'New' Guitar: 1980 Rickenbacker 480

[mrsparkle]

I posted this in my thread about the pickguard but i've run into a bit of a problem recently. I pulled it completely out from the body today and removed all the electronics for the first time, it's in a fair bit worse shape than I origionaly thought. There's two pretty bad cracks on the underside from where the neck pickup was mounted, one is short and the other is pretty long and visible from both sides. The plastic is also pretty badly warped and brittle from 30 years of abuse. I joked in the other thread that it seems the pickguard took the abuse for the whole guitar, hah. It's in pretty bad shape while everything else is near pristine.

I'm not sure what to do about it at this point. I'm hoping to call Rickenbacker when they're open again on Monday to find out if I can send it in and have it replaced. I know they keep stock of vintage-style truss covers and will replace them if you send it in so it's worth a shot. I really, REALLY don't want to have one made by a 3rd party company.

Young man, it's time to start learning the joyous rewards of DIY. Guitar collecting, restoration and scratch-building can be a noble hobby. It can also be expensive, but the more you learn to do yourself, the less-expensive and more noble it becomes (IMHO). White Plexiglas isn't hard to find (sign shops typically have it as do glass suppliers), and it takes minimal special tools to create an exact duplicate of your less-than-perfect pickguard. Instead of paying someone else to do it for you, buy any special tools you'll need for the job (which you'll then have next time you need them), get some plastic, and make a few pickguards. Will you screw a few up - absolutely. Will you learn some valuable tricks-of-the-trade while doing so - without a doubt. Over time, you'll have acquired not only an awesome set of tools (couldn't resist the "Fast Times" reference), but quite a variety of skills that will make you less-dependent on others when your precious babies need attention. I'll go check out your other thread and perhaps I'll have more to add.

[IHeartRics]

I'm a little late to the thread, but just wanted to say welcome aboard to another 480 owner and "Nice 480". This model, regardless of bolt on neck, looking like a 4000 series bass, fairly flat radius, etc. is still my favorite.

As for pickguards, Pickguardian makes them for the 480.

[mrsparkle]

As for pickguards, Pickguardian makes them for the 480.

I don't think Pickguardian makes anything for the 480 or 481. The guitars are listed on their website, but there's no link to a stock guard. Of course, I'm sure for a price they could be persuaded, but it doesn't seem our favorite guitars are in Pickguardian's normal inventory.

[IHeartRics]

As for pickguards, Pickguardian makes them for the 480.

I don't think Pickguardian makes anything for the 480 or 481. The guitars are listed on their website, but there's no link to a stock guard. Of course, I'm sure for a price they could be persuaded, but it doesn't seem our favorite guitars are in Pickguardian's normal inventory.

They definitely make them as they made me one within the last year. But you are correct that they don't show a stock guard and it's not in any inventory. My understanding is it's because there was some variation over the years. This is the second time I've heard this as I had one made for my other 480 many years ago by a RRForumite. Therefore, if you need a replacement, they would prefer you make a tracing of it. If you can't, I assume they would use the most popular or used tracing they have (???).

[mrsparkle]

That makes sense. I told "spike" in a private e-mail a few weeks ago that I would gladly make one for him, as I'm in the process of making one for myself. Fortunately, I anticipated the variations you mention and advised he make a tracing before I cut any holes.

Rick guards are fairly easy to make, actually. Just make a template out of hardboard (Masonite), cut out the rough shape in plexi with a sabre saw (10 tpi blade), then use a template bit on a trim router to finish it off (or a full-size router, but the trimmers are easier to handle on small work). Obviously, I've left a lot of detail out of this for brevity's sake, but that's the basic process. Oh yeah, perhaps the most important part is drilling the holes for the pots and switch. The secret there is a "step" drill bit. Anything else will crack the plexi. You can spend a fortune and get special plexi bits, but I have found that having one or two small plexi bits for screw holes and "starters" for the bigger holes works just fine.

Let me know if you need any more 480 guards, as I will soon be an expert with them.

[Grey]

Hey, are you talking about me? I don't think I ever got your message about making a tracing of it.

There's two things I would note about the guard, one is that it has beveled edges around the outer corners which are slightly rounded, but is flat on the inner edge on the side facing the bridge and tail piece. The other is that the early '72 and '73 480's had 8 mounting screws in the pickguard, and the later models had 7.

It's also a very tight fit in between the neck and bridge pickup, so much so that my stock guard dosen't even fit perfectly, and 30 years has caused the plastic to bend around the neck from the pressure of being too confined in that space.

Here's a quick comparison of the two types. You can even see how the earlier model has more clearance between the base of the guard and the bridge pickup, where as mine is pressing into the foam pad. (Mine dosen't look it in the picture but it's pretty badly beaten up, and is cracked in two places where the neck pickup mounts. It's badly scratched up and is much more visible in person. It dosen't sit flat either, from the aforementioned warping)

[IHeartRics]

... one is that it has beveled edges around the outer corners which are slightly rounded, but is flat on the inner edge on the side facing the bridge and tail piece.

I believe that can be carefully sanded, shaped, and polished by hand.