Raspbernie Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 In our second installment, we feature Wally's Rickenbacker 360 12-string Mapleglo circa late-'60s guitar. Used most prominently on every Raspberries song that dripped with sweeter-than-sweet 12-string honey—like their second hit, "I Wanna Be With You" as well as "Let's Pretend"—a similar model (a 370/12 with 3 pick-ups instead of 2) was played by Roger McGuinn of the Byrds on nearly all of their recordings from 1966-1971! It's so great that Wally still has all of his original guitars. How he managed to hang onto them will be covered in our next installment. Until then, continue your drooling. Bernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJ Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 Where is my drool cloth Bernie???? I absolutely love the Rick and what amazing jangly notes coming outta that thing when he's playing it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollies65 Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 Beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 I remember Wally playing this guitar on a heck of a lot of songs back in the days!!! Most notable,"Jumping Jack Flash" comes to mind..then, after he got the Gibson,it adapted some of the 12 string work, but Wally kept the Rick going for the most hardcore 12-string tunes. Nice to see large file images of these classics!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnO Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 Bernie - At the risk of nit-picking, I believe that's a Ric 360-12. The 370-12 model has always had a third pickup....Roger McGuinn's always played a 370-12 (and the Ric Roger McGuinn Signature model was a 370-12 with an on-board compressor to allow you to approximately get Roger's sound). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadie #3 Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 Yes it is a 360-12. Lots of history with this guitar, all original except for the neck (broken 3x - none thankfully my fault). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna R Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 It is a work of art! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missy Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 Another beautiful instrument and the clarity of the picture is amazing. Thankyou, Bernie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnniekNY Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 oh my...how beautiful!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sllvnbil Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 This guitar plays like butter!! I wish my Rick plays as well as this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raspbernie Posted February 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 Thanks for the correction, JohnO and for the corroboration Master Ernie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 A work of art! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HT from Mo Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 Very Nice indeed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMan Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 NOW we're talkin'!!!! I don't have a Ricky 12 string but I do have a 330 6 string in a beautiful Fireglo finish. I Love it!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angloberry Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Great looking guitar and Wally makes playing it look effortless. My Fireglo 330/12 never seems to play as well as it should - I can never seem to get the action down low enough without incurring unacceptable fret buzz at the higher end. (Apologies to non guitar players for the geek speak!). Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamacote Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 .....you can almost hear the intro to "i wanna be with you" just looking at it!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnO Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 Angloberry/Gary - I've had the exact same problems in the past with a 620-12 and 360-12. If you live somewhere with dramatic climate changes, you almost need your own personal guitar tech to keep a Ric 12 playing properly....They're, without a doubt, the best sounding 12-strings, but they're also a pain in the ass to maintain, IMO.P.S. I recently played a Bill Nash 12-string (Tele thinline body), and it's the only one I've ever seen or played that's as easy to play as a 6-string! The neck is much wider than a Ric's, and the strings are much better spaced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crg2 Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 This is the seond reason why I own a Mapleglo Ric-12 (the first one being McGuinn). I am more of a solid body person, so mine's a 660-12.Also, mine has a wide neck, maybe like that previously mentioned Bill Nash 12-string. The strings are not "backwards," and the result is a very comfortable, playable neck. To save tension and stress on the neck-through-body, and to keep the intonation from slipping, I had it set up a whole step lower.Mine's at home, while I am away taking care of family. I wish I had it with me now, so I could write a song on it, and play "Last Dance" while chewing gum. For me, Wally is one of the greatest 12-string players. It's where his talents become most evident-think about how great it sounds when that guitar comes in with the melody after the opening chords of "Where Have You Been All My Life." Thanks for the pic-that is perhaps the greatest celebrity Ric-12 around; a happy sound from my life as a grade schooler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hosskratz Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 On Harmony Central today, Eastwood guitars is announcing that they are remaking the old Ovation Breadwinner electric guitar. Wally is mentioned as an artist who used this model. I remember Wally saying he owns one in an interview. The original Breadwinners are rare so Wally is in exclusive company. Any plans on showing us a picture of Wally's breadwinner Bernie? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austinberries Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 ok, now she's a *real* beauty, & wally's sound in the 2 songs bernie mentions (IWBWY & LP) was just untouchable, & was a brilliant call for the tunes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnO Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 Crg2 - The necks on 660-12s (and the more expensive Tom Petty models) are far and away the best playing ones! Unfortunately, they're also the hardest models to find....I think Rickenbacker had about a 2 year wait awhile back on 660-12s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crg2 Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 With my 660-12, I was not only fortunate enough to walk into a store with one in stock, but I also had two from which to choose. Once you get your hand on that wider neck, it all seems to melt into you and become your "third arm." I had always wanted a 360-12 or a 370-12, but my 660-12 sounded so beautiful and was so inspiring to play, that I never once looked back. It appears to me that the only differences between the Tom Petty Limited Edition and the regular Rickenbacker 660-12 are pickguard graphics and collectiblity designation. I'm not certain, but it seems like the Signature Model came first, then the production model due to subsequent popular demand. Since McGuinn's original was stolen, Wally's is, to my mind, the great classic Ric 12-string, the one to which I have happily fallen asleep listening to through headphones many times. Of course, it wouldn't be as great in anyone else's hands. I don't think many people recognize how rare and unique Wally's touch with this instrument is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnO Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 The JangleBox is GOD! Steve Lasko, its inventor, lives in the DC area. I imagine a Nash 12 would probably sound very close to a Ric through one...The Nash neck, at least on the surf green tele thinline I recently tried out, is wider than a 660-12, and the strings are also spaced out more, but each of the sets of strings (the 2 low E's, 2 A's, 2 D's, etc.) are closer together, making it really easy to play leads/solos versus a Ric. Nash, IMO, is the best luthier on the planet for the money! (I have 2 of his regular teles, an esquire & a strat, and they're much better than Custom Shop Fenders/Relics, and cost considerably less.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angloberry Posted February 13, 2009 Report Share Posted February 13, 2009 JohnO,I've noticed that one of the strings on my Ric sits on top of the nut instead of in it's groove. It's completely unmodified and left the factory like that - can't be right for a US made guitar surely?Whatever, to me the Ric is a thing of wonder and beauty. I like just having it to look at now and again even if I don't play it much!Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crg2 Posted February 17, 2009 Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 JohnO said: The JangleBox is GOD! Steve Lasko, its inventor, lives in the DC area. I imagine a Nash 12 would probably sound very close to a Ric through one... Steve Lasko was the nicest guy about teaching me how to use his pedal over the phone and email. The JangleBox takes some time to use well, and he's very understanding about that. He's a mensch. I would love to try out a Nash. If he does great Fender replicas, then he could probably make a 12-string that sounds like what Lou Reed used on the first Velvet Underground album, or what Peter Buck used on R.E.M.'s "Murmur." It's indeed a shame that the Fender Custom Shop charges more than a master craftsman who hand builds electric guitars. I don't know about now, but, when it began, Fender Cutom Shop made great instruments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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