Rickenbacker 650D Dakota

This one will take a while to read, but stay with me, there's a lot to say about this guitar! I'll be quick with the boring details and take my time with the good shit.
Maple neck-through, walnut wings, 2 humbucker, 2v 2t 3way toggle, hardtail with rollers, 24 fret 24 3/4" scale. Love the cresting wave body, a great mix of classic and contemporary. Most interesting about this guitar, with a thin and small body (only 12" long, 1 1/4" thick) that meets the fretboard at the 24th fret, a thick neck (made even heavier with a second truss rod) and a big headstock, this guitar follows the recipe for what should an awkward and neck-heavy nightmare of an instrument. You'd expect it to swing down and take out a knee-cap with the headstock should you let go of the neck while standing with a strap. Surprisingly, it's very well balanced! And very comfortable to play. The overall design is very simple, it lacks nothing and has nothing unnecessary.

Though Rickenbacker claims the humbuckers to be high output, they're much less output than my P90 equipped guitars, and a small fraction of what you'll find from high output humbuckers. However, they are DEAD SILENT. I've killed my noise gates completely while recording, can give my amps a bit more gain, might even have to boost my compressors a bit. I get some beautiful sounds from this guitar while clean. Distorted, the pickups lose some clarity but still sing. This guitar sounds amazing through a Fender Twin Reverb, with a little tremolo and reverb, and with enough gain for a touch of overdrive. You really have to take the time to find the right sounds from this one, it isn't obvious and it doesn't do the work for you. Not a guitar for the lazy.

Many companies use the term "Hand-Crafted" when there is very little if anything really done by hand. In most cases it means "Machine Made EVERYTHING, but Assembled By Hand". I don't claim Rickenbacker does everything by hand (if that was the case, this guitar would carry a much larger price tag), but there are signs that point to some real labor hours and human attention going into this instrument. It is hand finished for starters, an attractive raw and natural finish at that. And there are tool marks and imperfections, though barely detectable by even a trained eye, which suggest skilled human labor. Then there's the serial number hand-written in pencil with a worker's initials inside the control cavity.
Out of the box it plays fine. Take a little extra time to tweak it and set it up for yourself, and you'll be blown away.

The raw finish won't stay new forever, but it will age gracefully and show signs of its use. The hardware is perfect. I hope the second truss rod will minimize the need for seasonal adjustment, but I've only had this guitar 2 weeks or so, I can't predict its long-term wear or maintenance needs.

Played over 15 years, touring professional musician. I look for an instrument's ability to inspire a unique song, not it's ability to do the work for me. If you're lazy, buy an Ibanez or an ESP. If you want a complex and unique instrument, this might be the one for you.

The main feature of this guitar for me is the Rick "cresting wave" body shape. This is about my favorite guitar shape of all time. The fretboard finish is satin rather than the typical Rick gloss, so it feels and plays better than other Ricks.

The stock guitar sounds good, but I was missing that classic Rick sound. So I bought a Rick "High Output" single coil pickup for the bridge pickup from Pick-O-the-Ricks. It drops right in and the soldering was easy. I checked that the wiring diagrams are exactly the same on the humbucker and single coil 600 series guitars.

The sound is now mucho more versatile. I can get that classic Rick bridge pickup sound. Switch on both pickups and I now have a quacky out-of-phase sound that really puts out the funk. And the neck pickup has that darker bluesy humbucker lead sound. Lots-O-choices.

I give it a 7 without the mods and a 9 with.

This is a beautiful guitar. Everything works tight and smooth. The neck is more of a "players" neck than other Ricks. But, as delivered, the low E wanted to keep dropping off the fretboard when fretted. I was able to adjust the bridge roller inward so that the string stopped dropping off, but it seems that the nut groove for the low E string was cut a hair too far outboard.

Seems well made.

No Opinion. Wiring diagrams are available at the Rick website.

This is my favorite guitar body shape and would make anyone stand out in the field of strats. I wasn't real crazy about the stock bridge humbucker pickup, but installing the Rick single coil bridge did the trick for me. Now it sounds like Rock-n-roll.

