Help me ID my 1965 Rickenbacker solid body

[bbbacres]

My parents bought me this guitar in 1965. I have two questions. Can you help me ID the model? I have looked at 325's but the photos tend to show triple pickups. Mine has two. Its a solid body, no F hole, totally solid. What is the exact model number of this guitar?

My second question is whether there is supposed to be some kind of guard or cover over the bridge. The string adjustments are all exposed. I have seen some Rickys with a cover over this, and I'm wondering if mine is missing, or it is supposed to be naked and exposed like this. Thank you for helping.

Mine was probably not a high end Rickenbacker. My parents struggled to get me this guitar. But I would appreciate a little history on what this is.

Bruce Take a look at photo(s) below.
try this new link for photos, this one should work:

http://www5.snapfish.com/snapfish/slide ... _28647690/

[Grey]

My second question is whether there is supposed to be some kind of guard or cover over the bridge. The string adjustments are all exposed. I have seen some Rickys with a cover over this, and I'm wondering if mine is missing, or it is supposed to be naked and exposed like this.

In my expierence, on vintage Rics those are one of the parts that frequently go missing.

You should be able to tell real easy if there's two small screw holes on the sides of the bridge, where the cover would screw down into. I've seen some with and some without. If you want to replace it, you can order a new one directly from rickenbacker, and you can also order the exact replacement screws from them. They're very through.

[badeggs]

Can't see your photos, you should put them on photobucket or imageshack, etc. But from your description, maybe it's a 310? Here's one from '67 (with an f-hole).

[libratune]

This is the message I received on your myspace link: This photo cannot be viewed because it has either been deleted or marked as private by the user.

A two pickup solidbody from 1965 would likely be either a model 450 or a model 610/5. There are examples (from different years) in the Register to check out. I could only find one 1965 450 with photos. Here's a link to the 1966 450 models listed, three with photos: http://www.rickresource.com/register/in ... celebrity=

The model 610 or 615 (latter with vibrato) is a bit more scarce. I found a listing of a 1964 model 615: http://www.rickresource.com/register/vi ... lebrity%3D

The model 615 was also issued as a UK Rose Morris export known as model 1995. Not too many of those around, either.

Good luck!

[cjj]

And, you can always try the Model identifier at the Rickenbacker Corporate site:
http://www.rickenbacker.com/identification.asp

Just pick the features your guitar has from the pictures available and it usually will tell you what you've got...

[bbbacres]

The model identifier you just referred me to took me through a series of features. I'm pretty sure I put them in accurately. It came up with a Rickenbacker 315, but it could not show me a photo because they have not pulled any from their archives. I apologize for the photos. Is there a way to just post a photo inside my post right here? I tried using the Img above the composition box, and it allows me to drop a photo, but I can not add test or even post it. Also, how are some of you adding photos to your name along side of your post? I don't see a profile builder here that allows one to add a photo.

Thank you for your help. I want to find an easy way to post this photo. But I don't have my own website.

Try this:

http://www5.snapfish.com/snapfish/slide ... _28647690/

It seems to get you to my log in page, but the guitar is there, even tho the pic is smaller than I like.

Thanks for your help.

Any photos of this guitar so I can compare the bridge?

[cjj]

The [img] feature requires the image to be hosted on some website that is accessible from anywhere.

The easier way is to upload the photo directly to the RRF by using the "Upload Attachment" feature. This is found under the text box where you input your text for a post, nect to "Options". Click the tab, click "Choose File" and navigate to the file on your computer. Then click "Add the file". There are some restrictions, the file has to be less than 500k bytes in size and less than 1200x1200 (I think, I know 1024x768 works fine).

[libratune]

Bruce, Your guitar appears to be a model 615. I've uploaded your snapfish photo:

Model 615

One giveaway as to the model -- which the 310 doesn't have -- is the "cresting wave" of the bass horn. The 615 is also a true "solid body," while the 310 is semi-hollow, with or without f-hole.

