'Bout time someone made a demo vid of this awesome beast, explaining and demo'ing its functionality properly and.... playing well at the same time. This is by far the best review of the Rick 360/12. Thank you posting and greetings, from Down Under.
You might have shown the black/white binding on the back They stopped doing that a long time ago. I have a 1965 Mapleglo and love it! Thanks for the tour of the 360-12.
I’m sure your 65 is amazing. Mapleglo 360/12’s are gorgeous! I planned to show the back but the actual owner asked me not to mention him, tell the guitar’s story, show the actual serial number, or show the back of the guitar for certain reasons. Either way it was a blast to borrow and play.
@@svenisaksson3970 Absolutely! When I first started playing I remember people saying input. Probably because people say “plug this into your guitar” and input is how people thought about it. I have been trying to correct my terminology ever since I realized it was really an output… obviously I failed again. Lol
@@tweedcouch Extra nerd info: My V64 was supposed to be just like the guitar they gave George Harrison and that one was NOT wired for Rick-O-Sound. Both outputs are just the regular mono. So It was especially hilarious that when I opened my case (mine was made in 2000 but I bought it about 2016) it had an unused Rick-O-Sound box and cable in it. I have since used the box on my 1995 381V69. It sounds great through two '68 Deluxe Reverbs.
The fifth knob has a second function. If you rotate the neck tone control full counterclockwise with the pup selector switch in the up position, you get the full bass tone of the neck pup. . With the selector switch in the middle position the fifth knob acts as a blend control. It combines the neck and bridge pups. In the down position you get just the bridge pup. You now have 3 tones. Full rhythm , neck and bridge, and bridge alone.
The Rickenbacker 360 is the best looking guitar hands down. I love my Strats, Tele & Les Pauls, but my 360/12 is just the bomb. That guitar through the Vox sounds heavenly
There is an element of sound in the room that I just couldn’t get in the audio for this video. It was this chimney ring that seems more subtle in the video. I may have to further explore this guitar in a video in the future and try and capture it better.
@@tweedcouch What is more unique of the sound is the 0.0047 cap which only appears in old vintage models. It´s been a long time since this chime cap was removed from the circuit. That is why current Rickenbackers are not worth anymore.
Thank you for a clear and concise run through of this glorious guitar. I treated myself last year after nearly 6 decades of pining. We’re never too old to rock‼️😎👍🎶
BACK NOT BOCH !!! The Rickenbacker family pronounce their name Ricken-BACK-er not Ricken-BOCH-er. It is pronounced exactly how it is spelt. Back NOT Boch. Anyways, what you have there is not a musical instrument. It is a WORK OF ART. And good on you for mating your beautiful work of art with that other work of art, the VOX amplifier. Cheers from the Land Down Under.
I mess this up all the time. I know the difference but this is my first time having a vintage one in possession and I was so excited to have it in my hands that I defaulted in pronunciation. But I had already recorded it all… ugh. My apologies and thank you for noticing.
I think you mean the Hall family, who own Rickenbacker. The Halls have owned the company since the early 50s. Also, the spelling originally was Rickenbacher.
@@cliftoncaskey5696 Indeed. The history of Adolph Richenbacher and Rickenbacker guitars is a truly wondrous one. For the most part, the Hall family has enriched that history. And Thank Goodness for that!
I love using my 6 string 620 Ric in the Ric-O Sound mode and it is spoiling me a great deal. Even playing it in the Standard mode I still love it, but stereo is great. I own a Fender Tele and Strat, an Epiphone Les Paul and a 335 but my Rickenbacker 620 is all I am playing now!
Great instrument. I always think the blender knob makes sense only with the stereo out, where you might have two radically different sounds that can then be carefully balanced.
I have had a couple different model Rickenbacker 12 strings .I found that the strings were too close together which was also George Harrison's complaint. Also Tom Petty wanted a wider neck, and had them make the 660 model . That's the one I have now and is the only Rickenbacker 12 strings I would buy. It's so much easier to finger.
When you were showing the Rick-O-Sound feature, you plugged the Y-cable into the Rick-O-Sound jack. What would happen if you also had a cable plugged into the Standard jack?
