Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Lou,
I have 13s Pyramids on my 325V63.
and the Pyramid 12-String set (10s) on my
Danelectro 12.
Both come close to the Beatles' sound
played over my "voxarized" WEM combo.

My normal choice are TI 10s:
on my Hofner Shorty, my Epiphone EJ-160E,
my Squire51, my Dano 59 Pro reissue.
But on these cheapo guitars, they do not stay in tune very well.
On my Gretsch (made by Fender) 5925 Electromatic are TI 11s and on my Korean Casino are TI 12s. This is a good choice for Blues and Jazz and Beatles and Berry.

Why not using your Pyramid 10s on your 350?
This gives the same tension like 13s on the 3/4 325.

But a set of 11s TIs should be a good choice, too.


I once tried a set of D'Addario 13s-56s flatwounds on my 325V63. Very strange. I put them on and immediately off the guitar.

But I am more a sound fiddler than a guitar player, my playing is poor.

Wolfgang, if I use the Pyramid 10 on my 350V63
will I have to do anything to the nut? Didn't
John Hall say that the TI 10'S are very close
to what Rickenbacker used in the 60's. Where I
live those two brands of strings nobody stocks.
They would sell good if local music stores would
stock them. Today I played the 350V63 thru my
friends new Vox Amp its the 50-Watt Classic
Plus head and a 412 Cab. That sounded real
sweet he also has the 100 Watt head which I'll
try the next time I go over. Now I'm thinking
that I should save my money and buy a setup
like that. I would then leave my AC-30TBX at
home and play out with that setup. Just a note
on my Gretsch the Pyramid 10's sound great. How
is the Epiphone EJ-160 how does it play and
sound thru your amp? PS my Gretsch is (pre-Fender)

hello Lou,

The TI go from 10-44, 11-47, 12-50 and 13-53
The Pyramids go from 10-46.5, 11-48, 13-52.
As John Hall said,
the TIs come closer to the old Maxima strings,
and the Pyramids are stiff and not so polished.

I don't know what maximum string diameter will fit
on which model, but I have no problems with 13s on my 325V63.

I checked again: Pyramid 11s on my Gretsch.
I like these strings.

The EJ-160 has a very low electrical output because of the odd humbucker they use.
But it has more treble than the original P90 in the J160E.
Made in China, but it's a nice guitar to play.
In fact it is more a "EJ-45 E". It has a 25.5"
scale length and a massive spruce top, the action is not adjustable. But after filing down the bridge saddle a millimeter the guitar has an excellent action.
Acoustically it is not so brilliant like the J-160E on the Beatles' records.


And, well, maybe we'll end up with
"Rickenbacker made by Fender", too?
No, this will never ever happen