Confused new Rick fan...is this a 370, a 340 or a hybrid?

[sparkledusted]

Hello.

I have come across this guitar, I really like it, but it confuses me.
To me (and I am pretty new to Rickenbackers) it looks like an unbound 340 body with a bound triangle marker 360/370 neck.
Am told this is an original finish 370 from the mid 1980s, perhaps 1985, by the owner.

Any and all help appreciated.

Thanks.
Michael

[chronictown]

Hi Michael - Are you sure that the body and soundhole don't have binding? I'm having a hard time telling from the pictures (my monitor's cheap!). I'd guess that this is a 370/6WB MG, but if there is no body/soundhole binding then it's definitely an unusual guitar.

And BTW, welcome to the Forum

[sparkledusted]

Hi. Thanks for the quick reply and the Welcome. Appreciated.

I have not seen this guitar in person yet, working off of pictures...and really hope you are right!

Made a mistake loading the previous small shots--here are large res versions. I can not say I see a binding all around, but looks like some in places. Anybody out there with better eyes or more info???

Thanks for looking--
All the best.
Michael

[carr]

Looks like 340 to me .


My 370 is like 360 with 3 pups.

[xcoyle]

Looks like a 370 without binding. Has the dual input jacks and Grovers. Nicely strange!

I would value it less than an 80's 360 WB, but more than a 330, maybe $1500, if that helps at all.

[robbo63]

Looks like a really yellowed white finish. A white 360 OS or V64 with a 3rd pickup added? Did they make 370s in the old body style in the 1980's? Ask the seller for the serial number, and plug that into the RIC site.

[Scastles]

Looks like a really yellowed white finish. A white 360 OS or V64 with a 3rd pickup added? Did they make 370s in the old body style in the 1980's? Ask the seller for the serial number, and plug that into the RIC site.

RIC took custom orders for 360/370 OS's in the mid '80's.

[jwilli]

Thats a White 370. Binding was most likely painted over at the factory but not scraped. Jumpin' Dave has one of these too, I believe. When they were first made, the White finish was so White, you couldn't see the binding anyway so.....

[jwilli]

Here's Jumpin Dave's...
BTW, this info was given by John Hall years ago. If you check the binding area closely, you will see the outline of the binding.

[xcoyle]

The white on white would have looked very cool after 24 years. Too bad Ric did not take the extra step, but still nicely strange.

[paologregorio]

Yep a white 370 WB. I've read that in some cases with the white finish that the body binding was not even applied, but I'm not sure about that; it makes far more sense that the body binding was just never scraped as John's pointed out. Judging from the Grovers, it's probably an `83 model, although the headstock shape itself suggests a later date. Not sure. I've seen models from `82 that had the smaller peghead and Klusons, while my oldest WB is an `84 with the larger Schallers. A friend of mine had an `83 WB with Grovers like this one, so that's when I'd date it, though again the headstock shape could suggest a later date. If you can, get the serial number and use it to date the guitar at the RIC website. Pretty cool guitar! Thanks for posting!

[doctorwho]

White binding on white is really nice, e.g. on the 4003 in the foreground:

1998 4003 WHT WT and 1975 4001S WHT WT

[sparkledusted]

Wow! Thanks for all the replies and help--I currently live in Japan so I posted before bed last night and while I guess I was dreaming of sushi and schoolgirls (in no particular order) you guys left some great helpful comments...and the photos really appreciated. Seems to be a quality group here.

I will try and run the serial number as suggested, good idea.

Have played mainly Strats, but recently fell in love with the neck, feel and smooth action of a few Ricks I tried in stores, as well as the top notch build quality, so I am trying to find one I like and can afford.

Re: color. Sounds like a white finish aging to cream is not so favored among Rickenbacker players, whereas the Olympic White Strat that has mellowed to butter color is primo. True? Because I really like that this one has yellowed.

Thanks also for the pricing info. See a wide range of prices on eBay completed auctions.

Thanks again for all the quick help.
Best,
Michael

[robbo63]

Re: color. Sounds like a white finish aging to cream is not so favored among Rickenbacker players, whereas the Olympic White Strat that has mellowed to butter color is primo. True? Because I really like that this one has yellowed.

I really like it, and I'm a Rickenbacker player, so that's my 2 cents. If I were in your shoes, I'd buy it.

[xcoyle]

I think most of us love the white from the 70's and early 80's, which yours is. What seems less desirable (but is changing over time) is the black hardware Rics of the late 80's to early 90's. Many of these were done in white, so these white with the black hardware guitars don't seem to fetch as much. With that said, I just bought a minty 620/12 with black hardware, so I like them.

The one you are looking at is very nice, I think it's worth a premium, to other 330s, 360s in standard colors.