Freshly inspected and set up in-house by our esteemed Guitar Tech.  In Excellent Vintage condition with moderate wear for an instrument of this age, including light scratches, small dings, and natural aging of parts and finish.  This venerable Ricky 12-string looks truly fantastic and would be a stunning addition to anyone's guitar collection.  

The 1965 Rickenbacker 450/12 is historically significant as the first production solid-body 12-string guitar made by Rickenbacker. It was introduced officially in 1965 following prototypes built in late 1964. This model shared much of its design with the 6-string 450 but featured a distinctive 12-string headstock and the famous "toaster" pickups that contribute to its unique jangly sound.

There's nothing quite like the sound of vintage Toaster Top pickups.  Introduced in 1957, the original Toaster pickups were single-coil pickups named for their resemblance to old-fashioned toaster tops.  They are characterized by their bright, chimey tones which provided the jangle we associate with the 1960s and 70s.   Toaster Top pickups from the 1980s and 90s, however, were much hotter and less jangly.  Interesting to note that around 1999, Rickenbacker began offering lower output "scatterwound" Toaster pickups, aimed at replicating the original vintage sound.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Nickel Hardware

Original Kluson Deluxe Tuners

1 5/8” Black Synthetic Nut

Maple Neck with 24 3/4” Scale Length

Neck Thickness .85" at First Fret and .87" at Twelfth Fret

Rosewood Fingerboard with Dot Inlays and 7.25" Radius

21 Medium Frets in Very Good Condition

Original Toaster Top Pickups

Aluminum Top Loading Bridge and Tailpiece Combo

Maple Body in Mapleglo Finish

Weight 7 lb 6 oz

'80s Hard Shell Case

Serial Number EI780

NOTE TO OUR VALUED CUSTOMERS:

We want you to be happy with your purchase and we try to represent the condition of all used and vintage guitars as accurately as possible in our listings.  Every used guitar shows some signs of play wear and vintage models even more so.  We call out all areas of damage or unusual wear, and describe the overall condition based upon what is "normal" for the age of the instrument.  Expect to see minor dings, finish checking, or other evidence of normal use and aging which may not be captured by photography or explicitly mentioned in the listing. 

We recognize that everyone has their own personal standard of what constitutes acceptable wear and tear.  If play wear is especially critical for you, please contact us for a complete in-hand description and to answer any questions you may have.  Your satisfaction is of paramount importance to us.