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Those who flock to The Byrds
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jps
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Post by jps »

The guy says this is from 1963.

https://static.gearslutz.com/board/imge ... ed24979e31

Modded, or original? :wink:
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casinoman
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Re: ???

Post by casinoman »

was the new style abailable in 1963, I thought it came out a year later?
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marcinkus
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Post by marcinkus »

It came in 1966.
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jps
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Post by jps »

Yeah, the guy who has this is either unclear as to what he has or is misrepresenting the guitar; he insists the guitar is all original outside of changed tuning keys, but the keys do look fine to my untrained eyes. IIRC, the NS body did show up in late 1964 but it certainly would not have Byrds wiring.
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Re: ???

Post by Clint »

I am almost positive the picture in that link is Roger McGuinn's guitar. The grain pattern next to the sound hole is exactly the same as other photos I've seen.
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Folkie
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Re: ???

Post by Folkie »

marcinkus wrote:It came in 1966.
If the editors of "Guitar Aficionado" are to be trusted, this was Roger's original Rickenbacker 12-string, which was modified in 1966. He had the factory add the third pickup and a compressor, foreshadowing his signature model.
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leftybass
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Post by leftybass »

This guitar was assembled (not as we see it) in October 1964 (DJxxx), a 360/12....it is Jim (Roger) McGuinn's 1st Rickenbacker 12-string, and the one that nearly all the Byrds' big hits were recorded on.

The custom wiring and middle p/up was installed in February 1966 and given back to McGuinn....2-3 months later it went missing and it was replaced by FF1849, McGuinn's 2nd Byrd (370/12).
bowser2533
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Re: ???

Post by bowser2533 »

Great information. Do you know ownes the Guitar now? I think it was stolen at a gig in up state NY.
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jps
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Post by jps »

I misread the guy, he says he has a 6 string "like" this one, so don't go looking for the guitar, he doesn't have it.
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leftybass
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Post by leftybass »

bowser2533 wrote:Great information. Do you know ownes the Guitar now? I think it was stolen at a gig in up state NY.
It is owned by former Microsoft exec Paul Allen and it's on display at the Experience Music Project in Seattle......
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Re: ???

Post by bowser2533 »

I posted a pic of that Guitar a few week ago. It was taken at the E M P museum in Seattle. Someone posted that it wasn't the first Ric that Mcguinn owned. Said it was a later one. Probably a 370 with the Byrd wiring?. The pic is in the Byrds Forum.
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leftybass
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Post by leftybass »

bowser2533 wrote:I posted a pic of that Guitar a few week ago. It was taken at the E M P museum in Seattle. Someone posted that it wasn't the first Ric that Mcguinn owned. Said it was a later one. Probably a 370 with the Byrd wiring?. The pic is in the Byrds Forum.
No, it's his first Rick. You can match this guitar's wood grain with early pics of The Byrds......The guitar was a stock 360/12 when he bought it, and it remained stock until February 1966 when the guitar was sent to RIC where the wiring was changed per his request along with adding a middle pickup and a new nut.

Before his signature model came out in 1988, he used three of these over the years...this one, one made for him in June '66 and one in 1970....there was also a lightshow 12-string with 3 pickups and slanted frets but it wasn't a main "go to" guitar like the others were.

The mini-toggle switch under the two regular toggles was added by some other than Roger--can't tell you what it does but it's not part of the original circuit.
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leftybass
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Post by leftybass »

Here are the guitars he used during The Byrds' different incarnations:

#1) 1964, modified in Feb. '66.....
Image

#2) June 1966 370/12 Special Model, a replacement for the original.......the slide switch for the Vox Treble Boost was added my McGuinn and not installed by RIC.....
Image

#3) 1970 370/12 Special Model with slightly different wiring and factory high-gain pickups. At some point McGuinn had the peghead slots milled all the way through.....this guitar was also redone by RIC in the early-mid 80's. He still has this one and uses it live from time to time.
Image
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8mileshigher
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Re: ???

Post by 8mileshigher »

Interesting thread. It's nice to learn the history of these famous guitars.
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