Just a note to those who have or who are contemplating getting a Rick 12. If you don’t already know this, use a good compressor with it and you will hear an amazing difference for the better. McGuinn always went straight into the board and used one or two compressors to get his classic sound. Harrison ‘s Rick was compressed inboard during the the mix. I don’t know if Petty and Campbell used outboard compressors (pedals) or if their Ricks were compressed as was Harrison’s, inboard during the mix.
Very good advice. I normally play mine through a Diamond Compressor pedal, but for the purposes of the video I avoided using compression to better show the pickups in action. The pedal helps even out the guitar strings against one another, as well as bringing it better into balance with other (louder) guitars during shows played through the same setup. Thanks for watching!
Most instruments were compressed in the mixed specially those times for mixing purposes and by engineers and producer desicion, that have nothing to do with the guitar sound better or “amazing difference” but for mixing purposes, the guitar by itself alone sound pretty amazing
@@IgnisIban Yes, compression/leveling has been a tool for improving the sound of recordings and to keep VU needle where it dos the most good. However, the Rick 12, and other similar low-output electric12 sting guitars benefit from compression more any other guitar that I've heard. Yes, to my ears an amazing difference. Try it out and see if you find this to be so. A little comp goers a long way so don't jam it all on at first. Of course, it's a matter of preference as is just about everything. To each his own.
@@Glicksman1 not really, compression is about dynamics and give the prefered presence, size, situation in the mix, etc, not at all about the VU meter, actually a bit of saturation on a analog mixer and hit the tape with it is great, I disagree to generalize the use of compression in function of a particular instruments over using it in function of the song. If you want to improve the low-output 12 string I would use a compressor with a mosfet preamp or a tube/lamp compressor but depends on the song 100%.The VU meter thing is a myth of anal audiophiles.
@@IgnisIban My, but you do like to throw terminology around. I wonder (doubt) if you know what any of it means, or if you actually wrote any of it yourself. Since you are so positive and certain of your opinions, which I disagree with and from long experience in the studio know to be incorrect, or to be charitable, are poorly stated, I'll refrain from entering into debate with you. Believe what you wish. Frankly, Ignacio, I don't give a damn.
360/12C63 by a mile. Just better definition and color overall. Can see why it’s almost a lot more than the 330/12 in terms of price. Thanks for the video!! Great work!
Thanks for posting this comparison. I recently purchased a new 2017 Rickenbacker 330/12 with Hi-Gain pickups identical to the one in the video. At the time I also tried out a Ric 360/12 and 370/12 (both "new style" with Hi-Gain PUs), and I thought the 330/12 actually had a slightly brighter, more ringing and resonant sound than the other two. On the Ric website forum, John Hall said the 330s have about 15% more internal volume than the "new style" 360s and have a more acoustic sound. I have always been curious about the sound of the Hi-Gain vs. toaster-top pickups, having never played a Ric with toasters. Many of the Ric "purists" on the forums say the toasters have a brighter, more chimey tone than the Hi-Gains. Much to my surprise, the two guitars in your video sound virtually indistinguishable to my ears. Since the "old style" 360/12c63 in your video has basically the same body as the 330/12, the only real sound difference would be in the pickups (assuming both have the same strings). I did notice that the 330/12 seems to have a slightly brighter sound in the neck pickup position, probably because the neck PU is slightly closer to the bridge due to the longer fretboard, rather than any difference between the types of PUs. In the bridge PU position, both sound identical to me. I have read on the Ric website forums that the toaster PUs in the 1990's vintage reissue Rics are the so-called "hot toasters" and are higher output than either the 1960s vintage or the present-day reissues. Regarding the output of the Hi-Gains, I have also noticed they have slightly less volume at the same amp settings than the PUs on my Fender MIM Standard Strat.
Very cool. Thanks for watching and the detailed comment! If I can arrange it, I'm hoping to make a similar video in the near future comparing my 330/12 to a rounded 360/12 with hi-gains. I haven't heard much regarding different acoustic volume differences between different 330- and 360-shaped Rickenbackers. I don't know how different the chambering is between the flat-fronted guitars and the rounded ones, but arguably the rounded ones would leave less room inside, thereby suggesting the cavity is less spacious. Might be one of the reasons for the difference. Your theory about the differences in neck pickup tonality being due to position makes sense too. That's also cool to hear about the reissue toasters being made to a different, hotter spec. I hadn't seen that previously, but might explain why they're somewhere between the two tones. One of the issues I have with UA-cam videos is that it can be hard to translate subtle differences in sound. The two guitars sounded more noticeably different in the room than they do here, but still it was a minor difference. I had the same problem with my Epiphone Casino comparison video. In my experience, the toasters tend to have more shimmer and less body to them than the hi-gains, and that's pretty much what I heard in the room. UA-cam's video codecs make that difference less noticeable. Cheers!
