I bought one 1971 in The States and took it with me back to Germany. I fell in love with this Instrument from the very first moment and I still am, what a beauty in shape and sound she is 🙏
McGuinn played virtually exclusively on the bridge pickup of his Ricks, even when he had the middle pickup added to his 360/12 and later when Rick made his signature three-pickup 370/12 model. On all of the early (middle '60’s) Byrds songs McGuinn (then “Jim”) played a two-pickup Mapleglow 360/12 (the second, rounded body type) on the bridge pickup. It was strung at the factory with semi-flatwound Rickenbacker stings. At some point soon after he bought the guitar he strung it with fully flatwound strings. McGuinn was the only member of the Byrds who played on the “Mr. Tambourine Man” single. All other instruments were played by “The Wrecking Crew” (look them up if you don’t know who they were - they also played on all of the Beach Boy albums and so many others). The Byrds played exclusively on all the rest of the tracks on their first album and on all else after that. McGuinn did not record with an amplifier but went directly into the recording console. There is some possibility that McGuinn also used a small Epiphone 2x10' amp on some tracks but this is not vetted fact. If he did, it might have been used with a DI box and mixed with the direct signal, accordingly. Yes, the sound was highly compressed using Teletronix/Urei/Universal Audio LA-2A and 1176, a Fairchild 670, and similar legendary outboard studio compressors which cannot exactly be replicated with pedals, even today. He also often recorded with two compressors in series, each one at a moderate setting to avoid “breathing” and other compressor anomalies. He did not use a treble booster or any kind of pedal in the studio as the Q-strip on the console had sufficient EQ to create any sound he wanted. The treble booster (actually an upper-mid booster) he used and eventually installed in his guitar was used for live performances only and only for a short while. McGuinn's tone, while not monolithic, is generally not nearly as trebly as we sometimes "remember" it to be. It is "jangly" as hell, though, but that is more a product of his playing technique, and the metal fingerpicks on his middle and ring fingers than EQ. Yes, he was unhappy with his live sound, and no wonder, there was no way to replicate or even come close to his recording setup, live. I saw the Byrds in 1967 and they were playing directly through Fender Dual Showman amps, curly guitar cables, and no pedals of any kind for both the guitars and bass. McGuinn’s Rick 360/12 did not sound even close to his recorded sound which greatly frustrated him (and me). They were not a very good live band which surprised me since their sound was not, at that time, so highly produced in the studio that it couldn’t accurately be played live, as many good cover bands proved. I shouldn't have been surprised that they were not good live. It is well to remember that the Byrds did not come up after years of playing together in clubs, etc. like the Beatles, Stones, Yardbirds, and all. They were a pure studio creation, put together to make recordings. As a band they had little live experience. Michael Clarke, their drummer had absolutely no musical or drum experience at all before playing in the Byrds. He was picked up off the street because of his "proto-hippie" appearance. He was at best an earnest but totally inexperienced amateur. Chris Hillman, their bass player was formerly a mandolin player. Without a solid, punchy, grooving rhythm section, no "band" will sound very good live. In any event, they were not a real "band" as we have, come to understand it and they did not sound like a band live. McGuinn used and still uses a flatpick between his thumb and index finger in the usual way and, as I said, metal fingerpicks on his middle and ring fingers. In this way, all plucked notes are evenly sounded and a “roll” with the middle and ring finger can be accomplished while not giving up the accompanying flatpicked notes. This is a very important feature of his sound and the best way to get a Rick 12 to sound like his. Harrison flatpicked all the strings. Before the Byrds, McGuinn (called “Slim” in those days) was a professional musician who accompanied a number of performers. I saw him in 1965 in a small on-stage band accompanying “The Chad Mitchell Trio”. He played banjo for most of the evening.
You're so smart to hang onto the guitar that helps you remember your father. Losing such guitars is common. A friend of mine and I both had vintage guitars. His was a '53 Tele. Mine was a '59 ES-335. We both traded them early in our quest for "something better." How we both wish we had them back. Both our guitars came from our fathers. Thank you for reminding us to avoid such mistakes.
A key feature of the Rick 12, one that is rarely mentioned, is that Rick 12s are strung with the octave-pairs, the E, A, D, and G string-courses, inverted. This means that when the strings are down-picked or strummed, the pick hits the bass string first followed by the higher octave string, which gives it more bite, more boom. Normal acoustic 12s are strong the opposite way with the higher octave string first, which creates a lusher, less biting sound.
Was looking for this explanation here. I have a Hamer electric twelve-string and was messing around with "My Back Pages". I realized that I was missing an octave note on the G course, and it's because on my guitar the G's are in unison, not octaves. Duh!...
Loved this Video. I can totally understand why that guitar means so much to you. I have a similar story. I’m lucky enough to have 4 Rickenbackers. I have an 84 320 fireglo, a 2004 330 blue boy, a 2009 660 fireglo , but my most precious guitar is an 89 360/12 in jetglo that my Mum bought me that year. Mum passed away in 2016, I had a graphics shop do a tribute to Mum on the scratch plate. I haven’t played it since she passed away. I think it’s nearly time to bring it out and hear that beautiful jangle sound again. Thanks for this great insight to your Roger McGuinn RIC.
In the 60's, the single coil toaster pickups were wound with low amount of turns and so had a resistance of about 7K ohms, allowing the high frequencies to easily pass thru to the amp because of the low inductive impedance to high frequencies. Plus they added an extra capacitor inline that blocked the low frequencies. Together this guitar was a treble monster even without the booster. Then in the late 70's, as high wound high gain Humbuckers became more popular, Rickenbacker decided that they would "IMPROVE" their pickups by making them high wound high gain high resistance (11k-14k) and they removed the extra capacitor. In doing so, they completely lost their chiminess. They didn't get back to the original toasters until many years later. If you own a Rick with high resistance pickups and wonder why they don't sound chimey, this is why. You can either buy an original toaster PU replacement, or unwind your pickups. I unwound mine to down to 7K and the difference was VERY noticeable, its a bit of an ordeal and time consuming (hours per pickup), but very worth it. I also put the capacitor inline and there again was a big difference. My 1990's reissue George Harrison type 360/12V64 rick (which had the pickup "improvents") now has all the chiminess of the original 1964 12 string. Yeheeeee !
I visited Rick in 1973 and had a nice long conversation with John Hall, who also gave me a walk-through of the fledgling museum. He even offered me his personal 370-12 with original 'Byrd-wiring' for $200.00. I already had two 360-12s (a '67 fire-glo and a '64 maple-glo) so I foolishly turned it down! Still sore from kicking myself! He confirmed that, from 1963 to that point ALL Rick 12s were setup at the factory with flats because they exerted less pressure on the truss rod system than round wound strings. (Rick acquired the "Harmony" guitar double truss design that had lapsed into public domain.) Chris Squire caused a lot of grief by switching to round wound bass strings and a flood of 4000 and 4001 basses came in for truss rod damage! By the Turn, Turn, Turn LP his original 360-12 had been stolen and he purchased a 1965 model. McGuinn generally used both coils with the Vox treble booster. (had one, worked great but hummed a lot and even picked up AM radio broadcasts! KFWB and KRLA) "Wait and See", "If You're Gone" and "The Times they Are A' Changing" being notable exceptions. When '5D' came out he was using the (newly added) middle coil and in some cases even went to the neck coil for solos ("8 Miles High" alternate take at RCA) The most influential development was building himself a small cigar box amp with a walkie-talkie speaker. This gave the instrument a thin high whine that, once once properly mic'd, mixed and compressed gave the impossibly thunderous 12 string work on "Why" and "Eight Miles High" and was featured on the rest of 5D and "Younger Than Yesterday" (he used it for his Gretsch Tennessean solo on "Have You seem Her Face". the '65 model soldiered on until the early 70's when he purchased a ready made 370-12 with the new ceramic coils. He used this until he was gifted the RM370-12 in 1988-89. "Oh, and I am so much older now, and younger way back when!" lol
What a great video! I'm no way anything close to being a musician of any sort, but I'm a big follower of music since 1959. Ever since I first heard The Byrds on my dads "Japanese Transistor Radio" I stole from him... I've been a huge fan. To this day I still seek out the Jangle/ Chiming sounds of what The Byrds and Beatles first came up with. My wife and I went to see "Echo in the Canyon" recently. In the opening of the movie the first song they played in the background was "Bells of Rhymney" by The Byrds. I started crying. If I had the skills you have at playing this wonderful guitar... I'd just lay on my bed all day long and make Chiming Music!
I think McGuinn has sold more Ricks than everyone else combined. I know George used one in "A Hard Day's Night" and afterwards for nearly a year, but it was the sound and technique McGuinn used that made me and thousands of others save up and get their own Rick 12 strings. Nobody wanted them in '75, so I got mine for $125 used ($500 in today's dollars). I wish I had bought two more!
