (and the mix knob actually comes in pretty handy too). Anyway? if you?re getting a new 360, I would consider ordering the Ric o? sound box with it (assuming you have a dual channel amp or a second amp).

The construction and finish is really impressive. It is as well crafted as any hollow body Gibson I've tried and costs about a third of the price of a new 335 or L5.

It has a noticable smell of guitar wax and polish when opening the case for the first time--kind of cool.

My only complaint is that the hardshell case is so snug that there is no compartment for picks or strings.

Bridge
I had a 12 saddle bridge installed upon ordering the guitar because I?d heard people complain about the six saddle bridge. I can?t compare between the two because since I?ve never had to deal with the six saddle version. However, I can tell you that tuning and intonation is an inherent issue with this guitar?even with the 12 saddle bridge. Tuning s takes a lot of getting used to. Now that I?ve had my 360 for a couple of months, tuning doesn?t bother me the way it once did?but it is a learning curve. I think it probably helps to get your guitar setup by a guitar tech who is experienced with Ric 12 strings. I?ve played Ric 12 strings where I?ve had to spend an extraordinary amount of time just trying to keep the guitar in tune. I bought my guitar came from the people at the Rickenbacker Pages?a guitar store in North Carolina that is only Rics. Since I knew I was going to get a twelve saddle bridge and toaster pickups put in, I felt like I was more likely to get a guitar set up properly from experienced Ric sellers than from the local dude at Guitar Center. I didn?t? get the rock bottom price I might have gotten at Guitar Center, but I have been satisfied with my decision (plus they had a much better selection of colors?and I was able to get a hard to come by Burgundy model, new in the case)

Tailpiece:
If you want a rock-solid tailpiece you need to go with the Dakota mode. It substitutes a Fender-like tail in place of the trapeze style. I don?t know how it affects the guitar tone, but I?m certain it stabilizes the tuning issues which plague these guitars. It?s also a whole lot easier to string the Dakota compared to the nightmare of stringing with the R tailpiece.

Heard it sucks, but I don't have any experience with them (not yet anyway).

I think this is a great guitar and has a lot to offer beyond the "I've got to have it because I'm into the Byrds and Beatles" cliche. There's nothing wrong with the sixties sound, but I just hate that this guitar has been put into the retro ghetto. It needs a new champion to kick start it's image.

There are some inherent problems with it's design that make it a difficult guitar to play for the average player who is accustomed to a telecastor or strat, but you really know you've got something different in your hands when you pick one of these up. It's worth the extra effort to learn how to adjust your playing to this guitar. It's a lot of fun. My only suggestion is to step away from the Beatles music and try playing something fresh with it.

brand new 360/12 vintage toaster style pickups...as soon as i heard these i knew i had to make a cup of tea.. made in nov 02... jetglow colour.. gorgeous looking .. i have used a 330/12 previously and would have bought one again but couldn't find one with vintage style pickups .. so ended up with this one.. you know all the ins and outs..what can i say ? i didn't like it at first but was quickly won over ... and i'm not talking about corned beef and mustard sandwiches here ?

i love late 60's british pop and rock music so it fits in well there.. i am useing a selmer treble and bass from the early 70's..the one that looks like it was styled in the former soviet union..what a sound as the amp is a two channel ..soon as i can afford it the guitar wil be re-wired to play in stereo .. lovely bright sound ..have not had any time to wack the volume up yet but will de doing so soon... i remember from my 330/12 days amp right up and these guitars come to life .. this guitar will help convert jews and muslims (those slimline killers) to a life of peace and love..."horay" those evil fux

if i turn around there it is behind me on the chair ..so i'm not turning... finish is lovely and shiny, chrome is sexy.. have adjusted the strings i will probably send out for a set up as soon as i can afford/bear to part with ..i bought from a shop in the states and it arrived here in the uk in excelent shape.. lovely vintage case and all..
this is better constructed than my old 330/12 but i would say the finish maybe is not as deep..but still lovely to look at though .. i can't say anything bad about this guitar, it certainly is pretty... there's something germanic about it..maybe its the black or the fact i have removed my leather trousers in honour of its beauty ? the fit was tight and juicy and the finish it glistened ???

i think it will last well..i am not a great beater anymore ( not at this price).. i can't afford a backup so its as with my 330/12 one guitar man ... its stayed in tune all weekend even the octave g string which i never had on my 330/12 as it never stayed in tune..this deos.. will replace with a 12 saddle bridge as soonas i can find the money..strap buttons seem ok to me..guitar feels solid to say the least and looking at some construction photo's i can't see any problems that i will encounter
i think they may be tougher than the 60's ones... rock solid..just like my girlfriend likes ! not as solid as that cheap pot i now have to buy as i am so skint !

i have never dealt with them and have heard of them being a little difficult to deal with.. but what the fuck..you got the guitar you know the score.. no warrenty in the uk ? i have never thought of warrenties before when buying a guitar so am not looking to go down that route. no warrenty but nice card that asks what type of music you play.. the type that gets those kids all hot and bothered and frightens small kids and animals...

i have played all my life. if it got stolen i'd track the fux down and mutilate thier genitals ( in that religious traditional way ) .. i'd have to buy another ..my only other guitar i love is a fender jazzmaster... i will add an extra pickup sometime soon ..
this guitar thanks to the great trade rate between the uk and the usa was a bargain, and it cleared customs without having to pay any duty too... thank fuck for that...

