1965 360 FG vs. "365-S"

ethanrusso · Post by **ethanrusso** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 8:22 am

I became the proud owner of my first vintage Rick yesterday: a lovely September 1965 360 FG, pictured here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT

If you look at the fourth thumbnail, there is a bit of a mystery. Inside the electronics cavity is marked "365-S." The prior sole owner indicates that he and his mom bought this guitar in Chicago straight from the store of origin and the mark's significance is unknown to him, as well. What I wonder is whether this guitar was meant to be a 365 special order that became diverted to straight 360 production at the factory? If so, why? Looking into Richard Smith's book, less than 100 360 FG's or 365 FG's were made that year, so survivors would be fairly rare either way.

Finally, does replacing bridge cover screws affect value in an otherwise totally original instrument?

Thanks for any input!

badeggs · Post by **badeggs** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 11:54 am

Ricks have all sorts of strange things scribbled in them, it usually doesn't mean too much...this guitar might have been meant to leave the factory with a vibrato and simply didn't.

Congrats on the purchase, welcome to the vintage club...nice price!

collin · Post by **collin** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 12:02 pm

Markings inside a vintage Ric mean little or nothing to the actual guitar. (search old threads on this topic).

The guitars were written in before they
actually recieved any hardware, so they were written as the "most" they could possibly be. So.....almost all 360s will say 365, even if they have a vibrato or three pickups or whatever.

Congrats and enjoy!

ethanrusso · Post by **ethanrusso** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 12:19 pm

Thanks for the info! Yes, I'm very pleased with the purchase. It would probably benefit from a set-up. The intonation is a little off, and the bridge screws are highly reticent. I'm hoping that they can greased back to life or something. I see one vintage bridge on E-Bay for $250 "Buy It Now," but it also appears corroded.

Does doing a Plek treatment on the frets affect value? I'm trying to be a purist, but the fact is that I buy guitars to play them, not to create museum pieces, and I strive for the best sound I can achieve.

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 12:51 pm

ethanrusso wrote:
Does doing a Plek treatment on the frets affect value? I'm trying to be a purist, but the fact is that I buy guitars to play them, not to create museum pieces, and I strive for the best sound I can achieve.

I don't know what the Plek treatment entails exactly, but any modification on a vintage instrument will affect its value. I also buy guitars to play them, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna put a humbucker at the bridge of my '58 Guild just because I like 'em better. They are what they is. If you were dying for a Plek'd Rick, maybe do it on a new one, or get yourself a beater 60's one? Collin could probably find you a few to choose from in his closet.

Of course, if it's invisible, then sure. Just don't tell anyone.

jps · Post by **jps** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 1:24 pm

PLEK

collin · Post by **collin** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 1:50 pm

sloop_john_b wrote: If you were dying for a Plek'd Rick, maybe do it on a new one, or get yourself a beater 60's one? Collin could probably find you a few to choose from in his closet.

yeah.....it's surprises me the stuff that turns up in that closet. Leprechauns!

ethanrusso · Post by **ethanrusso** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 2:11 pm

Humbucker! What do you take me for? That's sacrilege!

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 2:26 pm

ethanrusso wrote:Humbucker! What do you take me for? That's sacrilege!

So what exactly is involved in the PLEK treatment? I couldn't get a good read from the site.

jps · Post by **jps** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 2:53 pm

I think it is just a fancy pants way of setting up a neck/dressing the frets to "perfection" They must be Borg!

The way I look at it, once the instrument changes due to environmental temperature/humidity, it won't matter if it had been PLEKed or not.

ethanrusso · Post by **ethanrusso** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 3:23 pm

There is a Plek video available here: http://mikelull.com/plek.htm
from my favorite luthier's site.

libratune · Post by **libratune** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 4:36 pm

ethanrusso wrote:Finally, does replacing bridge cover screws affect value in an otherwise totally original instrument?

Yes, the value automatically decreases by $0.50.

Not to worry. Many '60s Ricks don't have their original bridge covers, let alone the screws.

ethanrusso · Post by **ethanrusso** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 5:39 pm

I've just stuck the "new" vintage axe up in the guitar racks next to my 360/12C63, and I am struck at how the Fireglo artistry is almost an identical match. There must be some Renaissance master in the shop to do such a marvelous job at recreating a beautiful effect

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1965 360 FG vs. "365-S"

1965 360 FG vs. "365-S"

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