Is something wrong with this 360?

Setup, repair and restoration of Rickenbacker Instruments

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deadllama
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Is something wrong with this 360?

Post by deadllama »

I'm in love with this 360 on eBay and want to buy it, but the action worries me. Way too high. Does it just need the truss rods tweaked, or is this a sign of a major problem?

Image
Image

...****. Nobody go buy this thing out from under me, mkay? :oops:
'92 360/6 MG BT, '11 620/6 FG, Tele Deluxe, AC15, ten fingers.

nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!
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doctorwho
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Re: Is something wrong with this 360?

Post by doctorwho »

From this other picture, it looks like the bridge is cranked up a bit:
eBay360MGBT.JPG
However, it is unclear why the bridge is set high. It's also not really possible to determine the neck angle from the pictures, so who knows? Check what return policy the seller has, and good luck, it's a lovely guitar! 8)
It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing. - Seneca
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Re: Is something wrong with this 360?

Post by deadllama »

Check what return policy the seller has, and good luck, it's a lovely guitar!
No returns or exchanges. It's from Olivia's. I've never dealt with them before.

Looking in the register, this thing's been on sale since May. I'm getting a weird vibe on this one :? This picture sort of makes me question the neck angle a little bit:

Image

But it looks like there could also be a high bridge and way too much relief in the neck.

I need to sell my Strat to be able to afford this thing, but I'd really hate to sell a Strat and end up with a Ric needing a neck reset.
'92 360/6 MG BT, '11 620/6 FG, Tele Deluxe, AC15, ten fingers.

nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!
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Grey
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Re: Is something wrong with this 360?

Post by Grey »

deadllama wrote:No returns or exchanges. It's from Olivia's. I've never dealt with them before.
Great people. Give them a call and ask about the guitar, voice your concerns. They will take a look for you.
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deadllama
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Re: Is something wrong with this 360?

Post by deadllama »

Grey wrote:
deadllama wrote:No returns or exchanges. It's from Olivia's. I've never dealt with them before.
Great people. Give them a call and ask about the guitar, voice your concerns. They will take a look for you.
Thanks. I contacted them. (In the meantime, nobody buy that 360! :mrgreen: )
'92 360/6 MG BT, '11 620/6 FG, Tele Deluxe, AC15, ten fingers.

nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!
david/wales/u.k
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Re: Is something wrong with this 360?

Post by david/wales/u.k »

I looked at this and I got to be honest there are other Rics that look in a lot better condition than this one (and only just for a little bit more money.) My gut instinct would be be to leave this alone and spend a little bit more to get something else. You can always get a Mapleglo and then change the the pickguards to black e.t.c if that's what you want. ( this one has got a high action- the neck has too much relief, there are lots of scratches and marks on it and the internal electrics didn't look too clever either....personally I think there are too many issues with it )
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Re: Is something wrong with this 360?

Post by jingle_jangle »

Don't be gun-shy about Olivia's. They are good guys with a great reputation as straight-shooters. Do as Erik suggests. Call them and ask questions. A Rick of this vintage is not commonly known for having the same neck reset issues as 360s from the 1960s. Usually you'll see the bridge cranked way down on the '60s instruments. This one is more than 1/2 way up. That bridge adjustment, coupled with a simple truss rod adjustment, could turn this one into a beautiful player.

Buying a MG 360 and replacing the plastic with black (what about the TRC? Black ones are quite rare!) will not replicate the charm of this BT instrument--you'd also have to replace the binding on body, neck and sound hole with black, find and replace the hardware with black, etc. Otherwise you'd have a mutt.
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Re: Is something wrong with this 360?

Post by sloop_john_b »

Paul is of course correct, the 24-fret Ricks typically do not have neck angle issues.
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Re: Is something wrong with this 360?

