100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

πŸŽ‰ Meet Toy Hero - our brand-new toy store, built by the team behind Book Hero

Rickenbacker Electric 12-String

The Story of the Guitars, the Music, and the Great Players
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Discover the history behind the iconic electric 12-string guitar that shaped modern pop music's jingle-jangle sound, popularised by The Byrds' hit version of "Mr Tambourine Man". This book chronicles Rickenbacker's pioneering role in bringing the electric 12-string to market, spotlighting famous musicians like George Harrison who showcased its unique tone. Featuring high-quality photos and exclusive interviews, it provides an insightful look at the instrument's impact from the 1960s to today.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$8015
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Rickenbacker Electric 12-String is ideal for guitar enthusiasts, music historians, and fans of 60s pop culture keen to explore the evolution of the electric 12-string guitar and its signature sound.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

RICKENBACKER ELECTRIC 12 STRING BOOK

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

When The Byrds recorded their hit version of Dylan's "Mr Tambourine Man", they popularised a new sound in pop music: the electric 12-string guitar. There was even a suitable line in the lyric: 'In the jingle-jangle morning'. Electric 12-string has been aptly described as a jangling sound ever since.

Rickenbacker is the guitar maker who brought the electric 12-string to market and has since been almost single-handedly responsible for the idea of what such a guitar should do. The California company gave one of their earliest 12-strings to George Harrison of The Beatles on the group's first tour of the United States in 1964. He immediately used it live and in the studio and showed off the sound of electric jangle to the rest of the world.

Rickenbacker Electric 12-String tells the story of those heady days in the 60s, of the competitors who tried and failed to match the sound, and of the instrument's continuing production by Rickenbacker and use by many modern guitarists. Complete with high-quality photos and exclusive interviews with many of the 12-string's leading players, this is the best guide yet to the history of the sound of jingle-jangle.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780879309886

Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 April 2010

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Backbeat Books

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 11.0mm

Width: 215.0mm

Height: 281.0mm

Weight: 653g

Pages: 160

About the Author

Tony Bacon is a leading author on instrument history and a cofounder of Jawbone Press. His books include Paul McCartney – Bassmaster, 50 Years of Fender, The Ultimate Guitar Book, and Electric Guitars – The Illustrated Encyclopedia.

