The Rickenbacker 12: A Short History, Featuring Jason Loughlin
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- Опубліковано 14 чер 2024
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Here is my short history of the Rickenbacker 12 string electric guitar. I'm just a little too young to have grown up on the Beatles and the Byrds but I'm just the right age to have grown up listening to all the bands that were so heavily influenced by them. In particular, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers lit a desire for an electric 12 in my heart long, long ago. Only the price and scarcity of the guitars has kept me from owning one.
Thanks for watching.
Keith
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The grand irony is that these five watt world videos make me want to buy more guitars.
So true!
@@rob_in_stowmarket_ukyou need a lot more guitars mate!
Yeah, where does this site encourage the least amount of gear? I want to buy every model for my no-talent-no-creativity-no-ambition self!
Right? I ended up with an R8 burst after "The Bursts: A Short History". This vid has me feeling that familiar feeling...
@@fluidalchemist68 Working on it. 😆 Pulling the trigger on a PRS tomorrow, and eyeing up an ES-335 and a(nother) Danelectro. 🙄👍 Bought an extra crash cymbal for my e-drum kit yesterday as well.
Compared to my youth and early working life, these days are just ‘golden times’ for guitar quality vs. price... if not, currently due to COVID, availability, of course. 🥴
As a bass player who pretty much worshipped Chris Squire in my youth, my first major purchase was a new 1976 4001 bass. Still have it. Fast forward 35 years and the one glaring hole in my sound palette was filled with a 1980 360/12. It's everything they are made out to be. Plays like butter, sounds like sugar. Thanks Keith. Great job.
Squire ! My Childhood hero. Yes is still my favorite band. I try and play many Yes songs on guitar. Let’s just say it’s an eternally aspirational endeavor.
That's wild...I'm a bass player whose first major purchase was a jetglo '76 4001 stereo...inspired by Chris Squire. I picked it up for $400 back in the '90s...I'd never be able to afford one nowadays. I feel bad for today's teenagers who can't get anything better than a MIM Fender at best for $400(not that they're bad but they're no Ric).
Would be awesome if you made a video sharing those 2 works of art with the world!
Amen
My Rickenbacker Story: I was eleven years old in the summer of 1967 and already had many dozens of singles in my record collection going back to around 1960. That summer my parents rented a bungalow in a bungalow colony upstate New York. One Saturday afternoon I decided to walk up to the recreation hall and watch a NY Yankees baseball game.
As I approached the Rec building I could hear live loud rock n roll music for the very first time in my young life. As I got closer, I realized that the band was playing Turn Turn Turn, a Byrds song that I absolutely adored. The band was doing what today we would call a soundcheck although I don't recall a soundboard or a sound engineer there.
They were probably simply rehearsing a few songs after they had set up their gear. There was a low stage and I was standing in the doorway on the left side of the stage; probably the same door that the band had loaded into an hour before I got there.
I was transfixed. They played a few more songs including I Got You Babe by Sonny & Cher and Happy Together by the Turtles.
I never got back to the actual show later that night because the band was there to play for the teenagers and I was simply too young to hang out.
The band was called The Lonely Souls and my older brother told me that he knew them from our neighborhood in the Carnarsie section of Brooklyn. I looked them up a few times over the last twenty years but there seems to be nothing ever published about the band. They might have only existed for that single moment in time but that moment changed my life.
I went on to have a career in and around the making of post punk, new wave, and indie rock dance music as well as time served as a club booker, live sound engineer, and NYC club owner. The three clubs that I owned and co-owned were Sanctuary (1981-1986), MISSION (1988-1993), and Luna Lounge (1995-2005).
In the 1970s, I once talked to my older brother about this experience. He remembered the band. He told me that the lead singer in the band had been killed in Vietnam.
Heartbreaking. If there could be one time in my life when I could go back in time knowing what I now know, I would go back to that one hour of my life...
Two yrs ago, I bought my first Ric 360/12 after falling in love with them decades earlier, while playing a gig in Phoenix with a 360 on loan to me. The Rick-O-Stereo hookup with 2 amps filled the hall that night, with shimmering chiming harmonics that I never forgot! I also just purchased a 660, love the 1.75 nut width, and looking forward to enjoy that fine quality instrument for as long as I can play!
