Rickenbacker 360/12

The Rickenbacker 360/12 is a 12-string electric guitar.

Mike Rutherford was known for using at least four different Rickenbacker 360/12 12-strings during his career.

The first of these was a Mapleglo-finished version which he bought in the early 1970s: most likely during the Nursery Cryme era when he acquired a fireglo-finished Rickenbacker 4001 bass. In one photo from around 1972/73, Mike is seen with a Mapleglo 12-string gaffer-taped to a black 4001 bass, a precursor to Mike's first double neck.

The resulting double neck, however was reported to have a 1973 360/12 (serial no. ME 1661), refinished black once joined with the 4001 bass. Due to lack of available evidence of this guitar's former finish, this is most likely a different Rickenbacker. Another Rickenbacker was combined with a Microfrets 6-string bass into another double neck.

Mike's last known use of the 360/12 guitar half on the Rickenbacker double neck was the riff to "Tell Me Why" (from We Can't Dance), which reportedly had a working title of "Rickenbacker".

To this day, Mike owns a Fireglo-finished 360/12, probably one he bought later and used on the We Can't Dance tour. He used a similar one during the 1973 Shepperton Studios performance.