Rickenbacker 360

This 360 is a 1997 model which I was told by the salesman was "a little over a year old" when I bought it in August 2001. That upset me a bit but as I learned more about Rics and how they build them, I guess they haven't changed anything on the features for quite a few years so I guess it really doesn't matter. Mine is a Mapleglow and I must admit looks very attractive. My wife really fell for it and she doesn't even play! Semi-hollow, loads of clear-coat that really shines! "Ric-o-sound" stereo out, and this wonderful idea I never seen before and now that I think about it, I wonder why nobody else has a fader knob to blend different percentages between pickups! That is really cool!!! Use that feature prominently.

My main axe is a Fender strat and I haven't played in a band for about 20 years so I bought this more or less as a spare for my Strat. Well I'm starting to log more time on my Ric and enjoy the personality of this classic chimer. When I'm playing a song that is really a knuckle-grinder, I still need my Strat, but I do use it in some pretty heavy numbers that I think others feel it is unsuitable. One thing I dislike is this and when I heard it, I was zapped back in time to the college band I played in at Michigan Tech. Our bass player had a Ric bass and he cranked it through this big Sunn amp and when he was playing loud the pickups would sqeal feedback when he would turn certain ways. I was playing pretty hot the other day and out came that familiar sqeal again! I felt like Christofer Reeves in "Somewhere in Time" flying through a dark tunnel to the old days! Just something to watch for...

Action was too low but it was in the store for some time and I'm sure it was monkeyed with. Have it set good now. Neck thickness is more than I'm used to and I have short fingers but the width seems to compensate for it. I can still grab a F# on the low E string which on cetain guitars is sometimes a stretch for me. Pick-up height was good the pickup switch rattles a bit. The chrome is unreal!!! I don't know how many times they plate it but it is deep...

Live play would/will be fun. Not concerned for any harware failures. I bought strap locks for the new strap when purchased and they worked okay right on the factory strap pegs. Hate to drop this woodworked beauty. I always believe in a backup- not so much for hardware failure but for string breakage.

Due to the length of time spent in the store the owners manual was lost and the factory was happy to send another. He was a bit zealous to tell me that due to the time the guitar was for sale in the music store that the factory would not honor the finish warranty! Go figure that... That doesn't reveal a whole lot of confidence in their product does it?

I have always had a strange curiosity over these guitars and never played one prior to buying this one. Am quickly becoming very attached to the Ric heritage. I play it through a Peavey Ultra 120 watt # channel tube amp with a few stomp boxes. This gutars sails about as pretty I have ever heard- especially with chorus effects engaged. It's much lighter than my Strat which probably contributes to the bad pub on lead playing. (Not real impressive sustain=light bodies) I keep getting mixed up on the tone/volume knobs. Ric uses a different arrangment of the placement. Its actually more logical but just inverted/backwards from traditional placement. I'm sure I'll start to get used to it... just in time to pick up my Strat and start all over again! Am very happy with the purchase even though my 14 year old rock star son thinks it looks cheesey... kids,kids,kids...

A 2000 Rickenbacker 360 Fireglo, made in Santa Ana, U.S.A.
It has 24 frets, Semihollow, Neck and body are made of maple and a rosewood fingerboard. Two single-coil pickups (passive) , 2 tone knobs, 2 volumes, a 3-way pickup selector and of course - the famous blend knob which determines the blend between the pickups. Absolutely beautiful fireglo finish and a gorgeous "R" tailpiece. Comes with a really nice hard-shell case.

This is undoubtedly the best sounding guitar i have ever played!
I just love the sound. It kinda grows on you. Before i bought it i used to use only the neck pickup or both pickups on all my guitars but since i got it i just can't stop using the bridge pickup, it just has this unbelievable crisp trebely tone! The blend knob is really a nice feature, it changes the sound completely. what can i say? it's a rickenbacker - it just doesn't get any better than this. Some say that rickenbackers are not versatile... - crap. It can do early beatles, byrds, REM, who,radiohead perfectly, but it can also handle any other style of music in existence! Although i wouldn't recommend using it for metal, i recently saw a metal band on mtv that used a 360!
It's clean sounds are just so crisp and coherent, you hear every note so clearly. It sounds even better distorted (if that's possible). The thing that amazes me the most is the never ending sustain it has... and its a semihollow! This guitar is just the best sounding/looking piece of wood i ever had the pleasure to play.

