approximate value of '65 rick model 420?

ptooey · Post by **ptooey** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 4:20 pm

Hello, I'm new to this so please bear with me. I have what Rickenbacker Guitar Co. says is a Rick 1965 model 420 6 string solid body electric (rats-thought it was a '61) serial #EK 501. I'm trying to find an approximate $ value of this guitar. Black cresting wave body (no binding), white pick guard, single toaster pick up(middle position), single 3 position toggle selector,separate volume & tone controls, 1 jack. Rosewood neck, dot inlays, plastic Rick nameplate on head. I've owned this guitar since the late 70's and have done no mods to it at all- as far as I know, everything is original from the machines to the strap knobs. Plays great, sounds great, everything works great. It's in nice overall condition, some slight wear spots to the paint with a few small nicks, chrome has lost its luster. Hard shell case not original. Can anyone please help me? Thanks!

collin · Post by **collin** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 4:42 pm

Between $1200-$1600 or so, depending how clean and nice it looks (and must be all original). There are tons of these on the market lately, it seems (though mostly fireglo or 12-strings).

Ontario_RIC_fan · Post by **Ontario_RIC_fan** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 2:15 am

Patrick:

Please post a few pictures if you can.... JG is at least a rare colour for these...

ptooey · Post by **ptooey** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 11:42 am

Hey thanks guys. Not sure what you mean "jg being a rare color for these". Can you please explain? In the meantime, I'll try to post some pics- hopefully Monday at the latest. Thanks again!

admin · Post by **admin** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 12:02 pm

Welcome Patrick. Please note that you will need 30 posts in total before you can advertise an instrument for sale on the RRF should that be your goal. Otherwise, as you can see folks here are more than willing to help out.

Ontario_RIC_fan · Post by **Ontario_RIC_fan** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 12:37 pm

Have look...

http://www.rickresource.com/register/in ... celebrity=

Of these guitars listed in the register (an incomplete sample granted), most of these were FG or MG...

Ontario_RIC_fan · Post by **Ontario_RIC_fan** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 12:39 pm

Oh sorry. JG = Jetglo. Also known as Black...

ptooey · Post by **ptooey** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 4:44 pm

Hi guys-
So sorry Peter- I wasn't trying to sell the guitar on this forum, was just trying to get a value for it. Should I ever decide to sell, it's nice to know that I can do that here. Thanks for the info though- I appreciate it. You guys are being very helpful.
Hey Brian from Hamilton, Ontario: Here's the pics you requested- hope they came out OK. Also thanks for the color info- I really oughta know this stuff by now. Any info that you can give me on this guitar would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

ptooey · Post by **ptooey** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 4:48 pm

Brian or whoever- more pics.

Ontario_RIC_fan · Post by **Ontario_RIC_fan** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 9:56 pm

Great pictures! Thank you for sharing them.... I would say it is worth 1200 - 1500 myself...

So how does it sound?

ptooey · Post by **ptooey** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 3:15 pm

Hey Brian- Thanks for the kind words about the pics. I was kinda worried they wouldn't come out so well; glad you liked them. As far as how it sounds: in a word, great. Good 60's sound. Very warm with nice treble-y Rick overtones, not real heavy on the bottom end(probably because I have been playing lighter gauge strings on it). Feeds back nicely(somewhat surprising since it's so light) a la Paul Weller/the Jam's earlier stuff, or you can just make it kinda hum with the proper amp set-up, if you prefer a more sonic attack. I even let my son put it in a drop-E tuning once for death metal(I know-sacrilege!) and it sounded good like that,too. I have it set up for easy action and everybody who has ever played it just loves it. Overall it's just a blast to play- it was a great find(a steal,really) when I bought it in the late 70's for $250(!). I used to play it out of a mid-late 70's Peavey Mace 160-watt all tube head w/a 412 bass port cabinet. Wow. Now I just use a 90's Fender Deluxe 85 112. Still sounds nice though. How about you- what are you playing?

8mileshigher · Post by **8mileshigher** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 4:38 pm

Curious, what function does the three-position toggle switch do on a single pickup Ric ?

ptooey · Post by **ptooey** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 7:00 pm

Hi Rich- the 3-position selector switch gives you a rhythm sound on the neck side of the pick up, combo rhythm & lead in the middle position, and a lead/treble sound on bridge side of the pick up. Volume & tone active in all 3 positions with surprisingly good tonal variation. Not exactly sure how that can be on a 1 pick up guitar(anyone?), but it works and is a pretty versatile sounding instrument for having such a simple design. Oh and 1 correction for my previous post: I allowed my son to put it into a drop "C" tuning for death metal, not a drop "E". Those strings would have been flapping about in drop E; as it was, they were kind of rubber band-y in drop C. Where is my mind?

Ontario_RIC_fan · Post by **Ontario_RIC_fan** » Wed Sep 14, 2011 2:41 am

ptooey wrote:Hey Brian- Thanks for the kind words about the pics. How about you- what are you playing?

Mostly my 320 these days... I have a Randall RG75 and I run it through a POD 2.0...

What kind of music do you play?

ptooey · Post by **ptooey** » Wed Sep 14, 2011 7:47 pm

Brian- I like to play all kinds of music from 50s til now, rock mostly(all genres). I don't necessarily use the 420 for all that; I also have a '75 Strat (post-CBS junk extensively modified)that I use as my everyday guitar. How about yourself- what do you like to play? Is that your 320 in the pic?

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