Nothing sounds like a Rickenbacker! Southern California, land of Rickenbacker, The Beach Boys, The Doors, and Van Halen, that’s a whole lot of talent!
Man just woke up and a new short history video dropped, this is gonna be a great day
I woke up to find youtube had been playing his Short History vids for the last 8 hours 🤣👍. Somehow, that happens pretty frequently. It's like youtube knows what channel I default to when I can't find anything else lol Because 99% of the time, I come to 5WW when I can't find anything else.
Because no matter how many times I watch these, they're still just as good the 25th time as they were the 1st 👍
Man me too
Amen to to that; and add the Rickenbacker jangle to Ecclesiastes 3 and indeed it is a good day.
Agreed lol
Would love to see an episode of short history on the mosrite
Me tooo
Hey Ho let’s go!
Its a story I'd love to know more of too.
100%
Hopefully very short…
Now you got me wanting a 4001/4003 episode
I requested one way back when he did the fender bass videos!
after watching this I feel compelled to share this; when I was a young, up-and-coming musician, I played in a band originally based in Asbury Park, New Jersey called The Shakes; The band was led by the very talented Bob Campanell who wrote catchy songs that suited his incredible voice which I have described as a cross between Roy Orbison and James Brown! (Sadly Bob passed away a few years ago but at least he was onstage at the time) Bob had a ‘60s Rick 12 string that featured prominently in our sets; he & I would share it so I got to play that great instrument many times; one time Bo Diddley sat in with us, proceeded to break a string on my Telecaster (I was playing harp), then broke a string on Bob’s Stratocaster;
Bob and I both ran to protect the Rick 12 as Bo headed towards it!
Man...Bob passed away during a benefit for another local legend guitarist, Ernie Trionfo. While Ernie's passing was sadly expected (he had terminal cancer), Bob's was a shock to everyone in the local music scene. Both excellent musicians and both are sadly missed.
Great histories recounted in the comments section. Oh, by the way, it is that totally awesome "JANGLE" sound that makes the instrument and separates it from all other guitars. I was fortunate enough to run into Jim McGuinn at a small club in Ocean City, MD. He played a 45 minute set and then sat for questions and autographs. I asked him about his relationship with GP (I'm a big fan) and then about his original Rickenbacker which he said was now in the Smithsonian. Great guy and a very religious fellow (he signed my menu..."To Tom, God Bless!"
Another big user of Ricks from the Alternative era was the Smithereens in their early years,
RIP Pat Dinizio
Enjoyed the docu-vid on the Rickenbacker story. Jason's 12 string Ric tone is spot on. Thanks.
I know you have already done the strat but, id love to see a history of the superstrat video😎😃
He did one on the JEM so that should keep you satisfied for a bit
@@bennycheca9426 Not enough! Until we see EVH jimmying his gear, we'll not be satisfied!
Smashing Pumpkins, and a lot of 90s strat info was left out of that video... so maybe a super strat video could include strat plus?
@@lueysixty-six7300 honestly a Kramer vid could cover that decently
Or maybe a musicman video that would be cool
heck yeah
Great to see you mention R.E.M. and The Smiths
Here, here!
Mike Mills used a 4001 for years. At one time a bartolini in the bridge mute pocket.
Pete’s brass bridges were starz guitars mfg.
Oh yeah… Paul Goddard too.
So the rickenbacker through a vox ac30 is the sound i think of during the 60s.....
it really should
Everything sounds great through a Vox.
In
@@Dreynonot true. If you plug a mic into a box and have yoko ono sing…..
Love the sound of a Rick 12! ❤️
Peter Buck used Mitch Easter’s Fender XII on Murmur and Reckoning. He’s also used Epiphone and Danelectro 12 strings. The Mapleglo Ric in the screenshot from a live gig was apparently a rental. I have yet to verify whether or not he used a 12 string Ric on Fables and the earliest photos I have of him with a 12 string Ric is the Roger McGuinn model, and it’s the only 12 string in the studio photos from Out of Time circa 1991. By then, he could afford as many as he wanted.
I have an 'illegitimate' Roger McGuinn 370/12 Mapleglo. I inherited it when my dad passed away in 1999, and I have no idea where or how he got it. It's a full RM signature model with the built-in compressor electronics and signature pickguard.... BUT..... no Rickenbacker nameplate on the headstock. It's not just missing.... There are no screw holes! So I know that a nameplate was never installed at the factory. I was told by someone at RIC that this may have been an overrun guitar made up of leftover parts after the 1000 official RM guitars were made, and maybe taken home by an employee at the time. For just me, I don't care about the certificate. I'm not such a great player, but I love it, and it plays and sounds amazing. If anyone reading this has any idea how this guitar came to be.... please reply.
