Rickenbacker 650D Dakota

American made Rickenbacker 650D, tung oil finish, chrome hardware. 2 volume, 2 tone controls. 2 "mini" humbuckers. Ric hardshell case included.

This guitar sounds absolutely amazing. I am in two bands: one plays Steve Earle type alt-country, and the other plays Live/Candlebox type rock and this guitar sounds great for both. Clean, overdriven, whatever...Great sound. I play it through a Tech 21 Power Engine 60 with a Tech 21 Sansamp Tri-AC preamp, and an Electro Harmonix Holy Grail reverb unit.

This guitar came out of the box ready to play. It was set up in the factory, and perfectly I might add. Pickups adjusted well, frets in great shape. A note on the factory strings: USE THEM! I use only the Rickenbacker strings made for 6 strings and they are an absolute perfect match. I had a little trouble finding the strings, but I did.
You must realize the neck is REALLY fat. I was at first very disappointed in this, but after a few hours playing it I couldn't tell the difference. I have small hands and the neck still seems to just hug into them. Iread an earlier review of a guy who sent his back in a few hours because of the neck, but it really takes a couple days to get used to it. The market has just been littered with flat,thin necks for too long.

This guitar is built well, with not a lot of "loose" parts to fail you. It is stripped down, bare bones, and built like a tank. The finish is tung oil, so as long as you reapply the polish every once in awhile it should stay great. The strap buttons are small, so if you play a wide strap or one with big strap holes, you may want to replace them. I have made this guitar my main one, but I will always take my Tele with me.

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I have been playing for about 14 years and have mainly owned Fender guitars and amps. Last year I played in a studio that had a Rickenbacker hollowbody and a Sansamp preamp and I knew that was the sound I wanted. I have since sold my Strat and my Fender Princeton Chorus and have completely revamped my setup. This guitar is the core of that new rig. I chose the 650D because it was the least expensive Ric, but it is built better than some $1,000 Fenders I have owned. If it were lost or stolen I would probably replace it with one of the hollowbody Rics, just because I have a little more money to spend now. I highly recommend this guitar.

I bought this guitar used, so there are a number of quirks that I'm sure are peculiar only to mine (tone and volume knobs mismatched).
The neck is very wide, which takes a while to get used to, though I'm some people prefer it (while others despise it). I find some humor in the fact that the neck on this guitar is wider than the necks on Rickenbacker's 300 series 12 strings.
I like the rounded saddles in that they seem to help prevent string-breakage, though palm muting is a bit more difficult with this bridge than with a typical Les Paul-style bridge. See below under durability for some more comments on the bridge.

Though I play mostly punk/hardcore, I've always preferred a less-distorted sound to really saturated chugging distortion. Some people have gone so far as to call my tone completely non-distorted.
To these ends, this guitar is really suited well. While friends have used this guitar for a much heavier sound on ocassion, I wouldn't necessarily trust it to primarily that kind of sound.
However, it's a Rickenbacker, and you pretty much know what you're getting, and chances are if you're not going to come looking for one of these to play really noisey stuff. I use it with a Marshall JCM 800 2203 100 Watt head. Love it, but....
One particular complaint I have, and I'm not sure whether this is due to the faulty wiring (I have no idea what the former owner did to it but the volume and tone knobs are all mixed up), is that the neck pickup seems to be far too quiet; I can't get a comparable volume to the bridge pickup. Granted, I don't often use anything but the bridge pickups, but on the off chance that it's not a defect peculiar to my own guitar, check it out beforehand.

Though I got this used, and have no idea what the previous owner did to it (there's nothing cosmetically wrong with it at all, though there's a barely audible intonation flaw that will probably be very easily corrected if I ever am really motivated to get it checked out). Everything looks beautiful on the guitar, though I'm an admitted sucker for wood-colored guitars.

Don't get me wrong, I love this guitar, but there are some complaints I have.
My biggest complaint is with the bridge.
The bridge has six separate wheel-like saddles, which can be theoretically adjusted for fine-tuning width between strings. However, one of mine rusted up mighty fast. Also, another one was screwed all the way in one direction, and it's stuck at the end. It's not something that has affected my playing in any serious way, but even using pliers I haven't been able to unscrew it from the end. It's an ambitious design, and meaning well, but I think in the end it's several more things to get messed up.
Another problem I've had is keeping the input plug screwed in tightly; it seems to slip an awful lot and become loose.
However, in the end, it's still a great guitar. It stays in tune very well, and I've played it without a backup for over a year now.

Never had to deal with them.

