Repairing a Ding on 1964 Model 320

The short-scale model that changed history

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22fretz@gmail.com
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Repairing a Ding on 1964 Model 320

Post by 22fretz@gmail.com »

1964 Fireglo 320.jpg
320 neck ding.jpg
I'm new to RRF and the first thing on my mind is how and whether or not I should fix a ding on the back of the neck of my 320 guitar caused by years of rubbing on the neck rest in the original case.
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collin
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Re: Repairing a Ding on 1964 Model 320

Post by collin »

Gorgeous 320, Stephen!

My best advice is don't touch it.

A.) it will never look 100% untouched again without stripping and refinishing the entire neck
B.) you will spend time and money only to devalue your rare vintage guitar.

Besides, fixing dings, wear and scratches on a 50-year-old vintage guitar defeats the entire purpose of owning one anyway. If you want a perfect guitar, but a new one! :P
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Ontario_RIC_fan
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Re: Repairing a Ding on 1964 Model 320

Post by Ontario_RIC_fan »

I agree with Collin. :D

Nice guitar. Never seen one so early with an R tail.
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Grey
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Re: Repairing a Ding on 1964 Model 320

Post by Grey »

collin wrote:Besides, fixing dings, wear and scratches on a 50-year-old vintage guitar defeats the entire purpose of owning one anyway. If you want a perfect guitar, but a new one!
While I would typically agree, that's not really a ding if you look at the photo. It's a pretty deep gash, and it's right on the back of the neck. Cosmetic's aside, if I could feel that while playing I would not be happy about it.
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collin
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Re: Repairing a Ding on 1964 Model 320

Post by collin »

Grey wrote:
collin wrote:Besides, fixing dings, wear and scratches on a 50-year-old vintage guitar defeats the entire purpose of owning one anyway. If you want a perfect guitar, but a new one!
While I would typically agree, that's not really a ding if you look at the photo. It's a pretty deep gash, and it's right on the back of the neck. Cosmetic's aside, if I could feel that while playing I would not be happy about it.
Mostly a matter of semantics there on the ding/gash.

Most of the damage is behind the nut. Most people don't play back there, and I doubt I would feel it at all.


Btw - I have seen an identical '64 320 in the past, R-tailpiece and all. It was at Guitar Center Hollywood just over a year ago. I wonder if it's the same guitar? It was late - Oct-Dec 1964, IIRC.
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Grey
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Re: Repairing a Ding on 1964 Model 320

Post by Grey »

I just think you're downplaying it by calling it a "ding". It looks like the guitar fell and dragged against something, the cut is rough and jagged. Not typical with being gradually rubbed off. I could be wrong but that's what I think.

This is of course subjective but that's hardly a "pretty" battle scar and it's not as if fixing it would look WORSE than it does now. If it came down to playability and he can feel it around the 1st fret, then i'd fix it. If he can't, then leave it.
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Re: Repairing a Ding on 1964 Model 320

Post by 22fretz@gmail.com »

I didn't know Guitar Center Hollywood had a similar guitar to my 320. I bought mine in 1968 at a pawn shop in Los Angeles for $300 and had it ever since. Picked up a 360/12 fireglo 10 ago as well. Just recently got the Rich-e-split box so I could use the stereo jack.
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collin
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Re: Repairing a Ding on 1964 Model 320

Post by collin »

Very cool, you made a wise purchase. It's worth a lot more than $300 today :lol:

What month is yours made? I'm guessing October or November 1964? (input jack plate reads "DJ" or "DK")
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Re: Repairing a Ding on 1964 Model 320

Post by glen_l »

It's really odd to see a '64 320.

The previous earliest known 320 is from '66, and the figures for '64 don't include any 320's.

Perhaps it's a slightly later year, or has had the accent replaced with an R sometime in it's history?
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collin
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Re: Repairing a Ding on 1964 Model 320

Post by collin »

glen_l wrote:It's really odd to see a '64 320.

The previous earliest known 320 is from '66, and the figures for '64 don't include any 320's.

Perhaps it's a slightly later year, or has had the accent replaced with an R sometime in it's history?
Honestly, this is the second one I've seen.

Here's pictures of the one I saw at Hollywood Guitar Center about two years ago. It had a DI serial number (September, 1964). They're out there.. tailpiece was original too.
IMG_4334.JPG
IMG_4336.JPG
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Re: Repairing a Ding on 1964 Model 320

Post by jwilli »

Collin, how can you tell? Was it a period correct R tail piece? Its been modded....no double guard. Pickup switch isn't correct.
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collin
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Re: Repairing a Ding on 1964 Model 320

Post by collin »

jwilli wrote:Collin, how can you tell? Was it a period correct R tail piece? Its been modded....no double guard. Pickup switch isn't correct.
Of course the tailpiece is the only way to differentiate a 320 from a 325 (unless you go by the knobs on later models), and there is no way for sure that I'd be able to know if it was modified. However, it did appear to have an early cast version of the R-tailpiece that is correct for a late 1964 guitar (and not likely to be available years later if it was modified). It didn't have a roller bridge either, so I doubt it ever had an accent and I didn't see the telltale holes on the bottom from a trapeze bracket.

Plus there aren't any Rose Morris 1996 models with adjacent serial numbers to the DI203 number of the guitar center example* Assuming this wasn't a standard production run of 325 or Rose Morris models, the factory may have taken a custom order for some 320s?



(* this guitar is included in the registery but incorrectly as a 325. Of course the registery is rife with errors, so it can't be used as a basis for any fact)
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