Tempted by a 320

[analogpackrat]

Last evening I met a friend at a local shop to check out some Rickenbackers. He is a Rick virgin and I'm trying to set him up with a nice girl. He's looking at 330s for the price/performance ratio and the shop has several in stock. In fact they have about a dozen which is more than I've seen there in about 10 years. 330s, 360s, many 12-stringers and a 320C58.

The first thing that grabbed my attention was a 1978 MG 4001 in very good condition. Nice bass. ~$1400. Very tempting. Then another fellow walks in and asks about 620s. The manager says they have some on order but they aren't due in for about a year. He then says he has a used 320 that he just got in and hasn't even displayed yet. ****, I thought to myself. This guy is going to play it and buy it before I get a chance!

He didn't like the short scale, so I gave it a go. JetGlo, modern date code I5xxxx which I think is 1992. Big headstock. Has replacement gold guards and TRC (original white guard is in the case). Brand new condition--not a scratch on it. I played it through a late 50s tweed Harvard. Nice guitar--hard to get used to the scale, but I think I could learn to like it. Meaty tone compared to my 375--less airy, more oomph. Probably partly due to the high gains. Only problem was the nut. The guitar has what look to be Chromes on it and they kept binding in the nut. Looking closely the nut is deeply cut and a couple of strings were not seated at the bottom of their slots. Easy to fix (or have fixed).

While I was noodling the manager looked it up in the book and called to owner to decide on a price. I had to keep my poker face on when he came back with $1200. Is this as good a deal as I think it is? I had a hard time walking away without it, but he offered to hold it for me until today. No brainer?

A P

[sloop_john_b]

Excellent deal!

[jimk]

If JB says it's good, it must be good. Do it. You know you want to.
JimK

[beatlefreak]

I agree - That's a good deal.

[kiramdear]

Did someone mention a jetglo 320? I'd give my seal to that deal. My '82 is a little monster.

http://www.rickresource.com/register/vi ... ine%3Dtrue

Don't let the size fool you. If you can hang with the scale she can do it all. And $1200 is a good price. Real fair and average from what I have noticed lately.

[jingle_jangle]

Terrific deal. Remind me not to remind you about the craigslist '81 MG/BT 320 I got for $650.00 or so, only three years ago...

[analogpackrat]

<James Kirk mode ON>Must....resist....temptation....NOOOOOOOOOO!<JK OFF>

You guys are killing me! I have a severe fear of future regret on this one. Read my "The ones that got away" thread in the General forum to see why...

I'll be heading home in a couple of hours. I guess I'll have to stop at the store and make my decision.

Paul--that's a great deal. I got my JG '00 650C a few years back for $625--very little wear on it. A few months later another JG 650C came in to the same shop at
$850 and sold quickly. Now I see them for more like $1k.

A P

[kiramdear]

Wow, last time I noticed $1200 was the going rate but you guys seem to be indicating that prices have climbed.

[octagon]

You should get it and start a new thread about "The One That Didn't Get away!"

3/4 Rickenbacker semi-hollows are the Holy Grail of every Beatle Fan that ever was and ever will be born.

Here is the 1983 320 that I "let get away"...sniff...Grover tuners!...sniff

[analogpackrat]

Wow, Mitch--sorry for your loss. Beautiful guitar. Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all...

As for my own temptation issue...problem solved!







I rushed her home and had my way with her for an hour before my wife came home Who would have thought that such a cute little thing could be so nasty?! I played it through my SF Deluxe Reverb (blackfaced and slightly modded) and my modded Champ-12. Wow! Totally different sound than my other guitars. Snarl! Grind! I also tried my DIY Omega boost pedal (http://www.runoffgroove.com)--really nice bite, not very polite.

I switched over to my 375 to compare...totally different. At first it felt like I was playing bass with all the extra neck! Funny feeling. Switched back for another round with the small one. I don't smoke and I wanted a cigarette afterwards Thanks, fellow addicts, for helping me make the right decision.

A P

[kiramdear]

I knew you'd do the right thing. Welcome to the Borg! You have been assimilated.

[beatlefreak]

Great looking 320, Doug!

[jimk]

Good on ya, man. I was pullin' for ya.
JimK

[analogpackrat]

I think it was my destiny. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

I still remember discovering The Beatles on my own when I was maybe 10 or 11. I was at my Grandparents house and found some of my Uncle's 45s in the attic (he's a lifelong musician). One was Hey Jude/Revolution. I played Hey Jude over and over again and then flipped it over and my hair stood on end. Rock and Roll, baby! Then in the 80's my younger brother turned me on to REM and it was all over. That's when I found out what Rickenbackers were and started lusting. 25 years later...and I've still only got four!

[octagon]

I think it was my destiny. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

I still remember discovering The Beatles on my own when I was maybe 10 or 11. I was at my Grandparents house and found some of my Uncle's 45s in the attic (he's a lifelong musician). One was Hey Jude/Revolution. I played Hey Jude over and over again and then flipped it over and my hair stood on end. Rock and Roll, baby! Then in the 80's my younger brother turned me on to REM and it was all over. That's when I found out what Rickenbackers were and started lusting. 25 years later...and I've still only got four!

That's great news man!Awesome 320.I love you story about finding your uncles 45's.Did you know that when the Hey Jude/Revolution 45 first came out alot of people who bought it took it back to the store saying it was defective.The music on the B/side was all distorted,they said.