Short Takes: 2011 Pearl White 1997

This may well be the strangest special run guitar Rickenbacker has ever produced. My first reaction upon stumbling across this guitar was that somebody had stumbled drunk through the parts room with a blindfold on and then slapped together all the pieces they had grabbed.

So at first glance we have what appears to be an unbound 360/12C63 body with an upside-down f-hole, a special Pearl White finish, gold pickguard from a 24 fret guitar—note that this guitar has 21—Rogan knobs, and a trapeze tailpiece. I mean the pickguard is unfortunate, but it’s not…that bad, is it? Well hold on, folks.

Yes, that is indeed a 12-string headstock without the slots. Because why not? Put it all together and, behold!

I promise you won’t see another one like it. A total of 10 were produced for UK distributor Rosetti (4 sold by Sound Affects and 6 by GuitarGuitar).