It was Jim/Roger McGuinn who imprinted the 12-string sound in me. Nobody else actually played solos on a 12 back then.
He plays hybrid with a flatpick and banjo finger picks, so he’s arpeggiating banjo rolls over those lead lines too!!!
That playing style largely (and inadvertently) paved the way for Lindsey Buckingham and his own unique approach during the 70s, even though it's unlikely that he's played a Rickenbacker 12.
@@DylanPank71 Yeah, but McGuinn did extended improvised jams on it! Like on 8 Miles High.
Hey, Mr. Twelve String Man, play a song for me,
I'm not sleepy and there ain't no place I'm going to...
I didn't know i wanted a Ricky 12 short history until i saw this. Thanks again Keith for knocking it out of the park like you always do.
The 360/12 is one of those few guitars in the world that makes me tear up every time I see it. Not only is it a thing of absolute perfection and beauty, but many of my favorite songs as a child had one in the recording.
Thanks again for the great history lesson, can't wait for what's next!
So, after all these years what I thought was a German guitar brand turns out to be an American company with roots every bit as deep as Fender or Gibson. Great video, thanks!
Deeper in my opinion. Rickenbacker made the first electric, and multiple people at rickenbacker moved on to fender and made it what it is in the 1950s. Volume is the only thing holding them from being a household name like fender and Gibson.
Brilliant clip, so happy you referenced XTC's Dave Gregory with his extensive use of the 12 on English Settlement. A Ric 330 was my all time dream guitar but being a south paw the chance of owning one was unlikely. Then in mid 1993 I called the New Zealand importers and asked what I'd need to do to order a left hand 330 and they advised they had one already in the country! Twenty eight years later, I still love and cherish my left hand 330 Fire Glow and despite my very crude and hard playing in the day, she still is immaculate. If there was one thing that has always bugged me, it's the upside down "R" tailpiece, I'd like to replace it with the plain flat steel version soon.
Is it upside down because it’s a lefty or because you live in New Zealand? 🤔
😉
Oh dear lord, THANK you for mentioning Carl Wilson, as well as Paul Kantner!! I really appreciate that Keith
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I love Rickenbackers. You and Chris Buck are the only two who have extolled the virtues of Rickenbacker. Rickenbacker only need to do one thing: they need to make an entry model. They are so expensive for younger players.
I'm getting a job at dairy queen just for this reason gonna put some money together and get a rickenbacker 340 (the 6 string) then add the Ac'cent Vibrola to make it a 345 what a great guitar that'll bee
They are hideous and overpriced, I guess you could say hideously overpriced.
I agree about the overpriced thing. But their role in 60’s pop would suggest that beauty is in the ears of the belistener.
@@Bravo-Too-Much I am will to donate to your taste transplant on Go Fund Me.
@@nickdryad overpriced compared to what? You can buy a Ric 330 or 620 for less than a Fender American Vintage II guitar.
My favorite Rickenbacker song is The Byrds rendition of Mr. Tambourine man!
It's truly the epitome of that sound
Let’s not forget the flip-side of that great song - the equally great, “I Knew I’d Want You!!”
"Feel A Whole Lot Better" and "Bells of Rhymney"
The music paper The Recyclier was also where a guy named James met a guy named Lars and they formed a band called Metallica.
I love my 1998 Rick 360 12. Such a beautiful instrument.
This is a bit embarrassing. I was a teenager when the Beatles and the Byrds started using the Ricky 12s. Problem was, I didn't know they had 12 strings. I saw a 360 six string in a local music shop. That's what McGiunn plays! So I bought it. It had that Rick-o-sound jack. That must be how he got that sound. I turned myself inside out trying to figure out and play unisons and octaves. Id see them on T.V. and saw that they sure as hell weren't working as hard as I was at playing. My results were lame at best. After a year of that frustration, I sold it. About five years later, I saw a 360 12 up close and could finally see the six other tuners being at right angles. DOH! Ingenious. Ricky 12s were hard to come by so I bought a
Fender XII. Loved this particular post as it flew me back in a time machine. I hope I wasn't the only teen dolt that was fooled by this Ricky trickery.