I know. I was criticized endlessly for buying the one. So many of my recordings featured that guitar. I should have picked up every one I could plus a Plymouth Superbird.
The Beatles sold more Rickenbackers, than any band ever! Tell me one person who was photographed playing one before? I have seen a picture of Rick Nelson playing one,might have been a acoustic, on Ozzie and Harriet,might have been before Beatles but that’s the only star I’ve seen prior Jan. 64?
Nice presentation Matt. I was still at school at the time but fortunate enough to see the Byrds when they toured South Africa in 1968. Although a drummer, I was knocked out by the unbelievable sound of Roger McGuinn's 12 String Rick saturating the entire theatre.
Hi MusoMaker, my late wife and I attended their show in Cape Town. I was left with impression that very few of original members were still part of that version of the band. What I'll never forget is that before the show, my wife and I were asked to leave the cocktail lounge at the Grand Hotel because she was wearing bell bottomed pants suit, which were very fashionable at the time. How times have changed.
I've just come across this video. Thanks for the RIC info', really interesting. I've always loved Rickenbacker's, and didn't manage to own one until I was 60 years old.........but it was worth the wait. Keep the videos coming....Thanks, Chris.
I owned a new 89 RM model in fireglo for about 4 years. Beautiful unique sound and the construction was unmatched in fit and finish. My only problem was with the middle pickup which drove me crazy due to hitting it with my pick (my fault, not the guitars). My next Rick 12-string will only have 2 pickups!
JD Whyte At the end of the day, I don't see or hear the middle pickup being particularly useful or gives a unique edge to the Rick12 sound. It's more "show than go". So, like you say only 2 pickups will do the job quite well.
This story about getting your Rickenbacker hit home. My Father got me a Rickenbacker 330 model as a first "Proper guitar" when he realized that I was going to actually stick with the guitar. I've loved Rickenbackers for as long as I can remember, and have always been my favorite make of guitars because of The Beatles. I loved John Lennon's black 325 but also George Harrison's 360 12-string in fireglow. The black 330 6-string I own is a marriage of the two. Recently my Dad surprised me with a 330 12-String in fireglow for my 40th birthday. It's also from the same shop and salesman where I got my first Rick 24 years ago. These two Ricks I could never sell because of the sentimental value. Thank you for this great video and memories it brought back for me.
Great story, such a special and personal guitar. Thanks for sharing the Roger McGuinne story I knew about the double compression but not that he used a treble booster, very interesting. Thanx for sharing
I own a Rickenbacker 360/12 63C and I love this thing. It was the best gift anyone ever gave me. They gifted it to me because I love George Harrison. It cost a fortune. That said, I realized quickly that I'm not a 12 String player. So... I strung it with 6 strings and I absolutely love the guitar. It seems like a waste playing a 12 string guitar with only 6 strings, but I don't care. The guitar plays itself. I'm only along for the ride , and the ride is very good.
@@ofbyforpeople1384 You still get the same tone.. yes. Now having said what I did, I have recently restrung it with 12 strings, and have been spending a lot of time learning how I'm supposed to play it that way. I love what you can do with them... But it's a completely different mindset
Thank you so much for this. I wanted to write a story about the 1960's, so your information helped me capture the mood if not the technical information - I couldn't have my character sit on the porch and explain too much to the man whose guitar he had fixed, so I wrote only a few details to show his enthusiasm and lend credibility to his character. This video is much appreciated
That’s an incredible guitar you have. I bought my first Rickenbacker last night and am waiting for it to be delivered. I’ve wanted one since I was a child after my dad showed me a picture of himself in college with his 325. Sadly he had to sell it to pay bills while in college. We’re both equally excited for mine to come in. It’s a 1993 381v69/6 in jetglo.
I picked up a used 360/12 in 1977. Always played it straight into the amp. Nothing between the guitar and the amp but a cable. My favorite sounds are either through a '62 AC30 (no top boost), or a SOVTEK MIG50 ( no gain knob).
So Roger last night September 3, 2021 playing in Boone North Carolina and he had this exact same guitar. The sound was fabulous memories are a great. Thanks for explaining how he got that sound. In between songs he told a lot of stories from his coffeehouse days to the Chad Mitchell trio and Bobby Darren meeting David Crosby but he never explained the unique sound
Eight Miles High is some of the most original guitar pieces ever performed; it pointed the way to an entirely different approach to the guitar, as contrasted to the Chicago Blues styles favored by Clapton, Beck, and Page.
I have the same signature Roger Mcguinn model 370/12 with the built in compression and treble booster and I love that guitar sooooooo much!!! I read that there's a adjustment screw under the face plate in the electronics where you can adjust the amount of compression you get, I've never considered messing with that adjustment, I'm so happy with the sounds it has already. I love this guitar and highly recommend it to anyone thinking of purchasing one I live on this guitar...LOL
I owned a Roger McGuinn 12-string Rickenbacker blue burst finish and it was stolen. I would like to get another one however, there is one caveat; the finish needs to be removed and replaced with a durable finish that doesn't buckle under the tuning machines and areas under load. Nice funk sound at the end.
After all the years I've tried to get great sounds like the stars out of my store bought guitars. I find out now that the stars, so to speak, added all kinds of custom stuff like Treble boosters. I never even knew they existed. I wasn't hanging out with the right people.
Lovely! I'm a huge fan and have 3 Ric 12's. I knew about the compressor, but the Vox treble booster was new to me. Fascinating instrument. Nice of you to share!
LOVE my Rickenbacker so much! First laid eyes on one in 2002 when I was 8 and getting into Silverchair. Took me a while but finally got a 360/12 in fireglo last year! Unique to every other guitar I own :) love the info in this video - keep on playing!
Funny story I didnt know YET on how Mr. McGuinn couldnt find the Harrison original one...same to me! I wanted a McGuinn one in NO TIME but ended up with a 620 jetglo....but its very RNR and now I´m totally happy with it! Giving it the tambourine Man here and there...of course....keep it up man and thx for the clip! From Germania, Oz
Three or four years ago (this written in 2022) Justin Hayward put a lot of his gear out on sale on-line. One of the items was a McGuinn Rickenbacker twelve string. Never saw it on stage and don't know if he used it for recording but imagine having a McGuinn Rickenbacker once owned by the voice of the Moody Blues!
@@Glicksman1 Moderation is the last thing you want on a compressor for a Rick 12. McGuinn actually chained two together in the studio. The Jangle Box sounds great, but it's REALLY noisy compared to similar compressors used in the same way.
Wonderful! Enjoyed that very much. Wish I had one, tho I do have 2 - 360/12 and a 660/12. Yeah, I also didn't know about the Vox treble booster. I had one as a teenager, as I was a huge fan of Jeff Beck. Wish I still had it, tho it was awkward to plug into a Tele...
I've owned Rickys for over 30 years now. I always have to have a couple in the toolbox - at least one 12 string as nothing else gets that sound. My 620/6 is an extremely versatile guitar and quite under-rated.
I have the limited ed. Carl Wilson quilted coral red and stunning tiger maple neck. I reversed the nut in order to reverse the high and low octave strings which is standard on all other standard 12rs made in the world. It only makes sense. It's 10 times easier to play and rings out far louder. Only 250 12s and 250 6s produces in 2000 only. Good luck, but if you come across the 12, buy it at any price because they've become a kind of a holy grail of electric ricky 12s. I've always been enamored with Roger McGuinn, so for me, this was a heaven send.
onemorebrando: Celebratory behavior is part of being fun and interesting, if you happen to be a fun person. For whatever reason in our society we've become a national of punishers, and as soon as you share your experiences with your fellow humans, it's now considered conceited behavior. Why is that? I love to hear from others: things they enjoy and enjoy sharing useful information. If that's something that bothers you, then simply remove yourself from the conversation all together and remain in a self loathsome environment of your choosing. Just don't do it here. I doubt anyone would be interested.
I just barred him from the channel Scott - he was leaving a series of funny messages. And well said btw - this is a forum to talk about and enjoy guitars. Not make strange judgements on other people comments.
Yes Matt, I'll never understand that type of behavior. Perhaps a lack of proper upbringing. If so, I feel so sorry for such individuals. We're here to love and support each other. My grandfather said if you have nothing good to say, say nothing. If you have a handful of of gold, allow it sift into the hands of the deserving.
My first exposure to Jim McGuinn was as a session musician for the Chad Mitchell Trio. If you like harmony and a strong lead vocal, you should check that group out.
I have a 1967 Rickenbacker Jetglo. I had the fretboard redone at Sweetwater Sound and they did a beautiful job. I would like to sell it but don't know what I should ask for it. It's in very good condition but I hardly play it anymore. Its a 360 12 string.