Your guitar also has Van Ghent tuners, which have pearloid buttons and are somewhat unusual but occasionally show up on 60's Ricks. It is a 615 and not a 610 because of the vibrato unit.

[libratune]

PS As to your less pressing question regarding the bridge cover, many players removed this item because it interferes with "palming" or muting the strings with the picking hand at the bridge. The model 615 would take a standard RIC guitar bridge cover for 600- or 300-series models, available (with 2 screws) from RIC or an authorized dealer for about $20 plus shipping. There should be a small screw hole on either side of the bridge for attaching the cover.

Here's what it would look like with the bridge cover on:

615 / 1995 FG

[Woodie]

Post removed.

[bbbacres]

Thanks for your help. If this is a 615 it clears up my little mystery. Rickenbacker's model ID page was not accurate. It could not identify my guitar. I did find some similar models, but you will note mine has dots on the frets, not the fancier slash of white. Also, mine is a true solid body. I'll try to find some 615 photos to confirm. But it sounds like you know your stuff. Thanks, Now I must learn if a new 615 included some type of cover over the bridge. PS, this is a short scale guitar, yes? Bruce

Everyone agree? Model 615?

[Woodie]

Bruce,
I'm guessing that because your guitar has the vintage knobs, and not the standard silver-topped ones, that this is probably the Rose Morris export version of the 615, a model 1995. This makes it quite a bit rarer and more valuable. You have a very nice example there. Also, it would be a full-sized, not short-scale guitar.

[libratune]

PS, this is a short scale guitar, yes?

Nope, it's a full scale guitar, another difference between the 615/1995 and the 310/320, which are short-scale.

Your guitar, due to the solid black/striped knobs, could be a 1995 export model. The photo I edited into my prior post was of my 1964 model 1995. The story goes that many of the 1995/615s that were exported to the UK were returned because the solid body guitar was not popular there and didn't sell well. All the other export models were semi-hollow and had f-holes rather than slashes. The solid body, of course, had neither.

[bbbacres]

Thanks much Alan. I loved this guitar in 1965. I would play every guitar in every music store, and nothing had the 'easy' neck like this did. For sure not Gibsons or Fenders, but even the vaunted (at the time) Mosrites could not compare. Good guitar players would come to town and I would go try to learn something from them. We would sometimes swap guitars for a bit, and they would sometimes feel they got "lost" on the neck because it was so 'fast' and easy. Their fingers would sometimes slide right off.

A little more history, though I don't want to bore. Back then I finally found a guitar I wanted more. A very rare 1957 triple gold pickup Les Paul Custom (the famous 'black beauty.' This was probably 1970. I had no choice but to sell my Ricky to get some money to put toward this new guitar. In terms of value I'm sure I made the right decision, but I always missed the Rick. I played in bands for 30 years. Then stopped, and now I just pick up the guitar after dinner. So last summer I was in Cody, Wyoming (my old part of the country) and I was asked to sit in by the band. Which I did. Afterwards some guy comes up and says "hey, you sold me a guitar 40 years ago." It was my Rickenbacker buyer whom I had long forgotten. I asked if he had the guitar. He said "yes, it's in my closet. I never really did learn to play it, so it just sat there." He said many people had wanted to buy it from him over the years. But he never sold it. I asked if he ever would sell, and he said "if I ever did it would probably be to you. Because that would feel right." We had a few emails, and he decided to sell it to me. The amount? Well too little by far I suppose. On the other hand, as we both joked, he quintupled his money!!! So here it is again, sitting in my living room. I've had it back about 3 days. Have not plugged it in yet. Its in great shape except someone played it for a while, there is wear right through the thick glossy finish on a couple of frets toward the head end. It probably also needs a tech to touch it up. Nice story of things going in a big circle. I live far away from that old world now, physically and mentally.

I don't know if any of you are old enough to have a sort of historic reunion like this. I never have in terms of music. But it feels both strange and nice. Its my 60th birthday tomorrow. The guitar is only 45!!!

[jps]

Welcome, Bruce,

Looks like it may have Van Ghent tuners on it.