Action? how low can you go... ? This one goes pretty low - without any buzzes. It came nicely setup but the strings were pretty rusted.
After i replaced them everything was fine. Some people find rick necks uncomfortable but i just love the neck, it really suits me well... the strings might be a bit too close to each other but you get used to it pretty quickly...
The finish is great...

This guitar could last a lifetime, if you treat it right... it seems to me that the finish could be very easily scratched... it also requires constant care... you need to put it in the case whenever you're not playing and clean it with the ric cleaning cloth that comes with the guitar. Overall i think it's pretty durable but you shouldn't abuse it... by the way, i've never broken a single string on this one...

Never dealt with 'em.

This guitar is just the best value you can get for your money... it does it all, and does it in the best way possible. I use it through a korg ax1000g multi, into a fender solid state amp. I'd love to try it with a good tube amp... I also own a gibson les paul custom (terrible muddy guitar - and costs much more than the rick...), a Guild DeArmond X-155, Fender Bullet Guitar (similar to a tele) and i used to have an American Telecaster... Ever since i got the rickenbacker i haven't played the les paul even once! it just really irritates me that that crappy sounding guitar costs twice than this fabulous ric...
This 360 is my idea of a perfect guitar.

Rickenbacker model 360 6 string. Turquoise. Semihollow body with binding. 2 Ric single coil pick-ups with a volume and tone knob for each. There's also a blend knob and 3-way selector. Has 2 outputs for your guitar cord: standard and "rick-o-sound" which requires a stereo cord. My opinion, don't bother with the Rick-o-sound. I know nobody who uses it and it's a hassle because you need 2 amps (or two inputs on one amp). It gives it a chorus type tone which is not as good as a decent chorus pedal. The neck is narrow with thin frets, making chording fairly easy. The fretboard is a glossed rosewood with shark-fin shaped inlays. Set neck.

This Rick sounds just as you would yhink. Clean, bright, and sparkly. If you're looking for fat, heavy tone, then walk away right now. The sound is made for pop rhythm guitar playing, but it does it well. The sound mixes well with the rest of the band because it's not competing for low-midrange with other instruments, thereby sounding muddy. It definitely lives in the high-midrange zone. A little distortion sounds good, too. Not great for lead work, but a breeze for rhythm. If you don't EQ your amp right, it can sound thin and "spanky" but maybe that's how you like it. Don't bother with the Rick-o-sound.

The guitar plays well for chords anywhere on the neck. The neck is not that wide so is easy to handle. Personally, I like necks a little wider. The highest & lowest strings are fairly close to the edge of the fretboard. The thin frets make lead work a little tough as does the gloss finish on the fretboard. But it's perfect for jangling out those Beatles and REM tunes. No feedback problems when playing loudly through tube or solid state amps. I would stick with a combo, though, like Vox or Fender. It definitely fills a niche in my collection of 26 guitars.

Both reliable and durable. A professional guitar.

Lousy, lousy, lousy. I ordered some replacement pickguards and a new Tail piece (want to change mine from white to black) through Guitar Center, a fairly large and well-respected retailer. It's now 3 months later and still no sign of my parts. Rick sent Guitar Center a statement confirming the order and giving a delivery window of January 26- February 6. It's now March 8th. I ordered the parts December 3rd last year. Go figure. You can order parts & accessories direct from the factory, but they charge you full (and expensive) retail prices. Delivery is pretty quick, though and is the only thing keeping them from getting a rating of "1" in this category.

It's a solid guitar for pop & rhythm playing. I also own a 330 which is the same guitar but doesn't have body binding, fretboard inlays, or Rick-o-sound (just a standard mono jack). I actually like the 330 much better and it was cheaper. It's a classic guitar which does it's job well, but is not very versatile. Customer support through Rickenbacker retailers needs help, but chances are you won't need them. I'm glad I have one in my collection, but it wouldn't be the guitar I save if my collection was on fire. I would check out the Rick 620's and 330's if you were interested in a 360.

1994 model that I bought used in October 2000. Standard five controls -- volume and tone for each pickup, plus the "blender", plus toggle switch to select pickups, plus the "Ric-O-Sound" and mono jacks.

Natural Mapleglo finish with rosewood fingerboard.