Hey there Phillip they certainly aren't a light weight that's for sure. They certainly do reward players with loads of lovely McGuinn tone:) Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Matt.
Yup, my brother had a 1980 12-string natural maple Rickenbacker 360. It had that silky smooth thick glossy lacquer finish that I don’t think Rickenbacker can replicate bc of California’s strict air emission regulations. It was heavy and it had an amazing wood smell out of the hard case. The rosewood fingerboard with inlayed shark fin fret markets was its signature feature. I walked into a Guitar Center store two years ago in Coral Springs, FL and was so excited to see a used for sale natural maple 12-string Rickenbacker 360 on display. I asked to see it and immediately realized it was a “knock-off” Chickenbacker. I knew it because it was so light and the neck angled up from the body. I was so disgusted. There’s nothing like the real deal, American-made Rickenbacker.
Flat wounds are a huge part of McGuinn's sound. I like the Thomastik's sold by Pick Of The Ricks. They're spendy, but they last a long time. The other thing you gotta do is learn to play with a flatpick and two metal fingerpicks to get the banjo-type rolls down. That's where the magic lies.
jnf91 Yes, flatwounds especially on The Rickenbacker 12 Strings gets rid of the sound of finger tip grooves from squeaking on the strings during chord changes.... I am the proud owner of #97 of 1OOO Tom Petty Rickenbacker 66O 12 string guitars in fire glo ... my Ric is already 26 years old and still looks and plays like new... I’ve had the 66O Tom Petty years before his passing also... it is the model that HERE COMES MY GIRL was recorded with...
I've heard he used flatwounds but in McQuinn's DVD video he says he uses Rickenbacker "compressed roundwounds" and he holds them up in the video and shows the back of the package that describes the string gauges and gives the product model number. Rickenbacker still sells that same model number string pack and it's available on their website but the string gauges are different than the ones Roger showed, and they just say "roundwound" now instead of "compressed roundwound". It's a bit confusing!
I strongly encourage people who try a Ric 12 string to try it through an overdriven amp. I have 330/12 (admittedly with the “Hi Gain” pickups, not “Toaster Tops”). With a moderately driven rhythm sound, like AC/DC or Led Zeppelin, the huge dimensions of the 12-string sound changes into a striking, bright and thick crunch tone. Riffs like “Alright Now” by Free, which is awesome on a 6 string, sound incredible with greater tonal palette of the 12-string. Trust me. It’s epic. While I’m sure any electric 12-string would sound cool, the specific frequency response and low output of Ric pickups (even the “Hi Gain” ones which aren’t high output) mean the sound stays defined and clear.
Back when I had a Hiwatt DR504, I plugged a Rick 360/12 through it (bottom normal input). It was super punchy and very sparkly. It just needed a ton of compression, which I didn't have. The tone was there though. :) Speakers were Weber California ceramics ( their clone of a JBL E series) in a Fender 4x12 cab ). And like others have said in the comments, he played on the bridge pickup.
I've got a standard 360/12 and after struggling with lots of gear I found the Janglebox Nano perfect to get Roger's Rickenbacker tone. The pedal was expensive in my opinion but it's great and I love my setup now. Thanks for the video.
It is my understand that Roger liked the Jangle Box sound so much that he disconnected the electronics from his RM 370/12 and began using the Jangle Box instead when performing.
I should have added that I have a 2010 370/12 and pair it with a Jangle Box and the sound is awesome!!! It can give you any Byrds sound from Tambourine Man to 5D!
I have a Ric 360/12 (mapleglo) which I played through a JangleBox 3 - great sound though I only flat pick. Recently I managed to buy a Ric 370/12 RM (also mapleglo) - the 360/12 is up for sale - but I am in the early days of trying to get the best sound out of it. McGuinn's favourite setting so he says is the clean compressed position on the 5 position knob. Maybe its my (small) amp but I'm getting nowehere near the 360/12 with outboard compressor sound. The 370/12 has been restrung & set up & all working. Maybe I'll get those metal finger picks too....
Own a black 360 12 and love it, one its a beautiful instrument but as I have often said give a great guitarist a cigar box guitar and he'll still be a great guitarist give a mediocre to fair guitarist like myself a great guitar and we will always far better than we are. My Ric is certainly the guitar that makes me far beter than I am.
Echoing previous comments, flat wounds are essential. I use D'Addario Chromes -- not as expensive as Pyramid or Thomastik, and every bit as good -- and customise the set to closely match McGuinn's preferred string gauges (E: .10 x2, B: .13 x2, G: .20 + .10, D: .30 + .13, A: .35 + .20, E: .45 + .30). Also, the built-in compressor in the RM370-12 is pretty noisy, and McGuinn himself prefers to use a JangleBox outboard compressor pedal. All JB models feature a treble boost, usually activated by a mini toggle, but the new more compact JB NANO has it on top as a foot switch, which is much more convenient [www.janglebox.com/jb-nano.html]. Roger does indeed use hybrid picking, using a plectrum between his thumb and forefinger, and banjo picks on his middle and ring. You can forgo the metal fingerpicks if your fingernails are sturdy enough, but learning the arpeggiated banjo rolls is key to his sound. The neck is fairly thin for a 12-string and often people complain about it being tight, especially near the nut. This issue can be somewhat alleviated by recutting the nut to widen the string spread. You may also notice RIC frets do not span the entire width of the fretboard, they stop where the binding starts, so you might at some point consider getting a refret that does span the entire fretboard, which means you can widen the string spread even more. A 12-saddle bridge also helps with intonation up the neck. One final caveat...RICs from this era (mid 80's - 90's) used cheaper zinc hardware and as such have a reputation for exploding tailpieces on their 12 strings. If you notice any cracking, wrinkling, distortion or any other signs of metal fatigue, remove it at once. RIC rather unhelpfully will not replace it for you without a rather hefty fee, but you can find a much better quality "harp" or trapeze style from the good folks at Winfield [winfieldvintage.com/parts/index.html], and which are much easier to restring than the dreaded "R" tailpieces, which themselves often require de-burring so the strings will actually seat properly in them... RIC 12's are like a beautiful but difficult girlfriend: delightful and unique arm candy but often requiring a bit of a fight to get them to put out ;)
Actually, Carl Wilson also used the Rickenbacker 360 as early as fall of '64. You can see him playing it on The Beach Boys appearance on The TAMI Show. --------------WolfSky9
A great sounding guitar Matt. Thanks for sharing your knowledge of them. I never had a lot of success with Rickenbackers, which is why I fell in love with and bought a 1964 Burns Double Six. ( I can hear the groans from here ) I Have owned it for 40+ years. Maybe you could do a comparison ? Keep up the good work mate. P.S. What a great 21st present.
The Burns sounds like a cool guitar - I just had a look at a few pictures. I think guitars are really whatever works for the individual... and I have to admit too I find the 12 string Ricky hard work to play as the area at the nut is so tight.
The current Burns Double Six appears (from a YT video I've seen) to be a really fine guitar. A three-way Rickenbacker, Burns and Fender 12 comparison would be marvelous.
in the meantime here's a little clip I did of my Burns Double Six with some compression. The wide neck makes it really easy to play.ua-cam.com/video/h6cnrarg0TE/v-deo.html
I know what you mean, I had 2 369 12,s, and I could never keep either one in tune. I tried everything, and had a couple friends who knew a lot about guitars try and help. They were hopeless. Fun to hold and play, very light and pretty but way over priced and still are, in my opinion.
I have been a Rickenbacker fan and user for many years and I love the 360 model. I have a 1975 360 six string. There are a couple things that I don't care for, one being the lacquered fretboard, so mine has been modified to eliminate the fretboard finish. The only other thing is what a chore it is to change the strings on the 12 string models, the first time I did it, it must have taken me well over an hour. All that being said, the sound and feel of a Rick cannot be duplicated, weather using the toaster or the high gain pick ups.
Hey Frank - I changed the 12 string Ricky years ago and broke the very last string I was putting on. I had no spares and nearly smashed the thing:) Haha actually I love it way too much. Cheers and thanks for watching! Matt.
I would have someone else change the strings for me until I found out about taping them to the tailpiece. Also, I never kept it up to pitch so I didn't have the trouble with breaking that last string. I didn't like the string arrangement of low string first, I always found it easier when the lighter string was placed first, but then that placement has a lot to do with the Ric's sound. I never used the electric 12 enough to make it worth keeping so I traded it in and used the money to order a custom made Martin acoustic 12, which everybody says is the easiest 12 they ever played.
