Rickenbacker 330 Thinline Semi-Hollow Review

Really cool guitar

I just got this from SW. Patrick Lance did a great job as always. First off it sounds great through my fender twin! So smooth and silky also great Beatles sound and that '60's Lovin' Spoonfull sound. I am or was mostly a hard rock guitarist and play high end Strats and Les Pauls. This guitar is a great divergence from that path. Fit and finish is spectacular and the playability… read more is top notch. I have a cat that is always happy and lovable, if he were a guitar he would be this one. It is fun to play plain and simple. I love how clear and smooth chords sound and the solos have that '60's sound and feel. I would highly recommend buying one of these for your collection as it is outstanding! Again the vibe from this guitar is a happy one also the finish is spotless and sooooo cool.

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This Rickenbacker is for Everyone.

This Mapleglo is perfect because it has a little bit of all the well-known Rickenbacker players of the 1960's, in one. It has everything I've wanted in a Ric, modern smooth-turning tuners, high-gain pickups and a non-lacquered fingerboard make it fun and easy to play. Many people complain that Rickenbackers are hard to play. This 330 will change their minds. Thank you Erik Bothwell… read more for setting me up with one. -Pat

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Best guitar I’ve ever owned

This is the best guitar I've ever owned. Great 60's sound with a surprisingly comfortable neck and body. I was a little worried about the thickness of the neck but it is amazing. Overall phenomenal high quality guitar that I do not regret buying.

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Great Gear

As expected, an incredible gear! The best tone ever!kit

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Speechless

Absolutely the most gorgeous versatile perfect guitar I have ever played. I regret the years playing anything but this guitar and I've only spent three hours with it. I'm not joking anyone who thinks this is a one trick pony doesn't know anything. Does it distort? You bet. Better than any thing out there. I play out of a mesa rectoverb I promise you my tone is next level. After… read more about 30 gibsons and fenders over the past 20 years never again. Literally going to pawn off some more equipment to get one more in another color. Perfect actual 60s vintage neck. I'm In heaven. I want to thank Tom Koch for getting this order done so simply and quickly followed by the worlds fastest shipping. I'm a changed man at 35 years old glad I discovered this now. Don't wait buy it now.

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As good as it gets!

Out of all of the guitars I've owned, this is by far the best. Best setup, tone, fit and finish. The guys at Sweetwater set this guitar up so we'll it played perfect Out of the case. Tomir, your the best!

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New Love

One of the easiest, smoothest guitars I ever played. I love the sound hooked up to my Marshall 100

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Unique sound

After many years of playing a Fender Strat and Les Paul Custom, I finally bought this Rickenbacker 330. This is my first semi-hollow body guitar. The sound of this Ric is very different with or without an amp. Almost a ringing sound comes from the sound hole while playing. Whether this is the "jangle" everyone talks about I'm not sure, but its sound is unique. I was happy that… read more Sweetwater had it set up so well. It plays well up and down the neck with little effort. The lacquered Jetglo finish is absolutely beautiful, as is the padded case. I won't be using the case much though, as this guitar will be in a stand, available for quickly picking up and playing constantly! My thanks to Alberto Rosado-Perez who got me this American made instrument in just 4 months. Previously another "Guitar company" made me wait 8 months, then cancelled my order due to their financial problems. Alberto and Sweetwater have given me faith in online guitar buying again.

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Love it!

I just received my 330 JG, and it is even better than I had expected. It's set up perfectly, looks and sounds awesome, and I am in Ric heaven. Buying it from Sweetwater was a no brainer, as their service and communications are second to none. It was double-boxed and arrived safely. My Sales Engineer Austin is the best. Luckily, my wait time for it was shorter than we expected.… read more Thanks, Sweetwater.

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NICE

I bought this guitar 2 months ago. I was looking for something different as I own several Fender guitars. EBMM James Valentine and Albert Lee HH and ES 335. Ric 330 is unique and I really like it. Plays well (intonation and setup) perfect. Rickenbacker probably plek"d this cause it"s perfect. Nice paintwork(fireglo) and tonal variety. Also liking blend sweep control. Highly recommended.… read more Thanks Randy ext. 1780

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Thank you Cassie

I just wanted to thank Cassie OHanlon for helping me get my new Rickenbacker 330. Very pleasant to deal with. The whole process came off without a hitch. I was very apprehensive about ordering something like this online but she was very reassuring. The guitar is great. Thank you Cassie.

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Love this guitar!

I've always wanted this guitar and finally own it! It plays great and sounds fantastic. I am going to change the pickups to the JBE Pickups (Barden) R300 (Toaster Top) to get a little more gain. But I could live with it just as is. But for soloing in could use a little more umph. But that's just my preference. Brilliant guitar!

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Great Rickenbacker!