I play rhythm in a cover band, with tunes from Beatles to Lucinda Williams. This is the perfect guitar for me. It has the classic Ric sound, which is to die for. High-gain pickups, and a gorgeous, gorgeous tone. I play it through a Fender Deluxe Reverb, and the sound could not be better.

Plusses and minuses here. The action is ridiculously low and easy -- it feels like the strings are just sitting on the frets. But it plays in tune all the way up and down, with no buzzing.

The minus is that the finish has LOTS of checks, and it apparently came that way from the factory. Because of this, though, I got an excellent price for the guitar.

I use it without a backup, and it is rock solid. It stays pretty well in tune (though not as well as my American Standard Strat) and seems very reliable.

Don't know. Haven't tried it.

I love this guitar. It is a true classic. Despite the quirky bridge and tailpiece, it has got to be one of the most beautiful models ever made. And even despite the checks, the mapleglo finish is a beauty. I would definitely get another one.

Mine's got standard Equipment, Oct 1997. It's "Midnight Blue", a relatively rare color, with black hardware. $800 used. These are real nice guitars.

I'd also like to mention that 360's go well with flat-wound strings. Shell out $20 for a set of Pyramids and you'll like what you hear.

I'm not going to go into the technical details, but let's just say that the Ric has large "diversity" of sounds. It's sorta classic sounding, like you'll notice yourself sounding like stuff you already know. I'd say the sound is the main selling-point of the Ric, followed by its attractiveness.

The dude I got it from was a total nut - he had the action set so high I could practically stick my finger between the strings and the fretboard by the bridge. He said he played really "aggressive" music, whatever that means. So I had to screw with it a ton to get the action and intonation right, but I was VERY pleased that after being so messed with, it was right-on once I fixed it. It's not like some other guitars where they just won't intonate no matter what you do. The neck on this Ric is solid, and probably won't ever need to be adjusted. I brought the action down really low without any buzzing, which is pretty amazing around the 24th fret range. The finish is really pretty, it makes you want to rub it. The back is totally flat, which is a bit unusual but actually pretty comfortable once you get used to it.

I think it'd be a lot easier to break than most guitars...not exactly slab construction if you know what I mean. But I think that for its design, the guitar is pretty well put together. I haven't had any problems with it, but it is brand new...

I own a Std. Tele and this Ric, and I use them both. The Ric has more sounds and is a bit cooler sounding. The tele is good for soloing and bending and stuff; I like its action a bit better in the high range (unless I need to get up to the 24th fret - not often!). The Ric is cooler for playing unplugged, too; it's not loud like an acoustic or even a semi, but it's got that semi-sound. The downside of course is that the thing costs $1200 for a new one with a case, so it's a "mature" guitar, not one you want to learn on. Maybe you can convince yourself that it's an "investment".

A Ric is a Ric is a Ric. So hard to be critical of these axes. Mine is the standard beauty. 24 fret, standard scale. Made in California USA in '98. All maple, natural maple finish. Fast neck, medium frets. Schaller turners. Standard Ric "bubble top" pickups and bridge set up. Triangle fret markers. The '64 type carved one-piece top. 5 knob, adjustable pick guard, 3-way selector switch. Stereo output. Recieved tools, Ric hardshell case, polishing cloth, Schaller straplocks, strap, 2 sets of replacement strings and power cable. All for $1100.00 US.

What style ya got? It's a Ric...Play with the knobs and the amp a little and it'll make any noise you're talented enough to figure out. I'm pumping mine through a Laney HC50 twinhead. Want crunch? Flip the 3way up and turn the trebs down on the amp...It'll chew like a Les Paul. Hendrix fan? Switch down and pop the overdrive button...watch your little brother's ears bleed. It will play clean in overdrive. Many say the Rics won't...that's bull, these are solid body afficiandos and they don't understand the acoustics and control techniques a semi needs. Set the switch in the middle and that's the classic Rickenbacker sound. Nothing sounds like the Ric in it's natural state. Nothing. These axes have a tone quality that is unsurpassed. It can mimmick almost any other type of electric guitar made, short of the classic Grestch. It takes a lot of control to handle all that tone swimming around out there. Most hardcore Ric pickers I've spoke to or have read about use compressors. It helps keep the volumes of the tones even. I plan to get one eventually. It's really usefull for the 12 string models.