I wish I could say my 12 string was a genuine Rickenbacker...it's a Chinese-made kit guitar - but I have to say it was surprisingly nicely made! The 3 Toaster pickups sound like the real deal through the Silverface Drip-edge Bandmaster, so my paltry purchase price turned out to be a good gamble. Hell....show me a musician who's NOT operating on a budget! (don't judge me too harshly....my 4001 is an ACTUAL Rickenbacker...) Anyway, you can explore the sounds of a 12 string electric until the cows come home. I'm not at all surprised George spent 8 hours a day with his! Happy playing everybody!
I have a blonde 1971 360/6 Delux with Rickosound and the snappy check binding on the back. Bought it new, for around $700 w/case in the day. My brother thought I was stupid, it only goes "kerang" they said... I was in various cover bands in the 70's through to late 80's and that was my main guitar, you can play anything on it, rock, jazz, blues, howls a bit trying metal, pickups are a bit microphonic, but otherwise, it's a beast... Plus, in all those years, I've never had to have a fret job, just the odd polish...
Steve Stewart-Sturges people don’t know shit, Ricks, are well made and versatile guitars, have a Rich sound,other guitars can’t match, I have an old 620 i bought new in 1981, 390 dollars, i played that guitar for years, sort of my trademark, over the years I’ve accumulated Les Paul standard strat , es 335, but I always play the old Rick, always amazes me what cool and unique they are !
I have the v64 model . My next Ric purchase will be one like this . I also own a Ric 4000 bass w added neck pup. It has dot inlay like McCartney's Ric. I also have a black 320. I use to have a 6 string 360 but traded it for a 12 string Ric 620. ( Which I then traded for a '68 Epi Riveria 12 string like Carl Wilson had in the beach boys. ) I also once had a black Ric bass 4001 , which I had to sell to pay the rent . All these guitars were purchased between '77 & '92. So due to get another should I find one with a nice price lol. ( Read cheap ). Enjoyed your video .
Such a great sound, the 12 string ricks also sound great for a lot shoegaze music too as bands like slowdive and ride were heavily byrds influenced in different ways, but used the 12 string ricks to different effect to get the more orchestral sounds
A friend in high school had a 360 but I found the strings a bit too close for my finger picking, alas. I like the low Z pickups, and I read that in the early days of Rickenbacker #80 wire was used, and super thin wire was used in '58 and earlier Fenders - the winding equipment got sold to the Japanese. I had a 4 (count'em) pickup Japanese junker guitar, and the pickups sounded great. They have found their way onto other guitars since.
Only thing better than owning one Ric is owning two. Nice vid Matt. Met Roger in the UK in the late 90's. Nice soft spoken guy who would only shake hands with his left.
i owned a Rick 12 like McGuinn's. My fingers are kinda thick and that neck is really narrow. It felt like i was playing a mandolin with 12 strings. I have a Guild F=512 now with a wide neck and it's much more comfortable for me to play. I read that Roger tunes his guitar down to E-flat to alleviate some of the extra pressure from the 12 strings.
In the mid 60’s I got a blond one and a burst one. The headstocks on both of them snapped completely off within weeks of each other. I got them repaired but they were never the same. At the same time I got a ric bass and, guess what, the same thing happened. Since then I won’t go near a ric guitar.
I was in Beatle cover band in the 90’s and saved up for a Rick 12 string. I wanted so much to love it but I couldn’t get around how thin the neck was and how difficult it was to play. Wound up getting a Danelectro (which I still have and love) for a fraction of the Rick’s price.
Great stuff, and a lovely Rickie! I've had a handful over the years but never a McGuinn. Did have a Tom Petty 12 for awhile, long enough to realize 12 strings & I don't get along too well. :) But they sure sound lovely in other hands. It's great you've got one so meaningful to cherish.
Hi - Very nice presentation of a great guitar. I own #98 of the series and wouldn't have it any other way. One thing you DIDN'T mention is that Rickenbackers are notoriously individual, particularly the necks - one of the two-edged-sword aspects of hand-crafting. I never talked to Roger about the origin of his sound, but I have heard from several industry professionals that it was a very mixed bag of trial and error. Terry Melcher wasn't as worried about the studio's gear as he was about getting a hit from these guys (The Byrds). As a result of the philosophy that 'more is more,' they liked what they got from a Fairchild compressor ($20,000), so they added one more - couldn't hurt, right? Having seen The Byrds live several times, I can attest to the fact that neither Roger OR his guitar are able to faithfully recreate 'the sound' of their studio recordings - not even close. But I agree with one of your commenters that the Jangle Box goes a long way toward getting there. While the onboard compressor isn't completely useless, I can attest to the fact that the treble boost IS. Basically, it's a hiss/feedback boost, and no amount of shielding has rectified that. In conclusion, a very nice tribute to your father - he obviously loved you very much.
No, Joshua Fuller, moderation is exactly what you do want in any SINGLE compressor. That's why McGuinn used two of them in series. Anyone who has tried to get a highly-compressed sound with one compressor knows the problems that occur. If you read my original post, I think that you'll see why.
I have also heard on the early Byrds recordings, where Roger/Jim was the only member of the band that played on those sessions, he never used an amp and just plugged straight into the desk. This gave him that over modulated/compressed sound.
@@mlumboable Roger McGuinn was the only member of The Byrds to play on the early recordings as he gained experience over the previous years to play on on studio sessions. He had done studio, TV work and was a songwriter at the Brill Building in New York also working with Bobby Darin.
I looked through the last 10 posts and did not see it. I believe it was indicated that the standard 12 string has the E through G strings an octave apart, with the B and E strings doubled. I believe McGuinn had the E through G strings doubled and the B and E strings an octave apart. Or maybe E and A were the only doubled strings. Anyway, it was indicated McGuinn did this to give his songs a unique and brighter sound. Someday, when I can practice on a regular basis, I will get a 12 string.
I bought one 1971 in The States and took it with me back to Germany. I fell in love with this Instrument from the very first moment and I still am, what a beauty in shape and sound she is 🙏
McGuinn played virtually exclusively on the bridge pickup of his Ricks, even when he had the middle pickup added to his 360/12 and later when Rick made his signature three-pickup 370/12 model. On all of the early (middle '60’s) Byrds songs McGuinn (then “Jim”) played a two-pickup Mapleglow 360/12 (the second, rounded body type) on the bridge pickup. It was strung at the factory with semi-flatwound Rickenbacker stings. At some point soon after he bought the guitar he strung it with fully flatwound strings.
McGuinn was the only member of the Byrds who played on the “Mr. Tambourine Man” single. All other instruments were played by “The Wrecking Crew” (look them up if you don’t know who they were - they also played on all of the Beach Boy albums and so many others). The Byrds played exclusively on all the rest of the tracks on their first album and on all else after that.
McGuinn did not record with an amplifier but went directly into the recording console. There is some possibility that McGuinn also used a small Epiphone 2x10' amp on some tracks but this is not vetted fact. If he did, it might have been used with a DI box and mixed with the direct signal, accordingly.
Yes, the sound was highly compressed using Teletronix/Urei/Universal Audio LA-2A and 1176, a Fairchild 670, and similar legendary outboard studio compressors which cannot exactly be replicated with pedals, even today. He also often recorded with two compressors in series, each one at a moderate setting to avoid “breathing” and other compressor anomalies. He did not use a treble booster or any kind of pedal in the studio as the Q-strip on the console had sufficient EQ to create any sound he wanted. The treble booster (actually an upper-mid booster) he used and eventually installed in his guitar was used for live performances only and only for a short while.
McGuinn's tone, while not monolithic, is generally not nearly as trebly as we sometimes "remember" it to be. It is "jangly" as hell, though, but that is more a product of his playing technique, and the metal fingerpicks on his middle and ring fingers than EQ.
Yes, he was unhappy with his live sound, and no wonder, there was no way to replicate or even come close to his recording setup, live. I saw the Byrds in 1967 and they were playing directly through Fender Dual Showman amps, curly guitar cables, and no pedals of any kind for both the guitars and bass. McGuinn’s Rick 360/12 did not sound even close to his recorded sound which greatly frustrated him (and me). They were not a very good live band which surprised me since their sound was not, at that time, so highly produced in the studio that it couldn’t accurately be played live, as many good cover bands proved.
I shouldn't have been surprised that they were not good live. It is well to remember that the Byrds did not come up after years of playing together in clubs, etc. like the Beatles, Stones, Yardbirds, and all. They were a pure studio creation, put together to make recordings. As a band they had little live experience. Michael Clarke, their drummer had absolutely no musical or drum experience at all before playing in the Byrds. He was picked up off the street because of his "proto-hippie" appearance. He was at best an earnest but totally inexperienced amateur. Chris Hillman, their bass player was formerly a mandolin player. Without a solid, punchy, grooving rhythm section, no "band" will sound very good live. In any event, they were not a real "band" as we have, come to understand it and they did not sound like a band live.