Do you find that the more stable bridge dulls the very highest frequencies? I know it “tightens’ the sound and this may sound much better to some ears. To be honest, that’s what your demo sounds like. I know this can solve some of the “rattle" and intonation problems. Rickenbackers have a very precise tone which accentuates the tuning problems. I have a Rickenbacker 12 string, it is a 330/12 and I prefer the stock bridge. I have thought about ordering the factory 12 saddle bridge for it, but the guitar sounds great as is. I find most things are trade-offs to some degree.
Very good video.. thanks for sharing.. I have a question.. the neck is easy to play ? Because I use to play 12 strings but acoustic like Takamine etc but now I feel a little pain in my hand..and I want to get a Rickenbacker ..thank you
The neck is thinner. It is also narrower. The strings have a smaller gauge. So yes it is “easier to play” in the sense that you can press and make chords but because of the narrowness the strings are closer together. This. Makes for some difficulty. I think the Danelectro electric 12 is easier to play in the sense of making chords with less fumbling.
Vox Ac 15s and 30s seem as if they were made for a Rick. They emphasize mids an upper mids in a similar manner as the Rick toaster pickups. The Beatles found that their Ricks sounded great through Voxs and made the most of that sound for a while. Nothing at all sounds like a '60s Rick 12. However, three things were totally wrong on it as it came from the factory. One, the neck is too narrow at the nut for adults to play comfortably. They used their 360 6-string neck and just installed a 12 string nut. They also did not reinforce the neck any more for 12 strings than for 6 with predictably bad bowing results. I always hated that awkward, dysfunctional two truss rod design. Two, the bridge, as you mentioned had only 6 saddles again taken from their 360 6-string, They just cut two slots in each saddle, but no one saddle can properly intonate two strings of very different gauges. Three, that damned "R" tailpiece is a nightmare to change strings with. Just try it and you'll see. The original flat tailpiece was not pretty, but it worked a lot better.
You have successfully described every reason why many hate and love these Rick 12’s. I love the tones and the look. Don’t mind the neck width but the engineering is where I struggle. Thanks for the comment.
@@tweedcouch Lots of people love the sound of Rick 12s but hate to play them. A true paradox and an unnecessary one. Laziness and greed in the execution always ruins a good idea. Two of those problems are easily solved with aftermarket parts. The neck, well... not to easily solved.
@@Glicksman1 I don’t think that laziness and greed are the Rickenbacker’s motive here. If it were then they would have mass produced these over seas decades ago. I think it’s quirkiness and preferences. George and John of the Beatles loved them and I think they found their niche and worked it deep.
@@tweedcouch Well, you are indeed a generous soul. I can understand doing what they did on the 12 -string prototypes, but on the production ones? Whatever Rick's motives for being so myopic might have been, I suppose we'll never know, but it isn't likely that they were particularly noble or intelligent. Both George and John moved on to Epiphones, Gibsons, Gretschs and Fenders by 1964 and never went back to the Ricks. The last Beatle song that the Rick 12 was on was "Ticket to Ride" recorded on 15 February1965, just less than a year from when George first played it on "You Can't Do That", recorded on 25 February 1964. Please don't misunderstand me, I love my 360-12. It's a '65 Fireglow which has become a spectacular orange/red on the top. It's gorgeous, sounds gorgeous, and now plays gorgeously because of a major mod I had done. For a while now, McGuinn has capoed his Rick up a fret and tuned down to avoid the narrowest part of the neck and to lower the action a bit. We Rick 12 lovers will go to virtually any length to get that sound, but, damn it, we shouldn't have to.
@@Glicksman1 You are a great dude. I LOVE this conversation and I agree on all accounts. I don't mind the first position BUT I do also believe it could/should be better. Danelectro have a good width and Dean has a good width. I have had the privilege of being around a 1967 Mosrite 12 string double neck... but the neck is soooo thin and narrow. Worse than a Rick because of a thin neck and low frets. Maybe there is a reason those died with surf music.
