Headstock

tntele · Post by **tntele** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 9:35 am

When did Rickenbacker start using the large headstock on the 330's and 360's? I love the old small headstock and would like to get a answer? Early 1970's?

jwilli · Post by **jwilli** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 9:48 am

Around '84 or so, I believe.

randyz · Post by **randyz** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 10:22 am

I've asked the same question and never gotten a firm answer. As far as I know, Rickenbacker started enlarging the headstocks when they started going to tuners other than Klusons in the early 1980's. My '79 360 has Grovers and a smaller headstock. My '80 320 came with Klusons and a small headstock. It's also interesting to note that headstock sizes aren't always consistant. I've got an '89 1997VB and a '91 1997 with small headstocks and a '99 1997 with a somewhat larger headstock. Some of the V-series 325's from the late 1980's had huge headstocks. Later when the Lennon model came out, the V-series headstocks once again went back to the proper small size. Like you, I greatly prefer the small headstocks (and the nice black tolex cases too).

chefothefuture · Post by **chefothefuture** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 6:53 am

The large peghead appeared as early as '70.
This was a Bound peghead on a 360.
A '71 is currently for sale on gbase.

longhouse · Post by **longhouse** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 9:01 am

You guys don't like the Gumby pegheads?

They're both acceptable. Seems the pegheads on my two V-series Rics (1997SPC/VB and 360V64) aren't quite as thin as some originals I've seen, but nowhere near as big as the new ones -to my eyes, they look better than either

.

beatcomber · Post by **beatcomber** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:46 am

My March '84 330 has the small headstock and Grovers. A friend's '86 330 has the wide headstock and Schallers.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:53 am

I have the unfortunate combi on my '82 360WB, of a wide peghead and Grovers...

randyz · Post by **randyz** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 12:29 pm

Paul: My '79 360 MG is very similar, but I don't think the Grovers are mounted as deep as yours. I think there is more finger room between the tuner button and the side of the headstock. The bushing washers are quite close to the TRC in several locations, but never touch it.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 12:32 pm

The TRC is actually notched on my guitar to fit around the low "E" washer. Looks like it was done with a rat-tail file, as the fit isn't too great...

randyz · Post by **randyz** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 1:53 pm

Alas, it appears that my guitar is exactly like yours. I've never noticed any problems operating the tuners, but it looks like a very similar headstock.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 2:35 pm

Looks the same. My tuners are so close to my headstock that the paint is chipped and worn where fingernails contact the edges of the headstock.

When I refin this one, I will change the headstock somewhat, thinning it and moving the tuner holes slightly outboard. One-eighth of an inch in both cases makes a world of difference:

And the Grovers will go, too.

oreca · Post by **oreca** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 7:33 am

I've got the same thing on my '79 370. It's actually my favorite headstock shape.

Gotta love the wings too...

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 11:49 am

Just be careful where the mounting screw holes go when you move keys or change type. Even with a pilot hole, a screw on a lamination line will not lead to happy circumstances. That's why you need to plan out all holes in advance to find an overall scheme that doesn't cause this to happen.

xcoyle · Post by **xcoyle** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 2:24 pm

In my opinion, the large headstock started in 1983 as a general rule. There was a transition period for each model and all kinds of tuners were tried during this time. So you may find a 320 from 1984 with a small headstock.

But in the mid 1970s (1973 I believe was the first year) some models switched from Kluson to Grover tuners (made just for Rickenbacker, tough to find). The Grovers were on the deluxe six string models: 360/370, 481, 4080, maybe the 620, but I have never seen one and the 1975 catalog shows Klusons. The 360/370 headstocks were made bigger to fit the Grovers. They are not as big as the current headstocks. I have a few of these, I really like the way they look. Since the larger headstock of the 1970s was only on the 360/370 models, it seems more of an anomaly than a true transition.

BG & JG are 1973, FG is a 1974. The BG tuners were replaced with modern Schallers, and they do not fit right and rub the wood.