McGuinn used and still uses a flatpick between his thumb and index finger in the usual way and, as I said, metal fingerpicks on his middle and ring fingers. In this way, all plucked notes are evenly sounded and a “roll” with the middle and ring finger can be accomplished while not giving up the accompanying flatpicked notes. This is a very important feature of his sound and the best way to get a Rick 12 to sound like his. Harrison flatpicked all the strings.
Before the Byrds, McGuinn (called “Slim” in those days) was a professional musician who accompanied a number of performers. I saw him in 1965 in a small on-stage band accompanying “The Chad Mitchell Trio”. He played banjo for most of the evening.
Great info, man, thanks!
@DiamondHead AmIEvil Pshh I have to say I think the Beatles were a much better live band
Still love the Byrds though
@DiamondHead AmIEvil Seek help. You have serious anger issues.
@DiamondHead AmIEvil No hothead loser here folks...move along.
You're so smart to hang onto the guitar that helps you remember your father. Losing such guitars is common. A friend of mine and I both had vintage guitars. His was a '53 Tele. Mine was a '59 ES-335. We both traded them early in our quest for "something better." How we both wish we had them back. Both our guitars came from our fathers. Thank you for reminding us to avoid such mistakes.
A key feature of the Rick 12, one that is rarely mentioned, is that Rick 12s are strung with the octave-pairs, the E, A, D, and G string-courses, inverted. This means that when the strings are down-picked or strummed, the pick hits the bass string first followed by the higher octave string, which gives it more bite, more boom. Normal acoustic 12s are strong the opposite way with the higher octave string first, which creates a lusher, less biting sound.
Was looking for this explanation here. I have a Hamer electric twelve-string and was messing around with "My Back Pages". I realized that I was missing an octave note on the G course, and it's because on my guitar the G's are in unison, not octaves. Duh!...
Always loved the sound of these Rickenbacker's. Just sound great!!!
Me too 😀
Loved this Video. I can totally understand why that guitar means so much to you. I have a similar story. I’m lucky enough to have 4 Rickenbackers. I have an 84 320 fireglo, a 2004 330 blue boy, a 2009 660 fireglo , but my most precious guitar is an 89 360/12 in jetglo that my Mum bought me that year. Mum passed away in 2016, I had a graphics shop do a tribute to Mum on the scratch plate. I haven’t played it since she passed away. I think it’s nearly time to bring it out and hear that beautiful jangle sound again. Thanks for this great insight to your Roger McGuinn RIC.
That is a beautiful guitar you have that’s the holy grail right there .. I now have a beautiful jet glo 620/12
In the 60's, the single coil toaster pickups were wound with low amount of turns and so had a resistance of about 7K ohms, allowing the high frequencies to easily pass thru to the amp because of the low inductive impedance to high frequencies. Plus they added an extra capacitor inline that blocked the low frequencies. Together this guitar was a treble monster even without the booster. Then in the late 70's, as high wound high gain Humbuckers became more popular, Rickenbacker decided that they would "IMPROVE" their pickups by making them high wound high gain high resistance (11k-14k) and they removed the extra capacitor. In doing so, they completely lost their chiminess. They didn't get back to the original toasters until many years later. If you own a Rick with high resistance pickups and wonder why they don't sound chimey, this is why. You can either buy an original toaster PU replacement, or unwind your pickups. I unwound mine to down to 7K and the difference was VERY noticeable, its a bit of an ordeal and time consuming (hours per pickup), but very worth it. I also put the capacitor inline and there again was a big difference. My 1990's reissue George Harrison type 360/12V64 rick (which had the pickup "improvents") now has all the chiminess of the original 1964 12 string. Yeheeeee !
Interesting info thanks! Best Matt.
Very interesting, thank you for the informations 👍🎸
Ughh yawn... just play the damn thing...
I agree. John Lennon’s 59 325 had a pickup dc resistance was between 4.8k - 5.0 k.
supposedly pete townsend and his high gain amps and rick sound were part of what pushed the co. to change p'ups.
I visited Rick in 1973 and had a nice long conversation with John Hall, who also gave me a walk-through of the fledgling museum. He even offered me his personal 370-12 with original 'Byrd-wiring' for $200.00. I already had two 360-12s (a '67 fire-glo and a '64 maple-glo) so I foolishly turned it down! Still sore from kicking myself! He confirmed that, from 1963 to that point ALL Rick 12s were setup at the factory with flats because they exerted less pressure on the truss rod system than round wound strings. (Rick acquired the "Harmony" guitar double truss design that had lapsed into public domain.) Chris Squire caused a lot of grief by switching to round wound bass strings and a flood of 4000 and 4001 basses came in for truss rod damage!
By the Turn, Turn, Turn LP his original 360-12 had been stolen and he purchased a 1965 model. McGuinn generally used both coils with the Vox treble booster. (had one, worked great but hummed a lot and even picked up AM radio broadcasts! KFWB and KRLA) "Wait and See", "If You're Gone" and "The Times they Are A' Changing" being notable exceptions.
When '5D' came out he was using the (newly added) middle coil and in some cases even went to the neck coil for solos ("8 Miles High" alternate take at RCA) The most influential development was building himself a small cigar box amp with a walkie-talkie speaker. This gave the instrument a thin high whine that, once once properly mic'd, mixed and compressed gave the impossibly thunderous 12 string work on "Why" and "Eight Miles High" and was featured on the rest of 5D and "Younger Than Yesterday" (he used it for his Gretsch Tennessean solo on "Have You seem Her Face".
the '65 model soldiered on until the early 70's when he purchased a ready made 370-12 with the new ceramic coils. He used this until he was gifted the RM370-12 in 1988-89.
"Oh, and I am so much older now, and younger way back when!" lol
What a great video!
I'm no way anything close to being a musician of any sort, but I'm a big follower of music since 1959.
Ever since I first heard The Byrds on my dads "Japanese Transistor Radio" I stole from him... I've been a huge fan.
To this day I still seek out the Jangle/ Chiming sounds of what The Byrds and Beatles first came up with.
My wife and I went to see "Echo in the Canyon" recently. In the opening of the movie the first song they played in the background was "Bells of Rhymney" by The Byrds. I started crying.
If I had the skills you have at playing this wonderful guitar... I'd just lay on my bed all day long and make Chiming Music!
I think McGuinn has sold more Ricks than everyone else combined. I know George used one in "A Hard Day's Night" and afterwards for nearly a year, but it was the sound and technique McGuinn used that made me and thousands of others save up and get their own Rick 12 strings. Nobody wanted them in '75, so I got mine for $125 used ($500 in today's dollars). I wish I had bought two more!
$125.00! Wow! What we see looking back huh?
I know. I was criticized endlessly for buying the one. So many of my recordings featured that guitar. I should have picked up every one I could plus a Plymouth Superbird.
@@THEScottCampbell Haha hindsight is for sure 20/20. At least you managed to get a nice Rick though.
I think Paul Weller has influenced more Rick sales.
The Beatles sold more Rickenbackers, than any band ever! Tell me one person who was photographed playing one before? I have seen a picture of Rick Nelson playing one,might have been a acoustic, on Ozzie and Harriet,might have been before Beatles but that’s the only star I’ve seen prior Jan. 64?
Nice presentation Matt. I was still at school at the time but fortunate enough to see the Byrds when they toured South Africa in 1968. Although a drummer, I was knocked out by the unbelievable sound of Roger McGuinn's 12 String Rick saturating the entire theatre.
Hi MusoMaker, my late wife and I attended their show in Cape Town. I was left with impression that very few of original members were still part of that version of the band. What I'll never forget is that before the show, my wife and I were asked to leave the cocktail lounge at the Grand Hotel because she was wearing bell bottomed pants suit, which were very fashionable at the time. How times have changed.
I've just come across this video. Thanks for the RIC info', really interesting. I've always loved Rickenbacker's, and didn't manage to own one until I was 60 years old.........but it was worth the wait.
Keep the videos coming....Thanks, Chris.
I owned a new 89 RM model in fireglo for about 4 years. Beautiful unique sound and the construction was unmatched in fit and finish. My only problem was with the middle pickup which drove me crazy due to hitting it with my pick (my fault, not the guitars). My next Rick 12-string will only have 2 pickups!
JD Whyte At the end of the day, I don't see or hear the middle pickup being particularly useful or gives a unique edge to the Rick12 sound. It's more "show than go". So, like you say only 2 pickups will do the job quite well.
My 360-12 is 30yrs old, love playing it along with my 325c58!
This story about getting your Rickenbacker hit home. My Father got me a Rickenbacker 330 model as a first "Proper guitar" when he realized that I was going to actually stick with the guitar. I've loved Rickenbackers for as long as I can remember, and have always been my favorite make of guitars because of The Beatles. I loved John Lennon's black 325 but also George Harrison's 360 12-string in fireglow. The black 330 6-string I own is a marriage of the two. Recently my Dad surprised me with a 330 12-String in fireglow for my 40th birthday. It's also from the same shop and salesman where I got my first Rick 24 years ago. These two Ricks I could never sell because of the sentimental value. Thank you for this great video and memories it brought back for me.