Just a question..when you string the EBG strings do you string them in the slots or in the top tuners as if you don't they cross each other and make it harder to tune
To b honest it is hard to tune. It is symmetrical when you look at the strings meaning... The Low E goes to peg, next Slot. A peg, next slot. D peg, next slot. The bottom 6 are G slot, next peg. B slot, next peg. High e slot, next peg. Check out 0:46 and plus it to see a good look. So you have to flip your thinking when tuning the upper strings vs the lower strings.
The Ric 12 is an outstanding guitar. But, consider how many songs of the 60''s and 70's that were released by bands with a ric 12 string player. But the actual recording was made by the Wrecking Crew with the guitarist playing a Gretsch or some other 12 string. The skill of the player (plus the amp, pedals, and rest of the rig) is three or four times more important than the brand of the guitar.
My Dean Boca 12-string blows 'em all away! Why? Because only Dean has the warmth with the chime to create the voice with guitar that has the finest combination of voice with man.
I love this comment. I have not played the Dean Boca 12 but I have played the Dean Colt 12. That semi-hollow was gloriously loud plugged and unplugged.
The Dean is great value for money ... but it isn't a Rickenbacker. Properly set up and played through the proper sound chain, nothing sounds like a RIC 12. Some guitars will jangle, some guitars will chime. A RIC does both.
@@karmicselling4252 so very true. But at the same time Ric doesn’t have the stout sounds of the typical humbucker electric 12. Maybe that should be my next mission to find and sample.
You wanna really soil your shorts? Put a 12 saddle bridge on it and get it intonated. I have a Rick 360/12 v64 with a custom made 12 saddle bridge made with brass saddles. Out of this world sound.
@@tweedcouch I went to Carter Guitars here in Nashville to try them out because I always wanted one. It's very hard to play. I have the MIJ Stratocaster XII and it's so much more comfortable.
@@tweedcouch The lipstick pickups sound great. The other question is why do Rick 12 strings come with 6 saddles, but sell a 12 saddle bridge as an extra? Why don't the put the 12 saddle bridge on the 12 string as a stock part? Makes no sense!
'Bout time someone made a demo vid of this awesome beast, explaining and demo'ing its functionality properly and.... playing well at the same time. This is by far the best review of the Rick 360/12. Thank you posting and greetings, from Down Under.
Thanks man. It was a pleasure to do it.
You might have shown the black/white binding on the back They stopped doing that a long time ago. I have a 1965 Mapleglo and love it! Thanks for the tour of the 360-12.
I’m sure your 65 is amazing. Mapleglo 360/12’s are gorgeous! I planned to show the back but the actual owner asked me not to mention him, tell the guitar’s story, show the actual serial number, or show the back of the guitar for certain reasons. Either way it was a blast to borrow and play.
The 2 input jacks are so cool !!
Very! I wasn’t sure what to think at first but running it in stereo really made a big difference in fullness.
Technically they are output jacks, but who cares. 😉
@@svenisaksson3970 Absolutely! When I first started playing I remember people saying input. Probably because people say “plug this into your guitar” and input is how people thought about it. I have been trying to correct my terminology ever since I realized it was really an output… obviously I failed again. Lol
I have the V63 re-issue. It's lots of fun. Thanks for your explanation of the fifth knob. That helped a lot!
You're welcome! Enjoy that beaut!
@@tweedcouch I actually meant V64. But you knew that. Thanks again!
@@tweedcouch Extra nerd info: My V64 was supposed to be just like the guitar they gave George Harrison and that one was NOT wired for Rick-O-Sound. Both outputs are just the regular mono. So It was especially hilarious that when I opened my case (mine was made in 2000 but I bought it about 2016) it had an unused Rick-O-Sound box and cable in it. I have since used the box on my 1995 381V69. It sounds great through two '68 Deluxe Reverbs.
@@brianbogle5050 My mind totally translated it that way without thinking.🤣lol
@@brianbogle5050 Great story. Thanks for sharing. I never knew that George's was didn't have the Rick-o-sound.
