My new 360/12, good work, Mr. Hall

seoigh · Post by **seoigh** » Wed Aug 10, 2005 8:08 am

I had a 360/12 I bought in the mid 80s. I should've never let it go -- I've been missing it ever since I sold it in the early 90s. That said, I finally got around to replacing it in my arsenal last weekend.

Considering the somewhat glacial pace Rickenbacker moves at in regards to changing existing designs (why screw with an industry standard?) I was very, very impressed with the subtle changes that have been incorporated in the last 20 years.

First, that the slots in the head stock go all the way through -- can I please just say "FINALLY!" It's so much easier to string. What surprises me more, though, is how much more stable the tuning is than on my old Rick. Both my older Rick and my current early 60s Vox Phantom XII were in need of constant adjustment. Not so with this new 360.

I was also impressed with the level of finish. My old Rick was no slouch -- but the finish on this new one (in mapleglo) is absolutely flawless. It seems to me that the finish on the fingerboard is less thick than it used to be, resulting in a much more playable instrument in the higher frets.

Anyhow, I just wanted to pass along a thanks to Mr. Hall. In a time when it seems that you almost HAVE to get a vintage instrument to find quality from other manufacturers, his stewardship of RIC is to be commended. And then when you consider what other American-made guitars cost, it just boggles the mind how affordable these things are. Well, relatively speaking, at least. I mean, RIC could probably double their prices while still increasing profits -- sure, a lot of people would be priced out, but I'd bet more than half would suck it up and pay the extra money for that unmistakable, irreplaceable tone. It says a lot about Mr. Hall that his dedication is to musicians and collectors, not to the bottom line, that the pricing structure remains where it is. My new 360/12 barely cost more than the one I bought 20 years ago. That is just profound to me.

I couldn't be happier. I've already arranged two songs on this thing and I can't wait to start rolling some tape.

Thanks.

jps · Post by **jps** » Wed Aug 10, 2005 12:31 pm

Welcome Bradley. I'm glad to see someone still "rolling tape"!

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Wed Aug 10, 2005 1:29 pm

Welcome from me also, Bradley. I'm glad you got back into the fold. Congratulations on the 360/12. I sometimes wish I had waited for the new headstock design to come into force before I purchased my 660/12, but then again, I wasn't to know what was on the drawing board, was I?

Hope you have a great time with it - 360s in Mapleglo are great lookers, IMO.

tito · Post by **tito** » Wed Aug 10, 2005 5:03 pm

Howdy,
I got my first Rick back in January. . .a 360/12 fireglo. .
Amazing guitar! Kinda tough on the fingers for a while, but after I got used to it. . . it was amazing!

-Welcome-

seoigh · Post by **seoigh** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 3:41 am

Howard-

I never left the Rick fold entirely -- I've got a couple of 6'ers (and older 325 and a 330 Frankenbacker project guitar that's more like a 370 now).

I will say, though, that I find myself playing the 12 WAY WAY more than I played the other Ricks over the last 10 years. I was addicted to Gretsches for most of the 90s. Just gotta love a Rickenbacker 12 string, eh?

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 10:42 am

You bet! The right amp (and maybe an accessory or two) and it's pure joy. Even the neighbours seem to be able to rise above my many fluffs and comment on the magical sound!!

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 11:23 am

Howard, you must have good neighbors. Mine don't really object, but since some are much younger they've asked what era of music I'm playing from. The music seems like yesterday to me, but 40 years ago is a tad longer to them.

tito · Post by **tito** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 1:45 pm

Haha, and when I, a 18 year old emerge from my house. . .all the neighborhood children shake their heads in shame. . .
It really bothers me how much kids my age don't appreciate the music of the past!

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 5:32 pm

Yep! I get far more complaints when I crank up Rachmaninov's second piano concerto or symphony!

Philistines, they are - the whole lot of em!!

Both lovely works, BTW.

tito · Post by **tito** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 1:36 am

Is there a big Local Music Scene in your are Howard?
Where I live there is a tiny one, a lot of kids travel to North Carolina to see shows. I personally don't desire to listen to the music, for it is mainly just noise and screaming!

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 2:22 am

Well, Sean. Considering Melbourne is a city of nearly 3 million people, it's a pretty big music scene. We get most of the big international acts and have a very healthy pub music scene - probably a couple of hundred venues and triple that number of bands trying to get a gig!

I'm very choosy about the big shows but I love going to a pub on a Sunday afternoon and evening and listening to a few bands. There are some really great blues venues, too...... probably my favourite genre!!

We also have the Weekend Warriors program for non-professionals. That is an absolute heap of fun. I'm joining up later in the year.

Try this:

http://www.australianmusic.asn.au/weekendwarriors/

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 2:54 am

Sean, you must take care. You are showing signs of incipient Early Curmudgeonness.

At first I thought it was the hairstyle, which you share with the young HL Mencken. Then you showed a remarkeable flair for words. You march to a different rhythm, being a Rick owner at 18, when everybody else in your peer group is abusing EVH Charvels.

Now we find out that you're actually avoiding the local music scene, because it features too much screaming.

I warn you: stop thinking for yourself. Next thing you know, you'll start believing in evolution!

tito · Post by **tito** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 6:31 am

Paul. . .haha

I hate to think for myself, but I can't help it. I don't avoid the entire scene. . .let me explain. . .

The "scene" in Roanoke is largely one scene. It isn't the entire scene (blues, jazz, rock. . ) The "scene" in Roanoke and the surrounding areas is what kids call "Emo?" music. The kids wear really flamboyant clothing, the guys wear girls pants. . .yes, girls pants a tight dress shirt and gel their hair and wear librarian glasses. The girls have boyish hair cuts wear pink dressed with polka dot ties and a green headband. . .
I have a hard time fitting in to that group. I can't say that I would want to, but I really. . .really don't like the music. It's not the entire music scene that I avoid, it's the one "scene" that I dislike.
Sorry I caused the confusion but in this area that one particular sub section of the music scene is referred to as the "scene"

Paul, did you get my post about the wood finishing problems?

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 8:06 am

Emo, as in Emo Phillips. (JOKE, since Gary Muledeer was on another thread, we might as well cover all of the Old Bad Comics while we're at it, and there are many more.)

Emo, as in Emo Tion, I guess. Roanoke. Um, I get it. I spent one Fourth on Okracoke. Very inbred on that part of the coast.

And I thought some of my Goth students were far out!

I didn't get your post. Want to send me a link?

tito · Post by **tito** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 2:38 pm

No No! Not Roanoke Island. .

My question has to do with. . .finishing wood.
I'm new to the art, but I gave a few tries at a few slabs of maple. The stain worked out great, but my only concern is the brush marks on the finish from where I applied the poly. Do you have any recommendations on how to eliminate the brush stroked to achieve a smoooooooth finish?