Looking for a left handed Rickenbacker bass or electric guitar? Well, you’ve landed on the right page!
In this article we’ll take a look at the full catalogue of left handed Rickenbackers for sale.
Rickenbacker is an electric and bass guitar manufacturer, and was founded in 1931 by Adolph Rickenbacher and George Beauchamp. They are currently based in California, USA.
Does Rickenbacker Make Left Handed Guitars?
Yes! Rickenbacker currently offers a small range of 15 left handed guitars and basses in a variety of finishes. This includes the legendary 4003 and 4003s basses, as well as the iconic 330 and 360 electric guitars.
Rickenbacker Left Handed Guitars
Rickenbacker 330 Left Handed
The 330 entered the Rickenbacker family in 1958. Initially known as the Capri series, it has changed a bit over the years, most notably in its pickups. But it has maintained its crescent moon shape, and jangle rock prestige.
- Body : Maple Semi-Hollow
- Neck : Set-In Maple Neck w/ Caribbean Rosewood Fingerboard
- Bridge : 6-Saddle ‘R’
- Pickups : Hi-gain
- Tuners : Schaller
Careful acoustic research has resulted in the full, rich and warm sound of this popular model. Two single coil pickups on a full size body are accented by a traditionally shaped sound hole.
The 24 fret Rosewood fingerboard is punctuated by dot inlay fret markers, with full double cutaways permitting access to all the frets.
Standard output is monaural through a single jack plate.
The Rickenbacker 330 has notable dual truss rods for correcting unwanted neck issues.
This modern version has Rickenbacker’s high gain single-coil pickups. The pre-1970 models had toaster pickups that had a little bit lower output, and less bright tone than these modern editions.
The main 4 knobs on the new Rickenbacker 330 are for controlling the tone and volume of each pickup. The fifth knob is for shaping the balance between the 2 pickups and overall EQ.
Check out the demo video below by Wildwood Guitars and Greg Koch.
Rickenbacker 360 Left Handed
This semi-hollow guitar broke all the rules of traditional styling when it appeared amid the ‘British’ sound of the 1960’s.
Subtly updated through the years, this Deluxe version of the 330 with its special contour around the entire body perimeter, is still perhaps the most comfortable guitar of all Rickenbackers.
- Body : Maple Semi-Hollow
- Neck : Set-In Maple Neck w/ Caribbean Rosewood Fingerboard
- Bridge : 6-Saddle ‘R’
- Pickups : Hi-gain
- Tuners : Schaller
The bound body and Rosewood fingerboard, inlayed with triangular pearloid markers, provide an exceptionally attractive appearance.
Everything aside from the fretboard on the Ricky 360 is made from premium maple, which results in beautiful jangly and bright tone. The thick rosewood fingerboard helps to bring back a little warmth to the guitar’s sound.
The hi-gain pickups and 5-knob configuration allows for a huge variety of different sounds.
A nice upgrade over the 330 above is the addition of ‘Rick-O-Sound’ stereo output. This means you can send each of the pickups to its own amp, or you can go straight into a recording device for instant stereo sound!
Famously used by players such as George Harrison, Peter Buck, and Roger McGuinn.
Rickenbacker 330 vs 360
If you’d like to learn the difference between the two left handed Rickenbacker electric guitars currently available, Andertons has an excellent video comparing the two.
Left Handed Rickenbacker Bass
Rickenbacker 4003 Left Handed
The Classic Rickenbacker bass – famous for its ringing sustain, treble punch and solid underlying bass.
The iconic Rickenbacker 4003 continues a bass legacy dating back to the 1960s. Like the original 4001 bass, the 4003 features a solid neck-through construction with a pair of fat pickups to deliver a huge dose of fat bass tone.
An all-maple construction gives the 4003 its legendary treble punch and powerful sustain, while the rosewood fretboard balances out the bright, high end tone with strong and rich bass sounds.
A subtle strip of binding graces the elegantly curved body and the rosewood fingerboard.
As with the 360 above, the 4003 is equipped with stereo ‘Rick-O-Sound’ output which enables you to send each pickup to a separate amplifier, for huge and immersive stereo soundscapes!
The distinct Rickenbacker body styling finishes give the 4003s an unmistakable look to match their sound.
Well known players who use the 4003 include Geddy Lee, Paul McCartney, Chris Squire and Lemmy Kilmister.
- Body : Maple
- Neck : Through-Body Maple Neck w/ Caribbean Rosewood Fingerboard
- Bridge : RIC
- Pickups : Single Coil x2
- Tuners : Schaller Deluxe
Check out the video below for an excellent sound demonstration of the 4003.
Rickenbacker 4003S Left Handed
This traditional Rickenbacker bass style with dot inlays and no binding was prized by Paul McCartney and Chris Squire when they got their first 4001S models in 1964.
Players cherish its traditional look and rounded edges that many claim make it more comfortable than the 4003. Dot inlays and no binding also make this stand out from the standard 4003 above.
- Body : Maple
- Neck : Through-Body Maple Neck w/ Caribbean Rosewood Fingerboard
- Bridge : RIC
- Pickups : Single Coil x2
- Tuners : Schaller Deluxe
The updated 4003S version comes with the improved dual truss-rod system. Of course, the famous solid bass tones, ringing sustain and treble punch Rickenbacker is known for make it a dream to play.
Iconic curves of premium maple form the body with, a traditional thick unbound rosewood fingerboard completes the look. This combination of tone-woods contributes to the legendary sustain and high-end punch that the 4003S is known for.
The neck-through design also aids in defining the iconic bite and growl the 4003S is prized for.
This classic tone-wood combination is paired with two single-coil pickups, separate volume and tone controls, and a 3-way switch for a huge variety of tonal options.
Where Are Rickenbacker Guitars Made?
Rickenbackers are premium guitars, hand-crafted in Santa Ana, California. The company has resisted the modern trend of moving production overseas in order to lower costs, as they felt that this would dilute the brand. Rickenbacker has their feet firmly placed in tradition.
The video below gives a glimpse inside the California factory, and shows the level of work that goes into each guitar. Well worth a watch!
Rickenbacker Website
If you need any extra information on these left handed Rickenbacker bass and guitar models, head over to the brand website. Unfortunately it makes no mention of left handed availability, but their customer service is very helpful if you do have any further questions.
For more information:
Rickenbacker Website