I own a 360-6 and love it to bits
Beautiful guitar and back story. I've got the Tom Petty Limited Edition 12-string model. My wife bought it for my birthday in 1995.
Thank you so much!
Your images and chords duplicate the heavenly sound that McGuinn made!
FANTASTIC!
Very good video...I am a Peter Buck fan...and I love rickenbacker sound
Great story, such a special and personal guitar. Thanks for sharing the Roger McGuinne story
I knew about the double compression but not that he used a treble booster, very interesting. Thanx for sharing
Actually quite interesting - I saw Roger live about 8 or 9 years ago. This is a gorgeous sound you get here with this signature guitar.
I own a Rickenbacker 360/12 63C and I love this thing. It was the best gift anyone ever gave me. They gifted it to me because I love George Harrison. It cost a fortune. That said, I realized quickly that I'm not a 12 String player. So... I strung it with 6 strings and I absolutely love the guitar. It seems like a waste playing a 12 string guitar with only 6 strings, but I don't care. The guitar plays itself. I'm only along for the ride , and the ride is very good.
I wondered if you could do that. But can you still get "chiming" on a 6-string?
@@ofbyforpeople1384 You still get the same tone.. yes. Now having said what I did, I have recently restrung it with 12 strings, and have been spending a lot of time learning how I'm supposed to play it that way. I love what you can do with them... But it's a completely different mindset
GREAT VIDEO! I have a 366-12 and have toured and recorded with it for 40 years.
Scott Campbell wow you must that guitar! I played my 370 out at gig for the first time in 15 years. I forgot how great they can actually sound live ✅
Excellent presentation ! Very pro. My sympathie for your father passing. I lost my father 3 years ago; I know the feeling.
I love the massive compression to inhibit the overtones - you can almost feel the sound trying to come out
Thank you so much for this. I wanted to write a story about the 1960's, so your information helped me capture the mood if not the technical information - I couldn't have my character sit on the porch and explain too much to the man whose guitar he had fixed, so I wrote only a few details to show his enthusiasm and lend credibility to his character. This video is much appreciated
A great, great tone. Ineffable and vaguely spiritual when finger picked.
That’s an incredible guitar you have. I bought my first Rickenbacker last night and am waiting for it to be delivered. I’ve wanted one since I was a child after my dad showed me a picture of himself in college with his 325. Sadly he had to sell it to pay bills while in college. We’re both equally excited for mine to come in. It’s a 1993 381v69/6 in jetglo.
I picked up a used 360/12 in 1977. Always played it straight into the amp. Nothing between the guitar and the amp but a cable. My favorite sounds are either through a '62 AC30 (no top boost), or a SOVTEK MIG50 ( no gain knob).
My 330/12 is almost 30 years old! So glad I still have it
Great Guitar And A Wonderful Video--Thanks!
Nice video. I too bought my first Ric in 1989, for my 19th birthday. A Jetglo 360 6 string, it started a love affair with their guitars for sure.
So Roger last night September 3, 2021 playing in Boone North Carolina and he had this exact same guitar. The sound was fabulous memories are a great. Thanks for explaining how he got that sound. In between songs he told a lot of stories from his coffeehouse days to the Chad Mitchell trio and Bobby Darren meeting David Crosby but he never explained the unique sound
THANK YOU GEORGE our ears have been benefited ever since wish i could just touch Rogers wonderful sounding Rick 12 string
Eight Miles High is some of the most original guitar pieces ever performed; it pointed the way to an entirely different approach to the guitar, as contrasted to the Chicago Blues styles favored by Clapton, Beck, and Page.
Zinc Chameleon it’s my fave Byrds song hands down! Thanks for sharing your thoughts:) Matt
I have the same signature Roger Mcguinn model 370/12 with the built in compression and treble booster and I love that guitar sooooooo much!!! I read that there's a adjustment screw under the face plate in the electronics where you can adjust the amount of compression you get, I've never considered messing with that adjustment, I'm so happy with the sounds it has already. I love this guitar and highly recommend it to anyone thinking of purchasing one I live on this guitar...LOL
That Rickenbacker sound is so amazing!
I also got my Mapleglo RM370/12 for my 21st birthday! Dad carried it all the way from Baltimore, USA to Perth.
I owned a Roger McGuinn 12-string Rickenbacker blue burst finish and it was stolen. I would like to get another one however, there is one caveat; the finish needs to be removed and replaced with a durable finish that doesn't buckle under the tuning machines and areas under load. Nice funk sound at the end.
After all the years I've tried to get great sounds like the stars out of my store bought guitars. I find out now that the stars, so to speak, added all kinds of custom stuff like Treble boosters. I never even knew they existed. I wasn't hanging out with the right people.
Lovely! I'm a huge fan and have 3 Ric 12's. I knew about the compressor, but the Vox treble booster was new to me. Fascinating instrument. Nice of you to share!
My pleasure thanks for the kind words!
LOVE my Rickenbacker so much! First laid eyes on one in 2002 when I was 8 and getting into Silverchair. Took me a while but finally got a 360/12 in fireglo last year! Unique to every other guitar I own :) love the info in this video - keep on playing!
Funny story I didnt know YET on how Mr. McGuinn couldnt find the Harrison original one...same to me! I wanted a McGuinn one in NO TIME but ended up with a 620 jetglo....but its very RNR and now I´m totally happy with it! Giving it the tambourine Man here and there...of course....keep it up man and thx for the clip! From Germania, Oz
Great video of the RM 370/12. I really enjoyed listening to all your insights about this instrument.
Amazing guitar, love it!
Thanks for your videos, Matt.
My pleasure - thank you for the kind words and for watching! Cheers Matt.
Three or four years ago (this written in 2022) Justin Hayward put a lot of his gear out on sale on-line. One of the items was a McGuinn Rickenbacker twelve string. Never saw it on stage and don't know if he used it for recording but imagine having a McGuinn Rickenbacker once owned by the voice of the Moody Blues!
Great video and very informative. Beautiful guitar.
The jangle box pairs well with a Ricky also.
All compressor pairs work if set correctly. Moderation in each does the trick.
@@Glicksman1 Moderation is the last thing you want on a compressor for a Rick 12. McGuinn actually chained two together in the studio.
The Jangle Box sounds great, but it's REALLY noisy compared to similar compressors used in the same way.
Wonderful! Enjoyed that very much. Wish I had one, tho I do have 2 - 360/12 and a 660/12. Yeah, I also didn't know about the Vox treble booster. I had one as a teenager, as I was a huge fan of Jeff Beck. Wish I still had it, tho it was awkward to plug into a Tele...
I've owned Rickys for over 30 years now. I always have to have a couple in the toolbox - at least one 12 string as nothing else gets that sound. My 620/6 is an extremely versatile guitar and quite under-rated.
I have the limited ed. Carl Wilson quilted coral red and stunning tiger maple neck. I reversed the nut in order to reverse the high and low octave strings which is standard on all other standard 12rs made in the world. It only makes sense. It's 10 times easier to play and rings out far louder. Only 250 12s and 250 6s produces in 2000 only. Good luck, but if you come across the 12, buy it at any price because they've become a kind of a holy grail of electric ricky 12s. I've always been enamored with Roger McGuinn, so for me, this was a heaven send.
Scott Stringbender thanks Scott I know your model I remember them being first released. What a stunning guitar! Thanks for watching cheers Matt
onemorebrando: Celebratory behavior is part of being fun and interesting, if you happen to be a fun person. For whatever reason in our society we've become a national of punishers, and as soon as you share your experiences with your fellow humans, it's now considered conceited behavior. Why is that? I love to hear from others: things they enjoy and enjoy sharing useful information. If that's something that bothers you, then simply remove yourself from the conversation all together and remain in a self loathsome environment of your choosing. Just don't do it here. I doubt anyone would be interested.
I just barred him from the channel Scott - he was leaving a series of funny messages. And well said btw - this is a forum to talk about and enjoy guitars. Not make strange judgements on other people comments.
Yes Matt, I'll never understand that type of behavior. Perhaps a lack of proper upbringing. If so, I feel so sorry for such individuals. We're here to love and support each other. My grandfather said if you have nothing good to say, say nothing. If you have a handful of of gold, allow it sift into the hands of the deserving.
Nice one - cheers Scott!
My first exposure to Jim McGuinn was as a session musician for the Chad Mitchell Trio. If you like harmony and a strong lead vocal, you should check that group out.
rick 360;6. thanks for the vidi. and yes, i agree about its versatility. but definitely cherish it for the ringing tones as the signal decays.
