RIC 420

[nandom]

Hello fellow Ricken's! :_))

Does anybody here own a 420?
If so, please let me know ....just would like to ezchange info, since I just bought the guitar and know little about them...I would post a picture of the guitar but ...dunno how! sorry....
THANKZZZZ!

[doctorwho]

Welcome! There are 5 model 420s in the register that aren't "collected items", so you should get a good response to your inquiry.

Posting pictures isn't too difficult, but the pictures must be less than 1200 pixels on the longest side and under about 330 kb in size (usually, JPEG format). This means you will probably need to resize the picture using a picture-editing program. Once you have the pictures resized, you just click on "Post Reply" in the thread, then in the Post Reply window, click on the "Options Upload Attachment" link below the text window, click "Browse" and browse to the picture file on your computer, click on it, then click "Add the file" button. You can then add a "File comment" and/or place the picture inline (meaning, in the body of the text). I did this for the example of my 450v63 JG:

It will also help if we know the date code of the 420. The date code should be stamped on the tailpiece, two alphanumeric characters on one side and three or four numbers on the other side. The alphanumeric characters are the date code which can be deciphered at the Rickenbacker corporate site or by using Mike Parks' Rickenbacker Page information web page:

http://www.the-music-connection.com/ricinfo.htm#ser

We look forward to helping you to find out about your 420.

[nandom]

Hello Gary... Thank you so much for your help.
so, using your reference link to Mike Parks Web page, and according to the numbers on my 420 bridge, the guitar was made in May of 1973 (ME 1846)...Thanks!
One other question... if I may...I am sure that there is something wrong with the electronics. The 3 way switch is not "coordinated".. according with what I have been reading, and believe me it's hard to find any info on these guitars... but anyway, on my guitar the 3 way switch in the upper position completely mutes the guitar (?) on the middle and lower I don't hear any difference whatsoever in the tone.... I wonder where can I find the wiring diagram...(I already got the one from Rickenbacker...But that it's a schematic and I can't really read it... there was a member on the other forum that said that was gonna take a picture of his guitar but he never did.... so I wonder if you know how can I get a "readable" wiring diagram.... like Fender has...
Also, my guitar came in Mapleglo(as you can see by the picture, but I am thinking of painting it Jetglo...I play in a Beatles Tribute Band and I want the guitar to look like George's....I know what you're thinking....but, I am not selling the guitar so the value it's all mine
Thanks again for your great help!!

1973 RIC 420

[doctorwho]

... One other question... if I may...I am sure that there is something wrong with the electronics. The 3 way switch is not "coordinated".. according with what I have been reading, and believe me it's hard to find any info on these guitars... but anyway, on my guitar the 3 way switch in the upper position completely mutes the guitar (?) on the middle and lower I don't hear any difference whatsoever in the tone.... I wonder where can I find the wiring diagram...(I already got the one from Rickenbacker...But that it's a schematic and I can't really read it... there was a member on the other forum that said that was gonna take a picture of his guitar but he never did.... so I wonder if you know how can I get a "readable" wiring diagram.... like Fender has ...

I will see if I can take a picture of the wiring on my Ryder 1000 (should be the same as the 420 - if I am wrong about this, somebody correct me, please!). IIRC, the three-way switch is actually a tone circuit, so it may be that yours has a bad capacitor in it.

With the color thing - it's you guitar, and, like George, if you want it black, then paint it black! (hmmm ... shouldn't that have been Brian Jones? )

[blaine63]

@Doctorwho: Did you ever take pictures of your wiring? I'd be interested in seeing what it looks like. I've been scanning the schematics but it's to "see" what they do without a birdseye view of the actual workings.

[jdogric12]

[doctorwho]

@Doctorwho: Did you ever take pictures of your wiring? I'd be interested in seeing what it looks like. I've been scanning the schematics but it's to "see" what they do without a birdseye view of the actual workings.

I've not had the time to take the pickguard off and take pictures, sorry ...