The fifth knob has a second function. If you rotate the neck tone control full counterclockwise with the pup selector switch in the up position, you get the full bass tone of the neck pup. . With the selector switch in the middle position the fifth knob acts as a blend control. It combines the neck and bridge pups. In the down position you get just the bridge pup. You now have 3 tones. Full rhythm , neck and bridge, and bridge alone.
Great advice! I'll give it a try
The Rickenbacker 360 is the best looking guitar hands down. I love my Strats, Tele & Les Pauls, but my 360/12 is just the bomb. That guitar through the Vox sounds heavenly
There is an element of sound in the room that I just couldn’t get in the audio for this video. It was this chimney ring that seems more subtle in the video. I may have to further explore this guitar in a video in the future and try and capture it better.
I agree, but I loved my ‘63 reissue with front binding a bit more than a ‘64. But the ‘64 is more comfortable.
@@thesjkexperience did your 63’ also reissue the toaster pickups? Those things are a big part of the unique sound.
@@tweedcouch What is more unique of the sound is the 0.0047 cap which only appears in old vintage models. It´s been a long time since this chime cap was removed from the circuit. That is why current Rickenbackers are not worth anymore.
Thank you for a clear and concise run through of this glorious guitar. I treated myself last year after nearly 6 decades of pining. We’re never too old to rock‼️😎👍🎶
You're very welcome and ROCK ON man! What a great purchase. Was it worth the wait?
@@tweedcouch In retrospect, the waiting was the hardest part 🎵🙃
You have just sold one of these beautiful guitars I love it
They are so fascinating. Such a cool vibe, look, and tonal palate. You can hear a Ric so clearly on an album.
The most sublime rhythm guitar the planet has ever seen.
The glories of a 12 string!
That smile is confirmation of the joy!
Nice video. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it… and you are right
A very, very good and informative review. Well done to you.
Thank you kindly!
So great to see someone who really gets how a Rickenbacker 12 is put to use. Excellent tone and playing!
Thanks! I appreciate the encouragement.
BACK NOT BOCH !!! The Rickenbacker family pronounce their name Ricken-BACK-er not Ricken-BOCH-er. It is pronounced exactly how it is spelt. Back NOT Boch. Anyways, what you have there is not a musical instrument. It is a WORK OF ART.
And good on you for mating your beautiful work of art with that other work of art, the VOX amplifier. Cheers from the Land Down Under.
I mess this up all the time. I know the difference but this is my first time having a vintage one in possession and I was so excited to have it in my hands that I defaulted in pronunciation. But I had already recorded it all… ugh. My apologies and thank you for noticing.
I think you mean the Hall family, who own Rickenbacker. The Halls have owned the company since the early 50s. Also, the spelling originally was Rickenbacher.
@@cliftoncaskey5696 Indeed. The history of Adolph Richenbacher and Rickenbacker guitars is a truly wondrous one. For the most part, the Hall family has enriched that history. And Thank Goodness for that!
I love using my 6 string 620 Ric in the Ric-O Sound mode and it is spoiling me a great deal. Even playing it in the Standard mode I still love it, but stereo is great. I own a Fender Tele and Strat, an Epiphone Les Paul and a 335 but my Rickenbacker 620 is all I am playing now!
Awesome! The stereo feature is pretty cool
Just got a second hand 360/12 mg and waiting for it to arrive! Just FYI its "rickenBACKer"
It’s been mentioned a couple times in the comments. I learned the name originally from my Father (German decent). Hard habit to break.
Great instrument. I always think the blender knob makes sense only with the stereo out, where you might have two radically different sounds that can then be carefully balanced.
I agree. Most of the time it would be "set and forget" in mono. But with stereo you can really get the best use of what it does.
I have had a couple different model Rickenbacker 12 strings .I found that the strings were too close together which was also George Harrison's complaint. Also Tom Petty wanted a wider neck, and had them make the 660 model . That's the one I have now and is the only Rickenbacker 12 strings I would buy. It's so much easier to finger.
I can see that. Thanks for chiming in.
Nice! I own a 1989 Rickenbacker 370/12 Roger McGuinn Special Edition #521 of 1000.
Wow!
Rock N Roll is Rickenbacker
Absolutely.
The perfect song to play with this is,"Come dancing by the Kinks"
Just listened to the song. Great fun!
