Rickenbacker 450/12

Mine is a '79 450/12. It's white - not sure what Rick called white finish, "boneglo" maybe? - which has faded to a nice ivory-yellow tone. With black pickguard. It has the '70's "hi-gain" pickups, three-way switch, two volume and two tone knobs, Kluson Deluxe tuners (just like an old Fender), and that mindbending 90 degree alternating 6-per side tuning machine setup that takes getting used to, to say the lease (which string am I tuning again?!?).

Solid body, neck-through construction like many Ricks, and rosewood fingerboard about half an inch deep (really). The neck is narrow like most Ricks but not insanely skinny, and satisfyingly deep.

Bascially there aren't any "features" besides having 12 strings and "that sound."

Note that Ricks set their 12 strings up differently from most - the heavy or "regular" string is bass (top) side so when you strum down you hit it first rather than the octave (skinny) string, as on most other 12 string setups. This makes a noticeably different, disctinctive sound.

ONE WORD OF WARNING: you basically need three hands (or two hands and a foot) or a specialized set of magic tools or something and lots and lots of patience to restring this puppy. Seriously - it will take you an HOUR the first time you do it, and it doesn't get much easier the next time, though you learn a trick or two, which I'll share below. Most Ricks are complicated, metal-parts-wise..it gets annoying to have bridges, tailpieces, and so on falling on the floor as you scrabble to try and replace strings and curse Rick for inventing a tailpiece that hooks on with a little c-shaped hook designed to let go instantly once all the strings are off...

This one has a bridge that will fall off and that's it, but it's got its own little trick: there are SIX keyhole-shaped holes in the tailpiece to hook the string ball-ends into. That means you get one string in there (say the low E .46), hold it down while you wind it up at the machine - it will inevitably pop out a few times until you learn how to use your foot, or masking tape, or uncomfortable string-tension hand position to keep it in place while you crank up the tension so it's seated. Fine, a fwe minutes longer than normal and you've got one string in! Now you've got to get the octave low E (.26) in there - and you'll discover the ball end won't fit into the little keyhole now that the ball end of the OTHER string has slid up in the groove under tension! Craptacular, you've got to undo or seriously loosen the string you just did to get this one in...and more often than not when you do that, they both pop out, and you're ready to take the damn thing back and trade it for a tambourine.

So, the trick is to stick BOTH of the paired strings in at once and use your foot, tape, soft heavy object, or your Zaphod Beeblebrox style extra arm to somehow hold tension on/keep the other one down in the slot while you wind up the first one. It's a pain in the butt, trust me, especially if you don't have a friend or useful item handy and need to adopt the Guitar Yoga post known as Awkward Rickenbacker Three Legged Dog.

Oh - and the six tuners that go at 90 degrees into half-dug slots in the headstock (it would have been much easier if the slot went through, though I guess the headsock wouldn't be as strong) will present their own little threading and winding issues. Wait till you want to get those strings OUT and you realise the crimped and wound-up ends are stuck in that little narrow slot and don't want to come out...

And finally..if you use a string-winder to more quickly wind up your strings (and why wouldn't you?) you'll find it extra annoying that since there are 6 tuners per side, pointing at each other at 90 degrees and close together, you have to turn the one or two right next to whatever string you're winding up to be able to turn the winder - and if the head of your winder is just a hair too big, you won't be able to

I play all kinds of stuff and always wanted a 12 string. I had a Fender 12 for a while but got rid of it foolishly a long while back.

This sounds like a Rick 12 string, period. You know what it sounds like if you've heard anything by The Byrds - this isn't the 360 (semihollow) or other semihollow models McGuinn & Crosby used, but you'd never know from hearing this plugged in. It's that sound, in a smaller body.

It's bright and jangly and rich, like almost organ-like on the harmonics - not much bass out of this guitar, but that's the point. The bridge pickup has little output on its own (and no bass); the neck one, strangely, is softer sounding on its own than I'd expect; By far the best sound is the two pickups together, a sound I genrally hate on any other guitars but always seems to be magic on Ricks.

That's what it does, and that's the only reason to get one. You'll either sneer "sixties hippy crud!" or fall in love and have to have it.

Bridge/neck/action setup is perfect - and I doubt it's been seen to in years. This guitar has a compensated, fixed intonation bridge (one piece that you can move up and down, but no saddles). It's set up right for the gauges 10/10, 13/13, 17/9, 26/12, 36/18, 46/26w and intonates all the way up. It plays great, very easy and surprisingly you can fit your fingers in there with the narrow neck and 12 strings, though it takes some getting used to (and precision).

