Inlays and 24 Frets

Paul_Honeycutt · Post by **Paul_Honeycutt** » Mon Oct 16, 2000 2:56 pm

When did they stop making the inlays on Rickenbackers that go all the way across the fingerboard? And when did they go to 24 frets? Why were those changes made? This is mostly in reference to 360-12's.

markthemd · Post by **markthemd** » Tue Oct 17, 2000 10:32 am

I think it was in 1973 when this was finalized.In 1972 we were still cutting the crushed shell inlays,but that was on the way out and there were several experiments in what to do for the new inlays.i remember Dick burke coming into the finishing building with maple blocks with fretboard wood glued onto them and different hole patterns and different materials used as the inlays .i had to prep sand (job #30) and then russ Chapman (the head painter) shot/sprayed them.I wet sanded these and Bill Meyers (the plant foreman)buffed them out and took them away.

At some point in 1974 everything was done with the poured inlay but 1973 was still coming up with a "look " that was acceptable to the sales office.

JH could be able to shed light on exactly when this occured .

markthemd · Post by **markthemd** » Tue Oct 17, 2000 1:32 pm

The 1976 catalog with the walnut 360 on the cover has lots of 24 fret necks.

I remember at the time thinking ...."what a cool idea"

I have since changed my stance.
Ibanez really ran with this as did Charvel/Jackson.

I'll pass.
Give me 21 or 22 frets ,that works for me.

admin · Post by **admin** » Tue Oct 17, 2000 2:17 pm

Mark: Perhaps the 24 fret was not as effect as initially thought but the playability aside, I enjoyed your post that pointed to the differences in sound between a 21 fret and 24 fret instrument because of the different positioning of the neck pickup.

markthemd · Post by **markthemd** » Tue Oct 17, 2000 5:23 pm

Well that is THE reason for not doing it in my book.
Now if someone does not ever use that pickup then it would not matter.
I DO ,so I will stay with 21 and 22 fret necks.