I got one like Harrison’s in the mid 80s. Probably one of very few I wish I had back. But, my hands are gigantic and playing it was so tricky.
It took a while to get use to it but when I did other guitar necks seemed big.
Dr.T!! Another great video my friend! I wonder how well it would P&W
Listen and see... mix is a touch off but I think it works. ruclips.net/video/9xs0e2Fu0PE/видео.html
When you were showing the Rick-O-Sound feature, you plugged the Y-cable into the Rick-O-Sound jack. What would happen if you also had a cable plugged into the Standard jack?
I believe it just sends based on the pickup toggle selection. I’ll have to check.
Do you find that the more stable bridge dulls the very highest frequencies? I know it “tightens’ the sound and this may sound much better to some ears. To be honest, that’s what your demo sounds like. I know this can solve some of the “rattle" and intonation problems. Rickenbackers have a very precise tone which accentuates the tuning problems. I have a Rickenbacker 12 string, it is a 330/12 and I prefer the stock bridge. I have thought about ordering the factory 12 saddle bridge for it, but the guitar sounds great as is. I find most things are trade-offs to some degree.
I have never tried this guitar with the original bridge. Maybe I need to put that back on with the next string change.
George Harrison’s 2nd 360/12 was actually made in late 1964. It hasn’t been found, for all we know this is George’s lost 360/12.
That would be cool. If it were then I’d return it to where it belongs.
Very good video.. thanks for sharing.. I have a question.. the neck is easy to play ? Because I use to play 12 strings but acoustic like Takamine etc but now I feel a little pain in my hand..and I want to get a Rickenbacker ..thank you
The neck is thinner. It is also narrower. The strings have a smaller gauge. So yes it is “easier to play” in the sense that you can press and make chords but because of the narrowness the strings are closer together. This. Makes for some difficulty. I think the Danelectro electric 12 is easier to play in the sense of making chords with less fumbling.
@@tweedcouch thank you..!!
@@eddievalentino6430happy to be helpful.
Vox Ac 15s and 30s seem as if they were made for a Rick. They emphasize mids an upper mids in a similar manner as the Rick toaster pickups. The Beatles found that their Ricks sounded great through Voxs and made the most of that sound for a while.
Nothing at all sounds like a '60s Rick 12. However, three things were totally wrong on it as it came from the factory.
One, the neck is too narrow at the nut for adults to play comfortably. They used their 360 6-string neck and just installed a 12 string nut. They also did not reinforce the neck any more for 12 strings than for 6 with predictably bad bowing results. I always hated that awkward, dysfunctional two truss rod design.
Two, the bridge, as you mentioned had only 6 saddles again taken from their 360 6-string, They just cut two slots in each saddle, but no one saddle can properly intonate two strings of very different gauges.
Three, that damned "R" tailpiece is a nightmare to change strings with. Just try it and you'll see. The original flat tailpiece was not pretty, but it worked a lot better.
You have successfully described every reason why many hate and love these Rick 12’s. I love the tones and the look. Don’t mind the neck width but the engineering is where I struggle. Thanks for the comment.
@@tweedcouch Lots of people love the sound of Rick 12s but hate to play them. A true paradox and an unnecessary one. Laziness and greed in the execution always ruins a good idea. Two of those problems are easily solved with aftermarket parts. The neck, well... not to easily solved.
@@Glicksman1 I don’t think that laziness and greed are the Rickenbacker’s motive here. If it were then they would have mass produced these over seas decades ago. I think it’s quirkiness and preferences. George and John of the Beatles loved them and I think they found their niche and worked it deep.
@@tweedcouch Well, you are indeed a generous soul. I can understand doing what they did on the 12 -string prototypes, but on the production ones?
Whatever Rick's motives for being so myopic might have been, I suppose we'll never know, but it isn't likely that they were particularly noble or intelligent.
Both George and John moved on to Epiphones, Gibsons, Gretschs and Fenders by 1964 and never went back to the Ricks. The last Beatle song that the Rick 12 was on was "Ticket to Ride" recorded on 15 February1965, just less than a year from when George first played it on "You Can't Do That", recorded on 25 February 1964.