Props for the Marty Willson-Piper reference. He uses the Rick in so
so much of The Church’s catalog.
It is really impressive how quickly youre able to complete such polished, entertaining, and long videos. keep up the good work.
Indeed
YAY!!👍👏 I had a 360/12-64 (Harrison model reissue). I also had the pick guard on it signed by Roger McGuinn!!
Oh, you forgot CCR (John Fogerty) as a Ric user. Oops - how could I forget the Smithereens?!
My Rickenbacker 360/12 is a 1963 model with the flat “trapeze” tailpiece (no “R” here!) in Fireglo Red - identical to the one seen at both ends of this Five Watt World video. I found it at Guitar Center Hollywood, where they actually had TWO OF ‘em! So I picked up both and took them into the Platinum Room. I plugged each one into a spiffy new Orange amp they had in there, and A/B’d them to see which one was better, as both guitars were used. The first one was okay. But the second one was STUNNING! Guess which one I bought?! I’d wanted this exact model since “A Hard Day’s Night”, so you can imagine how blown away I was having TWO of this exact model to choose from!!! It required a bit of work, so it got to live with my Luthier, the amazing Troy for a little over a week. But when I got it back, Troy had worked his usual magic on it. Now it’s absolutely STELLAR! So even though I got it used, it’s one of the most KILLER instruments I’ve EVER owned! It looks and sounds like brand new. Thanks, Rickenbacker, and THANK YOU, TROY!!!
FASCINATING. I own a 1966 Hagstrom solid body electric, made in Sweden. Plywood body, covered in vinyl and heavy duty industrial plastic. It sat for decades in its original case, like some kind of mummy, waiting for me to buy it in 2023. Actually I first met this guitar in 1972, but had to sell it, and by some magic the exact same model and year and even color (black and white and silver) found its way back to me.
Something about the neck, straight as a straight-edge, the pickups and unique tremolo bar, that puts this guitar in a league of its own. Maybe one day you’ll do a deep-dive history of Hagstrom, in the way that only you can do…
Picked up a Ric 360 / 12
In a pawn shop near downtown Santa Monica California, next to the Promenade. It was Fire Glow red and I paid $195 for it. Of course that was about 1970 LOL. Should have never sold a thing. But I was young and dumb and you know the rest of the line...
George got his 425 in 1963 while visiting his sister who had moved to the USA. It was purchased from Red Fenton’s guitar store in Southern Illinois
Always makes my day to see a new short history..this is a fantastic subject...lesser known to most myself included
My favorite Ric player is Mike Mills from R.E.M. He played a '71 Rickenbacker on the first two albums and the tone is incredible.
I bought a chickenbacker bass because of that band lol
@@unclestarwarssatchmo9848 Great!
Thanks Keith, the rich story of the Rickenbacker is both compelling and telling. What a niche her jangle has carved in guitar and music history.
"To everything there is a season
And a time to every purpose, under heaven"
Steve Howe plays a 360/12 on Awaken from the Going for the One album. Live he uses a Steinberger, because it's easier to keep in tune, but he says it doesn't sound as good as the Rick.
I saw the Church live in San Diego in the early 1990's. I didn't know who they were at the time, but they were great live! I had no idea they used a Ric.
There's something about that 12 string sound that I love. I grew up in the era of Beatles and Byrds and everytime I hear a chimey glistening arpeggio from a 12 string I'm right back there. Thanks for the short history. Makes me want to go out and buy a Rick, but I've settled for a Dano 12 string and a Dano doubleneck 6/12 model, which are quite wonderful in their own right. But the Rick 12 will always be the gold standard for electric 12 strings.
In a previous video, I commented about buying my Fender 12-string Stratocaster back in the 80's because I wanted a Rickenbacker 12-string, but either couldn't find one, or couldn't afford the one I wanted. Keith read and gave me a nice comment back. Now he made this video. Today is a very good day. Thank you Keith!
Awesome History lesson, thanks a million. Many years ago, my brother bought a Rickenbacker 360/6 with his lawn mowing money,$175.00 the guitar was a 65' He sold regetting it to this day, he said the Rickenbacker is in Japan and has been keep track of it, trying to buy it back, but with no luck as of yet, hopefully he finds it in his collection again. ✌
Slammed that notification alert so fast. Love your videos!
