1967 360/12

[bossaddict]

Just wanted to share my only Rickenbacker with you folks. I've had this for about four months. Late in 2014, I got a 1966 360/12 in Jetglo. I posted some questions about it on the forum and got some great advice. Unfortunately, the neck angle was such that is needed to be reset and that just wasn't something I had planned on having done, so I returned it to the dealer.

Ever since, I've been looking for another good deal on one of that era and ended up finding it a year later, almost to the day. This one has already had a pro neck reset (a virtual inevitability for these), which I quietly considered a selling point. This one is in Fireglo and it just plays and sounds amazing. It's mostly original, with the only exceptions being the TRC and bridge cover. I've also got a 12-saddle bridge on it, but the original is in the case. Anybody have a '60's TRC laying around their house?

Check it out!











So much fun to tune...


Much better...

[242_foxtrot]

Lovely!

[jps]

Anybody have a '60's TRC laying around their house?

Not a 12 string one..............

Great looking 360/12 you got.

[collin]

Sure is a thing of beauty David, congrats on the new buy! Lovely fireglo

I wouldn't be honest if I didn't point out that the bridge is quite low for a Rickenbacker that has had a "pro neck reset." You should almost have 0.25" – 0.50" of adjustment room underneath the bridge on a perfectly set neck. I've no doubt it plays nicely now, but just be careful with the guitar and humidity so it doesn't need another reset in the future (since there's little adjustment left).

[bossaddict]

Sure is a thing of beauty David, congrats on the new buy! Lovely fireglo

I wouldn't be honest if I didn't point out that the bridge is quite low for a Rickenbacker that has had a "pro neck reset." You should almost have 0.25" – 0.50" of adjustment room underneath the bridge on a perfectly set neck. I've no doubt it plays nicely now, but just be careful with the guitar and humidity so it doesn't need another reset in the future (since there's little adjustment left).

Thanks! Yeah, the action is perfect, but the bridge is pretty much decked. I'll have to keep an eye on it.

Based on my research (mostly from this forum ), I got a set of Thomastik Infeld Custom flatwound strings from pick of the ricks. Supposedly they are specifically selected to be low tension for vintage Rick 12 strings.

Thanks to everyone for the comments!

[collin]

Sure is a thing of beauty David, congrats on the new buy! Lovely fireglo

I wouldn't be honest if I didn't point out that the bridge is quite low for a Rickenbacker that has had a "pro neck reset." You should almost have 0.25" – 0.50" of adjustment room underneath the bridge on a perfectly set neck. I've no doubt it plays nicely now, but just be careful with the guitar and humidity so it doesn't need another reset in the future (since there's little adjustment left).

Thanks! Yeah, the action is perfect, but the bridge is pretty much decked. I'll have to keep an eye on it.

Based on my research (mostly from this forum ), I got a set of Thomastik Infeld Custom flatwound strings from pick of the ricks. Supposedly they are specifically selected to be low tension for vintage Rick 12 strings.

Thanks to everyone for the comments!

Good luck David!

I find the tension of TI flats to be decent, but still too much for a neck that is already shifting. I'd recommend making a set of ultra light gauge roundwounds (I'm talking 8-38 at the heaviest). I create my own sets out of a 3-pack of super light D'Addario strings meant for 6-string guitars.

Just a head's up that it's likely the guitar WILL need a neck reset. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow - but it's almost inevitable in the near future. Whoever set that neck clearly didn't do it properly, since the fretboard should run precisely parallel to the body surface.

It's unfortunate, but these are very fragile guitars with thin tops (which is actually the key to their great tone, IMO), and throughout the years, people often put strings on that are far too heavy gauge and that causes the neck to creep forward.

[wints]

Beautiful guitar David. That Fireglo does look really nice.

I think I do have a 12 TRC somewhere...The question is where. Let me go look and I'll get back to you...

[bossaddict]

Beautiful guitar David. That Fireglo does look really nice.

I think I do have a 12 TRC somewhere...The question is where. Let me go look and I'll get back to you...

That would be great, thanks!

[bossaddict]

Good luck David!

I find the tension of TI flats to be decent, but still too much for a neck that is already shifting. I'd recommend making a set of ultra light gauge roundwounds (I'm talking 8-38 at the heaviest). I create my own sets out of a 3-pack of super light D'Addario strings meant for 6-string guitars.

Just a head's up that it's likely the guitar WILL need a neck reset. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow - but it's almost inevitable in the near future. Whoever set that neck clearly didn't do it properly, since the fretboard should run precisely parallel to the body surface.

It's unfortunate, but these are very fragile guitars with thin tops (which is actually the key to their great tone, IMO), and throughout the years, people often put strings on that are far too heavy gauge and that causes the neck to creep forward.

Have you tried the D'Addario Half Rounds? They are sort of a hybrid between flat and round. If I were to get three sets of those, would it work something like below?

8 10 15 22 30 39
8 10 8 10 15 22

Or do you think even that might be too high tension?

[collin]

Have you tried the D'Addario Half Rounds? They are sort of a hybrid between flat and round. If I were to get three sets of those, would it work something like below?

8 10 15 22 30 39
8 10 8 10 15 22

Or do you think even that might be too high tension?

That sounds like a great combo, David! Go ahead and give it a try, it shouldn't be too high tension.

After reading up a bit, I think the difference in tension between 38 and 42 gauge might not even be that major, so 39 gauge wouldn't have much of an effect, I think.

It's always safer to start with the smallest gauge and if you don't like the feel of the ultra light strings, you could possibly go up to 9-42 as a compromise (I'd recommend D'addario strings either way).

[iiipopes]

Again, to intonate properly on a 6-saddle bridge, make sure the unison G string is a WOUND string.

[bossaddict]

Again, to intonate properly on a 6-saddle bridge, make sure the unison G string is a WOUND string.

Thanks. I'm actually using a 12-saddle bridge and just keep the original in the case.

[bossaddict]

Have you tried the D'Addario Half Rounds? They are sort of a hybrid between flat and round. If I were to get three sets of those, would it work something like below?

8 10 15 22 30 39
8 10 8 10 15 22

Or do you think even that might be too high tension?

That sounds like a great combo, David! Go ahead and give it a try, it shouldn't be too high tension.

After reading up a bit, I think the difference in tension between 38 and 42 gauge might not even be that major, so 39 gauge wouldn't have much of an effect, I think.

It's always safer to start with the smallest gauge and if you don't like the feel of the ultra light strings, you could possibly go up to 9-42 as a compromise (I'd recommend D'addario strings either way).

OK, I'm officially chickening out on the special TI sets. I'll just sell them. I ordered three sets of D'Addario Half Rounds - two sets of 9-42 and one set of 8-39. Here's the plan...

9 11 16 24 30 39
9 11 8 10 15 22

Like you said, if it seems a little too light on the low end, I might swap the .030 and .039 from the 8's to a .032 and .042 from one of the sets of 9's. Thanks very much for the advice.

[collin]

No prob David, glad to help.

Let us know how you like the thinner gauge setup!