Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

It seems that the guitar-playing world accepts that a 12string should be tuned with its octave strings to the north of their standard brethren (provided one is north of the equator)

And yet Rickenbacker chose to do it differently.

Which begs two questions...

1. Why did everyone else decide to put the high strings first on the downstroke?
2. Why did Rickenbacker decide to do it the other way round?

I have my own ideas - but yours are welcomed!

IMHO, Ric's way is a better rock configuration. You can "chug" better if you hit the fundamentals first on the down stroke. Of course, that may not have been a concern back in the day.

The "normal" way sounds a little fuller. Since the octave stings are bearing the brunt of the typical downward strum, they seem to be a little more pronounced.

And remember, the first Ric 12-string was strung conventionally. Whether subsequent instruments were changed for a reason or just to be different is a question that I, for one, can't answer.

Didn't I read somewhere that F.C. Hall wanted to "leave the listener with the sweeter sound on the downstroke" - thus the octave string is after the standard string when strumming down.

Or did I dream that?

I hear it's possible to have it set up "traditionally". I do agree you get a good chug sound, but I bought a 12 for the octive sound.

I always thought that the Ric style of stringing made more sense; it's part of what drew me to the instrument. I had an Ovation 12-string on permanent loan to me when I was a teenager, and always hated the skinny strings being first, it felt stupid and I always turned the wrong key when tuning it. It was a relief years later to find out that someone made a 12-string that was the other way.

Adam's right, there are some cool rock tricks one can do with Ric-style courses, one example being an open-fifth strumming without actually fretting any notes.

Rich, that may be true (I don't know), my guess is that Mr. Hall simply wanted to be different.

And Jerry, we don't offer a trad stringing on our 12-strings, you'd need to have it customized.

Sorry, I did mean customized by your local guitar doctor or even oneself

There is also the way the strings are on the tuners:Regular E, A, and D are on the Electric Guitar style tuners while the e, a, and d octave strings are the Classical Guitar style of tuners. Then the Regular G, B and E strings are on the Classical Guitar style tuners while the g, b, and e octave strings are on the Electric Guitar style tuners.

True.

Someday I hope to shake Dick Burke's hand, for coming up with this goofy yet perfect concept.