Photographs of the 480 Series

[bieke]

my 480 plays like butter

[Grey]

Nice JG!

[electrofaro]

my 480 plays like butter

Nice 480, Kris... what's the code? Reminds me of my former 480...

[cjj]

Man, I just picked up a stick of butter and tried to play it... what a mess!


Yes, nice 480 Kris!



I've just gotta get me one of those some day. Maybe then I'll actually learn to play guitar...

[Grey]

I've just gotta get me one of those some day. Maybe then I'll actually learn to play guitar...

http://cgi.ebay.com/1982-Rickenbacker-4 ... 5641802f0b

[IHeartRics]

No, the first link doesn't mention being refinished anywhere. The one pic of it looks like its a fireglo, and Paul W. said it was a genuine set neck 480. It's from 1972. I guess this may be the only one with a set neck from the factory.

There are known 72' BurgundyGlo models floating around with bolt-on's. It's possible but I still seriously doubt it. I'd be curious to know how Paul is certain its legit, too.

Even the un-slanted 481 prototype was bolt-on.

I don't recall why I thought it was original, and can't find the pics on my hard drive, either. Both my own 480 and 481 are bolt-necks.

BTW, did anyone track that dog of a JG 480 that ended over the weekend on eBay? It started out slow and hung in at <$500 for nearly a week with 10 bidders. I had about $750.00 sitting on it (my estimate of its true worth), and in the last 2 seconds it shot up to close at $921.00!

This was a '75 that had been heavily-used by its original owner, who was offering it up for sale. It had been fitted with humbuckers at some point long ago, and literally needed everything gone through. The neck pocket had cracks on both sides, and the seller made no bones about it being a rubberneck as a result. The headstock had soaked in water, and the finish had been peeling off in that area, and had been touched up.

WAAAAY overvalued IMO. A fluke, or are values on the rebound? I think the former.

Back in '04-'05, 480s were selling in the $700-800 range in VGC. Then came Serge and Kasabian and hoopla...

Serge has great taste in Ricks!

I recall a set neck 480 on ebay in the past but the seller did state it was not original and done by a luthier (refinished too).

As for that JG 480, I was watching that too and surprised by the last minute jump. I wouldn't be surprised if you see it all cleaned up and posted on ebay by Olivia's Vintage with an additional $500 tacked on to the price tag.

[Grey]

I recall a set neck 480 on ebay in the past but the seller did state it was not original and done by a luthier (refinished too).

I'd be curious about how well a 480 modified into a set-neck would work. I read a post sometime ago from a guy who worked at Rickenbacker, in which he said that they actually glued many 480/481 necks in place, but the plate was needed to provide support because of how thin the body is. When I was talking to Paul about replacing the neck plate with ferrules, he also said that the body didn't have enough meat to support the neck and that the plate was integral.

[egosheep]

I recall a set neck 480 on ebay in the past but the seller did state it was not original and done by a luthier (refinished too).

I'd be curious about how well a 480 modified into a set-neck would work. I read a post sometime ago from a guy who worked at Rickenbacker, in which he said that they actually glued many 480/481 necks in place, but the plate was needed to provide support because of how thin the body is. When I was talking to Paul about replacing the neck plate with ferrules, he also said that the body didn't have enough meat to support the neck and that the plate was integral.

I would buy a beater 480, preferably one with a broken neck. Cut the the middle of the body out to create "wings" and have a new neck made, a neck through with walnut stripe. If I were doing this, I would go all out and have a Combo style bridge placed along the end of the body for a 30" scale baritone... with horseshoe. But either way it would be cool, and I believe it's totally kosher to restore/modify a Ric in the way you see fit. Not cheap, though.

[bieke]

my 480 plays like butter

Nice 480, Kris... what's the code? Reminds me of my former 480...

it's OA 251
dates back to January 1975
odd thing is it has a TRC of a 4001

[Grey]

I would buy a beater 480, preferably one with a broken neck. Cut the the middle of the body out to create "wings" and have a new neck made, a neck through with walnut stripe. If I were doing this, I would go all out and have a Combo style bridge placed along the end of the body for a 30" scale baritone... with horseshoe. But either way it would be cool, and I believe it's totally kosher to restore/modify a Ric in the way you see fit. Not cheap, though.

Oh sure, a neck-thru conversion would be awesome. I'm just not sure how these so-called set-necks could possibly work with such a thin body. Although I guess it has been done before with other guitars, like the slim-line Les Pauls made in the 70's that have almost the same profile thickness as the 480.

[egosheep]

I would buy a beater 480, preferably one with a broken neck. Cut the the middle of the body out to create "wings" and have a new neck made, a neck through with walnut stripe. If I were doing this, I would go all out and have a Combo style bridge placed along the end of the body for a 30" scale baritone... with horseshoe. But either way it would be cool, and I believe it's totally kosher to restore/modify a Ric in the way you see fit. Not cheap, though.

Oh sure, a neck-thru conversion would be awesome. I'm just not sure how these so-called set-necks could possibly work with such a thin body. Although I guess it has been done before with other guitars, like the slim-line Les Pauls made in the 70's that have almost the same profile thickness as the 480.

Yeah, some of the SG's have a small tenon which is then practically severed by the neck pickup route. So maybe it could still be possible. It's feasible that you could design something that would be hidden under the guard, that could reinforce the set neck in some way... a long bolt or something? Who knows.

As far as your 480 goes, I would leave it as is. The finish is just awesome on that one, and your photos of it do it justice.

[Grey]

As far as your 480 goes, I would leave it as is. The finish is just awesome on that one, and your photos of it do it justice.

Oh, i've become content to leave it as-is. When I first got it, as much as I loved it I was trying to make it into something that it isn't, but i've grown to love all of its little quirks exactly as they are. Should there come a day where my 480 has some horrible accident, then it might be taking a trip to Paul for recovery and some 'plastic surgery'. Untill then...

[egosheep]

As far as your 480 goes, I would leave it as is. The finish is just awesome on that one, and your photos of it do it justice.

Oh, i've become content to leave it as-is. When I first got it, as much as I loved it I was trying to make it into something that it isn't, but i've grown to love all of its little quirks exactly as they are. Should there come a day where my 480 has some horrible accident, then it might be taking a trip to Paul for recovery and some 'plastic surgery'. Untill then...

Just buy a second 480 and maybe it will have an unfortunate accident...

Neck-thru coming through!

[jingle_jangle]

I believe it's totally kosher to restore/modify a Ric in the way you see fit. Not cheap, though.

I think that using the word "cheap" and the word "Rickenbacker" in the same paragraph is a contradiction. They're built to highest standards using best-quality parts and materials by staff who really care. Modifications should follow the same game plan, IMO.

[Grey]

I think that using the word "cheap" and the word "Rickenbacker" in the same paragraph is a contradiction. They're built to highest standards using best-quality parts and materials by staff who really care. Modifications should follow the same game plan, IMO.

That's true, although whoever was in charge of drilling the holes for my pickguard must have fallen asleep because they put it on a bit crooked.