The Rickenbacker 330 has that wonderful chime I was looking for and is perfect for when I play the Beatles, Tom Petty or for that matter any song I'm working on. I usually run the guitar straight into a Vox AC15 with no pedals and enjoy the tones. I like how the neck feels and enjoy how the hi-gain pick ups sound when just starting to break up. Pleasantly surprised at the sustain… read more the 330 has. Quality control was excellent and the guitar played great right out of the box. No complaints here! In addition, I like to acknowledge my sales Engineer, Nick Church, for his superb assistance in this purchase from Sweetwater.

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The Down and Dirty on the Ric 330

I will start by saying that I have been playing a Strat for a very long time so that is what I am used to. I saw this Ric 330 demo and decided to take a chance. I have always loved hearing that "Ric" sound by Peter Buck, Mike Campbell, Tom Petty, Beatles, Johnny Marr ( playing REM's "Radio Free Europe" loses something on a Strat). So I ordered it. My Sweetwater sales/wizard guy… read more Jeff Barnett got it in the mail quick and it arrived 2 days later.Upon opening and inspecting the guitar for the finish defects that made this guitar a "demo" I found that with the high gloss black finish they were virtually invisible. I was struck by the build quality of this guitar. It also felt like an alien as I am used to my Strat. It took a little getting used to Rickenbacker's volume/tone knob layout and getting the hang of the 5th knob ( blending both pups together). I have had this guitar for a few months now and I must admit I was going to send it back at first (it was so beautiful I was afraid of dinging it or even getting a fingerprint on it) but spent more time playing it and getting the feel. I play this thru my Vox AC10 or limited edition "Fudge Brownie" Princeton and it sounds great. The high gain pups are not the traditional "toaster" pups but they scream when pushed and clean up when dialed back. That famous Ric chime is all there and it is glorious. Put this guitar thru a Big Muff or Fulltone OCD and it is creamy.I thought at first this guitar would be a one trick pony but after spending time with the pick ups and blend and tone knobs there is a ton of tone in here. If you are considering a Ric I would say take a 330 for a ride , you may never give it back.

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Much more then I expected.

If you were around in the 60's during the British Rock Invasion, you learned about the Rickenbacker from the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and many other groups. A departure from the Surf Music of the Fender Jaguar, and Stratocaster, the Gretsch and Rickenbackers were now taking front line. OK enough with history. I wanted to EASE into the Rickenbacker line, and talked with my Sweetwater… read more advisor, Mike Chapman. I discussed purchased the 325C64, as I thought this would be a great choice, and I am sure it is, but as Mike suggested, the 330 Jetcglo Thinline was currently be sold at a very good price, and would provide me the opportunity to get a Rick for a great price, the 325C64 would take a year and I wanted it now. First let me disclose, I am NOT a professional musician, I have been playing since 1965, but on and off, and never in a band. I enjoy learning new OLD songs, and increase my skills. So I am a novice, now I read many reviews, good and bad, so Mark and I discussed this at length. I took the chance, ordered it, concerned, but knew I could send it back if it was not what I expected. I received it, opened the wall packed boxes, and open the case, it was a thing of beauty, here it was in my living room in front of me, a real Rickenbacker, the guitar of dreams. I removed it from the case, and inspected every inch. The fit and finish was perfect. I plugged into my Vox AC30C2X, and there is was, the exact tones of the British Invasion. WOW, the tones I have been looking for for years. I played the lick for the Beatles version of She so Fine. and it sound just like the record. AMAZING. As far as the playability of this guitar. I own MANY fine guitars, everything from the Gretsch G6122T-62GE Vint Select Country Gentleman to a vintage Fender 62 Stratocaster, so I understand the variables on the finger board. This guitars fingerboard feels a little winder, so if you have a larger hand this is ideal, and plays and sound great. Fit and finish was perfect, the construction of the guitar is what you should expect from the Rickenbacker company. Dials are clean providing great transitions in tone and volume, the fifth button I am still getting familiar with, combines and blends tones. The paint was a smooth clean finish, no orange peel on my this guitar, beautiful gloss finish. Tuning Keys are smooth and exact. Retuned with no problem at all. Guitar is smaller then other, but I knew this, easy to hold, and fret are well proportioned. Pickups are nice, responsive , and sound very good. I gave five starts because this model 330 was a pleasant surprise for me, and was much more of a guitar than I expected. From other reviews I either go an excellent guitar, or they are extremely picky, but regardless, I am delighted with this one I received, highly recommend it to the person who wants a RICK but does not want to break the bank buying one. Again the fit and finish on mine is perfect and I can not complain at all. Maybe in the future I will be the 325, but for now I am enjoying the tones of the British Invasion. So I say even if your not a great guitar player, if you enjoy it, and you love music, keep at it, and buy those dreams of your childhood. CHEERS to all.

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