The only thing that can match the Ric's rep for tone, is the Ric's rep for fit and finish. These guitars are as near flawless as a production model guitar can get. I had played this creature in the shop about 3 weeks before I bought it. I nearly cried the first time I touched it. The action was just perfect for a straight rhythm player like myself. Later on when it came to live at my house I attacked it with a pick to see what would happen...no difference. No pops, pings, creaks or moans. I'm no "lead" player but I've been playing intro lines and chordstep solos on it. Like all Rics the hardware is mounted on the top deck. The only thing I've been winceing at is that complicated bridge assembly. It's classic Ric. Change the strings and tune it one string at a time. If that baby comes apart you might have to call an engineer to get it back together again. Do it by the numbers and take your time...no problem. The high gloss finish on this axe is so thick you can look across the edge and actually see the thickness of the overcoat and measure it with a ruler. I hope it'll never need a fret job, they'll need a blowtouch to cut through that finish and weeks to redo it to match the rest of the guitar. The tuners are typical Schaller, precise, simple, and fully enclosed.

Rics are musician's instruments. Some insist that they're fragile. Again, that's just nonesense. Players who can't tell the difference between performing for the sake of the show instead of the sound are the ones who make these claims. No...you can't use it for a ball bat to whack beer cans into the audience. No..you can't hack an amp up with it like a fire axe. You can't throw it on the floor and stomp on it with combat boots and call it soloing. This is not a damned ol' Fender solid body. These guitars are tough enough to hand down to the grandkids someday. They are sturdy, and quite heavy for a hollow body. With reasonable care they should last just as long as any solid body out there. I'm no pro, but all the pros I've reseached and all the working pickers I do know agree, the Ric doesn't need a backup. Reliabilty and versatility are excellent.

The 5 year warranty is a bit weak...but I don't know of anyone who has had to use it.

Been playing nearly 20 years. Have a Fender Gemini acoustic, a Seagull Cedar +12 12 string acoustic, and a Yamaha BB300 P-Bass. All bought new over the years. Laney 50 twinhead, Ampeg R50 Bass amp and several Crate amps. One Fender Frontman 25 bought used. Lots of cheapie odds and ends and used stuff not worth mentioning. If I lost this 360 I'd be sick for days, then get it replaced with another. The funny thing about this guitar and me is the fact that I honestly believe the Rickenbacker is the ugliest electric guitar ever made. I'm a sucker for the 60s sound of my youth. The classic Rickenbacker jangle. I Love the high end jangle of a rich tone guitar. When I went looking for a serious electric axe the Rics were far from the top of my list...ugly and, I thought, far out of my price range. It turns out that the Rics are the best priced guitars in their class. They're still ugly, but this is a top of the line instrument for a price that is just unbelievable compared to anything else. I went with the 360 '64 because the rounded edges and smaller horns aren't nearly as ugly as the sharp edged models. It still has the classic Ric look but it's not nearly has sharp and "horny" looking. The headstock isn't as bad as it used to be...I guess it's growing on me. I did a lot of research on electrics before I went with the Ric. This guitar beat everything else hands down. I wanted a blue one, but there were only 3 Ric dealers in my area at the time, and only 2 360s in stock between them. I went with the Maple finish, the other was black. My bass is black and it always looks dirty and shows every nick and ding. (It's 17 years old...it's got nicks and dings!) So I didn't even go to look at the black one...I knew I'd get it instead, and would wish I hadn't once the fist scratch showed up. Besides, no one should play a black Rickenbacker except John Lennon...Some things in my generation are just sacred like that. My next piece will be a Rickenbacker 4003 bass...now that beast is in a class of ugly all by itself...I might even get a black one.

Rickenbacker guitars feature one volume and one tone knob for each of it's two single coil pickups. A two tier adjustable pickguard and a "blend" knob to balance the pickups. Also a toggle switch for pickup selection. My 360's color is Fireglo and is a 1997 model. I traded my 1982 Les Paul Standard for it, as the "Paul" really did not fit my playing style. I was not sure of the trade entirely until I recieved it in the mail. You see, I found someone through the classified section of this web site who was willing to trade their mint condition Ric for my relatively used Les Paul Standard in Tobacco Burst Finish. The prestige of owning a Les Paul was more satisfying that actually playing it but I would be lying if I said I didn't miss it. For Live applications it was just too heavy for me. Okay, Now that I have tried to justify the trade, let me give you the run down of the Ric. It is a tonal monster! I have found this guitar to have the highest level of "fun factor" as compared to most of the guitars I have played since I started which, by the way, is approximately 16 years. I mostly enjoyed stratocasters but this Ric has really opened my musical palette to new levels.