This review is for a 2002 model, bought used 2005. People have already listed the features. The bridge makes it very easy to change strings and is easy to adjust each string in 3 directions (height, length, position across the neck). An attractive case is included; the case itself looks strong but the catches on mine are a little unconvincing for only 3 years old (maybe the seller swapped the case for an older one...). I love the shape and general appearance. Some reviewers have commented that the guitar is a pain to play seated, but I haven't found that at all - it is entirely comfortable seated or standing.

Sounds fabulous for the mid-range price. Both humbucking pickups sound good and fat, clean or overdriven. Not dissimilar to a Les Paul, and quite unlike traditional Ricks. Playing it through Fender Blues Junior, sometimes with a EHX Hot Tubes; seems to suit these very well. Mine came with skinny-top/heavy-bottom strings on, which were not at all appropriate (couldn't hear anything apart from the bass string) - it's infinitely better on the regular 10->46 strings that it's now wearing.

My used one was a bit of a mess when I got it - string spacing uneven, action very low - but all the problems were simple to dial-out, using only the supplied allen key. A 10-minute job, even for inexperienced me. Once that was done, I've found it very easy to use and to play. Finish and appearance are great, particularly as it looks like nothing else. A few reviewers have suggested the neck is much too fat. I disagree - sure, it's on the fat side, but I like that. It's possible to fret the 6th string with the thumb, no problem. I don't have huge hands or anything, so most people should be fine.

The parts look good quality, though I've not had it long enough to be a real test. The oiled-wood finish requires more maintenance than a hard lacquer would, but that maintenance sounds easy. Locking strap buttons would help live security - if I had a locking strap!

In my 18 months of playing, this is the third guitar. I think this one will be around much longer than the other two. If it were stolen, I'd certainly like to get another, but they're awful hard to find in the UK.

24 fret rock maple neck and fingerboard. Neck thru body construction. Walnut body. Tung oiled finish. Two humbuckers with volume/tone for each. Three way selector switch. Schaller tuners, one piece bridge unit with adjustable sadles. Comes with a case.
The neck is fat and wide. It is what it is...and it's pretty cool!

Sound is very good via the Rickenbacker pickups. Good fat tone. Pretty quite. Agian...pretty cool here too.

Here's where the wary need to scrutinize. This is the 3rd Dakota 650 I've played. I ordered one from Musicians Friend in 2000 and when it arrived I sent it back due to poor fret work. It was as though someone ground them flat or something. When the replacement showed up it was a mess too. The walnut body had a major flaw in the grain...it was like a hole in the surface where it just had this end grain fiber just there...not the best quality control. I sent it back too. I told Musicians friend to just cancle the order and refund my money. I called Rickenbacker and the sales guy acted astonished as well he should have. He was at a loss to explain why this junk was out there. Well, 3 yrs pass and I need a hard tail guitar. I saw one on Ebay and won it. I must say this one is AWeSOME.
It playes and sounds great! Granted it is like nothing else around...the neck is huge...but it plays great. So...maybe the two from MusiciansFriend where blems they tried to pass off?

It's wicked solid. Built really well. The oiled finish can get dinged so care for it and it should be fine.

I havn't dealt with them since I told them the first two where abominations.

I want a second one! If I can find another good one I'll grab it. It's American Made, walnut thru body with a case. It is definately different. It's not like a Strat or LP, that's for sure, but so what? It's cool on it's own. I have it set up with really heavy strings, Ernie BAll not even slinky's...12 to 56. It's tuned down to a C and it really excels! I have 3 MusicMan Petrucci guitars, 2 six and a seven. This guitar augments my collection very well. I will get another and use it for more traditional tunings for sure! This is an under rated guitar. I can't believe they're not more popular. Maybe its that they're not always the best quality, at least in my experience.

Standard 650D in maple neck-thru design with walnut wings and oil finish and dual high output humbuckers. Twin tone and volume controls, allowing precise level and tone from each pickup giving many tonal flavors.