2003 Jetglo model, lovely binding, slash F-hole, Ric-O-Sound, blend knob, high gain PU's, triangle fret markers

What can I say that has not been said? This axe put the jangle in jangle pop. A chord sounds like an orchestra, a single note sounds like the voice of God. I use a Boss MX=50 multi processor, focusing mainly on compression and EQ, making this bird REALLY sing!

If anyone out there is unfamiliar with Rickenbackers, I pity you. Half the price of a Gibson, twice the craftsmanship. The finish is absolutely re-diculous. A shotgun couldn't hurt it. The action is great ONCE PROFESSIONALLY SET UP. Hardware is good, would like to substitute 6 saddle bridge with 12 saddle one though. Still can't figure out blend knob!

Haven't had it that long, although I have owned a 620 for a while and can say that Ric makes true touring guitars, not just show-pieces. GREAT cases.

Don't know, can't see having to call, but have heard that they are SLOW to respond.

I have been playing forever, i bought my first Ric (330) in '88 and have been hooked ever since. This is the guitar that made Peter Buck sound COMPETENT! Ric's are the be-all-end-all.

1966 360-12 Rounded edge top, hollowbody, slash soundhole
checked binding on back, 2 "toaster top" pickups, all maple with alternating walnut strip neck, lighter colored rosewood fingerboard, "crushed pearl" wide triangular fret markers, "R' tailpiece, orig. bridge, old Kluson tuners, 3 way switch, 2 vol,2 tone, & blend knobs, stereo ("Rick-O-Sound") typical skinny Rick neck width, natural finish. Black case (probably later Rick case?)I
am not a big fan of their skinny necks, and my hands aren't that big! I think Rick changed the necks to strenghten the joint rather then for more frets/access, because I don't think many players would do too well on the high frets with such a narrow neck, most guitars have a wider taper. They have come out with some new models with wider necks, but no 12 strings!

This is THE 12-string sound! I had an '84 burgandy 360-12 before this one (I thought it was great too!) but I'd have to say the '66 does have even more of that classic Byrds/Beatles sound. PUs are probably a little brighter and slightly weaker. This ones action seems to be a little better, or maybe I'm just better. It may be slightly lighter in weight then the newer style. I believe the interior routing may be different - less mass. Afterall it does have fewer frets. As you might expect it is somewhat of a specialty instrument but it does it's thing perfectly.

I got this baby in '96 so it was already 30 years old and with wear. It looks cool though. Rick's new guitars always look nice and high quality.

Neck and frets are still in good shape.
Hardware has held up very well, all looks original. It's lastest a long time, but it wouldn't take as rough a time, say like a strat. I think Townsend broke about 30, of course he even broke a strat!
I would always carry another guitar, 6 string that is.

I wrote them in the eighties, asking if they made wider necks, they replied with a nice letter that they didn't. They have come out with some models since then with wider necks but I don't believe there's any 12 strings! They need to think about some customizing, to draw in more players for the future.

I've been playing for about 35 years, so the Rickenbacker legend loomed large in my early days. People still love to hear this sound. I wouldn't be able to replace this now.

I bought mine new around 1998 from Musician's Friend. It was drop shipped from the factory, and still smelled of laquer when I opened the box! The color is Fireglo, which really looks cool on this guitar. It came with a hard case, polishing cloth, and owner's manual. Ric-O-Sound(stereo) output, or mono, two tone controls, two volume, and a pickup blend knob.

This is the guitar to make that George Harrison - Roger MCGuinn sound. No other guitar will do that like this one will. I can't go to work in the morning without playing the "Mr. Tambourine Man" riff, or hitting the "Hard Day's Night" opening chord and saying "Whoa!" Needs to be played through a fairly bright amp to really bring out that jangle, though. I use a Vox AC15 re-issue with a Marshall Edward compressor. Something like a Fender Super would be ideal, I think.

Fit and finish are superb. WAY better than on my Les Paul. Rick really builds a beautiful piece of art. Setup out of the box was pretty much unplayable. The string height was about a mile and a half, the intonation was off, truss rods loose, etc. Hardware seems above average, although there's a little more backlash in the tuners than I would like (especially in a guitar with 12 strings to tune!)

Hard to say - I really baby this guitar, and I only play a couple of songs in a set with it. That being said, it's never let me down, and I don't use a backup for it. Breaking a string on stage would be a pain, but it hasn't yet. It's always worth it to bring to a gig just to see the other guitarists drooling over it.

Never called Rick for anything other that strings and tee shirts.

Well, I had to learn how to fret open chords all over again with the dainty little neck. About 3 or 4 songs is about all my hands can take without permanent damage. But I wouldn't trade this guitar for anything because it sounds so cool. Besides, it'll probably take me the rest of my life to learn how to play it properly. I play mainly Jurassic Rock, which inludes Beatles and other British invasion stuff. And of course the first thing I did with this guitar was to sit down with the "Byrds Greatest Hits" CD.