Reassembling a 310C64

Setup, repair and restoration of Rickenbacker Instruments

Moderator: jingle_jangle

thevince
New member
Posts: 37
Joined: Sat May 03, 2014 10:27 am

Reassembling a 310C64

Post by thevince »

I have a butchered 310C64 (2009). I have a few questions for now as I collect parts and I'm sure I'll have more questions as I reassemble the guitar. So I'm starting a thread to keep my questions together.

Cleaning:
Bubble wrap and newspaper packing left imprints on the finish. Will naphtha and car wax clean this? Photo attached.

Tuners:
I think this model originally had Ric-Tite keywinds. Are the measurements easily available for these anywhere? Any advice for replacing them with Gotoh or Grover (without modification)? What size bushings?

Thank you
Attachments
310example1.jpg
User avatar
collin
Senior Member
Posts: 6949
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 6:28 pm

Re: Reassembling a 310C64

Post by collin »

Naphtha and wax solve completely different issues.

— Naphtha is a solvent that dissolves dirt and other organic matter, it’s for cleaning.

— Wax products are for sealing a finish after polishing and creating a waterproof barrier on the paint surface that resists further dirt and damage.

For the bubble wrap marks, you need a mild abrasion. Cleaner wax might do it, and is the least aggressive of them all, but I would suggest a simple swirl remover (such as Scratch-X or 3M swirl remover) and apply by hand. If those fail, then use a quality automotive rubbing compound (I recommend 3M brand) until the marks are gone, followed by a round of swirl remover, and then finally a round of cleaner wax.


Can’t help with those specific tuners, sorry.
thevince
New member
Posts: 37
Joined: Sat May 03, 2014 10:27 am

Re: Reassembling a 310C64

Post by thevince »

Thank you for the info!

If I use car wax without fixing the bubble wrap issue first, would that permanently seal it in? Still planning to fix it first. Just trying to get an understanding how essential it is to clean the guitar before using car wax.

I know there was a concern with some cleaners changing formulas. How big of an issue is it if I end up with Scratch X 2.0 or a different Zymol? Here is what I'm planning to get.

Scratch X: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00HUB1MI6/
Zymol: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B08589VC91/
Naphtha: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B000CZ0RQA

Thank you
User avatar
collin
Senior Member
Posts: 6949
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 6:28 pm

Re: Reassembling a 310C64

Post by collin »

Wax would definitely add a protective layer over the top of anything under it (which is its main function).

Unless the abrasive action of applying the wax removes the marks, you would theoretically need to use naphtha to remove the wax before other steps.

I'm not up-to-date on the latest about Scratch X, but I use a 3M or Meguiar's brand swirl remover instead. It's a much gentler abrasive than rubbing compound:

https://www.amazon.com/MEGUIARS-G17616E ... 002KKCLPK/


Follow it all up with a wax layer to polish it up. Zymol is definitely the best cleaner wax on the market, perfect for guitars and anything painted.
thevince
New member
Posts: 37
Joined: Sat May 03, 2014 10:27 am

Re: Reassembling a 310C64

Post by thevince »

Got the naphtha and Zymol ordered. Having difficulty finding the scratch/swirl remover in Japan.

Would this Meguiar's compound be safe? I'm not sure what to look for.
https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Meguiars- ... 06W5HCZ9M/

Just for reference, here is the exact Zymol I ordered: https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Z503A/dp/B0009JKIRC/

Thanks
User avatar
collin
Senior Member
Posts: 6949
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 6:28 pm

Re: Reassembling a 310C64

Post by collin »

While that compound is great stuff (and I use it), it serves a different purpose than swirl remover.

Rubbing/polishing compound is more abrasive than a swirl remover. It will take less effort with a rubbing compound to remove those marks, but you also need to be gentle to not take off too much paint material.

I tend to look check if the least abrasive method works first, before resorting to compound. But if that's all you can get, it will do the job. Plus the modern era Rickenbackers have a thick enough clear coat finish that you really don't run much risk of burn-through polishing by hand with compound.

Keep us posted with how it goes!
thevince
New member
Posts: 37
Joined: Sat May 03, 2014 10:27 am

Re: Reassembling a 310C64

Post by thevince »

Thanks, Collin! This is very helpful for me. I don't own a car so car products are total unknowns for me.

The only readily available product I can find is Scratch X 2.0 but I've heard that leaves marks on Rickenbackers. I found a brand of scratch remover that might be similar. I might try this.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00L9N1OG6
User avatar
teb
Advanced Member
Posts: 1532
Joined: Sun Jul 17, 2005 7:39 pm

Re: Reassembling a 310C64

Post by teb »

Be aware that rubbing compound and polishing compound are not the same thing. Rubbing compound is a much coarser (more aggressive) abrasive. A guitar would have to be awfully oxidized or otherwise dull-finished before I would consider using rubbing compound on it. Polishing compound is generally much finer, but still probably has enough grit to get rid of the bubble wrap marks. A product like Scratch-X uses tiny particles of clay as the abrasive. As you continue to rub it, they break down into even smaller bits, essentially making it a finer grit abrasive as you use it.

