Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

It's here!
Love the thin top. I forgot how chimey they make the guitar.
My 381 feels like a tank now...
They do make a nice pair tho...

Very nice set you have there now! Yes the 381's are a hefty guitar when you have a 360 to compare with back to back

I've often heard the CW's thin top provides a significant difference in tone compared to the main stream 360's. I was wondering if you could tell me how thick the top is? I'm interested how much thicker my 360/12 and 370/12 are than the CW model.

Which do you prefer the sound of the 381 or CW?

Cheers,

Simon

chefothefuture wrote: My 381 feels like a tank now...

Bite your tongue, John!!!

According to the RIC website, there is only a pound difference between a 360 and a 381. speaking from experience, I think it's the thickness of the body(a 381 is an inch thicker than a 330 or 360) that psychologically makes it seem as though the 381's significantly heavier. The longer lenth of the top and bottom horns might add to this feeling as well for the owners of standard "toilet seat"(in house lingo used by RIC employees to distinguish the two 360 types back in the day)shaped 360s.

Paul-
When I say tank, it's like saying a Rolls feels like
a tank compared to a Jaguar.
Love 'em both (cars and guitars...).

Just eyeballing it, I'd say the CW's top is just under 3/16ths.
The 381 is just under 1/4.
I'll put a micrometer on them later.

The resonance of the CW just sings out. My 360/12BBR is a lot
darker. The 381 is darker still, but there's a deeper body
to contend with as well.

Now-
I wonder what a CW would sound like with an E1(that right?) compressor.....

Just joshin' you, John. To me, a CW feels much livelier than my 381. Wish I could say, my CW, but one hasn't come up and bitten me--yet. Soon, I think.

John, great lookng pair! I'll have to post a pic of my 381v69 Blue Burst and CW 12 for a comparo. I think your 381 has a bit more figure than mine.

John,
Get a' postin'

Paul-
Livelier is a good word for the CW.

Congrats on the CW.

If you think the CW sounds lively because of the then top try a 360C63 with the old style X-bracing. It is unbeliievable!

What adds to the weight of the 381 is the thick squared off area inside the body where the German carve is.

Ken,

How does the weight of the 360/12c63 compare to the weight of the 360/12CW? I'm torn between ordering a new c63 and trying to find a used CW. I have the CW 6 string and love its light weight along with its lively, thin top.

Bob

I think they are close to the same weight but I really didn't have the C63 side by side to the two CWs that I have seen. My intenions are to make it to the RIO so maybe I can do a side by side there.

Thanks Ken. If you find out, please post your findings here.

Bob

Man-
I haven't had an x-braced Rick 12 in years....
I thought that Rick did the thin top on the CW
as a compramize. New style construction with
older sound.

My old '65 370/12 was very resonant. The top was even
thinner right around the sound hole....

I think the other area of weight on the 381 is the extra wood around the neck.

Here they are:

1 word:

"Whoa!"