The Guitar Player's Resource
MTV's Golden Age Had a Very Specific Sound.
Susanna Hoffs understood something most rhythm guitarists never grasp: sometimes the most powerful statement you can make is knowing exactly when to add that extra shimmer, that crystalline jangle that transforms ordinary chord progressions into sonic landscapes that stick in listeners' heads for decades. The Bangles weren't just riding the '80s new wave - they were crafting it with instruments like this Jetglo 330/12.
Twelve-string Rickenbackers occupy unique territory in the electric guitar ecosystem. That maple body with traditional sound hole creates semi-acoustic resonance that breathes with organic warmth, while those two Hi-gain single-coil pickups translate every harmonic overtone into electrical signals that seem to shimmer with their own internal light. The result? Chord voicings that sound like they're coming from multiple instruments played in perfect unison.
You've probably struggled with twelve-string guitars that feel like wrestling matches waiting to happen. This 330/12 solves those problems through intelligent design: that 24¾-inch scale length with 10-inch crown radius keeps string tension manageable while providing enough fret access for complex chord voicings. The full double cutaways grant access to all 24 frets, though honestly, most twelve-string magic happens in the first dozen positions anyway.
At 8 pounds, this isn't exactly a lightweight, but the balanced construction means extended playing sessions won't destroy your back. Those Schaller machine heads keep twelve strings in tune with mechanical precision that lesser tuners simply cannot match - crucial for an instrument where even slight pitch variations become exponentially noticeable.
The rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays provides visual simplicity that keeps you focused on the music rather than navigating complex fretboard graphics. That 'R' tailpiece and six-saddle bridge system handles twelve-string tension with engineering that's stood the test of decades.
This represents Rickenbacker's understanding that some songs require more than six strings can provide, but adding six more shouldn't require a degree in mechanical engineering.
Body Type: Semi-Acoustic
Number of Frets: 24
Scale Length: 62.9 cm (24 3/4")
Neck Width at Nut: 41.4 mm (1.63")
Neck Width at 12th Fret: 49.05 mm (1 .931")
Crown Radius: 25.4 cm (10")
Body: Wood Maple
Neck: Wood Maple
Fingerboard Wood: Rosewood
Weight: 3.6 kg (8.0 lbs.)
Overall Length: 101 cm (39 3/4")
Overall Width: 38.1 cm (15")
Overall Depth: 38.1 mm (1 1/2")
Neck Binding: No
Fret Marker Style: Dot
Tailpiece: 'R'
Bridge: 6 Saddle
Neck Type: Set-in
Number of Pickups: 2
Type of Pickups: Hi-gain
Output Type: Mono
Machine Heads: Schaller