Also by Tony Bacon

View all
  • The Telecaster Guitar Book
    This new version of Tony Bacon's story of the Fender Telecaster shows how the world's first commercially successful solid body electric guitar still attracts musicians more than 60 years since its birth in California. Today, it is more popular than ever, and for many guitarists, it has overtaken the Stratocaster as the Fender to own and play. The Telecaster is...
    Paperback
    $6011
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Sunburst
    Is the sunburst Gibson Les Paul Standard really the greatest electric guitar ever made? This book aims to answer that question, even if so many players and collectors have already sounded a loud Yes! Famously played by Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page, this fabulous instrument, known simply as the Burst, has become a legend. Through a series of interviews with...
    Paperback
    $7190
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Bass Book
    In California in the early 50s, the Fender company introduced the world's first electric bass guitar. They couldn't have known it then, but the Precision Bass would start a revolution in the sound of popular music. This book explains how that revolution happened and how its reverberations are still felt today. The two-guitars-bass-and-drums lineup that would define pop music found...
    Paperback
    $7190
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Gibson 335 Guitar Book
    The Gibson 335 Guitar Book tells the story of Gibson's ES-335 and related models, as played by B.B. King, Alvin Lee, and Eric Clapton, among other virtuosos. It's full of great guitars, cool players, and fascinating historical detail. The book traces the story from Gibson's first thinline models to the company's signature instruments and modern re-creations of today. It is...
    Paperback
    $7190
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Gretsch Electric Guitar Book
    Gretsch electric guitars have a style all their own - a glitzy, wacky, retro charm that over the years has drawn players from all kinds of popular music, from timeless stars to unknown teens. The Beatles, Chet Atkins, Duane Eddy, and Brian Setzer all made their mark with Gretsch, and new bands continually discover and fall in love with the...
    Paperback
    $7190
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Les Paul Guitar Book
    Tony Bacon's definitive guide to Gibson's most famous guitar moves into its latest and most complete version yet with this new and thoroughly revised edition. Now with 16 extra pages and 45 new pictures, this timely and retitled update of 50 Years Of The Gibson Les Paul (2002) tells the story of one of the greatest musical instruments of the...
    Paperback
    $7190
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The SG Guitar Book
    To many vintage guitar fans, it seems inconceivable that Gibson dumped the Sunburst Les Paul in 1960 and, during the following year, introduced a completely new design, the one that we know now as the SG (solid guitar). At the time, however, it made good business sense. Sales of the Les Paul were faltering, and Gibson decided to blow a...
    Paperback
    $7190
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Electric Guitars Design and Invention
    Electric Guitars Design and Invention delves into the intentional artistry behind electric guitars. These instruments don't occur by chance; their appearance, sound, and playability are the results of meticulous design. Today's guitar designers often draw inspiration from the exceptional instruments created in the '50s and '60s. Why did the Telecaster, the Les Paul, the Stratocaster, and the ES-335 become so...
    Paperback
    $5657
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Ibanez Electric Guitar Book
    Ibanez is the most important Japanese guitar brand, and this new book tells the story of its electric guitars, tracking the fortunes of this impressive brand. At first, the guitars were cheap and basic, and in the 1970s Ibanez was best known for its copies of leading Gibson instruments, including Les Pauls, SGs, and Explorers. As the Japanese music industry...
    Paperback
    $6011
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • 2,000 Guitars
    With guitars you've never seen in your life, this collection is a must-have for any guitar enthusiast or beginner. Not only is this volume the go-to place for classic guitar styles, bass guitars are a featured item in the catalogue. From Fender to Gibson and everything in between, this book highlights some of the most popular guitars of recent years...
    Hardback
    Sold Out
  • Legendary Guitars
    Legendary Guitars: An Illustrated Guide is a road map to the electric guitars of the 1950s and '60s and the culture, styles, and music that shaped them. The book illustrates how the great instruments created and produced between 1950 and 1969 went on to define the design, looks, and playability of today's electric guitars. Legendary Guitars draws direct lines between...
    Hardback
    Sold Out
  • Squier Electrics
    In 1982, Fender revived an old guitar-string name for its new line of Japanese-made electric guitars. Thirty years later, Squier is almost as important to the company as the main Fender brand. This book tells the story of the millions of guitars produced with the Squier name in the years between that inauspicious birth and its glorious 30th anniversary. The...
    Paperback
    Sold Out

