Early 12 strings.......

[jwilli]

We know of the Suzi Arden '63 360/12 OS, GH's '63 360/12, Mike Campbell's '63 620/12, Gerry Marsden's '64 360/12 OS, Lennon's 320/12. The next one that surfaces is my 360S/12 (DE 524). I know that Greg Fritz owns an early one but with no serial number. After that..the next ones in the Register and Bjorn's site are a few more months away. I know The Beach Boys had an early one. Anyone else know of any? The next closest one is DG. July of '64. Might my weirdo May of '64 possibly be one of the first half dozen Rickenbacker 12 strings? Hmmmm. It does have a square heel. This is why that time-frame is so fascinating. I still believe that there is at least one out there with the routes all the way thru the headstock. Ohhh, the fever is coming back.

[egosheep]

Yours has routes through the headstock like that? Cool...

[jimk]

When did McGuinn get his first Rick? Late '64, perhaps? All of the photos I've seen of the Byrds taken in '65 the Rick seems to be the new style 360/12.
JimK

[libratune]

John, is yours a 360-12 NS?

Photo please ! ! !

[jwilli]

Sorry guys....I was on a roll last nite. My guitar has the "longer" headstock with six Kluson tuners and the six banjo tuners. A design that Rickenbacker obviously rejected, lol.

[jingle_jangle]

Wow. Headstock looks like an explosion in a hardware store.

Thank God for the inspiration that replaced it. This makes yours, John, a missing link with some real importance in RIC history.

[libratune]

The next one that surfaces is my 360S/12 (DE 524).

Thanks for the photos. Who could forget that headstock? !

I'm sure you've already figured this out, but appears that your unique 12er is more likely an early version of the 330S-12 or 1993 model due to the f-hole and dot inlays. Perhaps Rickenbacker was experimenting with that tuner arrangement for its export 12ers, but decided against it.

Have you tried getting info directly from RIC?

PS I notice yours has the "Harrisonglo" going on . . .

[Danotron]

Wow

That's really nice!

[wints]

What a cool piece. You have to love that crazy headstock!

[jwilli]

Ron, JH sent me a copy of the original shipping doc. Basically said it was a "360S/12 with banjo tuners". It was so early that maybe Rickenbacker hadn't come up with an official designation for the model. Too cool.

[Ilikewater]

beautiful