Corrent Pickguard for Combo 400 Series?

jsm610 · Post by **jsm610** » Sun Aug 07, 2005 6:22 pm

Help!

What would be the correct pickguard for a '59 combo 400 series? The guitar is a cresting wave type, not a tulip and it has the metal TRC that is 'square', not the one that is the shape of a 360 soundhole. It is a one-pickup model.

Is there any chance it would have originally had a plastic pickguard? Or did these only have the metal ones?

Thanks in advance!

rick_ovic · Post by **rick_ovic** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 1:24 am

John,

I can help out with your question. The original pickguard for the 1959 Model 425 is a bakelite type white plastic. From my own research, the majority of these models had the plastic guard.

At the same time the two pickup Model 450 had the anodized metal pickguard.

Here's a couple of photos showing the differences...the first shot is my 1959 Model 425 and the second shows a 1960 Model 450.

rick_ovic · Post by **rick_ovic** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 1:37 am

John,

A couple of things I forgot to mention. Firstly, both of the guitars above have the pressed metal TRC.

Secondly, my Model 425 forms part of your wonderful Rickenbacker price guide. It was included as one of the two samples you used to indicate 2005 sales. Fortunately mine was the lower priced guitar!

I've been meaning for some time to acknowledge your efforts in preparing the survey and making it available to us all. So please, stand up and take a bow on a job well done!

rick_ovic · Post by **rick_ovic** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 2:19 am

John,

The penny has just dropped. You're the lucky new owner of the 1959 Model 425 listed on eBay earlier today. Nice guitar and nice price - well done!

Does this mean I overpaid by $7.00 for mine? (insert smiley face here if I knew how to)

jsm610 · Post by **jsm610** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 3:58 am

Hi Darren,

Thanks for the pictures and feedback...

All of these '59 425's that I can find picture of look different, with the jack and pickup in different positions... And some have 3 dots at the 12th fret vs. 2. I noticed your's has strap-pegs - did you add them or are they original? Would you happen to have a picture of the back?

nick_st_hilaire · Post by **nick_st_hilaire** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 8:59 am

Hey John, here's an old tulip shaped two pick-up model I found earlier today on E-Bay by misspelling Rickenbacker. Price looks reasonable so far.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1957-Richenbacker-Combo-450-Tulip-Shape-Original-Case_W0QQitemZ7342218040QQcategoryZ41439QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Nick

rick_ovic · Post by **rick_ovic** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 10:44 am

John,

The strap pegs are original as far as I can tell. Here's a photo of the back of the guitar:-

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 10:54 am

That back is in extremely good nick, Darren!!

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 12:01 pm

John, some of the early 425s had knobs that were placed slightly forward of the 60's location, and some of these real early examples had 3 dots at the 12th fret, ala the Combo 850....I'm thinking these early guitars were late 1958-early 1959 production.

jsm610 · Post by **jsm610** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 4:08 pm

Other questions:
Why do these have those two dots that look like plugs on the back? At one time I thought they were the screwholes that would hold the 'wierd felt' on the back?

Why would they make the guitars with strap-pegs and also that saxaphone thing? Does anyone know a source for the strap that will connect to that washer-thing? And the last strap question: are you supposed to put that kind of strap over your head, or just over your arm? Does anyone have a picture of someone with these guitars & a strap from back in the day?

Lastly, Craig's 425 has the 3 dots, but that one I just bought has 2 and an earlier serial number.... I guess that is what makes this fun!

jwilli · Post by **jwilli** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 4:49 pm

John, the "weird felt" was actually "flocking". I believe that it was sprayed on to protect the back.
Later 425s had the strap-pegs but the there was no screw in the saxaphone metal ring. I beleive that Rickenbacker made a large number of these guitars at a earlier time and made running changes thru the years. Something that they don't do today.

jsm610 · Post by **jsm610** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 6:07 pm

Sprayed on? Wow. I want to spray that fuzzy stuff everywhere...

More on the sax thing: I thought you justed hooked that strap to the 'washer' and called it a day. It certainly won't fall off... What kind of screw would be in there? And why is it in there on some and not on others? Was the 'original' strap made by Grover?

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 6:31 pm

There was an ankh-shaped piece of bent wire to which a strap would clip, which hooked into the holey bracket. The strap in turn went around your neck and the guitar would balance without getting in the way of either arm, theoretically. The fuzzy stuff was to keep the guitar from slipping around on your body when hung from the pivot strap. It was sprayed onto some pickguard material which was in turn attached to the guitar's back with screws.

When the pivot strap disappeared, so did the flocking.

jsm610 · Post by **jsm610** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 6:43 pm

Hmm. No ankh-shaped thing, no holes where one would have screwed in, fuzzy stuff not sprayed on a pickguard...

Does anyone have a picture of the ankh-thing?

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 4:53 am

John: The little Rickenbacker Tenor Guitar that I've got has 3 dot markers at the 12th fret too, and it was made in early 1961.....I'm thinking it is the latest Rickenbacker instrument I've seen with that feature.