Any love/hate for the ric 360/12?

[DuncanAngus]

Have been thinking about and looking at the Rickenbacker 360/12. Haven't gotten to play one yet, just in the thinking about it stage right now.

Wondering how many of you own or have owned this instrument. What were your experiences are and if you loved, hated, felt nothing for it. I don't think it would make a great primary guitar, but something interesting to add to the crowd perhaps. Also wondering how big just changing strings on it is...

Whuddayathinque?

[Teleglide]

As much as I love Ric 12 strings I don't think I would buy one. The ideal situation is to have a friend who owns one that you can borrow. I just wouldn't use it enough to justify owning one.

A drummer friend of mine had one, and I played it for a couple of songs on a gig or two - it was a beaut. Eventually he sold it to get a nice acoustic guitar, which he uses a lot more.

[Telesavalis]

I play a 330-12 Jetglo at every gig. I opted for a330 instead of a 360 mainly because it doesn't have a bound neck and that allows for a slightly wider fingerboard than the bound 360 neck. Plus I dig the vintage body cut of the 330.

[DuncanAngus]

Originally Posted by Teleglide

The ideal situation is to have a friend who owns one that you can borrow.
.

I was actually thinking the same thing but no one I know has one!

[Teleglide]

Originally Posted by DuncanAngus

I was actually thinking the same thing but no one I know has one!

Neither do I - anymore!

[KevinB]

I've had my 360/12 VP (VP = "vintage" toaster top pickups) for about 6 years. It's certainly not my primary guitar, but it is beautifully made and has a great, unique sound. I'll certainly never get rid of mine.

Many complain of how narrow the neck is at the nut, but for me, even though I have large hands, it's fine. A few years back (2006/7?) they did come up with a nut with slightly better string pair separation which also helps. As one of my colleagues said when he bought his 360/12 V63 last year, "it's work but it's worth it". Of course, if you want a wider nut, you just buy a 660/12 instead.

Restringing is really not that hard, even if you take all the strings off at once. There is a knack to it (and a little blue painters tape to hold the ball ends in the "R" tailpiece helps a lot), but I can easily do it in less than 30 minutes. Plus, Ric strings last a long, long time.

[TVCaster]

If you are looking for the Rickenbacker sound it does it in spades. But it does take practice and time to adjust to this guitar. I tend to use a small, light, tear-drop shapped pick in order not to get as many clunky notes. I also fudge on some chords, I'd like the wider string spacing but don't want to do the work to change over.

If you have specific songs that beg for the 12-stirng sound it's great - otherwise best to add a touch of chorus and save your money.

One other thing - I like to play mine through a bass amp - don't know why but I like the slightly warmer tone it produces.

[Paul in Colorado]

I have one that I just love. It's a '97 with toaster's painted "Metallic Aqua Marine" (that's what Roger McGuinn called it when I showed it to him). RIC calls it "Turquoise."

Unfortunately, it's unplayable right now. The "R" tailpiece came apart. The metal snapped while the guitar was sitting in it's case. RIC wants $100+ for a replacement plus the broken one sent back. I think that's outragious. Since the part was faulty it should be their dime. So my options are to pay the ransom or have a machinist make a duplicate out of brass or some other alloy (which violates RIC trademarks). I haven't made a decision yet.

Luckily, I have a Taylor dreadnaught 12 string from the '80's that takes care of most of my 12 string needs.

[Flemtone]

I've got a 330/12 that I love. There's something about the Ric 12 sound that really can't be duplicated on others IMO.

That said, it's nowhere close to a "main" guitar, but it's come in handy for certain songs or certain gigs. If I had to start paring down, it would likely be one of the first to go, simply because it's more of a 'luxury/cool to have" sort of guitar.

As others have said, they take a little getting used to as they just threw 12 strings onto the same size neck as a 6.

[Crawfish]

Paul -

See this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Trapeze-tail...item1e6e8a5ee7

It's actually a completed auction, but he lists them all the time. If you can live without the "R" this might be an option? Easier to string too.

-Kevin

Originally Posted by Paul in Colorado

I have one that I just love. It's a '97 with toaster's painted "Metallic Aqua Marine" (that's what Roger McGuinn called it when I showed it to him). RIC calls it "Turquoise."

Unfortunately, it's unplayable right now. The "R" tailpiece came apart. The metal snapped while the guitar was sitting in it's case. RIC wants $100+ for a replacement plus the broken one sent back. I think that's outragious. Since the part was faulty it should be their dime. So my options are to pay the ransom or have a machinist make a duplicate out of brass or some other alloy (which violates RIC trademarks). I haven't made a decision yet.

