Concert/Octave or Octave/Concert

[theonemanband]

Hi,

Just watched this video for the umpteenth time [I'm a big Mike Campbell fan] and noticed the stringing.

The guitar appears to be strung in the more traditional 12 string manner [concert/octave] rather than the Rickenbacker method.

Is this just my failing vision, or is this Mike's preferred stringing?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNUWlrK ... 1U&index=2

[jdogric12]

The first few Rick 12's were like that (traditional way). Mike's is the 3rd 12er they made.

[theonemanband]

[quote=]The guitar appears to be strung in the more traditional 12 string manner (concert/octave) rather than the Rickenbacker method.[/quote]

Sorry, meant octave/concert

So, does anyone know if that his preferred stringing now?

I play a 620/12 that I truly love and is my regular gigging guitar however, I have recently had it converted and set up in the traditional manner and have to say that I much prefer it this way, both the sound and playability.

As I said, that is just my preference!

[jdogric12]

The giveaway is at 0:25. Mike's - the 3rd Rick 12 ever made - is strung in the "traditional" manner, so an octave is struck first on a downstroke. Since a new nut would have to be cut, it's unlikely he ever deviated from that at any given time, seeing as how he has millions of guitars and would just use a different one if he wanted the "chime" of Rickenbacker octave stringing, where the fundamental is struck first on a downstroke.

[JakeK]

This is Campbell's only 12-string strung octave first. All his other Rickenbacker 12-strings are strung the Rickenbacker way, and I believe his Danny Ferrington double-neck may also be strung like a Rickenbacker. Tom, on the other hand, strings ALL of his 12-strings octave first.

[theonemanband]

Tom, on the other hand, strings ALL of his 12-strings octave first.

Now THAT'S interesting......thank you.

[jps]

The giveaway is at 0:25. Mike's - the 3rd Rick 12 ever made - is strung in the "traditional" manner, so an octave is struck first on a downstroke. Since a new nut would have to be cut, it's unlikely he ever deviated from that at any given time, seeing as how he has millions of guitars and would just use a different one if he wanted the "chime" of Rickenbacker octave stringing, where the fundamental is struck first on a downstroke.

Well, this is interesting!

Suzi Arden's 12 string guitar (the first one Rickenbacker made) was traditionally strung.

According to the above quote, the third 12 string guitar made was also traditionally strung.

So, how did George Harrison's 12 string guitar (the second one made) end up with the Rick way of stringing a 12 string guitar?

[JakeK]

Campbell said he has the 625/12 strung traditionally because that's how it was strung when he got it in 1977.

[jps]

Thanks, Jake. So who reversed the stringing on it, does anybody know the ownership history of what is the first solidbody 12 string Rick?

[JakeK]

I actually do not know any of the guitar's history before Campbell acquired it.

[jps]

I actually do not know any of the guitar's history before Campbell acquired it.

[jdogric12]

I don't see any reason to think #3 was ever Rick-way. It's entirely reasonable to assume #1 was trad-, #2 was Rick-, #3 was trad-, and from then on they stuck with Rick-way.

[theonemanband]

Interesting discussion and being new to Rickenbacker I've learned a lot, not only from this discussion but also from actually trying my 620/12 with the traditional stringing.

As I said earlier I had recently re-strung my my 620/12 the traditional way and I honestly thought I preferred that way until today, when I re-set it back to the original Rick stringing method and have to say that, after the experiment and comparing, I now believe the Rick method is phenomenally better and now I understand what RICKENBACKER 12 strings and Rickenbacker "chime" are all about!!

We live & learn!!

[jdogric12]

You can't just switch willy nilly. If you don't cut a new nut the strings will not sit right. Saddles too.

[JakeK]

You can't just switch willy nilly. If you don't cut a new nut the strings will not sit right. Saddles too.

Tell that to TP...