The reason John Lennon is said to have wanted a Rickenbacker is that Jazz harmonica player, guitarist, and whistler Toots Thielemans owned Rickenbackers and Lennon was a fan of Toots.
Probably the coolest episode you have done, even a cameo by the bassist and guitarist and singer of my current favorite band All Them Witches, I know it isn't a guitar but an episode of the 4001/4003 would be cool too it's just an under appreciated bass but the few who do get it.
Thank you for doing this. Rickenbackers are completely under appreciated and have an enormous sound pallet. The 12 is a little narrower, in terms of what it can do, but nothing touches it at what it's best at.
I have ADHD, so I find it really hard to watch long UA-cam videos all the way through, but literally every video of yours I can sit and watch the full length in one sitting. They keep me totally engrossed.
I’ve been waiting all week for this, thanks
Great short history Keith. It’s easy to forget what a large part of the music we love was made on those instruments. It’s just part of the soundtrack of our lives.
I'm not crazy about Rickenbackers, but their impact is undeniable and the number of tracks I've loved that utilize is immense. A deserving review of this guitar's history from the mountain top guitar guru that is Keith Williams.
Great video and story about my favorite guitar. I have owned most Rickenbacker models over the years, and really you cannot beat them for tone and build quality. I am never confused by what model I see (unlike with F and G brands) because RIC keeps it simple. And thanks for the long Peter Buck segment, his sound for me has always been the best example of what a Rickenbacker can do.
This is the scene -- , I am a 15 year old Texan. My dad has been transfered to London,1966. I had been playing for maybe a year. I am learning to play. Exiled to a boarding school and had better players than the rest of us, Saved my pence and went to Rose Morris in ' 67 I am guessing. Almost bought a short-scale but thought that was cheating, ( How dumb can you be? I have small hands) Bought my 2 pickup Rick ( I don't even remember the model #) and loved it. :Long story but lost it 40 years ago, Anyway... Fell in love with the Byrds and the 12 which has caused me to play a 12 most of my life. And , No, I don't own a Rick 12. My job has required me to travel so much it would have stayed under the bed but when I was looking at one about 20 years ago the salesman at the Guitar Center said "It looks really good on you". He had no idea. I have played every day of my life since I started. Wish I had my original. Long Live RICK! Thanks for the video. I have just returned to my youth. Do the math. I am 70 now. And yes, I still play every day. I also have been writing for the past 50 years. There are bands out there playing my music.
❤️ those sounds. Ramble in the jangle.
"From the Frying Pan in to the Fireglo" is the title of a 99.9% total Rickenbacker bible. The research never stops. Hats off to a company that refuses to offshore production, introduce a line of imports, or lessen quality to suit market segments. Thank you, Mr. Hall.
another great article and I'm glad you mentioned Marty willson Piper of the church
Jim Beattie from very early Primal Scream really influenced me as a teenager, he seems to have had a unique aggresive style which brought the whole 60's Rick thing into a new dimension for me, especially his live playing.
Great history video. Thank you for posting. I love my ric.
Fun fact: those iconic chiming Rickenbackers you hear on the first Smiths album, including This Charming Man, are actually a blackguard Telecaster owned by the producer. Fascinating video as always, Keith
I'm all for having a vast pallette of guitars for different tones, but most great studio guitar tones are made by telecasters. There's no getting around it
@@PageandPlant4Life Exactly! Just ask Jimmy Page.
I still own today a January 1966 Rickenbacker 450-12 that I bought for $125 from a music store that was closing in 1972 and I've sat on it since! It's still in mint condition as I'm a bassist and have never really used it. In 1971 I found a 1967 Rickenbacker 4001 bass at E.U. Wurltzer's in Boston for $300 and actually wore it out! The neck was dealimnating as the south neck binding was separating as well as the triangle fret markers. The laquered fret board also began to peel. I traded it for a second 1976 Gibson Thunderbird "Bicentennial" in 1979 but I miss my Ric 4001 to this very day! When I brought back to Maine it was dubbed "The Porkchop" as it was fireglo red with the checkerboard binding thus resembling the fat.
As an Australian, I'm glad to see the Church mentioned. Their song Almost With You is Rickenbacker jangle heaven!!!
