To my mind it isthe quintessential Ric model; it's instantly identifiable in the form of the 360/12 C63. The WB was just a 24 fret evolution of the original model that the C63 was based on. It was screened onto the Rickenbacker polish cloth for years (I have a couple of these still in their plastic packaging). The binding accents the body shape in a way that makes the plainer 330 seem, well...too plain. The triangle inlays similarly accent the fretboard, giving it much more character than plain dot inlays, not no mention much better visibility for reference on a darkened stage when playing live. It's just a better looking guitar, whichter it's a 21 fret V64/OS style (lacking IMHO due to the lack of soundhole binding-the soundhole looks much more striking when bound), or in the 24 fret WB model.stringsncords wrote: I know that the cost to convert a 330 to a 360WB is over $1,000 - don't you think that RIC could add binding during the production process and justify the cost increase for a guitar like this? To me, it would be the quintessential Ric model.
That being said, it's not that RIC can't add binding to the production process, it's just that there would be that many more guitar bodies would have to have the bodies routed on both sides for binding, have the binding applied, scraped after finishing, et cetera. Similarly, the necks would have to be routed for neck binding. All of those things snowball with respect to adding to time it takes to produce a guitar. Given RIC's backlog, and the fact that they appear to be at peak production capacity with the models they are currently building, a WB model is not going to happen for awhile, if it ever does. I think it might, since a lot of folks would like one, and given the number of WB conversions that luthiers do, but if it does, it's not going to happen for a long time, and there aren't any current plans to build the model.
Meanwhile, if you want a "new" one, you'll have to buy a new 330 and have it converted. If you want a true 360 WB with ROS, you'd have to buy the wiring loop, and either find a dual jackplate somewhere, or use something else-two single plates or a combination of a 330 plate and a recessed jack. I like these: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics ... Mount.html
Two of these would be used, or one in combination with a 330 jack plate. I rather like them, as they are completely recessed, yet I believe that one can still use an angle jack with them, IIRC. One could also fabricate a functional dual jack plate, I'm sure.