One posible problem with these is the high-gain pickups have rounded polepieces that stick up - if your action is all the way down you may find the high strings come very close or even hit the pole pieces of the bridge pickup when you play up the neck, even with the pickup cranked all the way down - you may have to open it up and fiddle with it (shorten the spring, find a different screw, etc) to move the pickup down the hair needed. If you are dealing with anolder one with toaster-top pickups (which are flat on top_ or you're likely to swap the pickups out for toaster tops (for lower output, sweeter sound) you won't have that problem.

There's basically nothing to adjust beyond moving the bridge up or down.

Ricks look delicate but they're emphatically not - proof being that it took Pete Townshend more than one gig to wreck most of his 330's & 360's back in the day, and he was ramming them through speaker cabinets and bashing them against the cieling. There's a lot of laminated wood involved, and that makes for fine furniture and longevity.

I can't see what could go wrong with this thing. Tuners are solid, finish is old and yellowed but isn't going anywhere, it's small and compact and there's really nothing to worry about.

never dealt with them.

a grat way to get that Rick 12 string sound wihtout the extra money (and bigger body) of a 330 or 260 model. Cool-looking guitar, indestructable, and sounds like a mint.

My guitar is a 1965 450-12 fireglo neckthru unbound solidbody,dot fret markers,maple neck, which I purchased used in 1966 for $150.00(actually $125.00 and the trade of my Japanese HyLo Strat copy.)This model was last produced in the early 80's as I understand.
It is basically stock today with the only changes being the replacement of 6 of the 12 Kluson tuners for better stability. Came with the famous dual toaster single coil pickup configuration. Two volumn & 2 tone controls in mono wiring. Stop tailpiece design.

As some people have pointed out, this guitar is a little limited on versatility but excels at the sound it was intended for. It's purely a classic/country/alternative rock instrument not intended to bash in anyones face, rather projects a rich 12 string tone on the bright side. At one time I used it as a 6 string and it was suitable for the styles of music mentioned above. I liked to use it with my 65 tube Vox Cambridge or my 66 Fender Bandmaster depending on the size of the room. I've found over the years that it projects best with medium gauge strings.

I have believed & still believe that Rickenbacker has the most consistent quality in the industry (with all due respect to PRS). I also own a 1991 mapleglo 360 and a 1993 midnight blue 620. The later guitars are stereo wired with newer style pole piece pickups. The finishes on these guitars are phenomenal but the 450-12 vintage fireglo is most impressive. The finish on the backside of the 450 neck is pretty much gone between the 3rd & 15th frets but it's been fun getting there. The neckthru design produces excellent sustain and eliminates almost any chance of warpage. All controls and selector still work like day one.As mentioned I have replaced 6 of the 12 Klusons for better tuning stability.

They don't make them like this anymore-unless your Ric. With the exception of the 6 replaced Klusons and an occasional cleaning of the input jack(because it sits for long periods
it's rock solid. I had the frets done back in 1977 and I toucked them up myself again in 1997. I used it as a 6 string in the 70's without a backup-couldn't afford one then but didn't really need one.

Ric is not always the fastest but they will see things thru. A former bandmate, also with a 450, had a small crack in his body/neck joint which he sent back for repair. 3 months later he received a new 450. I don't think Ric likes any factory flaws floating around.They are meticulous if not timely.

After 39 years only my beloved Vox Cambridge means as much to me as this axe. It's my Blackie.

This model was available from 1964 - 1985. I bought this one second-hand and it is a 1973 mapleglo. It's a through body neck, solid body in the Rickenbacker cresting wave shape. It has two toaster pick-ups on a large white scratchplate with two volume and two tone controls with a three-way toggle switch. The output jack is mono and mounted on the scratchplate. The neck has a rosewood top with thin frets and is fitted with Kluson deluxe tuners.

The sound is suprisingly good, much better than my 360/12v64. The neck pick-up on its own is a bit muffled but both together give a raunchy vintage Ric sound. There's not much variety, it just does one job, perfectly.

This is a beautifully made guitar and has lasted really well. The neck is straight, without any twist and the action is low. If I felt happy tweeking the early style double truss rods I might attempt to set up the neck more to my liking, but I don't so I'll get used to it as it is. My only criticism is the bridge/tailpiece where you have to fit two strings into one slot - I keep expecting them to slip out anytime. Otherwise, flawless.

It has already stood the test of time and will last forever

I've heard varied reports about Rickenbacker support but I've never had to deal with them. I guess if they're approached in a reasonable way they will respond likewise.

I'm not a guitarist, just a bassist but for me Rickenbacker have never been surpassed in whatever they make, their 12 strings being the ultimate. If I lost this 450/12 I would certainly look for either another or maybe a 600 series.