This is the best Rickenbacker I have ever heard. I agree with a previous owner that this guitar shines at hard, HARD country. More clarity than a Les Paul, and more body than a Tele or Strat. My father's old Gretsch with Filtertron toasters give it some competition, but the Ricky is cleaner and gutsier at the same time. The sound is fire and ice at the same time. Incredible versatility. As my father said, "This is the kind of guitar a guy could really get into". Somebody will someday become a legend with the 650D Rickenbacker. While more expensive guitars can match it overall, the 650D retains an unmistakeable character, separate from the classic Rickenbackers, separate from anything else. I think it sets the standard that others will have to aim for at its moderate price. All the cheaper imports are lacking in character that makes you want to play compared to this baby. Too bad these guitars are rarely seen hanging in shops, or they would be MUCH more popular. The Rickenbacker compressed roundwound strings are very good, and that's what I use. One other playing style this guitar would really shine at would be melodic heavy metal. It does a great job on classic rock, but its unique sound would tend to fit better within a developing genre that people are not totally set in their ways as to how it should sound. If this had been around in the early days of Rock 'n' Roll, Rickenbackers would be much more common in usage.

I will count off for the fret ends that will need to be filed flush with the fretboard after the maple seasons out. However, the frets have a high polish and bends are delightfully easy. The neck is fat and wide, and after getting used to it I wouldn't have it any other way. It will handle the heaviest strings with ease, and any action you want is easily available with a little tweaking. I wish the nut slots were cut deeper. I may have the nut filed a bit, but this one hasn't really given any problems yet. I like the minimal finish, and I'm sure it helps the tone a lot. The maple neck wood is very clear and straight grained. The neck has remained absolutely steady after an initial settling process that took nearly a year. Big humidity swings will need some truss rod tweaking, but that's it. I think the lack of graphite or metal reinforcement rods help give the guitar its woody character. I'll put up with an occasional truss rod tweak for that soul that the sound has. Don't forget to lightly sand the back of the neck with very fine sandpaper. You'll get a silky smooth feel that no guitar with a heavy finish can possibly match. Once you get the fret ends smoothed and the action set to your liking also, it becomes a guitar that begs to be played. Once I get one of those chromed nude female silhouettes installed on the upper wing like Peter Buck has on his Jetglo 360, It will be my perfect electric guitar.

Of all the guitars I ever played, this is most like a tank. In spite of all that, it is relatively light for being made of heavy hardwoods because the body is rather thin. The thin finish means you will have to protect it from humudity swings, but that's about all you need to look out for in comparison to any other electric. Pots and switch seem to be good quality.

Never had any warranty work done by them. It too a couple of days to get an email back on a question about another Rick guitar once. There are NO local or regional warranty facilities. After warranty expires, you must use local repair shops. The factory sells parts for owners who fix their own guitars. The prices seem reasonable.

This sets the standard in what I expect a $1000 or under guitar to live up to. I have dumped every other electric guitar but this one, and bought me a better tube amp and a Tacoma Chief acoustic guitar, also a kickass guitar for the price with a character all its own. I prefer this guitar to about all other more expensive Fenders, Gibsons, Gretsches, and Rickenbackers I ever played, if sound and character is the issue. You have to buy from one of the smaller companies to get a guitar that equals or exceeds it in character, but you'll probably pay at least twice as much. Its not as mass market feeling as what the big companies put out. I would buy this guitar again in a heartbeat, because any small warts it might have are totally eclipsed by its awesome sound and nice playing feel.

US-made one month ago (June 04), 24 frets, Walnut "wings on maple through-the-body neck (rubbed oil finish), 2HB pickups, 2 vol-2-tone, roller hardtail bridge, Schaller tuners. Came with case.

I play all styles, and it is able to accomodate. Even though I knew that it had humbuckers, and would not replicate a 330, at first, I was a little dissapointed that it didn't have the immediate "Ric" sound - but after fiddling with it, I was able to dial it in - both pickups on, with the neck PU backed off a little. There it was - the compressed chime. Then I was able to appreciate the other sounds it offered. By far the clearest and noiseless humbuckers I've ever played - it goes from bluesy lead on neck to biting on the bridge - but I think it really shines on chord work - the open chords on this baby are full and angelic. It definately has multiple personalities. Have played through my class A tube amp, SS combo as well as my digital recorder's amp simulation - shines on all.

