Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I just purchased the butchered 425 on Reverb. The neck is toast and I don’t yet know if this is salvageable. I am not planning on a complete restoration - just get it working and perhaps not even a Rick pickup. I was wondering if by chance anyone has see this one before and knows the history. I don’t think I can date it. Jill signed it so I was also wondering if anyone knew how long she worked at RIC to help with dating. I didn’t get it for a steal but I didn’t pay the full price, either.

Sorry if links aren’t working. I also can’t seem to post the photos.

https://reverb.com/item/27666327-vintag ... _sold=true

https://imgur.com/gallery/w64fCP6

What you have there is a 425 with part of a Boyd vibrato unit. Those were fairly rare and surfaced in the 1965-67 era. There are a few of them in the Register:
http://www.rickresource.com/register/in ... celebrity=

I believe the serial number for a 425 with a Boyd VB unit was stamped on the bottom of the vibrato unit cover, most of which have gone missing from the instruments.

Jill shows up a lot in the control cavities of Ricks built in that era.

Thanks. If I am not returning this to stock and if I can get the neck sorted out, is there a good option for a bridge other than a direct replacement? It looks like Winfield has one but I’m not married to it looking original. Can always do that later.

Completed 425 project with a DiMarzio Virtual Solo pickup.
https://imgur.com/gallery/AEKaWV5