You know, I thought I was getting a great bargain at the price I paid for this guitar, it turns out that I pretty much got ripped off, since people on here got theirs new (and quirk-free) for a lot less than me.
However, I still don't really regret the purchase; the guitar's sound suits me very well, I like the way it plays, and it sure it a pretty guitar, too.
Eventually I'm sure I'll take it in to have the wiring looked at, maybe replace the rusted wheel saddles on the bridge replaced, but there's nothing (aside from another six strings) that I want in terms of features that this guitar doesn't have.
I've had it for over a year now, and have been playing for about 14 years.

Schaller tuners, Schaller locking strap lugs, heavy duty machined, polished, and fully adjustable bridge/tailpiece, hardrock maple neck and fingerboard with dual truss rods, WIDE and FAST neck-thru design with tung oil finish that allows much smoother movement than conventional finishes when your hands are sweaty, high quality QUIET humbucker pickups with a lot of single-coil flavor when needed, hard case included and very high quality pots, switches, knobs, and chromed steel mounting plate. The walnut wings in natural tung oil finish give it a unique and stunning look compared to other guitars in its price range. It only lacks a tremolo to keep it from being a perfect 10, and that's available as an option.

For this price, it's at the head of the class. Those pickups are about the most versatile I have ever heard. It goes from a single coil to humbucker sound. Not the thinnest single coil or fattest humbucker sound, but more range than anything else I have ever heard. This is Rickenbacker's economy model? AMAZING!!! I think a lot of the credit for the good sound must go to the tung oil finish. It has been known for a long time that the plastic finishes used on guitars were mucking up the sound. Stevie Ray never got the urge to refinish old #1, did he? The sustain is incredible; it rings like a piano! You don't have to turn your amp up as loud as with other guitars to get good sustain. My Kustom Tube 12 amp with Celestion Vintage 8 speaker has more than enough volume to play metal and hard rock styles due to the excellent sustain. The Dakota does a great job on country tunes as well.

It's a great guitar when price is factored in, but the pickup routings are a bit too big and cause gaps between the pickup and body. Nothing really serious, just noticeable up close. The tung oil finish looks great and is easily maintained by the owner. Multiple applications of tung oil over the years will only result in a more beautiful finish. Just the opposite of your plastic coated git box. I adjusted the action to suit my taste. The dealer had set it too low. I doubt that any guitar would come perfectly set up for me.

For he price, nothing is more solid and dependable.

My brother loved the wide neck, and wished it was wider still. Don't pay attention to the person who rated it a 1 for having a wide neck. That is a personal preference and not a quality issue. I would buy this guitar again with no hesitation. Not only is it different from other guitars, it is different from other Rickenbackers as well.

The features have been reviewed in past reviews of this guitar. Two humbuckers, three way switch, neck through body design, satin/natural finished, 24 frets, etc., etc.,

I have to admit that this guitar has a very balanced tone to it, not noisy at all.Very Hard to play, see below!

This guitar has the biggest neck I've ever played, almost the size of a louiseville slugger bat (actually the bat's smaller). I hate the neck. I Hate The Neck. I HATE THE NECK. I guess that you have figured out that I hate the neck, huh. Otherwise the guitar was set-up very good, finish was excellent. I would give it a 8 here normally....but the NECK sucks so bad that I'm rating it much, much lower!

Looked to be reliable, I know the neck could be used to hit a few homeruns with. It's that big and solid!

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I've been playing for about 12 years. I currently own several guitars and amplifiers. I bought this guitar sight unseen and never played one before off of the praise of other's. They must all be very big handed, because I have large hands and was having trouble playing this guitar. I recieved it at 5:00 pm and sent it back UPS at 8:00 am. This would have been a good guitar.....but the neck sucked so bad that no matter how good it could have sounded it was going back!

Made in 2002 in USA. 24 frets. Solid wood - maple neck trhough body, walnut "wings", tung oil finish, cresting wave design - it's really beautiful! 2 vol, 2 tone, 3-way switch. 2 passive humbuckers. Cool tailpiece that allows for adjustment in all dimensions. German made tuners. Came with hard case - also very nice.

I play folk/alternative rock, and this guitar fits that style well. I also have a '80 Les Paul Standard and an '01 Les Paul Junior Lite, and this guitar is a nice compliment between that full HB sound and the P100s - this does have some of that Ric jangle. Nice and bright, good attack, looooong sustain.

Other than the guitar needing to be intonated, the setup was perfect. The guitar is flawless, and quite beautiful. All of my guitars have a natural wood finish, and this is clearly the best looking - the walnut is just gorgeous.

It seems very solid. The neck through design really gives it alot of stifness and stability.