Was going to mention that yeah Under the Milky Way gave them larger visibility here in the US later in the 80s, It's 1982's The Blurred Crusade where Marty's Rick really shines.
The Unguarded Moment, sport!!! ;)
Back from a long weekend in the hinterlands, and the first thing I see is a Short History from Keith. Serendipity, baby! There's nothing better than learning while being entertained. Thanks as always, Keith.
Back in the mid 90's, I was part of a touring band showcasing a brother duo "The Elwell Brothers". When we had a free day one of my dear friends from the band and I rented a car and sought out the Rickenbacker offices. We were and are big fans. I have a 66' 360 6-string and a 98' 360 12-string. We went into the front office requesting a tour or access to whatever we might be allowed to see. While waiting for the verdict an old gentleman shuffled through the office. I asked the receptionist if that was...and yes, it was Mr. F.C. Hall. Well between my friend's boyish good looks and my silver tongue, we persuaded a reluctant office manager to give us access to "the museum" of ALL of their fabulous displayed instruments. However, the room was under renovation. Unbelievably this amazing collection of vintage instruments was sitting in the midst of the project with sawdust, power tools, and plastic tarping. We got photos of us each holding and playing some amazing instruments including a picture of the "frying pan". Then it happened a questioning and curious John Hall (President of RIC) stepped in wondering what we were doing there. The office manager that had accompanied us was told it was probably time for us to leave. On our exit, we were able to purchase stickers and shirts and the kind office staff gave us a collection of the signature artist posters. What a marvelous adventure. Loved this video.
I remember it well. That was one great day!
Great story! Thanks for taking the time to share it here man.
@@fivewattworld A pleasure to re-live the day. I so enjoy your channel.
That sound is really magical. “A Hard Days Night” is my favorite Beatles album
So great! So comprehensive! Absolutely gorgeous guitars and I am so thankful to Keith for putting the massive time and effort producing this much longed-for history of one of my life-long favorite guitars. Sadly, I sold my 360/12 years ago and regret every day since. This video has reminded me that I need to bring RIC back into my life. Yeah. Great. Thanks, Keith. 😔😊🌹
Man I hope we get the short history of the 4001 soon. Great job once again Keith.
Its the little details like "the Washington football team" that make this channel. Love it.
well in addition to their old name being unambiguously a racial slur, they've officially changed their names so calling them by the old name is no longer accurate.
My one and so far only E-Bay purchase was a 660-12 maple glow. Tried for a short time to play a 360-12 but my hands are too big. I like the 660-12 with more real estate on the fret board. The 660 is a great guitar. I've used it for gospel to pit band in musicals to some petty great sounding blues. Great vid!
Great show! Sure Les Pauls, Strats and Teles each have a distinctive sound, but nothing stands out to my ears like a 12-string Richenbacker. Thank you.
Great video; you meant ADOLPH Rickenbacker...😉
Paul Mc Cartney used his refinished natural 4001 bass all throughout the ‘70’s with Wings.
Truefire is GREAT!
Great to see a new history here! I’ve realized these short histories go beyond the specific guitar or topic, shining light on the rich context of the people, music, personal connections, and artists famous surrounding the guitar. I’ve never played a Rickenbacker, but appreciate the cool role they’ve played over time.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! It is so nice to see Ric getting some love: especially my favorite model. As a proud owner, my double bound 360/12 takes my breath every time I open the case. The sound never ceases to inspire. Time to go play Handle With Care for the 1000th time...
Keith, you are probably the most interesting guitar-related guy on the internet. But what do I know? I've only been playing since 1961. Keep it up sir!
These videos will be played again and again for years to come. That's how good they are.
Thank God! Right when I sat down at my computer and saw that there's, a new episode of 5 Watt World...YAHAY!! Nice and perfect!
