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- Model
- 480
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- Strings
- 6
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- Finish
- Burgundy
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- Manufacturing Date
- 1973-02
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- Serial #
- MB644
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- Registration Date
- May 05 2017
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- Country
- Canada
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- State/Province
- Ontario
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- Lefty
- No
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- Collected Item
- Yes
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- Registered User
- Yes
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- Comments
- http://www.12fret.com/just-in/1973-rickenbacker-model-480-solidbody-electric-burgundy/
The Rickenbacker Model 480 featured the Cresting Wave body design taken from the iconic Model 4000 Series basses. The Cresting Wave was a design by Roger Rossmeisl, who was also responsible for the Rickebacker 300 series thinline guitars, and the Fender Telecaster Thinline. These guitars are fairly rare - until this came in, I had only ever seen offshore copies of this guitar, many years ago. The largest structural difference between the Model 480 and model 4000 series basses is that the 480 has a bolt-on maple neck instead of through-neck construction.
This example of the Model 480 dates to February 1973, so it is a fairly early example. It is in complete and largely original condition, even the bridge cover is still in place. Fretwear is minimal., The finish has a bit of wear around the edges, particularly on the lower treble bout edge. The Treble Tone knob has chipped. The pickups are the original High Gain models.
The pickguard looks to have been replaced - it is a single layer plastic guard, a little oversize around the neck pickup. Most stock Rickenbacker pickguards are plexiglass, and are more prone to breakage than vinyl-based plastics. At the time this guitar was built, the pickguard material was Rohm and Haas plexiglas. When Rohm and Haas sold that division in 1998, Rickenbacker started using other brands of acrylic sheet plastic, carefully selecting each batch.
This guitar has been recently set up in our shop, and plays well, and is quite comfortable. Overall this is an unusual guitar that works well and would really stand out. The original hardshell case is included.
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This item was identified as a Early vintage (up to and including 1972) instrument
The following is a summary of sales of above referenced model gathered from actual sales on eBay:
  *Basis for comparison: Same model, same strings number, same "special" features, same era
Sample type | Min | Avg | Median | Max | Sample Size |
Same model, same era: | $1450 | $2007 | $2200 | $2695 | 6 |
Price History Chart