Gold pickguard and Truss Rod Cover on 325

[Ricky63]

Hello,
This is my first post on the RickResource Forum. My girlfriend and I both agree (yes, she loves Rickenbackers too!) that nothing beats the look of the gold colored plastic pickguards and TRCs as commonly seen on the 325. Against mapleglo or jetglo, they look warm and classy. And as I have seen commented with regard to John Lennon's first 325, the current white pickguard on it does not do its appearance any justice, especially as the TRC is still the original gold one. I've seen noted here the pickguard company in Ohio that will reproduce gold colored guards. My question is, how or can one obtain the gold colored TRC? I have a Rickenbacker 350v63 model that in a perfect world, would be customized with the gold plastic as opposed to white. Understandably Rickenbacker isn't going to just sell these out I'm sure, especially considering any concern of them aiding would be Rick copies in process. Bottom line is, is the gold Rickenbacker TRC difficult to get? My apologies if this has been previously addressed. Thanks!

[jingle_jangle]

Contact Richard at RIC Customer Service. Meanwhile, here are some 320s and 325s with gold guards to whet your appetite:

[Ricky63]

Thanks for the info Paul- beautiful photos!

[jingle_jangle]

You're quite welcome, David.

The TURQ 325 and the Autumnglo 320 are both modified and refinished by me. The Blue Boy 325/12C58 is a factory-finished instrument: one of a group of 10 one-offs built by the Rickenbacker factory some years ago. It's the only 325/12C58ever minted in this color, and is made of maple rather than alder, as production C58s were.

Since you are new to this Forum, and considering that we have a large number of recently-added members, and it's been a couple of years since I've posted this link to my Photobucket album, I'm reposting the link now.

This album shows something like 80 Rickenbacker projects, which is a good representation of the work I've done on Ricks over the past 5 years. It doesn't show everything, because I do some repetitious work and don't always get photos.

The password for the album is rick46812

Album link:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v693/jingle_jangle/

Enjoy!

[analogpackrat]

[godber]

A stunning portfolio of superb craftsmanship Paul. Just beautiful. Thank you for sharing this.

[simer4001]

A couple of those guitars look very familiar.

[jingle_jangle]

I don't reveal customer's names unless they request it.

[bosco64]

A couple of those guitars look very familiar.

Yep, they sure do!

[RustyShackleford]

Having worked at a store that was a ric dealer, and having asked the sales rep about this, what he told me was that the gold guards and trc are made to order for the number of guitars that would need them.
He made it sound like you couldn't get one from them. Now there is also the policy that if they are going to replace a trc for you, you need to send them the one you're replacing. So if they were willing to sell you replacements to convert your white plastic to gold, you might have to send them the white set.

[coolhandjjl]

I was considering a gold for my 4003 Mapleglo. Actually I am considering Pickguardian's Ric colors gold, antique gold(copper) or black. I emailed Tony for some samples.

Ric is all out of gold TRC's. I checked a few days ago. Perhaps one could custom shape a TRC with the same material as the pickguard, but it will be blank.

......here are some 320s and 325s with gold guards to whet your appetite:

Paul- Do you make your own pickguards? And was that the elusive Transcriptors Saturn TT on your photoalbum site?

[egosheep]

Ric is all out of gold TRC's. I checked a few days ago. Perhaps one could custom shape a TRC with the same material as the pickguard, but it will be blank.

I think the shape itself is protected as trade dress, so that would be discouraged to say the least. I think Tony can paint a TRC to match a pickguard, unless I'm mistaken.

[Ricky63]

There is a gold 2-tier pickguard and headstock set on Ebay right now that is said to fit 325s and 350s.....