“A prototype given to George Harrison was prominently featured in the Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night, inspiring insatiable lust for the electric 12”: How the Rickenbacker 360/12 revolutionized the sound of ’60s guitar

The Beatles on the set of Richard Lester's A Hard Day's Night.

The Rickenbacker 360/12 might not have been the very first 12-string electric guitar to appear on the market – it was preceded by the 12-string necks found on the doubleneck Gibson EDS-1275 and Stratosphere Twin in the ’50s and the single 12-string neck Danelectro Bellzouki in 1961 – but it instantly elevated the electric 12-string from novelty item to essential tool upon its public debut in 1964.

A 360/12 prototype given to George Harrison was prominently featured in the Beatles’ film A Hard Day’s Night and its accompanying soundtrack, inspiring insatiable lust for the lush sounds of the electric 12 among aspiring and pro guitarists alike.