Top of the Line 12 String Rickenbacker

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 4:51 am

Oh, I forgot. After you move the strings over, before you tap the nut with the wood block, remove the TRC!

red_rob · Post by **red_rob** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 5:21 am

Thanks Paul! A true expert.

myfretless · Post by **myfretless** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 4:23 pm

I don't know if a 12 string Jazzbo has ever been crafted, but I would imagine that THAT would take the prize as best 12 string.

That being said, I REALLY love my 12 string 730L FG. Don't tell my 360-12 BBR but that 730L is my favorite.

teb · Post by **teb** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 5:00 pm

I have an Arnquist-modified 360-12 with the strings spaced both wider and the pairs a bit closer together. It's still tight for my big fingers, but much better than the stock set-up as long as I play carefully. When I also had my 660-12 the neck width difference could be felt, but I didn't really find it easier to play. It felt more like a wide band of continuous strings across the fingerboard and it wasn't as easy to tell exactly where your fingers were - a band of twelve strings as opposed to six distinct pairs of strings. I thought about having the 660 nut replaced with one with tighter pairings, which might have been the best bet, but finally decided to just work harder on the 360 and sold the 660.

There was some difference in sound quality between the two, especially when they both had new strings (I like the standard Ric sets). The 660 had a little deeper sound on the low end, but I can't really say that one sounded more Ric-like or better than the other. I always play them through my Traynor YBA 200 bass amp and the big Traynor cabinet with the horn tweeter. It has brights that will shatter glass and is without a doubt the best Ric twelve amp I've ever heard. My YCV40WR and Vox amps sound positively puny and dull by comparison (though they clearly sound better with my six-strings).

steverok · Post by **steverok** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 7:42 am

Robert, your string spacing looks like a jungle ! I still find it mind-boggling that the most-famous 12-string electric guitar in the world would ship like that, but I have already had my rant about this. It looks like Ric is improving that. They should send a better nut to any 12-string owner who wants one - like ME, for instance. Can this be done ? I got a similar nut, and would like one with better spacing.

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 8:24 am

Steve, I think you can order the new 12-string nuts right off the Ricenbacker site.

steverok · Post by **steverok** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 8:42 am

Would that be the "standard" 12-string nut ? Anyone order one yet ?

teb · Post by **teb** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 10:47 am

If you're only going to have one nut....it ought'a be a good one! It makes all the difference in the world. I think that if you plan to order one from Ric you want to specify the 330-12 nut, just to be sure. This is my Arnquist nut. I don't know how it compares to the new 330 nut, but it really uses as much of the fingerboard as possible. I can't say that I ever remember slipping off the end of a fret, strings hitting each other or any other problems and without it, I would have sold this guitar a long time ago.

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 1:36 pm

John Hall has said here that the new 12-string nut available from RIC is the same one shown above, reflecting the Arnquist mod.

red_rob · Post by **red_rob** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 5:31 am

Thwack! Off it will come....

varmint · Post by **varmint** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 6:56 am

Even though this thread has moved to a side track for a bit, I'm glad I read through to this point. I have some problems with the narrow string spacing on my 370/12 as well.
I'm happy to learn that the 330/12 nut replacement could be a solution. I looked on the website and found this nut: "Sku: 03327 - NUT STD 12 STRING" Is this the correct nut?
Thanks!

beatlefan · Post by **beatlefan** » Sun May 07, 2006 2:54 am

I've owned both a 360-12 and a 660-12...

I didn't like the string spacing on the 360 and I didn't like the TINY body of the 660! The neck was fine...but I was so surprised to see this little bodied guitar when I opened the case!

Finally, I've won a 330-12 off the 'bay recently and I'll try THAT one....

Top of the line 12?.....that has to be a 360-12CW in fireglo with the Arnquist modded nut...

BobKat · Post by **BobKat** » Mon May 08, 2006 9:37 am

I would caution folks with pre-1996 12-strings to use an X-Acto knife to make two small cuts at the nut edge on the sides of the neck. The sides of the nut are lacquered over on the pre-'96 guitars and you could break off a bit of clear in an ugly chip.

rick12dr · Post by **rick12dr** » Tue May 09, 2006 8:14 am

Top of the line 12?.....that has to be a 360-12CW in fireglo with the Arnquist modded nut...
Or Any Rick 12 hat just doesn't work right as is, whether new, old, stock, or previously had work done on it.Think of it this way: If a Rick is like the Mercedes of guitars[John Hall referred to Ricks exactly this way to me 30 some years ago];well, perhaps your "Mercedes/Rick", otherwise in great shape,needs new shocks, suspension tires,whatever.Fretwork, refretting, nut, etc. are the guitar parts equivalent to the parts on the car. Without All these factors being finely adjusted, optimal performance is not guaranteed.There's getting to be plenty of guys who have experienced Mark's magic.Need testimonials? Both of my old Rick 12s, a 65 370-12 and a '67 360-12 were played by a couple of fellows you may have heard of[discriminating guitarists/collectors as well]; John Jorgenson and the late Howie Epstein of the Heartbreakers, and Both of them declared the work done on my 12s made for the best functional 12s they'd ever had their hands on.Howie bought my '65 from me because of this.I understand there are,ahem,"detractors" out there who disagree with what Mark does, but they constitute a minority, albeit a sometime, shall we say, "high profile",
and vocal minority.Quality work will always be in demand.

loverickbass · Post by **loverickbass** » Tue May 09, 2006 8:29 am

Amen brother! I love my 381/12MA. Mark is the icing on the cake. It's not just the nut, it's the little things that he does to the guitars. Rounding over the pickguards,smoothing over the saddles,etc. He's really detailed. He even replaces the truss rod bar with a vintage style one. I can't say enough good things about him. My next 12 will go straight to Mark first.

Cole