Please Date this Model 335 Fireglo

admin · Post by **admin** » Tue Oct 24, 2000 8:50 pm

Please assist with the dating of this Model 335 with a serial number of 8C75 and a body that is 2" thick.

anon · Post by **anon** » Wed Oct 25, 2000 7:10 pm

8C75 is a very strange serial number for this guitar. You would normally see such a serial number on a solid bodied Rick. Example: 6C75 was a '55 Combo 600. From the hardware in the picture, this 335 should be from late '60 to early '61. Maybe Mr. Hall could look back in the factory logs for this serial number? John Williams

tblair · Post by **tblair** » Wed Oct 25, 2000 7:18 pm

The serial number should be for a 1957 Combo 800. It would be interesting to see the jack-plate- I have a similar numbered 800 (8C85) on a long jackplate that attaches to the strap-pin.

To me it looks like this guitar left the factory in '60/'61. The black switch replaced the cream version in '60, and the Accent vibrato came in sometime in that time frame.

tblair · Post by **tblair** » Wed Oct 25, 2000 7:34 pm

Wow, those replies couldn't have been more similar.

admin · Post by **admin** » Wed Oct 25, 2000 7:44 pm

TBlair: Great minds think alike. You asked for the jackplate and here it is! The plot thickens.

markthemd · Post by **markthemd** » Thu Oct 26, 2000 8:43 am

I'd say ,take off the tailpiece and see if there are any 'extra' holes.

The switch cap is no big deal and they do break.Replacing it is a simple task and a newer version would be easy to get .

The tailpiece could be the replacement for the Kaufman tailpiece(an interesting piece of historical sugnificance but not that good at staying in tune)

To really find out some more on this ,the guards must be removed and the pot coding looked at .

Also what kind of screws are used to hold the tuners on?

How many truss rods and do they have black tape on them or regular masking tape?

admin · Post by **admin** » Thu Oct 26, 2000 11:27 am

There are more photos of this Model 330 here

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Fri Oct 27, 2000 8:47 am

Hi:

I'm the owner of the guitar. Peter was kind enough to post the pics to help me with dating it.

In response to the questions:

1. The guitar has a grayish/silver (with a kind of fake grain) cover. It came with a brown leather strap that reads "Rickenbacker No-Mishap guitar strap Sottile Mfg.Co. Patton PA Patent No. 2,643,089" and a sort of primitive grey cord for the amp.

2. There is one truss rod, as best that I can tell.

3. The screws that hold the tuners on are little Phillips head deals.

4. I've never had the accent off, and I don't think that my set up guy ever took it off, either.

5. The Pots have the following numbers on them:

31056 and 137 6103.

Thanks for all your help guys.

Bob

markthemd · Post by **markthemd** » Fri Oct 27, 2000 1:03 pm

from the pot codes you have at least one 1961 pot.
So i'll say that is the year it was made or possibly 1962.

Without holding it and going over it with a fine toothed comb,that is as close as i can get.

The next time you change strings ,try taking off the Accent.See if there are any other screw holes .
You may find the 'R' tailpiece holes,you may find Kaufman and or the Vintage rick tailpiece holes.
On the other hand you may only find the strap button hole that holds the Accent on.

Take a look! you won't hurt it and isn't your curiosity at work now?

tblair · Post by **tblair** » Fri Oct 27, 2000 4:34 pm

Don't be too surprised if you see other holes beneath the tailpiece for a Kauffman. The 'Ac'cent by Paul' tailpiece was the retrofit vibrola for guitars originally stocked with the Kauffman- which is often the case when you see the 50s shaped 335 with that version of the Ac'cent tailpiece.

rick12dr · Post by **rick12dr** » Fri Oct 27, 2000 6:26 pm

The one pot w/ the # 31056 is simply a Tone pot
used by Rick. Any RickI've seen from mid 60s to at least well into 70s has 2 different #s on the pots; the Volume pots have the # 3279, and Tone pots have the # 31056. But these #s do not "date"
a Rick as to when a batch of pots were made.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sat Oct 28, 2000 1:29 pm

So, in sum, it appears that the only factor that indicates a pre-1961 guitar is the serial number.... Right?

Any possible explanations for the funky serial number?

markthemd · Post by **markthemd** » Sun Oct 29, 2000 3:09 pm

No,

there are several things that would indicate a guitar of this age.
1-the truss rod system
2-the nut material and size of it
3-the machine heads and the screws used to adhere them to the headstock
4-the finish and the tints used
5-the thickness to the body
the way the body was laminated ,does it have a center section on the front of the body and is the back made of a plywood? or is it solid?
6-the dot layout...is it in a straight line or is it out of alignment?sight down the fretboard for this one ....it's very noticable.
7-the radius of the fretboard.Is it 10" evenly or does the radius change?
8-the bridge,do the lock nuts on the intonation screws have a nylon insert or do they look like a hollow nut with the solid part toward the chassis.
9-the screws that hold the pickups together.Are they cut off or were they slot heads and is there lots of yellowish glue holding in the magnets
10-cloth wire in the control cavity
11-style of 'Switchcraft' selector switch
12-pot codes
13-capacitor(s)
14-placement of the bridge and markings under the bridge
15-the size of the route for the contorls in the face
16-the holes under the tailpiece

This is like being handed a photo of a Volkswagon Beetle and asking what year is it and the photo does not show a great angle.

We need more info
this are some of the things that really help to date a guitar.If you add them up ,thenyou can narrow it down.
But with only a jackplate you have only one piece of a puzzle

tblair · Post by **tblair** » Sun Oct 29, 2000 10:08 pm

Bob,

The short version of dating the guitar is:

'Ac'cent by Paul' vibrato came in about 1961.
That particular body shape went out in 1961.

That version of the vibrato was commonly used to retrofit older guitars still on hand in the factory retaining a Kauffman- but the black switch indicates post-1960 electronics & you have a 1961 pot.

Some of the guitar may have been built/assembled earlier, but the completion date would almost certainly be 1961.

The jack plate is a mystery. It's for a '57 guitar, but this model wasn't around then. Maybe Ric ran out of plates, and went scrounging.