Please don't misunderstand me, I love my 360-12. It's a '65 Fireglow which has become a spectacular orange/red on the top. It's gorgeous, sounds gorgeous, and now plays gorgeously because of a major mod I had done.
For a while now, McGuinn has capoed his Rick up a fret and tuned down to avoid the narrowest part of the neck and to lower the action a bit. We Rick 12 lovers will go to virtually any length to get that sound, but, damn it, we shouldn't have to.
@@Glicksman1 You are a great dude. I LOVE this conversation and I agree on all accounts. I don't mind the first position BUT I do also believe it could/should be better. Danelectro have a good width and Dean has a good width. I have had the privilege of being around a 1967 Mosrite 12 string double neck... but the neck is soooo thin and narrow. Worse than a Rick because of a thin neck and low frets. Maybe there is a reason those died with surf music.
What type of bridge is that?
Not sure. The previous owner switched it out.
Just a question..when you string the EBG strings do you string them in the slots or in the top tuners as if you don't they cross each other and make it harder to tune
To b honest it is hard to tune. It is symmetrical when you look at the strings meaning... The Low E goes to peg, next Slot. A peg, next slot. D peg, next slot. The bottom 6 are G slot, next peg. B slot, next peg. High e slot, next peg. Check out 0:46 and plus it to see a good look. So you have to flip your thinking when tuning the upper strings vs the lower strings.
@@tweedcouch Thats what I thought and have been doing since I got the guitar but just wanted to check with another 12 string owner
@@rck60s but once you are use to it it’s fine.
does your 12 string have individual saddles on the bridge?
It does
The Ric 12 is an outstanding guitar. But, consider how many songs of the 60''s and 70's that were released by bands with a ric 12 string player. But the actual recording was made by the Wrecking Crew with the guitarist playing a Gretsch or some other 12 string. The skill of the player (plus the amp, pedals, and rest of the rig) is three or four times more important than the brand of the guitar.
Absolutely agree.
My Dean Boca 12-string blows 'em all away! Why? Because only Dean has the warmth with the chime to create the voice with guitar that has the finest combination of voice with man.
I love this comment. I have not played the Dean Boca 12 but I have played the Dean Colt 12. That semi-hollow was gloriously loud plugged and unplugged.
The Dean is great value for money ... but it isn't a Rickenbacker. Properly set up and played through the proper sound chain, nothing sounds like a RIC 12. Some guitars will jangle, some guitars will chime. A RIC does both.
@@karmicselling4252 so very true. But at the same time Ric doesn’t have the stout sounds of the typical humbucker electric 12. Maybe that should be my next mission to find and sample.
You wanna really soil your shorts? Put a 12 saddle bridge on it and get it intonated. I have a Rick 360/12 v64 with a custom made 12 saddle bridge made with brass saddles. Out of this world sound.
This one actually has that too. The original bridge was in the case.
That guitar is either out of tune or poorly intonated. It hurts my ears. My 366 plays perfectly.
Could be some of the YT compression or me choking the strings at times. I don’t really here it.
It probably just needs a proper setup is all. Is that not the latest 12 saddle bridge that allows proper intonation of the octave string pairs?
Do you have a 12 saddle bridge suggestion? @@garyvanremortel5218
Washington redskins still Washington redskins sorry.
It will take a LONG time for me to switch the naming in my head. Same with the Indians.
It's a frustrating guitar to play.
More frustrating to tune. Lol
@@tweedcouch I went to Carter Guitars here in Nashville to try them out because I always wanted one. It's very hard to play. I have the MIJ Stratocaster XII and it's so much more comfortable.
@@seanmiller7187 I want the Danelectro 12 string. It plays easy and sounds great.
@@tweedcouch The lipstick pickups sound great. The other question is why do Rick 12 strings come with 6 saddles, but sell a 12 saddle bridge as an extra? Why don't the put the 12 saddle bridge on the 12 string as a stock part? Makes no sense!
@@seanmiller7187 The 12 string saddle is aftermarket. In 1964 they didn't have the 12 string saddle yet.