Nice video. My only note is that it's pronounced 'Ricken-BACK-er,' NOT 'Ricken-BOCK-er.' At least that's how John Hall (the president of Rick) says it.
Thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed it. It's one of those "tomato" vs "tomato" things, I guess. Pronunciations differ from region to region - heck even the name of my show could be an issue: "zed" vs "zee". "Rickenbacker" is a German name, so I pronounce it the German way, but both are accepted and widely used.
Actually, Adolph Rickenbacker's original last name was Rickenbacher (which would be pronounced Ricken-BOCK-er) but he Anglicized the spelling (and pronunciation) around World War I - due partially to anti-German sentiment in the U.S. at the time but primarily to cash in on the fame of his distant cousin, the flying ace hero Eddie Rickenbacker (who pronounced it 'Ricken-BACK-er'). The Hall family (who own Rickenbacker) pronounce it as 'Ricken-BACK-er,' and that's good enough for me. While 'Ricken-BOCK-er' is widely used, it's still incorrect nonetheless. A petty trifle perhaps, but still important. Keep up the good work.
Black guitar sounds better. It is she who will demand from the performer the exact technique of sound production. The light one sounds brighter, more transparent, but less authentic.
Toaster are the lowest youve ever heard? What year is this guitar? nearly every toaster pickup ive heard on the reissues is pretty hot compared to other single coils way hotter then normal telecaster and stratocaster pickups closer to a Dearmond style pickup. Some were wound all the way to 13k.
Hi. Thanks for getting in touch. In my experience toasters are among the lowest, yes. Pretty much all of them are lower output than any of my vintage-output Fender-style pickups. I've never heard of a toaster being anywhere close to 13k, but I'm sure inconsistencies can be found anywhere. Or maybe it was a custom run? Even the "Hi Gain" Rickenbacker pickups I've played are barely in the 5k-6k range - judging from the sound and how they drive (or don't) the amp. I don't have any experience with their humbuckers, so I can't comment on them. The hi-gains on my 330/12 in the video are from 2007-2012 range, and again they're slightly lower output than my already low-output Fenders. I think I mention in the video that the 360/12 was an early 1990s reissue. I don't remember the year exactly, but think it was 1991. It's not a guitar I own, so I can't say much more about it, other than it has a new home now and I no longer have any access to it. Cheers!
herr_oz that's so interesting must be a huge variation because in my ric the toasters are hotter then anything I own except humbuckers and ceramic p90s, closer to a filtertron in output and my friends 330 is similar I haven't measured either though but above my slightly jotter Tele pickups and a lot louder and thicker then a strat.
@Hvalpikk I just measured my 2017 Ric 330/12 Hi Gains (from the 1/4" output cable plug) at 11.39 K bridge and 10.89 K neck, with volume and tone knobs cranked all the way clockwise and 5th knob counterclockwise. For comparision, my 1991 Fender MIM Standard Strat measured 5.25 K bridge, 5.24 K middle and 5.23 K neck, with volumes & tones cranked clockwise. Not at all what I expected, since the Strat is noticeably louder at the same amp and pickup settings.
@@FenderBassMustang The ohm reading doesn’t tell you a hot a pickup is if there different in construction. The toaster pickups got 44 avg wire and Fender typical 42 avg and that makes quite a difference in ”hotness”. The 90s reissues toasters was overwound and sounded a bit boring to me ears.
Just a note to those who have or who are contemplating getting a Rick 12. If you don’t already know this, use a good compressor with it and you will hear an amazing difference for the better. McGuinn always went straight into the board and used one or two compressors to get his classic sound. Harrison ‘s Rick was compressed inboard during the the mix. I don’t know if Petty and Campbell used outboard compressors (pedals) or if their Ricks were compressed as was Harrison’s, inboard during the mix.
