I Went Back To White Guards
Moderators: rickenbrother, ajish4
I Went Back To White Guards
I've had my MidnightBlue 330 for nearly ten years. The second it arrived in my home I switched out the pickguards and trc for gold and added oven knobs:
Well, after nearly a decade I decided to go back to white. Why? I don't know.
Me thinks me likes the gold more. The white is cherrier, and more classic; but the gold was unique and personalized.
And don't say switch back. Yes, it's easy to do, but getting the pots to my exact setting (even after making tons of pencil marks) is impossible. I am still monkeying with the five knobs trying to get the guitar back to the way I loved it.
Well, after nearly a decade I decided to go back to white. Why? I don't know.
Me thinks me likes the gold more. The white is cherrier, and more classic; but the gold was unique and personalized.
And don't say switch back. Yes, it's easy to do, but getting the pots to my exact setting (even after making tons of pencil marks) is impossible. I am still monkeying with the five knobs trying to get the guitar back to the way I loved it.
Re: I Went Back To White Guards
Tom they are both a gorgeous look. Gold, a tad more royal perhaps. You can't go wrong with that guitar. Thanks for the photos. Still left is the gold and white guards together.
Life, as with music, often requires one to let go of the melody and listen to the rhythm
Please join the Official RickResource Forum Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/379271585440277
Please join the Official RickResource Forum Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/379271585440277
Re: I Went Back To White Guards
I dislike the oven knobs, so the new look is more to my liking, therefore, don't switch back !
Re: I Went Back To White Guards
Or switch the knobs for a change of pace.steverok wrote:I dislike the oven knobs, so the new look is more to my liking, therefore, don't switch back !
Life, as with music, often requires one to let go of the melody and listen to the rhythm
Please join the Official RickResource Forum Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/379271585440277
Please join the Official RickResource Forum Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/379271585440277
Re: I Went Back To White Guards
If I got a 4003AC I'd put vintage style knobs on it.
Re: I Went Back To White Guards
Keep both. You might even try the white lower guard and the gold upper guard and go two-tone! Seriously, that would be a unique look, to go with the gold-tone inserts of the oven knobs.
Re: I Went Back To White Guards
No way am I gong two-tone on the guards.
When it comes to guitars I am a traditionalist. Rics are classic guitars -- I want to keep mine that way. The only guitar I went crazy on was a Gretsch (pin-up girl stickers, personalized truss rod cover, dice knobs…) and that's because Gretsch guitars have had a history of crazy aesthetic mods. Other than the gold pickguard with oven knobs, and removing the vibrato arm on my 325, I have kept my Rics the way they came from the factory. They are a classic design, they should stay that way.
When it comes to guitars I am a traditionalist. Rics are classic guitars -- I want to keep mine that way. The only guitar I went crazy on was a Gretsch (pin-up girl stickers, personalized truss rod cover, dice knobs…) and that's because Gretsch guitars have had a history of crazy aesthetic mods. Other than the gold pickguard with oven knobs, and removing the vibrato arm on my 325, I have kept my Rics the way they came from the factory. They are a classic design, they should stay that way.
Re: I Went Back To White Guards
Tom, I hear you. Tradition is, of course, era based. Lest this seem too unduly churlish, I recall the modifications made by John Lennon (bigsby, knobs) , Roger McGuinn (electronics) Fogerty (bridge humbucker) and Paul Weller (stickers) just to name a few, moved us away from the stock or early Rickenbacker tradition. Rickenbacker has also done this on their own with the Al Cisneros AC4003S model. Overall, I am in agreement with you but have found that changes to my Liverpool 350 have wet my appetite for a new look that I can live with.Tommy wrote:No way am I gong two-tone on the guards.
When it comes to guitars I am a traditionalist. Rics are classic guitars -- I want to keep mine that way. The only guitar I went crazy on was a Gretsch (pin-up girl stickers, personalized truss rod cover, dice knobs…) and that's because Gretsch guitars have had a history of crazy aesthetic mods. Other than the gold pickguard with oven knobs, and removing the vibrato arm on my 325, I have kept my Rics the way they came from the factory. They are a classic design, they should stay that way.
