Rickenbacker String Converter HELP ME PLEASE

[Adam_Bruce]

Does anybody have any information about this device, it was around in 1968 and that is all I know. Does anybody own one? Can you send me your pictures of these? Do they work?
I am trying to gather as much information as possible about this device for an A-level major project at college, please e-mail me with anything you have about it, especially if someone has some designs of it (technical drawings)
e-mail = adam@bruce.derbycounty.co.uk
PS I own a 360/12 V64 if anyone is remotely interested!

[admin]

Adam: While you await more technical responses to your question, you may at least find photos on at the Rickenbacker Registration Page by using the search function in the main menu at Rickenbacker Registration Page and using 366/12 as a keyword.

[stringman]

Adam this was a chrome plated curved metal comb that was able to be slid down on a channel on the guitars body to line up and pull down the octives of the 12 sring and convert it to a 6 by hooking the lever to a bolt that was attached to the guitar. It does work by mutting the 6 octives flat to the fingerboard.Leaving only the unmuted strings to ring. The number of this guitar is 366 12 convertable model.Rickenbacker also made other models in the convertable configuration.

[clementc3]

There is a thread with some videos here:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=395361

(or just do a search on "comb" if the link doesn't take you to the right thread). I got to play around with one (at Jackson's Rare Guitars in Sydney, which is quite an amazing store) - the converter is less sophisticated and less automatic than you might hope or think, but it does the trick; you just move the comb next to the octave strings, tip it slightly so the hooks are above the octave strings, slide it a bit so the the hooks are over the octave strings, and pull the comb down so that the handle can catch on the button on the body. It takes a little bit of dexterity to line things up right.

A real one shows up on ebay every now and then.

[BAD RONBO, KiLLeR DWaRfS]

a question i have is...since the strings are being held down and increasing the tension of the upper octaves, did the guitar go out of tune when returned to the 12 string mode ? i would figure on some wavering as with using a whammy bar.

[gibsonlp]

Talk about resurrecting a post from the past

[winston]

Talk about resurrecting a post from the past

Gil I wonder if anyone other than you noticed that the first post was posted in the year 2000?

[clementc3]

Wow, I didn't!

[stringman]

Thats ok if you live long enough knowledge is something you learn to pass on.

[libratune]

Talk about resurrecting a post from the past

Gil I wonder if anyone other than you noticed that the first post was posted in the year 2000?

When the post has HELP ME PLEASE in the title, the air of immediacy (being held hostage by a converter comb?) leads one to overlook the date.

[electrofaro]

did the guitar go out of tune when returned to the 12 string mode ?

Good question!

Plus, as the comb is metal, so are the strings. Does the comb pull them down, so one can't strum them anymore?
If they still can be strummed or picked there's bound to be some noise coming from the strings/comb due to them being metal?

I've seen a guy on French television recently with one of those - he used it as 12-string only.

[stringman]

Think of it as using your hand as muting the string, what the converter does is grab the octives and pull them flat to the fingerboard so those string are mutted. You will still get some mutted sound out of those strings but for the most part it does work.And I do agree as far as bending notes better stick to a six.

[jdogric12]

see that vid, can't really explain it any better. Ask Scotty!

[scotty]

When i played j dogs and loved it.I have to be honest this took me by surprise the comb converter is easy to use and with it being Jason`s guitar i was you know at first really OMG i dont want to break the thing.So after a few goes i got to changing the comb a little faster(Im sure with a matter of time this would no doubt probably be done with touch/feel without looking).The guitar stayed in tune beautifully and played well when being put into the 6 string mode.When looking at photos of the guitar i thought is this a thing that i would like or is this a Gimmicky sort of thing that i might not like and to my surprise i loved it.
So all in all i thought the Comb converter was easy to use and functional.OK lets be honest you can sometimes here the `Plink` of the Octave strings when in the 6 string mode but thats only if your either finger picking or maybe playing a tad on the heavy side.this was the first time ive played a 366 and i was pleased to say that it was a enjoyable one.

oh and for the record it looks a cool as....

i didnt get a pic of me playing this

[electrofaro]

i didnt get a pic of me playing this

Someone once wrote - it's not untrue until there's photographic evidence

Thanks for the explanation though!