The action was a little high, and will need the truss rods tweaked as well as possibly cutting down the nut slots a little on at least the outside strings - also nut is very square on corners, and will need some rounding off to be comfortable. Body is thin, but feels solid and will be comfortable to play for extended periods. The finish is nice, except for a small dent on the bottom edge near the jackplate - also walnut has a small knot located above the pickups which doesn't bother me, but might others - at a distance appears to be a ding or dent. Pickguard seems to be a little far from the strings, so that when I play, my right hand fingernails rub the wood between the guard and pickups - could wear at that spot, but then there is an method to take care of that (see next catagory). Case was a little dented on one end. Everything tight and solid.

Even though rubbing oil and sanding doesn't appeal to me for maintaining the finish, it is a unique method of repairing dings and scratches. I will try to avoid having any damage to deal with. Strap buttons are not straplocks like others have indicated, and seem a little thin. Aside from this, this is a guitar that is solid and can be depended on - it feels like one continuous piece of wood.

I called them to ask a basic question and was treated courteously. I have heard that you had better send in the warranty promptly to make it valid, and that the warranty period begins when manufactured, not when bought.

I've been playing for 40 years, and own quite a few guitars - G&L, Gretsch, DeArmond, Epiphone, Harmony to name a few. It is nearly impossible to play one of these before buying since few stores stock them, but I am overall very happy with it, and think it will turn into one of my favorties. It is nice to see an american-made guitar with nice woods at this price. I love the feel, sound and vibe of it. I am a little disappointed at the very minor adjustments that will need to be made, especially coming from the "gestapo" of the guitar world. They are a bit cocky in their attitude - but I can also see that they have filled a niche consistantly for many years. The Dakota is probably one of the most vesatile guitars they make, and aside from what may appear as complaints (they are just detailed observations - I wanted to be precise), I think it is destined to be a classic. I would definately buy another one, but hope that Rickenbacker doesn't try to push them out of the plant so fast that they become notorious for overlooking small problems. I know this is their cheapest guitar, but at least for me, $650 is not a drop in the bucket. A cool feature is the ability to coil tap/phase reverse these pickups. That would even make a versitile guitar even more so.

Dual Humbucker Rickenbacker, the first humbuckered Rickenbacker I ever played. Dual tone and volume controls for a lot of tonal variation. The tailpiece is a work of art.

It spanks. Bigtime! Never before heard a Rickenbacker sound like this one. Pickups are really quiet, so it plays high gain styles extremely well. These are some really clean sounding humbuckers! And the sustain is incredible for a plain maple neck.

Could be better, but very good for the price. I was able to achieve a very good setup and it plays great, as long as you like fat necked guitars, which I do. It's a really easy guitar to set up. The frets have a high polish and string bends are very smooth and easy.

There's nothing of significance that could break. It will probably outlast me by quite a bit. No neck reinforcement, but the neck is so fat that I don't think that's the least bit necessary.

??? Never used them.

This guitar should lay to rest the idea that Rickenbackers aren't exactly tone versatile guitars. It rocks really hard! I think it's best for classic rock and hard country, but wouldn't be afraid to try anything with it. Fender and Gibson better get their heads out of their rumps, because they have no competition for this guitar at anywhere near the price. Compare every other passive humbucker solid body guitar near this price to this one, because I think it sets a standard for American production instruments at the low price end.

Dual humbucker guitar with dual volume and tone controls.

The pickups are quiet and have a very wide tonal range. Sustain is very good. About the cleanest sounding humbuckered guitar I have ever heard. This one really IS different! Whoever said Rickenbackers are One Trick Ponies has obviously never played a 650D. This is the kind of guitar you should really spend some time with and get to know.