More from Arts & Culture

View all
  • Dylan's Pick
    Bold Types
    A tribute to 32 truly independent bookshops throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, from north of Auckland down to Dunedin, and coast to coast. Jane Ussher's photographs show every bookstore in its unique nature - including behind the counter, smoko rooms, the mess which tells the hardworking story behind the joy of matching books with customers. Jemma Moreira's careful editing has crafted...
    Hardback
    $5999
    Elsewhere:
    $7000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Disney Moana: The Official Cookbook
    New Release
    Disney Moana: The Official Cookbook
    Embark on a culinary adventure with Moana of Motunui with Pacific recipes inspired by Moana and Moana 2! After a long day of sailing to see how far you’ll go or keeping the demigod Maui out of trouble with Te Fiti, catch a break with the delicious dishes in Moana: The Official Cookbook! Featuring more than 50 recipes spanning the...
    Hardback
    $4499
    Elsewhere:
    $5299
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • This Angry Pen of Mine
    This Angry Pen of Mine by Layne Staley invites you to dive into the untold creative world of Layne Staley, the legendary voice behind Alice in Chains. This extraordinary collection showcases his handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes, and so much more. Step into the world of Layne Staley like never before. For the...
    Hardback
    $7299
    Elsewhere:
    $8999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • They Bloom Because of You
    Bestselling author and Instagram sensation Jessica Urlichs returns with a new collection of beautifully observed poems about the ever-evolving journey of motherhood - the hard, the magic and the fleeting. β€˜A raw and honest read that makes you feel seen and understood in a way that will bring you to tears.’ - Hilary Swank β€˜A book to keep close and...
    Paperback
    $3000
    Elsewhere:
    $3600
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Leaves of Grass
    A collectible new Penguin Classics series offers beautiful, slim, clothbound editions of ten favourite poets. In 1855, Walt Whitman published his first collection of poetry, Leaves of Grass. The volume received great praise from leading Transcendentalist poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. This encouragement led to what would become a lifelong project, as Whitman expanded and rewrote the volume until his death...
    Hardback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Great Writers and the Cats who Owned Them
    Throughout history, cats and writers have bonded together in a magical combination of comfort, companionship and inspiration. The famous authors featured here range from Samuel Johnson, whose cat Hodge dined on oysters, and Edward Lear, whose charismatic cat Foss was missing half his tail, to Margaret Mitchell, L. M. Montgomery and Dorothy L. Sayers, who rescued her kitten Blitz from...
    Hardback
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Beautiful Chaos
    The Instant Sunday Times Bestseller Selected poems from bestselling author and Instagram poet, Jessica Urlichs. 'These words awaken the magic of life by celebrating the ordinary.' - Giovanna Fletcher Motherhood is messy and beautiful, and hard and humbling. We adore our children and sometimes we miss ourselves. Beautiful Chaos is a collection of raw, honest poems about motherhood, capturing everything...
    Paperback
    $2900
    Elsewhere:
    $3500
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • To the Women - The New Collection of Wise Words Every Woman Needs
    THE COMPLETELY UPDATED COLLECTION WITH OVER 70 BRAND NEW POEMS, FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES NO.1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF WILD HOPE AND WORDS TO LIVE BY 'Amazing . . . Donna's words speak to my heart' Davina McCall To the Women is a celebration of the beauty, strength, and joy of being a woman. A love letter to our deep capacity...
    Hardback
    $2999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Odyssey
    Composed at the rosy-fingered dawn of world literature almost three millennia ago, The Odyssey is a poem about violence and the aftermath of war; about wealth, poverty and power; about marriage and family; about travellers, hospitality, and the yearning for home. This fresh, authoritative translation captures the beauty of this ancient poem as well as the drama of its narrative....
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3599
    Backorder
    Ships late August
  • Wreck This Journal: Now in Colour
    The creative journey continues with Wreck This Journal: Now in Colour by Keri Smith, the latest and most vibrant edition of the groundbreaking series that redefined journaling. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, this edition brings the playful destructiveness of the original to life in dazzling full colour, adding a dynamic new dimension to the beloved prompts. Whether you're a seasoned Wreck-er,...
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Did I Ever Tell You This?
    In this unexpected memoir, written in a creative burst of just a few months in 2022, Sam Neill tells the story of how he became one of the world’s most celebrated actors, who has worked with everyone from Meryl Streep to Isabel Adjani, from Jeff Goldblum to Sean Connery, from Steven Spielberg to Jane Campion. By his own account, his...
    Paperback
    $3799
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    Backorder
    Ships 1 Week
  • A Thousand Feasts
    THE INSTANT #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER From award-winning writer Nigel Slater, comes a new and exquisitely written collection of notes, memoir, stories and small moments of joy. 'Nigel Slater’s prose is the rarest delicacy of all: exquisite yet effortless, filled with heart, tenderness, yearning and humour' ELIZABETH DAY For years, Nigel Slater has kept notebooks of curiosities and wonderings, penned...
    Paperback
    $2999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.