The sound is rich and springy. Almost piano like at times. I noticed that the common agreement was that you cannot solo on a Ric as the neck is too thin. Well the neck is thin, but give me a break! I am not the big solo'er, but I have no problems attempting it. Clean, it sounds very rich and well defined. Snappy and punctual. Resposive and "woodsy". I love the sound! With distortion you can have all kinds of fun. It sounds very saturated and full. I like to play The Smiths, Cocteau Twins, Beatles, R.E.M., Radio Head, Aimee Mann, just to name a few of my favorites as well as many of my own compositions and this Rickenbacker fits the bill nicely! It almost has a "chorus" like sound even without any effects. It is very "alive".

The finish is amazing. Very well done. The hardware is unlike any other guitar, so I must not try to compare it to others. However, the bridge is quite bizarre as it seems so basic. So simple it almost seems inadequate but it certainly works just fine. The rosewood finger board is high gloss and the grain that shows through is beautiful. The guitar is comfortable and well balanced, light and resonant. Wonderfull!

No problems yet. As with any instrument, you just have to look after it. Overall it seems very sturdy and well made.

I have only called them once and that was for a catalog in which they were very prompt in sending.

Love it! If you are considering a new guitar, I would definately suggest checking out a Rickenbacker. They really are quite different which is refreshing in a world of redundant choices. These guitars have been around a long time and playing one sounds somewhat familiar (Gee, I wonder why?) The sounds that come out of a Ric are beautiful, original and yet new. Enjoy!

This Rickenbacker 6 string has 24 frets, solid carved maple top, maple back, maple/mahogany neck, bound rosewood fingerboard, two hi-gain pickups, three-way selector switch, tone/volume for each PU, and the famous fifth knob. The fireglow finish is impeccible and the chrome hardware is neatly machined. Pictures do not do this guitar justice. It is gorgeous. The "R" tailpiece and adjustable bridge are definitely top of the line. The attention to detail is simply beyond belief for a guitar that sells for around $1000. The supplied SKB style case is perfect--very sturdy and sporty. How about including the Ric-O-Sound cable and box with this guitar? This guitar comes with Schaller tuning machines and a nifty dual truss-rod system.

I compose and record my own music--mostly pop/rock with a bit of folk and blues thrown in for variety. My favorite artists include the Beatles, Blues Traveler, Muddy Waters, Sunny Terry & Brownie McGee, Nirvana. This guitar suits my style well. I have an extensive pedalboard, but I like to run this guitar direct to the clean channel on my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe with a Celestion V 30 speaker. It chimes like the 60s with the tone controls at 12 o'clock and the reverb set to 5--beautiful! Through the drive channel, it quacks nicely, without losing its personality. This is not a high-gain metal guitar, but with some creative use of the volume and tone controls and a little patience with amp settings, you can get this guitar to go from the most beautiful zingy rhythm sounds to a chunky blues growl--outstanding.
I often run my 360 through a Boss DD-5 digital delay with a 300 MS delay and use an aggressive muted flatpick with my right palm muting the strings just above the bridge. The 360 really responds well, emitting a haunting sound that I cannot get from my Tele or Strat. Very cool!

I ordered this guitar by mail. It arrived neatly double boxed, just like it left the factory. The setup was nearly perfect. I did not like the supplied strings, so I replaced them with D'Addario .10s. This improved the sound and feel of the guitar. The string height and intonation were right on. The hardware is top notch.
This Ric is extremely comfortable to play with its rounded top edges and bound fingerboard. I have small hands, so the compact Ric neck suits me well. The action is great, and the finish on the neck, while a bit sticky when brand new, broke in very nicely. It is now comfortably slick with a satiny feel. The 360 with its semi-chambered body is very light and does not stress my neck and back like my Tele reissue or my Les Paul. I can play this guitar for hours without a break.
The Fireglow finish is truly a work of art. The maple woodgrain on the body shows up well; the laquered rosewood fretboard is equally well dressed. Of the many guitars that I have owned in the last 30 years, this one is the best in terms of action, fit and finish.

