description Rickenbacker 360 Overview
The Rickenbacker 360 is a semi-hollow electric guitar manufactured by Rickenbacker International Corporation, a company founded in 1931 and based in Santa Ana, California. Introduced in the late 1950s and refined through the 1960s, the 360 features a distinctive "cresting wave" body shape with rounded edges, a through-body neck construction, and two single-coil pickups. The guitar became particularly associated with the "jangle pop" sound of the 1960s when played by notable musicians including George Harrison of The Beatles, who used a Rickenbacker 360/12 (12-string version), and members of The Byrds and later R.E.M.
help Rickenbacker 360 FAQ
What creates the Rickenbacker 360's jangly sound?
Its semi-hollow maple construction, bright pickups, and distinctive bridge contribute to a clear, chiming attack. The related 12-string 360/12 intensifies that sound through paired strings and is strongly associated with 1960s folk rock.
Did George Harrison play a Rickenbacker 360?
Harrison famously used a Rickenbacker 360/12, including on Beatles recordings and performances during the mid-1960s. Its 12-string chime helped inspire Roger McGuinn's guitar sound with the Byrds.
How is the Rickenbacker 360 different from the 330?
The 360 has deluxe appointments such as triangle fingerboard inlays and rounded body edges with checkerboard-style binding on many versions. The 330 uses dot inlays and a simpler, sharper-edged body while retaining the same broad semi-hollow character.
Why does the Rickenbacker 360 have two output jacks?
Many examples include Rickenbacker's Rick-O-Sound stereo output alongside a standard mono jack. With the correct stereo cable, the neck and bridge pickup signals can be routed to separate amplifiers or effects chains.
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