Rickenbacker 375 OS

[leolds]

Hello Rickenbacker Aficionados

My name is Len and I am another newby to rickenbacker forum.

I am interested in hearing from someone with knowledge on a Old Rick 375 OS.
Including its approximate value.

I have a 1960 Rick 375 OS , S/N 2R027 which I believe is one of seven built that year. You don't see or hear much of them anymore except for
one I saw on the internet.
Lee Gagliano's Rickenbacker® collection S/N 2R014. Mine is identical to his (Mapleglow)
I was offered and turned down 2K for it at a guitar show 8 yrs ago.

I have owned this guitar for 33yrs. When I got this instrument, I distinctly remember it having a Kauffman Vib-rola which seemed to have a major problem in returning to correct pitch.

I took it to my dearler back then and they changed it out to what appears to be the Accent Vibrato still used today. I discarded the original Kauffman just because of its poor performance.

I am now considering to going back to the original Kauffman Vib-rola if one would be available and its performance is better than they were in 1960.

Good Thing/Bad Thing:
Question:
Is this the right thing to do with an instrument this age?
to replace the accent vibrato with another Kauffman if I could find one?
Will the not returning to pitch still be a problem?
I am interested in feedback from anyone presently using a Kauffman who is pleased with it's performance.
Anybody got a ballpark figure of it’s value?

Leonard

[jingle_jangle]

Welcome, Leonard!

Congratulations on turning down the $2K. Somebody tried to rob you.

Valuation is tough, but I can try to answer your other questions.

The new Kaufmanns are identical to the old (in fact, some NOS parts were used in the manufacture of the new ones).

You could swap for nostalgia's sake, but I'd advise peening the rivets from the back to immobilize the Vibrola. They still have tuning problems. They were re-issued "warts and all", as Mr. Hall says, primarily as historically-accurate replicas.

If you want a functioning vibrato, keep the Accent.

[leolds]

Thanks Paul, I have been told about the same thing by the folks at Rickenbacker International.
Pretty much the new Kauffmans they are using are still junk with no improvment in performance.

Leonard

[jingle_jangle]

Leonard, I'd stop short of calling them "junk". They should be seen in historical perspective. They were invented for pedal steels and adapted for use on guitar, which was ill-advised in many peoples' opinions.

I have one, however, (peened) on my 381, because I love how vintage they look.

[winston]

Leonard,

Welcome to the forum. It looks like you have two threads on the go with the same question. This forum is so well travelled that only one thread is necessary.

I suggest that you direct responses to one thread. That way you will get all your info in one place and you wont get a bunch of repeated answers.

Any way you seem to be getting quite a bit of help so carry and enjoy.

[ozover50]

Welcome from Oz, Len. Haven't got a picture of the offending 375 handy, I suppose?

[leolds]

An identical one can be viewed on the net.

http://www.rickbeat.com/gallery/leegagliano/leegagliano.htm

S/N 2R014

When I get it restrung, I will post photos of mine.

Len

[leolds]

An identical one can be viewed on the net.

http://www.rickbeat.com/gallery/leegagliano/leegagliano.htm

S/N 2R014

When I get it restrung, I will post photos of mine.

Len

[r9hamilton]

Greetings RRF folks: I'd love to get anyone's take on stringing a 375 Ric with an Ac'cent vibrato tailpiece. I've had this '67 375 (FG) for several years now, and every time I re-string this thing, it blows my mind how goofy that rig is. I can do it, but it's always a challenge. Funny though, the sucker stays in tune (reasonably) when I use the whammy and play it hard. What is the preferred way to do this? I'm sure there is a way, I'm just not sure I'm doing it in the most efficient way.

[libratune]

Welcome Ross!

When I restring a guitar with an Ac'cent TP, I detach the old strings from their tuning posts, then slide the top part of the Ac'cent to the right, taking out the ball-end of each string from its slot. Then I reverse the process, placing the new strings in their slots starting with low "E" and give a little slide to the left after each string placement.

You'll end up with 6 loose strings in the Ac'cent. Put a capo on the middle of the neck after lining up the loose strings to clamp them in place. Then attach each string to its post (I do low and high "E" strings first) and work towards the middle strings. Take off the capo, tune up and you're done.

[paologregorio]

Ease or difficulty of restringing will vary by guitar/unit, depending on how big of a space there is between the two upper halves of the unit; all of mine have enough of a gap that I can restring each string individually and do not need to slide the unit out or use the capo, but if your unit has minimal gap, then you'll need to do as Ron suggests-I only had to do this the first time I ever strung the units when I installed them. All five of my six string Ricks have Accents and I employ them vigorously when playing. I too find them to be a dependable unit that keeps the guitar in tune with use.

I suggest bending the ball end of the string 90 degrees before sliding it in, that way the ball end locks properly in place in its notch/slot when first installed.

[kiramdear]

On the accent I had, if I changed strings one at a time the tension of the five would hold the spring open enough to let me slide the ball end into place.

[jwilli]

Gagliano..thats a name from the past.
I hope it stays there, lol. Would love to see pics of your guitar.