Rickenbacker 330 Thinline Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar - Fireglo Reviews

What could I say about an iconic instrument that hasn't already been said. I waited about a year to get this, and it was worth the wait. It has that jangly tone that they are known for, which is exactly why I wanted to pick one up. This is actually my only USA mage guitar due to the expense of most other manufacturers. It is worth every penny.

This is a late review. I ordered this Rickenbacker 330 back in April. It was out of stock at the time, and my gear advisor Damon Spragia told me that Rickenbacker's backlog was so long that they did not expect another in stock until October. Luckily, in late May he called and told me that they had unexpectedly received a few and asked if I was ready to take delivery. Hell, yes. It arrived a few days later in perfect shape.

Now that I've had it a while I have absolutely no complaints. It gives me that classic jangly sound that I was looking for.

As a related issue, since this purchase I have really grown to appreciate Sweetwater's attention to detail, the 55 point inspection, and the care they take with your orders. A couple of months later, I wanted a Reverend Warhawk. Sweetwater did not have it in stock in the recently discontinued color that I wanted, so I bought from another retailer who shall remain nameless (but whose initials are GC). They had one in stock so I ordered it. When it arrived, it was clear that it had been a demo model. The plastic on the tremolo backplate had been partially peeled away from people trying it out, and there were some scratches on the backplate covering the electronics (which luckily had just scratched the plastic, and not the plate underneath. Also, the tremolo arm was missing. I ended up keeping the guitar after complaining and getting a healthy discount, but I learned my lesson: Buy from Sweetwater and not that other place to ensure that when you order a new guitar you receive an actual pristine new guitar and not a floor model. Next time if Sweetwater does not have my first color choice in stock, I'll just get my second choice color rather than buying from someplace else.

Enough of the rant about that other store. The bottom line is that the Rickenbacker 330 I bought from Sweetwater was everything I was hoping it would be. Ever since, I've had the itch to buy a Rickenbacker 360, or possibly a 12-string.

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!

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. Thanks Randy ext. 1780

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.

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!

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 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.

I've been playing for over 37 years in cover bands and solo acoustic gigs. I am starting a new project and plan on playing a LOT of Tom Petty tunes. This guitar completely captures the sound I was looking for on a lot of his tunes that my Stratocaster could not. Don't get me wrong, the Fender Stratocaster is an amazing guitar, but so is this beauty! She has an incredibly jangly tone that captures that Petty, Beatles, Byrds tone. Great action, and totally comfortable to play. Not to mention the true craftsmanship that Rickenbacker employs, she's built like a brick $hithouse! Great guitar, I highly recommend it!

I also couldn't be happier with Sweetwater. Their staff is amazingly responsive and extremely knowledgeable and helpful. I recommend especially Delvin Wolf, he's the best!

Rock on!

Have been playing since 1965 (yeah, I'm old, but I got to see all the "GOOD" bands). The beauty of this guitar took my breath away when I opened the case for the first time. Fit and finish are impeccable. This is a TRUE sunburst guitar. Many guitars that I see on the website have lousy paint transitions. Sweetwater did a great job of setting up the guitar....I would send kudos to the tech, but unfortunately the name is illegible. Oh, by the way THE SOUND is spectacular. The George Harrison riff in the middle of "Badge"......sounds astounding!!! No buyers remorse whatsoever. One of the best purchases EVER. Josh Lively, my "guitar therapist" helpful as always.

Ok just bought this from Sweetwater always wanted one but never got one so got myself a Christmas present and wow it is great!!! Not what I expected. Easy to play, great workmanship, nice powerful yet gingley sound and feels great in my hands. A definite 1960"s Bestle / Stills sound but really cool. Even distorts we"ll... if I could classify a guitar as happy this would be the one. Andrew my tech did a great job, this is like my 15th guitar I have bought from Sweetwater so you can tell I am happy all round!

Ever since I picked up a guitar for the first time at fifteen years old, I wanted a Rickenbacker 330. I liked the unique, angular futuristic look to them. I always loved the jingle-jangle sound of a lot of the British Invasion music and The Byrds and idolized guitar players like Johnny Marr and Peter Buck growing up. So fast forward nearly twenty years later and I finally get the opportunity to own this guitar I"ve fantasized about since being a teenager. Would it live up to the hype?

The answer is simply: Yes. It"s a beautiful guitar. The stunning fireglo finish looks great in a variety of different lights. Sometimes it appears more orange and in other environments almost a ruby color. Rickenbacker"s have a unique feel to them. Their necks are thin and remind me of the Epiphone Casino, which I like. They do feel a bit more blocky though, in terms of neck shape, which is nice when you"re really digging into playing chords. I like the action on the guitar but did have to tune it before playing. The controls have a bit of a learning curve, especially the "5th" knob, but work excellently. Aesthetics and playability received high marks. It also comes with a hard shell case which is always a nice bonus.

As for the sound? Incredible. The hi-gain pickups may not be vintage toasters but they capture the "Ric" sound accordingly. That pristine jangly treble-heavy goodness is all there. The mid and neck positions are also great. The neck may seem a bit dark but it"s got a woody kind of charm to it and counters the shimmering bridge position, making the guitar versatile. It even sounds good with a bit of overdrive. It may not play metal but as far as classic rock, folk rock, indie, and even jazz and other genres, you"re covered. The guitar plays exceptionally well with every amp I tried but sounded the best (to me) through a Roland Jazz Chorus.

So, if you"re on the fence about owning one, don"t hesitate. The Rickenbacker 330 may be the "entry" level guitar from the legendary American instrument company but it"s a superbly made instrument. I have no doubt it will (most likely) provide a lifetime of musical inspiration and happiness for me.

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 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.