Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

A friend has a new 360/12.. with RIC strings.. properly set up.. I've found I can play the thing nearly as easy as a 6 string guitar. Didn't find the neck too narrow.

I have had a 620/6 for a year or so. .. found a 620/12 ( serial# 00 39917) for sale locally.. Basically checked out the tuners worked smoothly. . Pickup switch and Pickups worked fine.. tone volume controls , etc. Frets look OK.. so it wasn't used much... .. so I nabbed it. Finish ( Mid ) was in tough shape. .but Scratch Dr. and Zymol to the rescue.

Now: Can hardly play the thing. Can't even fret a clean 1st position chord.. Very frustrated to think: is the 620 THAT different than a 360 ? Seems worse on the e - B - G string area than the D - A - E strings.. ( ie. a "D" chord.) I would have attributed it to: 12 strings take adjusting to.. but: I can play my pal's 360.. like a breeze. Same neck width!

So I replaced the strings with a standard RIC set. I think seller had a basic D'addario 12 string set on there. .at least a 10 gauge.

Definite improvement- but still very unhappy with the playability... the guitar really needs a setup.

There is a discernable, yet very slight relief..
The action is definitely higher than my 6 string, and intonation is horrible..

I see from posts.. RICS are intended to be perfectly flat.

So: I TIGHTEN the truss rod nuts.. ( correct? ) 1/4 turn at at time - each rod evenly - with strings at tension ( will have to loosen some strings to move them. .to remove the TRC and get to the truss rod nuts ) -- .. to get the neck to straighten.. to eliminate the very slight bow .

THEN: lower the bridge slightly to get the strings closer to the fretboard.
THEN: adjust the saddles to correct intonation with my Peterson Strobe.

I'd like to take these steps carefully.. to not only fix the guitar.. but be familiar with the process. so I'm not running to a tech ( $$ )

If these steps don't get it as playable as the one I'm comparing it to.. then maybe I have to cart it into to Apple Music in Portland, or 12th fret ( Guitar repair etc ) to verify nothing is amiss with the guitar ? ( ie. the nut ? )

You may want to try a 330 nut. It has a little wider spacing due to no binding or do a custom nut. RIC started using the wider spacing on all models about 5 years ago, if I recall correctly. Your 2000 would have tighter spacing than a current production guitar. The difference is not huge but it may take you to where you need to be. I'm sure Paul will chime in with some good advise.

Hello Paul ??? ...

Mark, I found the info with an advanced search. Maybe this will help. Link: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=244029&start=0&hilit=330+nut

johnhall wrote:You asked specifially about the 660/12 string nut but I should mention that within the last year we also switched over to using the 330/12 nut designed for no binding even on guitars like the 360/12 which do have binding. Previously we though it poor practice to include the bound area as part of the playing surface but so many people were making modifications and doing it anyway, we followed suit.

Only time will tell if fingerboard wear on the neck binding becomes an issue; if it does, we'll say "we told you so"!

Thanks Ken..

I note John Halls post was made on July 7, 2006.. where he says they "recently" changed to using a 330/12 nut ( designed for no binding )
... on guitars with binding. with the caveat of " only time will tell if fingerboard wear on the neck binding becomes an issue " ..

I wonder if by now.. 2010.. he has an official answer to that question.. or if any other mods were made to avoid problems that cropped up..

I note from another post in that thread ( Cole Gaskins ) " Before the Arnquist mods on my 12's I thought about selling them all. Now, all I play is the 12. You wouldn't think gaining just a hair more room would make so much differance. "

I can tell you.. if the difference between my 2000 620/12 .. and my pals 2009 ( or early 2010 ) 360/12 is largely the nut and how the string spacings are cut.. < FOR ME> it makes a World of difference...

between: playable.. and NOT playable.

I agree with him.. let's you focus on playing.. rather than the mechanics of laser guided pinpoint left hand finger placement.. I've sat and tried for a few hours. .. and while a bit improved.. I really don't think it would ever happen: as it sits. I wouldn't keep the guitar if it couldn't be improved.

I'm going to borrow the 360/12 tonight. .and closely compare the neck widths. and the nut/string spacing.