Very good advice. I normally play mine through a Diamond Compressor pedal, but for the purposes of the video I avoided using compression to better show the pickups in action. The pedal helps even out the guitar strings against one another, as well as bringing it better into balance with other (louder) guitars during shows played through the same setup. Thanks for watching!
Most instruments were compressed in the mixed specially those times for mixing purposes and by engineers and producer desicion, that have nothing to do with the guitar sound better or “amazing difference” but for mixing purposes, the guitar by itself alone sound pretty amazing
@@IgnisIban Yes, compression/leveling has been a tool for improving the sound of recordings and to keep VU needle where it dos the most good. However, the Rick 12, and other similar low-output electric12 sting guitars benefit from compression more any other guitar that I've heard. Yes, to my ears an amazing difference. Try it out and see if you find this to be so. A little comp goers a long way so don't jam it all on at first.
Of course, it's a matter of preference as is just about everything. To each his own.
@@Glicksman1 not really, compression is about dynamics and give the prefered presence, size, situation in the mix, etc, not at all about the VU meter, actually a bit of saturation on a analog mixer and hit the tape with it is great, I disagree to generalize the use of compression in function of a particular instruments over using it in function of the song. If you want to improve the low-output 12 string I would use a compressor with a mosfet preamp or a tube/lamp compressor but depends on the song 100%.The VU meter thing is a myth of anal audiophiles.
@@IgnisIban My, but you do like to throw terminology around. I wonder (doubt) if you know what any of it means, or if you actually wrote any of it yourself.
Since you are so positive and certain of your opinions, which I disagree with and from long experience in the studio know to be incorrect, or to be charitable, are poorly stated, I'll refrain from entering into debate with you.
Believe what you wish. Frankly, Ignacio, I don't give a damn.
360/12C63 by a mile. Just better definition and color overall. Can see why it’s almost a lot more than the 330/12 in terms of price.
Thanks for the video!! Great work!
I think both guitars sound best with the AC30. I'm really surprised there isn't a larger difference in the high-gains on the 330.
Great voice.
Thanks very much for watching, Karl. Cheers!
Which one stays in tune better?
Thanks for posting this comparison. I recently purchased a new 2017 Rickenbacker 330/12 with Hi-Gain pickups identical to the one in the video. At the time I also tried out a Ric 360/12 and 370/12 (both "new style" with Hi-Gain PUs), and I thought the 330/12 actually had a slightly brighter, more ringing and resonant sound than the other two. On the Ric website forum, John Hall said the 330s have about 15% more internal volume than the "new style" 360s and have a more acoustic sound. I have always been curious about the sound of the Hi-Gain vs. toaster-top pickups, having never played a Ric with toasters. Many of the Ric "purists" on the forums say the toasters have a brighter, more chimey tone than the Hi-Gains.
Much to my surprise, the two guitars in your video sound virtually indistinguishable to my ears. Since the "old style" 360/12c63 in your video has basically the same body as the 330/12, the only real sound difference would be in the pickups (assuming both have the same strings). I did notice that the 330/12 seems to have a slightly brighter sound in the neck pickup position, probably because the neck PU is slightly closer to the bridge due to the longer fretboard, rather than any difference between the types of PUs. In the bridge PU position, both sound identical to me.
I have read on the Ric website forums that the toaster PUs in the 1990's vintage reissue Rics are the so-called "hot toasters" and are higher output than either the 1960s vintage or the present-day reissues. Regarding the output of the Hi-Gains, I have also noticed they have slightly less volume at the same amp settings than the PUs on my Fender MIM Standard Strat.
Very cool. Thanks for watching and the detailed comment! If I can arrange it, I'm hoping to make a similar video in the near future comparing my 330/12 to a rounded 360/12 with hi-gains.
I haven't heard much regarding different acoustic volume differences between different 330- and 360-shaped Rickenbackers. I don't know how different the chambering is between the flat-fronted guitars and the rounded ones, but arguably the rounded ones would leave less room inside, thereby suggesting the cavity is less spacious. Might be one of the reasons for the difference.
Your theory about the differences in neck pickup tonality being due to position makes sense too. That's also cool to hear about the reissue toasters being made to a different, hotter spec. I hadn't seen that previously, but might explain why they're somewhere between the two tones.
