Rickenbacker 330

In summer 2001, I got the idea to buy a new guitar, because I was bored of my very cheap Yamaha Strat-wannabe, so I looked around to find out, which guitars the Beatles played (my favorite group). I noticed, they’d played lots of Rickenbackers and I was very pleased about the body-styling. I first looked for a 325 (the famous short-scale, John Lennon played), but when I heard about the price (ca. 2000$), the dream of a Rickenbacker went up in smoke. I went to serveral of my local dealers and asked if they had RICs. At Musik Renz (my favorite musical instruments dealer) I played a german RIC look-a-like and was very pleased with the fretboard. I serched the internet (in between, I was informed that there wasn’t a RIC distributor in germany anymore) and asked serveral US dealers about shipping charges, etc. but they told me, RIC would never allow to sell guitars from USA to Germany. I found one who would have sold one used, but after a while he didn’t answer to my mails anymore. I was told by my dealer, he had a RIC 330 in red with black hardware in the storage in his other shop for 2900 DM (about 1450$ then). I asked my grandma for some money and then on my 16th birthday on 1st of september this beauty was mine.

As far as I’m thinking, the music of the 60’s is the best ever made, this guitar the best I could have buyed. I am using it in my band as a rhythm-player, but it has also a nice and warm distortion with a good tube amp. The fingerboard is slightly thinner than a Fender Strat’s, but it’s the best for playing rhyhtm-guitar, very low action and a fast neck with a very nice carve. The tone is very 60’s like, with nice trebles and a ringing sustain, all that makes that so called “Rickenbacker jangle”. The guitar has a tone and a volume control for each pickup and a three-way toggle-switch (neck PU only, both or bridge PU only), completed by a fifth knob which could be discribed as a master tone control. The styling is one of the best stylings I’ve ever seen. Lots of people on the concerts of my band ask about this guitar and which brand it is, because it’s absolutely different from Stratocaster- or Les Paul-styling.

The only thing I don’t like on this guitar is the neck pickup, because it’s a bit muddy. I use it only in combination with the bridge pickup.

This is a semi-hollow body with a 1½” thick body and two pickups. The finish is the best I’ve ever seen, the clear-laquer is very thick and nearly mirror-like and absolutely plain. To me, no more expensive Gibson has that quality and the 330 is only a standart model, but there aren’t any cheap, i.e. low quality guitars at Rickenbacker.

Rickenbackers are the best, to me, as I am preferring 60’s music. The best guitars to buy for “old-fashioned” guitar players, because you can’t get that Rickenbacker sound without having a Rickenbacker. Today, RICs are hardly to be seen in up-to-date-bands, because you can’t get that trash-metal distortion with a RIC, but for 60’s like guitar players a must-have (for Beatles, Byrds, etc. likers anyway).

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

The Rickenbacker 330 is an electric guitar that has a semi hollow body with just one opening in the body.  The guitar has 24 frets and has two hi gain single coil pick ups.  It has standard setting controls for volume and tone and a pick up selector switch as well.  The neck is made out of maple and the fingerboard is made of rosewood, making for a long neck that is thin and easy to play.

UTILIZATION

Playing up and down the neck of the Rickenbacker 330 is a breeze, as overall I find the guitar very easy to play.  I do like playing chords on this guitar over playing lead, but both are pretty easily done as it is easy to reach the top notes.  The weight of the 330 is pretty light, and has a very cool looking body, a selling point that has made the Rickenbacker brand quite famous and renown.  The sounds possible are pretty varied, but across the board the guitar has a great inherent tone.


SOUNDS

I have used the Rickenbacker 330 only one time for a recording session.  I used it with a Vox AC30 and wasn't the player for the session, but was engineering a session for someone else.  I was overall very impressed with the sounds that we got for the session.  While of course a good deal of this had to do with his playing abilities, but I also played around with it a good deal playing it myself, and found that I was able to get comparable sounds even though the session player was a bit more experienced than myself.  The tones are rich and creamy speaking in generalities, but there is a good deal of space here for experimenting with the different pick ups and setting controls.


OVERALL OPINION

The Rickenbacker 330 is just one of those guitars that you marvel at its design.  It has an incredibly cool and retro look to it, which is a look that I believe has been unchanged over the years.  The guitar certainly isn't cheap, but I'm sure that most of you will be expecting this type of price for a top tier guitar like this one is.  This is the type of guitar that you want to save up for and is one that should last a lifetime if treated properly.  I'd recommend that those who have any interest in the 330 to check it out at your local guitar shop, as most of them should have them on hand.  This is a great choice for an all purpose electric guitar for the experienced player, but isn't for everyone.

(Originally written by Psib/translated from Audiofanzine FR)
See previous descriptions and the Rickenbacker website.

Mine is a lefty amber fireglo model.

UTILIZATION

Flat and very slim neck... Very easy to play for those with thin fingers.

Good access to upper frets, the heel begins at the 22nd fret.

The guitar is very light due to the partially hollow body.

The sound is good unplugged, it vibrates through the whole guitar which can lead to unwanted noise

from the bridge. Once the guitar is plugged, the sound is wonderful, clear and crystal-clear for

arpeggios and cutting rhythm parts. The sound is versatile and everything is possible, except for hard rock and

other violent music styles because the guitar has only single coil pickups.

SOUNDS

Its sound ranges from the 60's to today's music.

I play it with a Fender Blues Junior tube amp that fits this guitar perfectly.

I think a tube amp is necessary to get the right SOUND!!!

The settings are simple but the knob that adjusts the balance between both pickups is very sensitive so you'll need some time to learn to use it well.

I like 60's and 70's music so it's the perfect guitar for me.

OVERALL OPINION

I've owned this guitar for one month. It was not easy to find because I needed a lefty.

Its only weak point is the unwanted noise generated by the beautiful bridge (I guess).

I own several Fender and Gibson guitars and this one is the most beautiful.

The price is ok considering similar instruments.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy it again.

Hand made in the United States very limited edition! produced 85 to 86 in color with a black pickguard special new for the brand!
Tune o matic with floating rope with R RICKENBACKER of the most beautiful effect!
5 parts in maple neck very end!
24 frets OO for a half mache box with a super fine is not very common!
slecteur 3 positions togle 1 volume and 1 tone with microphones microphones with a knob to "mix" that makes the pickup balance

UTILIZATION

the handle is super nice I can tell you that I tested the PRS custom Gibson Les Paul and SG Fnder of strata, and Grestch Ibanez and I never had a handle as nice as this one when I 'm rather big gibson style neck!
The weight of the bin is half light body forces with access to acute fantastic! 24 frets plus ca help to go to 22nd frets c easier over the long run is more than can be gone for the treble!
the sound is easy to find over there is really an enormous palette of sound with the "mix"

SOUNDS

I play with all these microphones and high out put s attack can be a hard rock! I also play jazz and the impressive half caisss c gibson can do the worries!
we all want it sounds qu'n versatile this guitar is super!
I use it with a marshall jtm 45 with 4x12 celestion speaker "Radial Tonebone pedals Plexiglas tube, cry baby, boss etc. ...

OVERALL OPINION

I useful for 12 years
try everything and g n matter what!
I love everything about this guitar
I consider the report seriously c qualitée unbeatable price unbelievable!
I would do if the choice he had to 1000x!