Strings for a 360/12v64
Moderator: jingle_jangle
-
MikeSchindler
Strings for a 360/12v64
When I first bought my 360/12v64 they were wearing the standard 12 string Ric strings. I had such a hard time tuning them. They just wouldn't stay tuned.I got tired of them and put Pyramids on.I had the guitar set up by a Ric dealer.Well he did such a bad job that I had to take it to another.I insisted on a 12 saddle bridge and put new Pyramids on. The nut was refiled to accept Pyramids. The neck looked twisted up near the nut on the low E end. It was set up again and seems ok now. Why wouldn't the Ric strings stay tuned?What do you think was happening here in case it starts happening again.I kind of liked the Ric Strings and would try them again but I fear the same problem.Can you enlighten me?
Mike: I can't explain why the RIC strings would not stay in turn. I find them to be fine on my Rickenbackers. Is it possible that the intonation was out so badly because of the poor set up that you were constantly making tuning adjustments to compensate and you interpreted this as a problem with tuning? If you switch back to RIC strings you will likely need to have your nut changed to accommodate them. I trust Mark will pipe up here if I have missed the boat. I am responding as I see you post may have gone unnoticed.
Life, as with music, often requires one to let go of the melody and listen to the rhythm
Please join the Official RickResource Forum Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/379271585440277
Please join the Official RickResource Forum Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/379271585440277
Staying in tune is a multi fold question answer .
Lets say you have ALL the strings off and are going from scratch.You will need a pegwinder of some sort,a pair of angle wire cutter.Get good ones if you don't have a pair.The cheap ones just aren't worth it.
A set of strings...I don't care what brand you use.A tuner of some kind and I like to start with a reference not so I use a 440hz tuning fork .This is something that I learned in my early guitar 'life' at the Rickenbacker factory and I have not found a better way .
I restring Rick 12 strings this way;
First I get a piece of tape and lay it across the 'R' tailpiece .Don't press it down as hard as you can just lay it across.You will have to remove this when you are all done and if it's fused .....what a pain that can be!
This is on the 'underside ' sort of a temporary 'keeper' to hold all the srings in place .
I load up all the strings in the tailpiece and hang it or lay it some place out of the way.
Does your nameplate have the typical Toucan beak shape?or is does it have a kind of smoothed out notch on the bass side?
This was a stock feature in the 1960's and early 1970's.I would recommend notching it to get the strings to glide across less nameplate and I would also take some sandpaper to the edge of the nameplate to relieve the edge and allow the strings to have less binding problems,as you tune the strings.Don't go nuts trying to round the edge.....just break that shape edge and you will do the job.
Take the low 'E' and install that string first .Now switch to the treble side and do the high E pair.
When you are installing the strings in the slotted headstock tuners ...here is the way I do it and why.
I take the string and pull it tight to the end of the headstock and cut the string TWO tuners past the one that it needs to go to.
I then kink the end so that it has about a 1/8" bend at a right angle on the end .I then wind the string on ...moving the windings towards the side of the headstock.This gets the string away from the nameplate and causes the minimum amount of drap over the edge of the plate.Also it shoves the winding toward the center of the neck and helps to keep these strings in tune better.Make your wraps even and lay them in next to eachother.
This is important ,as a sloppy mess will give you a tuning headache.
Go from side to side doing each string...put tension on each string ,don't worry about pitch untill you have all the strings on.
12 strings are not something that your average repair person sees a lot of and they tend to not have any tricks up their sleeves.They also don't like Ricks as they are not as easy to work on as other brands and so they don't like to work on them.It's just a bad mind set and try to find someone who appreciates them.
After you get all the strings on....tune the standard strings first ,the paired strings and then the octaves.DON'T tune the 'G' octave until later....It is the last string to get tuned and as it is the highest tensioned string on the guitar.....leave it alone for now.
Take the strings and in pairs ,gently stretch them .grab two strings at a time.This is so you won't pull or break one ...thats a pain!
Go back and forth across the neck doing this .Retune the standards first and then the paired ,then the octave strings .Check the truss rods.Make any adjustments theat need to be done and then tune the 'G' octave .
Thats it!
Lets say you have ALL the strings off and are going from scratch.You will need a pegwinder of some sort,a pair of angle wire cutter.Get good ones if you don't have a pair.The cheap ones just aren't worth it.
