Rickenbacker Model 330/12 Model 12 String Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1968), made in Santa Ana, CA, serial # HC-534, Fireglo red sunburst finish, maple body, laminated maple neck with paduak fingerboard, original black tolex hard shell case.
This is a truly beautiful example of the Rickenbacker Model 330/12, one of the truly classic 1960s American guitars. Along with its fancier sister the 360/12 this model has been a mainstay of the company's line from the mid-1960's and is a virtual icon of the '60's. Even this (slightly) plainer 330 model is one of the sharpest looking and most distinctive sounding of all American guitar designs. Rickenbacker 12 strings have maintained a timeless appeal, synonymous with the sound of the folk-rock era but also with generations of more recent "jangle" styles. The Model 330 and 360 12 strings are what really put Rickenbacker on the map as a modern guitar maker.
Early in 1964 the Beatles' high-profile use of a Rickenbacker 360-12 kicked off a wave of popularity for the electric 12-string that had every other maker playing catch up. The Model 330-12 was added to the line for the 1965 model year as a (somewhat) more affordable version of the 12-string semi-hollow design. With a 1966 list price of $474.50 plus $55 for the case this was still a VERY expensive guitar by the standards of the day. It retains the original slab-sided Rickenbacker semi-hollow body but with no binding on the edges or the slash soundhole. It also lacks the 360's triangle fingerboard inlay, substituting small dots. Despite these cosmetic differences the instruments are functionally the same with identical materials, layout (including "upside down" double course stringing) and pickup/electronics rig maintaining the distinctive Rickenbacker sound.
This 330-12 was made in March 1968, (The original pots are dated to the 26th week of 1967) which is fairly late for one of these as the 12-string market had become rather saturated by then. Production of these models was by then down to a trickle of what it had been in 1965-6. The body and neck carry a dark but very vibrant iteration of the classic red sunburst "Fireglo" finish, rich and beautifully shaded. Unlike many earlier examples this guitar has an excellent neck angle due to a hidden but significant factory change; after summer 1966, Rickenbacker no longer routed a channel for pole magnets under the neck pickup, so guitars like this one from that point on have a much solider neck joint and usually better angle than earlier examples.
These unmistakable distinctive Rickenbackers have been used from 1965 on by countless bands and maintain a timeless "cool" factor to this day. Despite all the other electric 12-strings made then and since, the Rickenbacker 12 has remained the single dominant instrument of this type for just about 60 years now. This is by far the nicest vintage 330-12 of any year we have had and offers the player in any style the unmistakable sound and look only the originals can provide.
Overall length is 40 in. (101.6 cm.), 14 7/8 in. (37.8 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This 330-12 remains beautifully original with only the lightest wear. There some minimal wear to the finish, with some rubs to a couple of edges and a few tiny dings, scuffs and dents. The back of the body shows a few very light buckle marks into but not broken through the lacquer. The finish has a beautiful unusually deep red color to the Fireglo with almost no clear areas in the center of the 'burst and hardly any fade.
There are only VERY slight checks in the lacquer just below the nut on the sides of the neck, so this 330 has had less of the common fingerboard lift from errant truss rod manipulation than most. The board is solid with no apparent further movement. The fingerboard has a visible grain anomaly at the 7-8th fret area but this is under the finish with no damage there.
Internally and externally all components appear original, except for a better arched set of modern bridge saddles; the originals are included and can be re-installed if desired. This helps with playability, in which regard this is really a superb instrument, also with a better neck angle than the great majority of 1960s Rickenbacker 12-strings and almost no fret wear. This is easily the cleanest, best playing 330-12 we have had, and one of the best Rickenbacker 12's period, complete in a nice original first-generation black Tolex hardshell case. Excellent + Condition.