As Bob Dylan has reminded us,
"Come gather 'round people wherever you roam and admidt that the waters around you have grown."
Life, as with music, often requires one to let go of the melody and listen to the rhythm
Please join the Official RickResource Forum Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/379271585440277
Please join the Official RickResource Forum Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/379271585440277
Re: I Went Back To White Guards
That's a good point and very true.admin wrote:Tommy wrote:... I recall the modifications made by John Lennon (bigsby, knobs) , Roger McGuinn (electronics) Fogerty (bridge humbucker) and Paul Weller (stickers) just to name a few, moved us away from the stock or early Rickenbacker tradition.
All I can say is those guys were professional musicians. They earned their living with their guitars. The mods they made were for professional reasons be it tone or look (Weller's WHAM! Ric). Me...I am a humble bedroom player. I do not require an onboard compressor or a flashy guitar for an appearance on Top Of The Pops. I am more than happy leaving the classic Ric design untouched.
Re: I Went Back To White Guards
I moded my three Rics (350v63, 330, and 1997) all with double checkerboard binding. As far as I'm concerned, that's the way they should have came from the factory in the first place!!
Re: I Went Back To White Guards
Terrific upgrades for each of these models to be sure. I suspect it may slow down production time, add cost and not everyone is looking for binding but I confess that it is an outstanding feature of Rickenbacker. Fortunately there are luthiers that can do this for us after it leaves the Factory.pauleway wrote:I modded my three Rics (350v63, 330, and 1997) all with double checkerboard binding. As far as I'm concerned, that's the way they should have came from the factory in the first place!!
Life, as with music, often requires one to let go of the melody and listen to the rhythm
Please join the Official RickResource Forum Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/379271585440277
Please join the Official RickResource Forum Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/379271585440277
Re: I Went Back To White Guards
This can be done after the guitar has left the factory?pauleway wrote:I moded my three Rics (350v63, 330, and 1997) all with double checkerboard binding. As far as I'm concerned, that's the way they should have came from the factory in the first place!!
I have always thought the unbound soundhole (and body) on a 330 was just wrong. I could live without the body binding, but I always thought my 330 would look better with white binding around the soundhole.
It's possible that could be done?
Re: I Went Back To White Guards
Another gorgeous photo. Yes binding the sound hole can definitely be done.Tommy wrote:This can be done after the guitar has left the factory?pauleway wrote:I moded my three Rics (350v63, 330, and 1997) all with double checkerboard binding. As far as I'm concerned, that's the way they should have came from the factory in the first place!!
I have always thought the unbound soundhole (and body) on a 330 was just wrong. I could live without the body binding, but I always thought my 330 would look better with white binding around the soundhole.
It's possible that could be done?
Life, as with music, often requires one to let go of the melody and listen to the rhythm
Please join the Official RickResource Forum Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/379271585440277
Please join the Official RickResource Forum Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/379271585440277
Re: I Went Back To White Guards
It's pricey, but-yes it can be done.
Most luthiers want to strip the finish off the whole guitar, but my guy did a great job without having to do that.
I have a 355v63 w/f-hole (made for Japanese market) that I have and want to double bind it, unfortunately, my luthier retired and moved out of town and every other luthier that does Rics will only do it by stripping the finish off the entire guitar!
Most luthiers want to strip the finish off the whole guitar, but my guy did a great job without having to do that.
I have a 355v63 w/f-hole (made for Japanese market) that I have and want to double bind it, unfortunately, my luthier retired and moved out of town and every other luthier that does Rics will only do it by stripping the finish off the entire guitar!
Re: I Went Back To White Guards
Yeah, that's what I thought.pauleway wrote:...every other luthier that does Rics will only do it by stripping the finish off the entire guitar!
I watched a Ric video and it shows them applying the binding, scraping it down to make it flush to the bare wood. I kind of realized it would have to be done before a finish is put on the guitar.
I'm not going to have my guitar stripped just for some binding around the soundhole.