480/481 Headstocks

gellkeller · Post by **gellkeller** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 8:23 pm

Does anyone know if there was ever a change in the general look of a 480/481 headstock.

I have recently acquired a 480 and the head stock looks very different to my 481. My 480 is a 1973 model and my 481 is a 1974 model.

Just curious.

melibreits · Post by **melibreits** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 6:21 am

Can you post a picture of the two headstocks side by side? I'm curious....

Here's my 481's headstock--it's a 1975, refinned last spring by Paul W.

dswp · Post by **dswp** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 7:25 am

For a sample, here is a 4080 and a 480 headstock. I have never noticed a difference in the three types (480,481,4080).

jcreasy · Post by **jcreasy** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 8:44 am

For what it's worth, the one on my 480 looks just like that.

tennis_nick · Post by **tennis_nick** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 9:16 am

huh, looking at the 3, they all have different TRC shapes

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 9:24 am

..due to need for clearance around the ferrules. Melissa's is a slant-fret, which uses a trimmed standard TRC. This positions the point closer to the center of the headstock//The FG one seems to have had its point trimmed to clear ferrules, too.

dswp · Post by **dswp** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 9:51 am

HHHHHM

I do not think that the TRC for my White 4080 is original. Here is a black plexi for the same year with a shorter TRC. Who knows.

gellkeller · Post by **gellkeller** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 1:09 pm

Thanks everyone.

I was really suspicious that the 480 I purchased was a copy. It has ALL the Rick bits you'd expect (TRC, R tailpiece, jack plate, pickups etc)

The tuners on it are Schaller Vintage. Are these original Rickenbacker issue?

The thing about it is that the neck is really thin. A lot thinner than my 481. I took off the pickguard and the way the neck is fixed looks very similar to my 481. The internal routing is a bit different but I suspect that is to accommodate the Rickenbacker humbucker.

I checked the pots and they say they come from Mexico. Is that also expected?

I'll post some pics tonight when I get home.

dswp · Post by **dswp** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:06 pm

"I checked the pots and they say they come from Mexico. Is that also expected?"

Yes..

Also Brett, if it has two truss rods, chances are that it is a real Ric.

gellkeller · Post by **gellkeller** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:15 pm

Yeah, definitely two truss rods.

It's just that these things are SOOOO rare in Australia. I usually like to suss things out before I make a purchase. I gotta do something about these impulse purchases!

Once again, the assistance from this forum is very much appreciated. The collective knowledge, experience and skills demonstrated by this site sure puts a Rickenbacker noob like myself at ease when my over-suspicious brain kicks in.

jumpindave · Post by **jumpindave** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 5:58 pm

I think it's pretty cool that these headstocks are miniature Cresting Waves.

melibreits · Post by **melibreits** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 7:32 pm

It's because these guitars look like miniature basses:

gellkeller · Post by **gellkeller** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 12:53 am

Here are the pictures as promised.

As you can see from the pictures, the 480 headstock has a less pronounced point on the right hand side, it almost looks squarer. The head stock is also less thick than the 481.

http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u31/gellkeller/P1010217.jpg
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u31/gellkeller/P1010216.jpg
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u31/gellkeller/P1010215.jpg
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u31/gellkeller/P1010214.jpg
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u31/gellkeller/P1010213.jpg

admin · Post by **admin** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:26 am

Thanks for this analysis Brett.

jwilli · Post by **jwilli** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 8:37 am

Maybe Dale could shed some light on the subject....