I have a 1967 Rickenbacker Jetglo. I had the fretboard redone at Sweetwater Sound and they did a beautiful job. I would like to sell it but don't know what I should ask for it. It's in very good condition but I hardly play it anymore. Its a 360 12 string.
Hello Tone , I owned one of these back in the late 80"s , I was surprised at how heavy it was!! lot of substance & oh that sound!!
Hey there Phillip they certainly aren't a light weight that's for sure. They certainly do reward players with loads of lovely McGuinn tone:) Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Matt.
Yup, my brother had a 1980 12-string natural maple Rickenbacker 360. It had that silky smooth thick glossy lacquer finish that I don’t think Rickenbacker can replicate bc of California’s strict air emission regulations. It was heavy and it had an amazing wood smell out of the hard case. The rosewood fingerboard with inlayed shark fin fret markets was its signature feature.
I walked into a Guitar Center store two years ago in Coral Springs, FL and was so excited to see a used for sale natural maple 12-string Rickenbacker 360 on display. I asked to see it and immediately realized it was a “knock-off” Chickenbacker. I knew it because it was so light and the neck angled up from the body. I was so disgusted.
There’s nothing like the real deal, American-made Rickenbacker.
Great video. I actually received my 330-12 as a birthday present from my father when I turned 21 as well.
You've obviously got a good dad too:)
I absolutely love rickenbackers! My 360-12 string is my favorite along with my 325c64 maple-glo
Flat wounds are a huge part of McGuinn's sound. I like the Thomastik's sold by Pick Of The Ricks. They're spendy, but they last a long time. The other thing you gotta do is learn to play with a flatpick and two metal fingerpicks to get the banjo-type rolls down. That's where the magic lies.
jnf91 Yes, flatwounds especially on The Rickenbacker 12 Strings gets rid of the sound of finger tip grooves from squeaking on the strings during chord changes.... I am the proud owner of #97 of 1OOO Tom Petty Rickenbacker 66O 12 string guitars in fire glo ... my Ric is already 26 years old and still looks and plays like new... I’ve had the 66O Tom Petty years before his passing also... it is the model that HERE COMES MY GIRL was recorded with...
Roundwounds sound too clangy and buzzy on an electric 12 string- too many overtones. Pete Townshend used nylon tapewounds on his Ric 12s
I've heard he used flatwounds but in McQuinn's DVD video he says he uses Rickenbacker "compressed roundwounds" and he holds them up in the video and shows the back of the package that describes the string gauges and gives the product model number. Rickenbacker still sells that same model number string pack and it's available on their website but the string gauges are different than the ones Roger showed, and they just say "roundwound" now instead of "compressed roundwound". It's a bit confusing!
Beautiful guitar!!! Not sure which model he played but Stevie Ray Vaughan's main guitar for a period was a Ricky.
Channel's getting better and better! Keep it up :)
Bernie Gelman thanks for kind words Bernie it makes the effort worthwhile:) Cheers Matt
I strongly encourage people who try a Ric 12 string to try it through an overdriven amp. I have 330/12 (admittedly with the “Hi Gain” pickups, not “Toaster Tops”). With a moderately driven rhythm sound, like AC/DC or Led Zeppelin, the huge dimensions of the 12-string sound changes into a striking, bright and thick crunch tone. Riffs like “Alright Now” by Free, which is awesome on a 6 string, sound incredible with greater tonal palette of the 12-string. Trust me. It’s epic. While I’m sure any electric 12-string would sound cool, the specific frequency response and low output of Ric pickups (even the “Hi Gain” ones which aren’t high output) mean the sound stays defined and clear.
Back when I had a Hiwatt DR504, I plugged a Rick 360/12 through it (bottom normal input). It was super punchy and very sparkly. It just needed a ton of compression, which I didn't have. The tone was there though. :) Speakers were Weber California ceramics ( their clone of a JBL E series) in a Fender 4x12 cab ). And like others have said in the comments, he played on the bridge pickup.
Another fantastic video and guitar! Big fan of Roger also. Love your playing. Would love to hear you on a B-bender telecaster and a Martin D-18.
I've got a standard 360/12 and after struggling with lots of gear I found the Janglebox Nano perfect to get Roger's Rickenbacker tone. The pedal was expensive in my opinion but it's great and I love my setup now. Thanks for the video.
It is my understand that Roger liked the Jangle Box sound so much that he disconnected the electronics from his RM 370/12 and began using the Jangle Box instead when performing.
I should have added that I have a 2010 370/12 and pair it with a Jangle Box and the sound is awesome!!! It can give you any Byrds sound from Tambourine Man to 5D!
Have a 360 12 maple glow and use a recently purchased Byrds 50th anniversary jangle box. Sound improved especially through a 65 fender twin.
I have a Ric 360/12 (mapleglo) which I played through a JangleBox 3 - great sound though I only flat pick. Recently I managed to buy a Ric 370/12 RM (also mapleglo) - the 360/12 is up for sale - but I am in the early days of trying to get the best sound out of it. McGuinn's favourite setting so he says is the clean compressed position on the 5 position knob. Maybe its my (small) amp but I'm getting nowehere near the 360/12 with outboard compressor sound. The 370/12 has been restrung & set up & all working. Maybe I'll get those metal finger picks too....
Fantastic guitar, superb video.
Honestly, this channel deserves so many more subscribers. The content and production values are always top notch.
Thank you for those kind comments... it makes spending the time to make these videos worthwhile! Cheers Matt.
Own a black 360 12 and love it, one its a beautiful instrument but as I have often said give a great guitarist a cigar box guitar and he'll still be a great guitarist give a mediocre to fair guitarist like myself a great guitar and we will always far better than we are. My Ric is certainly the guitar that makes me far beter than I am.
Echoing previous comments, flat wounds are essential. I use D'Addario Chromes -- not as expensive as Pyramid or Thomastik, and every bit as good -- and customise the set to closely match McGuinn's preferred string gauges (E: .10 x2, B: .13 x2, G: .20 + .10, D: .30 + .13, A: .35 + .20, E: .45 + .30). Also, the built-in compressor in the RM370-12 is pretty noisy, and McGuinn himself prefers to use a JangleBox outboard compressor pedal. All JB models feature a treble boost, usually activated by a mini toggle, but the new more compact JB NANO has it on top as a foot switch, which is much more convenient [www.janglebox.com/jb-nano.html]. Roger does indeed use hybrid picking, using a plectrum between his thumb and forefinger, and banjo picks on his middle and ring. You can forgo the metal fingerpicks if your fingernails are sturdy enough, but learning the arpeggiated banjo rolls is key to his sound. The neck is fairly thin for a 12-string and often people complain about it being tight, especially near the nut. This issue can be somewhat alleviated by recutting the nut to widen the string spread. You may also notice RIC frets do not span the entire width of the fretboard, they stop where the binding starts, so you might at some point consider getting a refret that does span the entire fretboard, which means you can widen the string spread even more. A 12-saddle bridge also helps with intonation up the neck. One final caveat...RICs from this era (mid 80's - 90's) used cheaper zinc hardware and as such have a reputation for exploding tailpieces on their 12 strings. If you notice any cracking, wrinkling, distortion or any other signs of metal fatigue, remove it at once. RIC rather unhelpfully will not replace it for you without a rather hefty fee, but you can find a much better quality "harp" or trapeze style from the good folks at Winfield [winfieldvintage.com/parts/index.html], and which are much easier to restring than the dreaded "R" tailpieces, which themselves often require de-burring so the strings will actually seat properly in them... RIC 12's are like a beautiful but difficult girlfriend: delightful and unique arm candy but often requiring a bit of a fight to get them to put out ;)
Boom...boom boom boom boom....ber nananananana nerrrrrr.....eight miles highhhhhh
Actually, Carl Wilson also used the Rickenbacker 360 as early as fall of '64. You can see him playing it on The Beach Boys appearance on The TAMI Show. --------------WolfSky9
A great sounding guitar Matt. Thanks for sharing your knowledge of them. I never had a lot of success with Rickenbackers,
which is why I fell in love with and bought a 1964 Burns Double Six. ( I can hear the groans from here ) I Have owned it for
40+ years. Maybe you could do a comparison ?
Keep up the good work mate.
P.S. What a great 21st present.
The Burns sounds like a cool guitar - I just had a look at a few pictures. I think guitars are really whatever works for the individual... and I have to admit too I find the 12 string Ricky hard work to play as the area at the nut is so tight.
The current Burns Double Six appears (from a YT video I've seen) to be a really fine guitar. A three-way Rickenbacker, Burns and Fender 12 comparison would be marvelous.
in the meantime here's a little clip I did of my Burns Double Six with some compression. The wide neck makes it really easy to play.ua-cam.com/video/h6cnrarg0TE/v-deo.html
I know what you mean, I had 2 369 12,s, and I could never keep either one in tune. I tried everything, and had a couple friends who knew a lot about guitars try and help. They were hopeless. Fun to hold and play, very light and pretty but way over priced and still are, in my opinion.