This guitar should hold up well. I've seen 35 year-old Rics with Fireglow finishes that look terrific! The whole package is tremedously solid. I have always gigged without backups--no concerns with this guitar.

With lifetime warranties a standard among elite guitar manufacturers, the 5 year Ric warranty seems a bit weak!
I have had no experience in dealing with the company.

I own several guitars including a 52 Telecaster reissue, a Standard Strat with Fat 50s pickups, a Godin Radiator, and a heavily upgraded Les Paul 100. This is the best of the lot in terms of quality. I love the sound too. Some days it is my favorite sounding guitar. Other days it may run second or third behind my Tele and Strat. When all of the stars are aligned perfectly--my amp is running sweetly, I am playing in a nice acoustic environment, and the sound guy has the band mixed really well--the sound of this guitar will make you weep with joy! Other times it might sound irritatingly chunky and bottom heavy. On an average day, it has alot of zing and chime that people who know nothing about guitar sound really like. I get tons of comments about the sound of this guitar by non-guitarists. I rarely get comments about the sound of my Tele or Strat.
My main amp is a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe with a Celestion V 30 speaker. This is a great match for the 360 especially the clean channel. I would buy this guitar again if it were lost or stolen.
Compared with PRS and Gibsons, this guitar is a tremendous value for an American handmade instrument. You have to like the sound of the Ric too--it is an acquired taste, kind of like good single malt Highland Scotch.
I hung this guitar on the wall of my home studio/home theatre room next to my 52 Tele Reissue and my old Martin D-18. It's a real showstopper when people come to visit. I love talking about guitars to non-guitarists, and they always ask about the Rickenbacker!

1991 Made in the USA. Fire Glo in colour, with the normal 5 knobs and switch. It has the pickups with the screw heads, although I prefer the reissue look. The double cutaway body is in reasonable condition although the previous owner has not taken really great care with it. The guitar smells like bars and smoke, so I gather it's had a working career. I really like the way the body is rounded on top and bound at the back, and it it feels so great when you put it on. It just nestles uunder my arm feels really good.

I just cant believe the amount of tone you can get from this thing! You can have it on one setting then change your right hand position to move it further up the neck and the sound changes complately! I love the jangle sound, but there's so much more you can do.

I bought the guitar from a hock shop in Florida on Ebay. After it arrived in Sydney I had to have it set up for me. The ric o sound jack had come loose.

looks solid enough to last. I worry about the binding on the edge of the neck, it looks like it's already come from a vintage guitar! The finish looks well applied and te laminate on the neck will be there for a long time.

Dont know Rckenbacker only have agents in Sydney

I have been playing since I was 13. I'm now 43, I still play every day and even have a band with my kids! My other instruments include a 66 Tele, an EMG fitted Strat, Yamaha Electric/acoustic (for work), a Gilet OO acoustic (from one of the best luthiers in Australia), and a Seagull Grand which is an acoustic with a tiny body (I think its referred to as a parlour guitar) but a great sound. My favourite? Depends on my mood but I love 'em all! I haven't had the Ric long, but it's becoming a favourite. I think its a really unique instrument. One of things I'll always remember was that the first rock and roll band I ever saw had a lead singer who played a Ric. I think for the money I paid its a great guitar.

This is an American made 1990 Rickenbacker 360 guitar. It has a hollow body with a carved maple top and sides and a two-peice Laminated back. It is in the high-gloss "JetGlo" black finish. The comfortable and thin neck is made from a 7 peice laminate of shedua (I think that's what it's called) and maple and has Rickenbacker's patented double truss-rod. The fretboard is a heavily laminated Brazilian rosewood, which hasn't been stained darker like on alot of rosewood fretboards, it has triangle shaped position markers inayed on the front and cream colored binding on the sides (which was probably white at one time). There are 24 frets and a graphite nut. The neck joint is set in, halfway into the body as a matter of fact, you can see it by looking inside the "cat's eye" shaped soundhole, which is also bound. There is also binding around where the top meets the back. The way the top is carved is kinda rounded, and attaches right to the flat back. There are two cutaways, which are also rounded-off giving it its own distinctive look. The bridge is adjustable, similar to a Gibson tune-o-matic, just larger, and with better height adjustment. The strings are anchored to a large metal trapeze tailpeice with a giant letter "R" on it. The tuners are Schallers with the "snake" logo on them, and read "made in W. Germany" which also showes the guitar's age, old yes, but the tuning is smooth. There are two pickups of Rickenbacker's Hi-Gain variety, which are not routed into the body, but are attached right to the top, and rubber grommets seperate the pickup's casing from the body. The controls are located on the two-layer pickguard, which is another trademark of Rickenbacker; there area selector switch and 5 knobs: two volume, two tone and one master tone, which work wonders with Rick-o-sound (so I've heard.) All around the guitar is neat looking, the 360's appearance hasn't changed since 1969. And the hardshell case that comes with all Rickenbackers is also beautiful, but the silver ones of the '60's and modern reissues is supposed to be nicer.