Just bought a Walnut 330...much mulling over for a few years. Thank you for the great video
Best explanation of the 5th knob ever! 👍👍
I have a 1968 Fireglo 330/12 that I bought in 1968 at Long & McQuade in Toronto in 1975. That guitar saw a lot of heavy use was banged and dropped and aside from a few nicks on the finish came through. In late 2019 though a few of the frets were badly worn. I took it to Long & McQuade in Mississauga. When the case was opened it was like their eyes came upon the holy grail. Employees and customers came and were practically drooling on it. They thought they would have to send it to their main service depot. I got a call a short time later saying they would not touch it. They recommend another company in Toronto, The 12th Fret. Long & Quade called The 12th Fret to see if they could handle it. They said they could. So picked the 330/12 up, but I could not get the guitar to The 12th Fret till January 2020. Again when the case was opened all present look at it like it was a priceless gem and they crowded around to see it. I did find this somewhat amusing. Gord handled the 330 like it was a new born baby. He told me all he was going to do to it at 1st glance and that would be about $700 Cdn. I paid $550 for it in 1975 so $700 52 years later was not so bad. They are a very busy repair/refurbish shop and said it would be a few weeks before he could get to it. I got a call sooner then I expected but Gord had some bad news. One of the 2 truss rods was broken and the nut was missing. The guitar had never been serviced since I had it, so I figure something happened between 1968 and 1975 when I bought it. More bad new Rickenbacker had changed the truss rod design in the 1980s and Rickenbacker no longer made those rods. Gord said they could be got from a company in England who made parts for older Rickenbackers. I thought there must be some where on this continent that has them. Sadly no. Some said they could custom make them but would be expensive. The in March 2020 covid hit hard. Well that slowed everything down. But I contacted RickySounds in Nottingham England. They had the Hairpin Truss Rods in stock. 99.95 pounds plus shipping. Covid slowed down the delivery. I had them sent directly to The 12th Fret. Gord contacted me when he got them and about a week later contacted me when it was done. He went over on the phone what he had done. He basically refurbished the whole guitar and still for about $700. When I got it home a pluged it into my Traynor GuitarMate 3, well the 330/12 sounded better then I ever remember it. The action was better then I ever remembered it. Was like a new guitar. What an amazing job Gord at The 12th Fret did. Gave my 52 year old 330/12 a new lease on life. Thank you Rickenbacker for making an instrument that lasted 52 years with no work needed and was worth refurbishing. Thank you 12th Fret for the skill and care in doing the work. While I know some Toronto based bands used 12 string Rickenbackers the reaction to the guitar at Long & McQuade and The 12th Fret says what reverence people have for Rickenbacker 12s. I said all that because this video was great. There are other stories to be told about Rics but as the title says: A Short History
Another great video. One thing you may or not be interested in: Marty Wilson Piper from The Church has his strings re-verted to a usual 12 string course.
By the way, I saw Marty do a residency upstairs at the Sando in Newtown Sydney (over three hours of music, poetry and spoken word for 10 bucks! Brilliant!)
Theirs was the first record I ever bough - a single for Metropolis. If you ever get a chance to see The Church live I wholeheartedly recommend it.
I saw him shred on a double bound duc taped ricky 12 . Mind blown
How come you didn't mention the "stereo" feature? Some guitars have two output jacks so two amps could be used. One amp for each pickup. Great vid. I have a cherry 1964 360-12 with Fireglo finish. It's a work of art.
Thanks for mentioning the Church - they have some great Ric 12 tones!!!
All of your Short Histories of… are great, but this is absolutely incredible. You packed an amazing amount of detailed and fascinating information into a really short amount of time. I love Rickenbackers and their unique sound and feel. Thank you so much.
As a new owner of a pair of Rics (2015 381-12V69 & a 75th Ann. 6), I’m happy to know where the bones come from on the 12 in particular. I grew up musically in the 60s, knew the Beatles and Byrds used the Rics extensively, but it’s fascinating to now know who else was recording with them! Now, for some reason , I find myself playing a LOT of Heartbreakers and McGuinn. Thanks for this video!👍😎
381 is a beautiful design. Getting harder to find these days.
Rose Morris in England Rics have f holes. American Rics have the sliced fruit hole. No mention of the convertible 6-12 with the comb lever that pulled 6 of the strings up and down. Most 12s have 6 piece bridge saddles. Only a few have 12 piece bridge saddles. The Carl Wilson has thinner wood and finish? The McGuinn has the built in compressor, but one had to unscrew the pick guards to change the battery. McGuinn used flatwounds. The few special years of custom finishes were beautiful, I wish they made more. The year the string channel went full through made for easier string changes. 330s were mono, 360 had the stereo Ric-O-Sound wiring. When did the case change from silver to black? A good compressor gives the Byrds sustain, use an external box. There must be two spray painters at the factory who do the fire-glow spraying. One has lovely feathered red. The other painter has harsh red line definition that looks ugly to me. You showed an ugly one and called it a reissue.