Very good for an economical production built guitar. RIC builds in smaller quantities than the other two major U.S. manufacturers and uses all USA components except for the tuning keys. You can get any action you want. The neck is very sturdy and will support the heaviest strings. You will need to file the fret ends after the neck seasons out, then there should be no problems for years. I think the light finish has a lot to do with the bright, clear, rich tone. Use a small piece of ultra fine wet or dry sandpaper to give the neck an ultra fast and smooth finish. It's better feeling than any gloss coated neck. This guitar only suffers in comparison with really expensive ones, and that's only the finish. The tone stands up against anything.

Can't see anything major going wrong. Schaller strap locks are standard, which is unusual in an American guitar at this low of a price. This guitar should last a lifetime.

Don't deal with them after warranty expires, except for parts. They are honest, but don't have much time for you except for spare parts. Warranty is full of loopholes.

It's not perfect, it's just the best guitar you can get that's American made at this price, and you really should compare it to anything else made in the USA that sells for about twice as much or more. I like it better than any Strat or Les Paul I ever played. I can't understand why these guitars aren't a lot more popular than they are. Joe Walsh has the good sense to play one in concert. Don't for one minute think that the low end Fenders and Gibsons sound as good as this Rickenbacker. I'll even take this over any of the more expensive Rickenbackers, except for possibly the 380L which also has humbuckers and I haven't heard yet. It's just a simple little kickass guitar.

USA made, neck through body construction, walnut body,24 fret neck. I have played Rickenbackers for over a decade and I can positively say that this guitar is unlike ANYTHING ever produced by the company.
For starters, this guitar has high-output humbuckers (yes, you read that right!) instead of the standard Rick single-coils more commonly found on their instruments. It also has the standard 3-way pickup selector switch and four-knob layout with no "blend" control, which is another common feature on other Rickenbackers.
Last but not least, the 650 series has a special roller bridge that greatly improves the sustain. All of these new features make the guitar much more suited for playing hard rock and even heavy metal, which makes the guitar that much more versatile than most other Rickenbacker models. I give this guitar a high rating for features because, although it doesn't have a lot of them, the ones that it does have work exceptionally well with this guitar.

This guitar sounds amazing! I will admit to being a bit skeptical about ordering the 650D after reading the rather mixed reviews of it, but after receiving mine, I was pleasantly surprised with it.
I have a Rick 360 that I dearly love, and I was unsure about the way the humbuckers would sound. Well, I think they sound great. They have all of the versatility of the Rick single coils, but it is possible to get a Gibson-ish fatter tone, with them. The sound is very well-rounded and it is possible to get infinite sustain by selecting the neck pickup.
These pickups are also VERY quiet. It is virtually impossible to tell that the guitar is even plugged in until you strum it. Flick the pickup selector to the middle position, and it is possible to get that classic Rick "jangle" they are known for.
I like these pickups so much that I am going to have a set installed in my prized 360, if that says anything.

The factory setup was flawless, as with every Rickenbacker I have ever owned. The neck is wider than most other Rick models, which is much better for leads. Since I have large hands, this neck fits me much better than the slim neck on my Rick 360. The finish was also flawless. The tung-oil finish (another departure from other Rickenbackers) makes the guitar more resonant. It also looks very nice and give the guitar a custom-made look.
My only gripe with the guitar was the area around the pickups. I noticed a slight gap between the pickups and the routing, but you would have to look closely to find it. Still, for a handmade instrument, I think this area should have been perfect. But that is just my opinion.
Still a well-made instrument overall, even better than some guitars that cost twice as much.

I have played this guitar through quite a few rehearsals and it stays in tune very well. Like every other Rick I have owned, this one is built to last. I could easily take this guitar to a gig without a backup (I plan on it!)
I feel that I can totally trust this guitar. Enough said.

I have never had to deal with them.

I have been playing guitar since I was 10, and I have owned or played jsut about every kind of guitar imaginable. My other guitars are a fireglo Rickenacker 360, a Gibson SG Standard and a Cherry Red Gibson Flying V. The 360 was my favorite guitar, but the purchase of the 650D changed all of that. I play mostly classic rock and melodic hard rocking originals, and the 650D covers any playing style I have thrown at it (I also dabble in jazz and country as well). I love everything about this guitar, and if it were lost or stolen, I would buy another one in a heartbeat. I was TOTALLY ready to send this thing back after some of the reviews I have read on this site, but soon after playing it, I can honestly say that I was blown away. This guitar is far and away the best deal out there in a solidbody electric guitar. This guitar looks, plays and sounds better than most guitars that cost twice as much. If you are looking for a great deal in a totally USA made guitar, and don't want to play what everyone else is playing (Gibson, Fender, PRS, etc.), then this is your guitar!