Post by deadllama »

jingle_jangle wrote:Don't be gun-shy about Olivia's. They are good guys with a great reputation as straight-shooters. Do as Erik suggests. Call them and ask questions. A Rick of this vintage is not commonly known for having the same neck reset issues as 360s from the 1960s. Usually you'll see the bridge cranked way down on the '60s instruments. This one is more than 1/2 way up. That bridge adjustment, coupled with a simple truss rod adjustment, could turn this one into a beautiful player.
This is what I'm going to do -- I'm waiting for them to open today (going by the hours listed on their website) and I'm going to call.
Buying a MG 360 and replacing the plastic with black (what about the TRC? Black ones are quite rare!) will not replicate the charm of this BT instrument--you'd also have to replace the binding on body, neck and sound hole with black, find and replace the hardware with black, etc. Otherwise you'd have a mutt.
Yeah, I'd really like a MG/BT 360. Something about the black binding and TRC on the maple just looks amazing to me. I wish they still offered the black trim, really.
'92 360/6 MG BT, '11 620/6 FG, Tele Deluxe, AC15, ten fingers.

nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!
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Re: Is something wrong with this 360?

Post by deadllama »

Talked to Olivia's. The pictures were taken pre-setup and it was set up for slide. whew. I just need my Strat to sell, and this puppy's coming to my house. Case is a beater, but according to Olivia's it's functional, just kinda ugly.
'92 360/6 MG BT, '11 620/6 FG, Tele Deluxe, AC15, ten fingers.

nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!
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Re: Is something wrong with this 360?

Post by jingle_jangle »

The case is one you want to hang onto--it appears to be the original case. These were very sturdy. The end crack could be easily repaired.
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Re: Is something wrong with this 360?

Post by deadllama »

Well, I'm eternally grateful for y'all telling me to just call them and talk to them about it. I bought it! Got a pretty sweet deal on it, if I do say so myself.

I work for the Salvation Army, and I'm having it shipped to work, so I'll probably have to explain the case's, uhh, "decorative pattern":
Image

I probably won't be able to take better pictures of it than Olivia's already did, but I'll try when it gets here.

One last question: should I go on and buy an extra chrome "R" tailpiece, expecting this one to break? Are the black ones that prone to breaking?
'92 360/6 MG BT, '11 620/6 FG, Tele Deluxe, AC15, ten fingers.

nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!
david/wales/u.k
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Re: Is something wrong with this 360?

Post by david/wales/u.k »

Well, I'm eternally grateful for y'all telling me to just call them and talk to them about it. I bought it! Got a pretty sweet deal on it, if I do say so myself.

I work for the Salvation Army, and I'm having it shipped to work, so I'll probably have to explain the case's, uhh, "decorative pattern":


Lol !! :twisted: :twisted:..............I got to say though, it seemed a bit silly of them to take so many detailed pics and putting them on the web before a set up but alls well that ends well.........I don't know but I would imagine a chrome R tail piece would be hard to come by and if you can get one I think they'll probably be quite expensive.
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Re: Is something wrong with this 360?

Post by libratune »

deadllama wrote: I work for the Salvation Army, and I'm having it shipped to work, so I'll probably have to explain the case's, uhh, "decorative pattern"
They will ship it to you in a box, no worries.
deadllama wrote: One last question: should I go on and buy an extra chrome "R" tailpiece, expecting this one to break? Are the black ones that prone to breaking?
I have several Ricks with black "R" TPs that I have owned for awhile, none have broken. If the "R" breaks, it should not difficult to find a chrome replacement.
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Re: Is something wrong with this 360?

Post by deadllama »

libratune wrote:
deadllama wrote: I work for the Salvation Army, and I'm having it shipped to work, so I'll probably have to explain the case's, uhh, "decorative pattern"
They will ship it to you in a box, no worries.
Oh, it'll definitely come out of the box at work. I'd go crazy if I knew a 360 was sitting in a box and I couldn't open it! (It won't be a big deal with my coworkers, to be honest. But it will be a little funny walking out of a Salvation Army facility with that case :lol: )
'92 360/6 MG BT, '11 620/6 FG, Tele Deluxe, AC15, ten fingers.

nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!
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