In the boat business we use a fair amount of cleaner/wax products. These are essentially liquid wax (like car waxes) with little bit of polishing compound mixed in. The one I use is 3M Marine Fiberglass Cleaner/Wax, though there are a variety of brands selling the same sort of stuff.

https://www.amazon.com/3M-09009-Marine- ... 862&sr=8-7

I don't own a buffer, so when I built the new body for my 2030 bass I hand wet-sanded the finish all the way up through 12,000 grit sandpaper (12,000 grit is so fine that it's about like rubbing it with a piece of leather). Then I did the final buffing by hand with a rag and one of these marine cleaner waxes. It worked fine. A cleaner wax is probably the first thing that I would try for removing the bubble wrap marks. If that's not an aggressive enough abrasive you can always go back down to a polishing compound.
Attachments
2030TB 017 003.jpg
thevince
New member
Posts: 37
Joined: Sat May 03, 2014 10:27 am

Re: Reassembling a 310C64

Post by thevince »

Thank you, teb. That explanation helps. I really appreciate the input on this forum, this cleaning topic is very new to me. Good news, I can get that 3M cleaner/wax here in Japan!

To make sure I understand the process... Is this correct?

Parts for this guitar are starting to arrive so I pulled it out of the case today. Fortunately, the bubble prints have mostly gone away since I last looked. The hazy rub marks from newspaper or bad cleaner are still apparent. The finish also feels a bit soft compared to my 330. Not sure if that's a major concern...

If all goes well, this guitar will be playable again next week! :D
thevince
New member
Posts: 37
Joined: Sat May 03, 2014 10:27 am

Re: Reassembling a 310C64

Post by thevince »

I haven't been able to find a good jack plate. Any recommendations on something that will fit without modification?
User avatar
collin
Senior Member
Posts: 6949
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 6:28 pm

Re: Reassembling a 310C64

Post by collin »

thevince wrote:I haven't been able to find a good jack plate. Any recommendations on something that will fit without modification?

$3 from Allparts.

It's a drop-in replacement. Same screw locations.

https://www.allparts.com/collections/ja ... 9794591801
thevince
New member
Posts: 37
Joined: Sat May 03, 2014 10:27 am

Re: Reassembling a 310C64

Post by thevince »

Thanks, Collin. That jackplate worked out well.

I now have the accent vibrato installed and strings on. There's a click sound about half the time I press down on the vibrato (sounds like fingernails tapping on glass). Still trying to determine what's causing this.
User avatar
scoobster28
Veteran RRF member
Posts: 696
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2001 1:16 pm

Re: Reassembling a 310C64

Post by scoobster28 »

I had no idea there even was a 310c64 until I saw this thread. Neat guitar.
thevince
New member
Posts: 37
Joined: Sat May 03, 2014 10:27 am

Re: Reassembling a 310C64

Post by thevince »

The guitar is assembled and playable! The Zymol really brought shine to the Jetglo. This is my first Rick with toasters and they sound amazing.

A few things I'm trying to figure out...
1) The B string has a ping sound to it. I've tried to adjust the bridge saddle notch, this doesn't make any difference. Is there anything else that could be causing the ping sound? I've changed strings, so it's not just a bad string.

2) I put an Accent Vibrato on this guitar (instead of the original R tailpiece). Unfortunately, the 2 rubber pads have damaged the finish (marks and chips). Maybe I didn't mount it at the best angle. Is there anything I can do to keep this from getting worse? The marks are luckily hidden by the vibrato, but it would definitely be visible if I ever put an R tailpiece back on. Sometimes I use the vibrato and hear a click sound. I'm concerned this might be the sound of finish chipping.

3) Any tips to improve tuning stability? I'm using 12 gauge flatwound strings.

Thanks for all the info so far. It helped get this guitar playable again and looking nice!
thevince
New member
Posts: 37
Joined: Sat May 03, 2014 10:27 am

Re: Reassembling a 310C64

Post by thevince »

I'm really stuck on resolving the B string "ping" sound. I've tried smoothing out the saddle and also cutting a new saddle. Still has the ping.

To troubleshoot, I temporarily put a small piece of paper between the saddle and the string. It reduced the ping significantly. I tried a heavier guage string to see if it fit better. No luck.

Any recommendations on how to solve the ping?
Post Reply

Return to “"Vibrola" Rickenbacker Technical Forum: By Paul Wilczynski”