What more could you possible need, unless you are poor player that cannot make guitar do it's thing? Maybe you would need a tremolo, but that is available from factory as option. Best feature is that all RIC pickups come in standard size and you can outfit it with any current RIC guitar pickup of your choice.

This is very versatile guitar. I use mine in modern metal playing mostly, but it will do country, jazz, pop, alt rock, or classical rock styles as well. Pickups are very quiet which allow high gain playing style which is central to all metal styles. I see no music style that this guitar could not make positive contribution. The sound is somewhere between what you normally expect a single coil or humbucker to sound like, and that is what gives this amazing simple guitar it's chameleon character. I will not say it is very best sound to be had from electric guitar, but I believe it is unique and has widest application of any electric guitar I have ever played. Is this the most eclectic electric?

Again, finish is very simple, but very attractive, easy to be repaired, economical, and lending to best possible tone to be had. Only "girly men" needing external affirmation due to perceived internalized inadequacies would need to go to over priced guitars that offer less or same performance just for sake of public approval from those who know nothing of music gear. The natural finish fits an image reflecting the primal nature of this guitar and enhances the perception of our progressive metal band as a modern incarnation of ancient aesthetics. Well known guitars ruin the image, as it draws preconceived notions into the mind of the audience. The wood is hard and easily kept in attractive condition due to tung oil finish. In one of our best songs, "Gorey Road to Valhalla", both I and the other guitarist, as well as the bass player, swing our guitars like battle axes and strike them against each other on the backside. We have a thin layer of very hard foam for cushioning on the backside, but of course small dents will occur. There is no sign of cracking or failure in the guitar body after hundreds of performances, and of course the sound of impact is beyond belief! The action holds up very well during our very harsh treatment during performances. We have ruined several lesser guitars, and I tell you that a Les Paul or copy due to it's intricate nature of construction is too delicate for this type of treatment. A true metal guitar must survive the type of treatment that the music demands. The natural tung oil finish is pefect for our purposes. The bass player uses a Peavey bass in natural finish, and both instruments stay good looking according to the abuse they must endure. One thing that I had to correct was the "Gumby" shape headstock. My Uncle Nordahl in his woodshop converted the headstock to look similar to that on a 4001C64S bass, and now it is more fitting to the design of the body and the image needed for the band, while still being of a Rickenbacker form. I felt the headstock out of style with the rest of the instrument, but now it is perfect.

Our band attempts to combine the technical artistry of groups like Opeth and Bathory with the live visual impact of Rammstein. We are the type of band where the lead singer sets himself on fire (in Nomex suit, of course, that is worn beneath stage clothing) during our song "Immolation".Our equipment is tools that we care a lot about and respect for it's technical achievement, but we must place our tools at the service of our art and the tools must adapt to our art, and not the other way around. We cannot afford to replace equipment often, so only the most durable is chosen and remains in the band only after proving itself in fully realistic practice sessions. The 650D is among the very best due to it's

We are too far from California to ship our instruments for repair. We have nothing that we cannot repair ourselves or by use of local technicians. We have friends of the band that are extremely skilled craftsmen and we support each other without reservation. It is our way of life, and we live it like we express it in our music. The only support we ask is equipment that is meant to endure for a reasonable length of time under severe performance conditions.

Everyone in the band has been playing music for 10-15 years. We have seen lots of equipment that was poorly designed and could not withstand professional use as well as did not live up to it's reputation. Why the 650D is notused by many professionals in it's country of origin is something we cannot understand. The other guitar mainly used in the band is the Peavey EVH Wolfgang Special EXP, and it also has dual humbuckers with a solid maple neck and simple construction. The 650D is the best American made guitar for the price, and a better guitar than many of it's over rated more famous competitors that cost more.