Luckily, I have a Taylor dreadnaught 12 string from the '80's that takes care of most of my 12 string needs.

[DrumBob]

I have a 330-12 and have owned 360s before. I'm a huge Rick fan, so a bit biased, I guess. Rick 12s are still the standard on which all other 12 string electrics are judged. The best ones out there, IMO.

[Telesavalis]

Originally Posted by Paul in Colorado

I have one that I just love. It's a '97 with toaster's painted "Metallic Aqua Marine" (that's what Roger McGuinn called it when I showed it to him). RIC calls it "Turquoise."

Unfortunately, it's unplayable right now. The "R" tailpiece came apart. The metal snapped while the guitar was sitting in it's case. RIC wants $100+ for a replacement plus the broken one sent back. I think that's outragious. Since the part was faulty it should be their dime. So my options are to pay the ransom or have a machinist make a duplicate out of brass or some other alloy (which violates RIC trademarks). I haven't made a decision yet.

Luckily, I have a Taylor dreadnaught 12 string from the '80's that takes care of most of my 12 string needs.

My R tailpiece broke a couple of years ago. After an exhaustive search for a suitable substitute I bit the bullet and got a Ric replacement. They said they'd changed the metal alloy since mine was made back in 89 and the new one shouldn't have any problems...so far so good. But the old one lasted 20 years before it broke.

[mr_big_trouble]

I've never played one, but I do lust after the 12 string Ric as wall art. They're beautiful.

[taxer]

I've had my 360/12 for twenty years now. I have loved it for every day of those 25 years.

A) yeah, the neck may definitely seem small to someone who has never played one. But to people who do play them, we are so used to it they are not a problem at all. You'll just get used to it like every 12 string Ric player does.

B) changing the strings on a Ric 12 is the biggest pain in the ass in the world of music. I'd rather haul a VOX AC30 up the stairs to the top of the Empire State Building than change strings on a 12 string Ric. First time I did it, it literally took me eight hours! No kidding. I got it down to an hour now but it is a very unpleasant hour.
(I will say if you buy a new Ric 12 you are in luck. It will be a lot easier to change strings. The headstocks now have slots instead of gullies. The slots are open all the way through the headstock and that makes changing the strings 1,000 times easier. Those half-carved-into-the-headstock gullies are insane to deal with. Ric listened to the years of complaints and changed the design.)

C) shop around (Pick Of The Ricks for instance) and you will see that the price of a Ric 360/12 is not as outrageous as many people assume.

D) yes, you should have a 12 string Rickenbacker. It will not be your go to guitar (its sound is way too unique for everything you do), but it will probably become your favorite guitar. They are beautiful, unique, iconic, and they sound like heaven even doing bedroom practice. No guitar sounds as great as a 12 string Rickenbacker.

Here's my 360/12:
Twenty years old and she looks brand new.

[paratus]

I am one of those that think a 360/12 has a narrow neck. I opted for the 660/12 which is eminently more playable. It has the toasters, and sounds and plays amazingly well. It also does away with the "R" tailpiece.

[studebaker hawk]

I have man hands, I can't play those teeny tiny necks!

[mefgames]

I bought mine new from Ed Roman about 10 years ago. It was the guitar that started an avalanche of Gear Acquisition. I played in a band in the 60's and we played lots of Beatles and Byrds tunes. Our lead guitarist had one, and always wanted one. As much as I love the body style, the neck is too narrow for me to feel comfortable playing. I am a bass player with very large hands. Had I remembered the neck width, I might have opted for the 660, but it wouldn't have been the one I really wanted, thin neck or not. The 360 body style was used by Rickenbacker on their 4005 basses, which is one I would love to own, but probably won't due to its rarity and $$$.

Mike

[Halbert]

I love my 360/12. Most hands in the normal human size range can adjust to playing a standard Rickenbacker 12 string neck. If you really like them and need a wider neck though, the 660/12 solid body is the way to go.
This is my 360/12:

[soul-o]

When my Grandfather died, I was 19 and he left me a few thousand dollars and the instructions that I should get something I always wanted. I bought a 330 12 string and it's not something I play as my main guitar or anything, but it pops up on my recordings all the time and I always think of my Poppop when I play it.

[beep.click]

I love the 360/12. You DO have to learn to play it, though -- left hand techniques that work fine on every other guitar just don't fly on the Ric 12.

Yes, it is a chore to change strings. Newer 360/12s have the slot cut all the way through the headstock; don't know if that helps or not.

One cool thing about the 12 is, you automatically have a 6 as well. Just leave off the octave strings, and you have a "normal" Ric.