As with all things FWW this is excellent !! Thanks Keith! We are so very fortunate!
Love seeing All Them Witches get mentioned, such an incredible band! Parks also kills it with that facked up 4001
And cooool! I was wondering if XTC would get a mention in this video, and they did, too! 😀👍 I'd known them by name for 40 years and only their biggest hit 'Making Plans For Nigel' since the mid 90's, until I bought a DVD of an old British music TV show ten years later that also had XTC on it with a cover of a Rita Coolidge song. But it was only at the start of this year and after their name had been popping up all the time around me that I finally started checking out their Music properly, and it was well worth it! 'Jason And The Argonauts' with its 12-string Rickenbacker sounds is one of my favourites 😀
Most awesome.. thanks for saying something about supporting musicians thru this hard time... it has been a very hard year for us all.
This makes me want to own a 12 string 😩 hope i can afford one soon. awesome series!
One of my work colleagues (and my secret love interest) wanted a 12 string Rickenbacker for his 50th birthday. Unfortunately, nobody bought it for him
We asked, and you responded! Many thanks for an ace film. Really enjoyed this. A Ricky 360 is my dream guitar, so one day if I win the lottery...
Well done as always Keith! Great quality content that looks like it should be on tv. You’ve really inspired my playing and my hunt for gear, in a good way 😉
Fantastic! I know you're building something great here. A catalog of Guitar history that will transcend for a great period of time. Ken Burns was asked once if he knew the impact of his documentary work and he stated " Good work dosen't feel like it at the time" keep it rolling!!!😁🎼🎶🎸
Yessssss today is the day!! If there is one short history I’ve been waiting for, it is this one. Thanks for the awesome content!!
I've have owned and played three Ricks over the past 45 years, a 4001 Jetglo, a 620 / 12 Aqua custom color, and at present a 330 / 12 Fireglo. The 4001 I played continuously in bands for 22 years. No one can argue the level of build quality of Ricks, but to me Rickenbacker did some things that just didn't make sense. I traded the 620/12 and some money for the 330/12 because it was so difficult to chord some chords at the nut end of the neck. I gave up on the 4001 because of several reasons. One, the body shape for me had just become to uncomfortable to deal with, no matter at what height I wore the bass at. Also, I had caused deep grooves in the frets by using Rotosound round wound strings all the time. Apparently the metal the strings are made from is harder than the fret metal. And finally, I just tired of shouldering a bass as heavy as the 4001. As for the 330/12, re-stringing is a nightmare because Rickenbacker didn't see fit to fully slot the headstock all the way through.
Thank You for a great video.
1/ All RIC 12 articles should include a mention of Suzi Arden's Rickenbacker 12 string which was the original 12 string prototype. It is the only one ever manufactured by Rickenbacker that was strung with the conventional 12 string pattern.
2/ Paul McCartney used a LH Rickenbacker Bass during the Sergeant Pepper Era (check out the Hello Goodbye video) and then later on with Wings. His Bass was unusual in that it had a reverse headstock.
3/ Marty Wilson-Piper used Rickenbackers including the Roger McGuinn signature 360/12 and had them strung in the conventional 12 string pattern.
4/ It is often said that the Vox 12 String produces a twelve string sound that is closest to a Rickenbacker 12 string.
5/ Rickenbacker capitalised on Tom Petty's fame by releasing a Tom Petty 6xx/12 signature model. But it really should have been a Mike Campbell signature model ... or perhaps calling it a Tom and Mike / Heartbreaker's signature model would have been more appropriate. It was really Mike that championed the 12 string sound in the Heartbreakers.
6/ Rickenbacker has always remained true to its Made in U.S.A. roots. All Rickenbacker guitars have been manufactured in the U.S.A. unlike many of its major rivals.
Cheers from the Land Down Under.
I've been waiting for this one since I discovered this channel!! Rickenbackers are amazing guitars and I'm proud to own one. Wonderful video as always and I can't wait to see more in the future.
Until next time, thanks so much for this great video! I always look forward to the next one!
Fantastic work Keith. Thanks for educating.
Well done Keith, another one for the books, I love when a short history comes out on a Sunday, they fit so well together, thanks!
Great work, Keith. Thanks for making these histories incredibly informative & entertaining.