The Rickenbacker sound is more than just the Byrds "jangle" that everyone knows. It can do alot of things. Pete Townshend of The Who, Peter Buck of R.E.M., The Edge of U2, Paul Weller of The Jam and The Style Council played various Rickenbacker models and use them for about a million different sounds. They have a great distorted sound, like no other guitar, just it's difficult to drive up an amp without a pedal, due to the low-output of the pickups. I, right now use a vintage (I'd call 1963 VINTAGE)Kay amp with a cheap Aria distortion pedal. The sounds are useful, especially since the artists I mentioned earlier are among my heroes. The distorted sound is punchy, and is hard to really describe. Alot of different tricks can be used to harness the distortion, The Edge tunes down a half-step, Peter Buck tunes the first string down to a D, Pete Townshend shook the guitar and played with the amp's knobs and did things too squeeze more feedback out. The clean sounds are brilliant, Townshend and Buck used them alot, although Townshend preferred using the 12-string for clean. Many have said it, and I'll repeat it, Rickenbackers can do it all.

I wouldn't know about the factory, this guitar hasn't seen the factory in 9 years. I bought it mail-order thru a shop in New York City. It came to me set-up well, I just lowered the action a little, with Rickenbackers, low action is what you want, I got my action a hair under an eighth of an inch over the fretboard, and it can go lower. As for the condition of the guitar, it has a couple small dings and one noticible scratch (you don't see the scratch now that I put a sticker over it, now it looks just like Peter Buck's 1982 Ric 360.) Everything else is fine. The guitar barely feels broken in.

This guitar has seen 9 years of various stuff. I wish it could talk, I wonder if its previous owner played any gigs with it. It seems to have seen alot of play time, but it was taken good care of. I have taken immaculate care of it myself. Everything seems solid and trustworthy. Peter Buck's favorite Ric has seen about 18 years of use. I'm sure mine will come close to that. I'd probably switch between it and another guitar if I tour, but that's becasuse I may want a vibrato on some songs, or a different tuning. Knowing me, by then I'd probably own another Rickenbacker for that purpose.

I don't think there's any warranty now. I take good care of my guitars, if It needed repairs, God forbid, I hope it's something electrical or a refret, or something I can do myself, I'm considering replacing the pickguard, it's kinda dirty around the knobs, it doesn't seem to come clean. Maybe I'll take it off and scrub it when I change the strings.

I've been playing for about 5 years. I've owned the majority of the cheap and/or unknown brands. Here's some examples: I currently own a Karera Rickenbacker 330 copy (it's junk compared to this), a Squier Strat, a Squier Tele, and an old Kyomei classical-style accoustic. I have owned a Hohner Les Paul copy, a Kent Gibson SG copy, a Memphis Precision bass copy, a Harmony accoustic and an Aria accoustic. As you can tell, a wide varitey of junkers, clunkers and crap. This is the first name-brand guitar I've ever owned. I'm proud of it, and I love it, I don't regret getting it. I regret getting the copy, but I can modify that to be more user-friendly. I have wanted a Rickenbacker since before I ever learned to play. The sight of The Who's "Maximum R&B" poster with Townshend windmilling on a modified 1997 SPC is famous. I can give many reasons that I chose this guitar. The feel, the sound, the weight, I didn't know jack squat about when I fell in love with them. Now that I do. I love it even more. If I was ever to lose this guitar, I wouldn't buy a new one, I'd buy a gun, and hunt down the person who stole it. Nothing can express my love for this guitar.