Rickenbacker 330 Limited Edition review

A limited-edition model from a leading brand in popular music since the '60s. But is Rickenbacker’s 330 still relevant today?

Rickenbacker 330 Limited Edition
(Image: © Future / Phil Barker)

Guitar World Verdict

You can't miss this limited-edition 330, not with a finish this bright, and not with this tone. Its open chime remains one of the classic sounds in electric guitar, and is deserving of rediscovery from the next generation of players looking to rewrite popular music history.

Pros

  • +

    Unrivalled chiming tones.

  • +

    Originality.

  • +

    Build quality.

  • +

    Image.

Cons

  • -

    Some will find it too quirky.

  • -

    Not a top choice for blues and rock.

You can trust Guitar World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

It’s something of an occasion when Guitarist gets its hands on a new Rickenbacker guitar, so rare is it that they come along. And this one’s rarer than most, being a UK-only limited edition of only 25 guitars. 

Imagine, then, the expectation on receiving a large cardboard box, opening the lightweight moulded case inside and finding this Pillar Box Red 330 model glowing back. It’s almost impossible to imagine how music from the latter part of the 20th century on would have sounded without Rickenbacker electric guitars and bass guitars

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