@@promerops Well don't bother with the Fender 12 because that fails straightaway because Monty Python designed the shape of the headstock.
I have been a Rickenbacker fan and user for many years and I love the 360 model. I have a 1975 360 six string. There are a couple things that I don't care for, one being the lacquered fretboard, so mine has been modified to eliminate the fretboard finish. The only other thing is what a chore it is to change the strings on the 12 string models, the first time I did it, it must have taken me well over an hour. All that being said, the sound and feel of a Rick cannot be duplicated, weather using the toaster or the high gain pick ups.
Hey Frank - I changed the 12 string Ricky years ago and broke the very last string I was putting on. I had no spares and nearly smashed the thing:) Haha actually I love it way too much. Cheers and thanks for watching! Matt.
I would have someone else change the strings for me until I found out about taping them to the tailpiece. Also, I never kept it up to pitch so I didn't have the trouble with breaking that last string. I didn't like the string arrangement of low string first, I always found it easier when the lighter string was placed first, but then that placement has a lot to do with the Ric's sound. I never used the electric 12 enough to make it worth keeping so I traded it in and used the money to order a custom made Martin acoustic 12, which everybody says is the easiest 12 they ever played.
I wish I could say my 12 string was a genuine Rickenbacker...it's a Chinese-made kit guitar - but I have to say it was surprisingly nicely made! The 3 Toaster pickups sound like the real deal through the Silverface Drip-edge Bandmaster, so my paltry purchase price turned out to be a good gamble. Hell....show me a musician who's NOT operating on a budget! (don't judge me too harshly....my 4001 is an ACTUAL Rickenbacker...) Anyway, you can explore the sounds of a 12 string electric until the cows come home. I'm not at all surprised George spent 8 hours a day with his! Happy playing everybody!
I have a blonde 1971 360/6 Delux with Rickosound and the snappy check binding on the back. Bought it new, for around $700 w/case in the day. My brother thought I was stupid, it only goes "kerang" they said... I was in various cover bands in the 70's through to late 80's and that was my main guitar, you can play anything on it, rock, jazz, blues, howls a bit trying metal, pickups are a bit microphonic, but otherwise, it's a beast... Plus, in all those years, I've never had to have a fret job, just the odd polish...
Steve Stewart-Sturges people don’t know shit, Ricks, are well made and versatile guitars, have a Rich sound,other guitars can’t match, I have an old 620 i bought new in 1981, 390 dollars, i played that guitar for years, sort of my trademark, over the years I’ve accumulated Les Paul standard strat , es 335, but I always play the old Rick, always amazes me what cool and unique they are !
I have the v64 model .
My next Ric purchase will be one like this .
I also own a Ric 4000 bass w added neck pup. It has dot inlay like McCartney's Ric. I also have a black 320. I use to have a 6 string 360 but traded it for a 12 string Ric 620. ( Which I then traded for a '68 Epi Riveria 12 string like Carl Wilson had in the beach boys. ) I also once had a black Ric bass 4001 , which I had to sell to pay the rent . All these guitars were purchased between '77 & '92. So due to get another should I find one with a nice price lol. ( Read cheap ). Enjoyed your video .
Wow- my parents also got me a 360/12 for my 21st birthday too!
Such a great sound, the 12 string ricks also sound great for a lot shoegaze music too as bands like slowdive and ride were heavily byrds influenced in different ways, but used the 12 string ricks to different effect to get the more orchestral sounds
Thanks for the video. I’ve been considering a ’66 360 12. This may have pushed me in that direction.
A friend in high school had a 360 but I found the strings a bit too close for my finger picking, alas. I like the low Z pickups, and I read that in the early days of Rickenbacker #80 wire was used, and super thin wire was used in '58 and earlier Fenders - the winding equipment got sold to the Japanese. I had a 4 (count'em) pickup Japanese junker guitar, and the pickups sounded great. They have found their way onto other guitars since.
Loved the video and your insights. Thanks.
Hey Dylan thanks for the kind words and for watching:) Cheers Matt.
Only thing better than owning one Ric is owning two. Nice vid Matt. Met Roger in the UK in the late 90's. Nice soft spoken guy who would only shake hands with his left.
Thanks Alan! I saw him Melbourne play a solo gig late 80's on the Back From Rio tour... didn't meet him unfortunately. Best Matt.
You nailed it! Thank you.
I own a 660/12 .....Secret weapon, is a Jangle Box....Wow...it gets the sound we all like!!
i owned a Rick 12 like McGuinn's. My fingers are kinda thick and that neck is really narrow. It felt like i was playing a mandolin with 12 strings. I have a Guild F=512 now with a wide neck and it's much more comfortable for me to play. I read that Roger tunes his guitar down to E-flat to alleviate some of the extra pressure from the 12 strings.
Great video. I'd love that guitar!! Do you happen to know what string guage McGuinn used on his 12-string Ricks?
In the mid 60’s I got a blond one and a burst one. The headstocks on both of them snapped completely off within weeks of each other. I got them repaired but they were never the same. At the same time I got a ric bass and, guess what, the same thing happened. Since then I won’t go near a ric guitar.
Nice video, It sounds like you might have read the interview I did with Roger years ago in Premier Guitar magazine.
I was in Beatle cover band in the 90’s and saved up for a Rick 12 string. I wanted so much to love it but I couldn’t get around how thin the neck was and how difficult it was to play. Wound up getting a Danelectro (which I still have and love) for a fraction of the Rick’s price.
Rickenbacker guitars are my favorites
Great stuff, and a lovely Rickie! I've had a handful over the years but never a McGuinn. Did have a Tom Petty 12 for awhile, long enough to realize 12 strings & I don't get along too well. :) But they sure sound lovely in other hands. It's great you've got one so meaningful to cherish.
David Kieltyka haha I must admit I find her hard to play but she does reward you for your persistence. Thanks for watching! Matt
I just subbed after this video! that guitar is beautiful
Buddy Ollie thanks Buddy I appreciate that. Thanks for watching! Cheers Matt
Hi -
Very nice presentation of a great guitar. I own #98 of the series and wouldn't have it any other way. One thing you DIDN'T mention is that Rickenbackers are notoriously individual, particularly the necks - one of the two-edged-sword aspects of hand-crafting. I never talked to Roger about the origin of his sound, but I have heard from several industry professionals that it was a very mixed bag of trial and error. Terry Melcher wasn't as worried about the studio's gear as he was about getting a hit from these guys (The Byrds). As a result of the philosophy that 'more is more,' they liked what they got from a Fairchild compressor ($20,000), so they added one more - couldn't hurt, right?
Having seen The Byrds live several times, I can attest to the fact that neither Roger OR his guitar are able to faithfully recreate 'the sound' of their studio recordings - not even close. But I agree with one of your commenters that the Jangle Box goes a long way toward getting there. While the onboard compressor isn't completely useless, I can attest to the fact that the treble boost IS. Basically, it's a hiss/feedback boost, and no amount of shielding has rectified that.
In conclusion, a very nice tribute to your father - he obviously loved you very much.
Hello Iain thanks for the lovely and very informed comments. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts! Best Matt.
What an excellent video.
Thanks for the kind words and for watching:)
No, Joshua Fuller, moderation is exactly what you do want in any SINGLE compressor. That's why McGuinn used two of them in series. Anyone who has tried to get a highly-compressed sound with one compressor knows the problems that occur. If you read my original post, I think that you'll see why.
I have also heard on the early Byrds recordings, where Roger/Jim was the only member of the band that played on those sessions, he never used an amp and just plugged straight into the desk. This gave him that over modulated/compressed sound.
Session players present only on first single['Mr. Tambourine Man']
@@mlumboable Roger McGuinn was the only member of The Byrds to play on the early recordings as he gained experience over the previous years to play on on studio sessions. He had done studio, TV work and was a songwriter at the Brill Building in New York also working with Bobby Darin.
I looked through the last 10 posts and did not see it. I believe it was indicated that the standard 12 string has the E through G strings an octave apart, with the B and E strings doubled. I believe McGuinn had the E through G strings doubled and the B and E strings an octave apart. Or maybe E and A were the only doubled strings. Anyway, it was indicated McGuinn did this to give his songs a unique and brighter sound. Someday, when I can practice on a regular basis, I will get a 12 string.
I love my 330 six string. I'd get a 12 string too but am a bit intimidated by all those strings- and then changing them!
Very cool guitar. I'm waiting to buy a 360 Fireglow. As for great Aussies playing Rickenbacker you do see Marty Wilson Piper pluck them now and again.