1973 Rickenbacker 360/12
The chime that built The Byrds, Tom Petty, and R.E.M.
Why this price
The 1973 Rickenbacker 360/12 in Jetglo is the guitar that built the jangly 12-string sound — The Byrds’ “Mr. Tambourine Man,” Tom Petty’s catalog, R.E.M.’s early records. Early-1970s production years (1970–1974) command a premium over the late-‘70s and ‘80s examples; this one is an April 1973 build (serial D3 8459), squarely in the desirable window.
It retains its original Rick-O-Sound stereo output, all original electronics and hardware, and the original case. Light finish checking is age-consistent and adds rather than subtracts from collector value.
Recent comparable sales of all-original early-‘70s 360/12s in Jetglo have ranged from $4,800 to $5,800 on Reverb and dedicated Rickenbacker forums, with the higher end reserved for examples with documented originality and case. Asking $5,500.