A set of strings...I don't care what brand you use.A tuner of some kind and I like to start with a reference not so I use a 440hz tuning fork .This is something that I learned in my early guitar 'life' at the Rickenbacker factory and I have not found a better way .
I restring Rick 12 strings this way;
First I get a piece of tape and lay it across the 'R' tailpiece .Don't press it down as hard as you can just lay it across.You will have to remove this when you are all done and if it's fused .....what a pain that can be!
This is on the 'underside ' sort of a temporary 'keeper' to hold all the srings in place .
I load up all the strings in the tailpiece and hang it or lay it some place out of the way.
Does your nameplate have the typical Toucan beak shape?or is does it have a kind of smoothed out notch on the bass side?
This was a stock feature in the 1960's and early 1970's.I would recommend notching it to get the strings to glide across less nameplate and I would also take some sandpaper to the edge of the nameplate to relieve the edge and allow the strings to have less binding problems,as you tune the strings.Don't go nuts trying to round the edge.....just break that shape edge and you will do the job.
Take the low 'E' and install that string first .Now switch to the treble side and do the high E pair.
When you are installing the strings in the slotted headstock tuners ...here is the way I do it and why.
I take the string and pull it tight to the end of the headstock and cut the string TWO tuners past the one that it needs to go to.
I then kink the end so that it has about a 1/8" bend at a right angle on the end .I then wind the string on ...moving the windings towards the side of the headstock.This gets the string away from the nameplate and causes the minimum amount of drap over the edge of the plate.Also it shoves the winding toward the center of the neck and helps to keep these strings in tune better.Make your wraps even and lay them in next to eachother.
This is important ,as a sloppy mess will give you a tuning headache.
Go from side to side doing each string...put tension on each string ,don't worry about pitch untill you have all the strings on.
12 strings are not something that your average repair person sees a lot of and they tend to not have any tricks up their sleeves.They also don't like Ricks as they are not as easy to work on as other brands and so they don't like to work on them.It's just a bad mind set and try to find someone who appreciates them.
After you get all the strings on....tune the standard strings first ,the paired strings and then the octaves.DON'T tune the 'G' octave until later....It is the last string to get tuned and as it is the highest tensioned string on the guitar.....leave it alone for now.
Take the strings and in pairs ,gently stretch them .grab two strings at a time.This is so you won't pull or break one ...thats a pain!
Go back and forth across the neck doing this .Retune the standards first and then the paired ,then the octave strings .Check the truss rods.Make any adjustments theat need to be done and then tune the 'G' octave .
Thats it!
So you too want yours "ALAPWOB"?!?!
If the guy at the factory did a poor job of string the guitar ...then that could have been a problem.
It could have been all the things combined.
String brand is NOT the issue here.
Any brand can be made to work.Don't get hung up on brand names ,thinking that one will stay in tune better than another.I have tried ALL the advertised strings in my shop and not one of them is better in this department.That just marketing .
If you put them on right you will have no problems ....but use the crazed Boy Scout knot method and you are asking for trouble.
It could have been all the things combined.
String brand is NOT the issue here.
Any brand can be made to work.Don't get hung up on brand names ,thinking that one will stay in tune better than another.I have tried ALL the advertised strings in my shop and not one of them is better in this department.That just marketing .
If you put them on right you will have no problems ....but use the crazed Boy Scout knot method and you are asking for trouble.
So you too want yours "ALAPWOB"?!?!
-
Mike_Schindler
Thanks for the excellent info! I smoothed down the sharp edges of the truss rod cover after the Pyramids were put on and in reading this info I tend to believe that the owner before me really had this out of whack.I also added a 12 saddle bridge and had it set up.Its good now and I feel better that if I go with Ric Strings again I can have it set up properly to accomodate them and that the problem was not with the string gauge or Ric brand strings.Thanks to Mark and Peter who took the time to type so much. Thanks for the help guys.You guys are great!!
-
FRANK
I have pyramids on my 360-12 v64 and I was wondering if flats added more tension/strain to the neck than roundwounds???
I think my guitar may need to be adjusted because there seems to be too much bow in the neck around the 12 fret....Im wondering if the flats are doing this???
what gaudge of string is the safest for the 360-12 v64???
thanks
FRANK M. ROBINSON III
I think my guitar may need to be adjusted because there seems to be too much bow in the neck around the 12 fret....Im wondering if the flats are doing this???
what gaudge of string is the safest for the 360-12 v64???
thanks
FRANK M. ROBINSON III