One of the issues I have with UA-cam videos is that it can be hard to translate subtle differences in sound. The two guitars sounded more noticeably different in the room than they do here, but still it was a minor difference. I had the same problem with my Epiphone Casino comparison video. In my experience, the toasters tend to have more shimmer and less body to them than the hi-gains, and that's pretty much what I heard in the room. UA-cam's video codecs make that difference less noticeable.
Cheers!
Uhoh. I like the 330/12 better on the neck pickup, and the 360/12c63 better on the bridge pickup.
Beautiful Guitars.
The Rickenbacker 330/12c63 Black is much more beautiful than Maple.
Nice video. My only note is that it's pronounced 'Ricken-BACK-er,' NOT 'Ricken-BOCK-er.' At least that's how John Hall (the president of Rick) says it.
Thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed it. It's one of those "tomato" vs "tomato" things, I guess. Pronunciations differ from region to region - heck even the name of my show could be an issue: "zed" vs "zee". "Rickenbacker" is a German name, so I pronounce it the German way, but both are accepted and widely used.
Actually, Adolph Rickenbacker's original last name was Rickenbacher (which would be pronounced Ricken-BOCK-er) but he Anglicized the spelling (and pronunciation) around World War I - due partially to anti-German sentiment in the U.S. at the time but primarily to cash in on the fame of his distant cousin, the flying ace hero Eddie Rickenbacker (who pronounced it 'Ricken-BACK-er').
The Hall family (who own Rickenbacker) pronounce it as 'Ricken-BACK-er,' and that's good enough for me. While 'Ricken-BOCK-er' is widely used, it's still incorrect nonetheless.
A petty trifle perhaps, but still important. Keep up the good work.
Nobody cares, so you replied? Thanks for 'not caring.'
Really beautiful guitars.
Black guitar sounds better. It is she who will demand from the performer the exact technique of sound production.
The light one sounds brighter, more transparent, but less authentic.
Toaster are the lowest youve ever heard? What year is this guitar? nearly every toaster pickup ive heard on the reissues is pretty hot compared to other single coils way hotter then normal telecaster and stratocaster pickups closer to a Dearmond style pickup. Some were wound all the way to 13k.
Hi. Thanks for getting in touch. In my experience toasters are among the lowest, yes. Pretty much all of them are lower output than any of my vintage-output Fender-style pickups. I've never heard of a toaster being anywhere close to 13k, but I'm sure inconsistencies can be found anywhere. Or maybe it was a custom run? Even the "Hi Gain" Rickenbacker pickups I've played are barely in the 5k-6k range - judging from the sound and how they drive (or don't) the amp. I don't have any experience with their humbuckers, so I can't comment on them. The hi-gains on my 330/12 in the video are from 2007-2012 range, and again they're slightly lower output than my already low-output Fenders. I think I mention in the video that the 360/12 was an early 1990s reissue. I don't remember the year exactly, but think it was 1991. It's not a guitar I own, so I can't say much more about it, other than it has a new home now and I no longer have any access to it. Cheers!
herr_oz that's so interesting must be a huge variation because in my ric the toasters are hotter then anything I own except humbuckers and ceramic p90s, closer to a filtertron in output and my friends 330 is similar I haven't measured either though but above my slightly jotter Tele pickups and a lot louder and thicker then a strat.
@Hvalpikk I just measured my 2017 Ric 330/12 Hi Gains (from the 1/4" output cable plug) at 11.39 K bridge and 10.89 K neck, with volume and tone knobs cranked all the way clockwise and 5th knob counterclockwise. For comparision, my 1991 Fender MIM Standard Strat measured 5.25 K bridge, 5.24 K middle and 5.23 K neck, with volumes & tones cranked clockwise. Not at all what I expected, since the Strat is noticeably louder at the same amp and pickup settings.
@@FenderBassMustang The ohm reading doesn’t tell you a hot a pickup is if there different in construction. The toaster pickups got 44 avg wire and Fender typical 42 avg and that makes quite a difference in ”hotness”. The 90s reissues toasters was overwound and sounded a bit boring to me ears.
Backer , not bocker.
RickenbaCker
I hate the top horn on these guitars, too big.
Couldnt disagree with you more, that top horn is what makes it compared with the rounded 360 style.
Please stop calling them RICKENBOCKER do you say Get Bock? No. It's BACK. RickenBACKer. Muchos thanks