I sent Rickenbacker several emails directly and on the alt.guitar.rickenbacker about this guitar, and they have always responded quickly with lots of info - the CEO (John Hall) even responds! Great company. Only 5 year warranty though...

I've been playing now for over 20 years. Have owned several great guitars (which I still have: 1980 Gibson Les Paul Standard, 2001 Les Paul Junior Lite, Martin D-15, Godin ACS-Slim) and lots of stinkers that I ended up selling at 1/5 of what I paid for 'em. Lesson learned - buy quality. This guitar IS quality!
I compared this to some Fenders - didn't care for 'em. I'd definitely replace if it were stolen.

This is a 24 fret double cutaway US made guitar. It is a beautiful maple neck through walnut body. 2 very cool humbuckers with 2vol 2tone. The finish is natural. The neck is kind of fat and much wider than a rickenbacker 360. Nothing fancy in terms of hardware, but the neck through is somethig to write home about.

I play pretty straight forward rock, no effects except my danelctro distortion and this guitar sounds excellent. It has a very clear full sound which i think can be attributed to the pickups which are loud and sre supposedly a humbucking design that sounds like a single coil. This guitar also has bright edge to it, but not annoying or shrieky like a strat or tele can be. Even without loads of distortion the dakota sings and has a lot of sustain. As far a versitility i think this guitar can cover any base. That doesn't make it generic but in my opinion unique.

I had to order it straight from the factory and picked it up early june. The guitar is dated june 2001 so the setup is straight from the factory. The pickups werent adjusted correctedly, there are slight routing flaws(the routed holes are noticable wider than the pickups). The neck was very straight and action standard but the high E buzzed like crazy. Ive also seen better cut nuts also. The guitar still looks and sounds excellent but these minor things do dissappoint me.

very dependable. i dont have tuning problems and would play without a backup.

ive been playing for about six years and own an ampeg VT-40 and an epiphone sg. If lost or stolen i would definitley get another, i mean its cheaper than a strat and has a more unique sound. the dakota and the 650 models are really worth looking into. This is a fantastic value

This is a 2000 model made in California...24 Fret job, solid wood (walnut and maple) with 2 single coil RIC Humbuckers. The guitar was amazingly smaller than I had pictured as I bought it mail-order. It remionds me of a strat by it weight and feel. Non locking German tuners (chrome) and came with a very nice locking hard shell case.

I am still searching for the right Amp to play this guitar through. I ahve a cheapo Amp that I have been using and it pays the guitar no justice. The neck is widere than the strat but the strings are completely adjustable up and down and sideways. It has INCREDIBLE sustain and I have yet to tweek with the tuning...has held perfectly. I think that the guitar will be very versatile once I choose the right Amp. Strings bend like butter! Action is just a hair high for me, but not bad enough to fool with.

As i said the tuning has held fine, action was a hair high, the neck pickup routing is a little off perfect but not glaring, the biggest complaint here is that the walnut seems to have a blemish or water mark that the tung oil won't cover. I am quite upset about that. I think if I could have gotten the Sierra Model I would have been happier asd I prefer the Gold hardware. The Dakota has the plain jane chrome. Very heavy duty in the hardware Dept. well put together.

Seems to be a very solid instrument! In all respects. Very smooth neck, need to purchase Tung oil to wipe it down with, requires a fine fine sanding cloth to remove any nicks that could occur. I have a good feeling about the guitar on the whole but not sure how it would respond to prolonged playing...need more time to evaluate it. Very plain jane in the neck dept too, plain black dot inlays....I would have like to have had the classic RIC sharks tooth inlays but it isn't possible with the 650 series.

Very difficult to deal with the company directly...need a third party it seems. Haven't tried to get hold of RIC lately but even their home sight on the net is not fully operational.

Been playing guitar around 22 yrs off and on...still pretty much a novice, I wish I had the Sierra model, and Lone Star Strat, and a Gibson LP Custom then my guitar dreams would be complete...aww throw in a PRS-24 too. I like the smoothness of the neck and the free action, wish the finish was nicer...or wood quality. I chose this guitar due to the fact it was the best high gradr guitar for the price I could afford. Strats seemed so cheap and mass- produced, Gibsons were glued at the neck joint and extremely over priced, PRS guitars played well but seemed to be more of a "showcase" rater than a users guitar, if I sctratched it I would need a bottle of sedatives before I could look at it again! The Ric can have scratches repaired at home, is a "working guitar" very playable and comes with a rich history in Rock Music sound. If you are a Musician looking for a Gig guitar this may not be your answer but for working folks, novices or beginners this is a great guitar...and with its neck-through design and double truss rods you'll be playing sweet music a long un-interupted time.