Whats your thoughts on this 365?

[holty]

Hi Guys,
This is my first post on the forum so apologies if this is in the wrong place. After Gassing over Ricks for the past 20 years, have now decided 2011 needs to be the year to to take the plunge and get my first Rick.

I've actually not been looking for vintage, but this 365 has come up. From the pics I've been sent it does look rough, pickups have been changed for humbucker and changed back again(badly), guard has been hacked, knobs changed.

Whats your thoughts on this? Is it retrievable? My initial thoughts is to leave well along. Serial number is FH2851.

Apologies for the quality of the pics, but its all I was sent.

http://gallery.me.com/robholt#100102

[jps]

Welcome, Rob!

Nice 365, I think this would not be that hard to restore if desired. It does depend on the price somewhat, which you did not mention.

[holty]

Thanks jps. The seller seems a bit vague on the price. He's only said that he's selling it as he needs the cash!! I've emailed him about what he's looking for and will report back.
Cheers
Rob

EDIT - the guy is looking for £2200....

[Woodie]

Looks pretty original to me. Must be one of the last 3-piece tops made in '66. Is there a drill hole on the bass side of the top near the bottom corner of the neck pickup??

[collin]

Provided everything is alright -- it looks like a good deal to me, considering the prices of Rics in the UK (old or new..).


I'd want more pictures before I hand over my hard-earned though. I find it conspicuous that there is an obvious extra hole in the face (as Alan pointed out), and they don't show any direct shots of the bridge pickup.

My concern is that it might have been routed for p90s or some type of humbuckers (mini maybe?) and the Ric pickups are only mostly covering up the holes.

Ask for more pictures and then post em up on here, we'll give you the low-down on the details.

[k43rover]

Hi Rob

Welcome to the board!

As a fellow UK board member, if I were you I really would keep your powder dry and see if you can get a better deal....

I sold 2 mint condition vintage 1960's Ricks in the past 6 months (both were open listings on UK eBay which sold subsequently off line for cash). You can see them in the pictures below and my following post.

Both guitars were in genuinely stunning original condition and totally unmessed with. They were both 1967 guitars - a 370 and 365. I sold one for £2200 and one for £2250 to UK based cash on collection buyers. There is no way I would buy a project guitar like the one you pictured for £2200 in the UK - I would say £1500 tops in today's UK market conditions as you would have to pay serious money on top for genuine original '60's parts to restore it and even then the finished guitar will not compare to a mint original.

Hope this info helps and good luck in your search!

[k43rover]

more pics of the 1967 365 I sold...

[libratune]

In addition to what's been mentioned, the pickups on the 365 have Phillips-head screws in the corners, which likely means they are reissue pickups. Original pickups on '60s Ricks had slot-head screws in the corners.

Also the TRC looks really wide to me, like the ones you see on 1997 reissues.

[holty]

Thanks all for your comments. I've asked for more pics. When I commented on the changes to the seller he said he thought it was all original! I think Eddie is right, even in with the UK market, its probably closer to 1500, than 2200.
I'll post more pic when I get them.
Cheers

[k43rover]

Rob

One other recent UK point of reference which you may not have seen and which I think is relevant in this discussion......

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Original-1964-Ric ... 4aa7a78269


Although a guitar which has suffered a neck break is obviously not going to be everone's cup of tea, this very early Rose Morris 1998 still went for £2500 in the past few days. Judging by the pictures, other than the neck repair, both guitar and case looked super clean and original for any 1964 Rick. If I were going to spend over £2k on a guitar with "issues" then a Rose Morris would be the only choice for me. These f hole guitars are massively rarer than the slash hole guitars and I would say, at least in the UK, much more marketable in less than mint condition given the Pete Townshend et al connections.... I suspect without the neck break that 1998 would have gone for well over £5k even in today's market.

Ed

[holty]

I've hear nothing from the seller , who seems to have gone to ground! I think I'll leave 365, and carry on the search for my first RIC.

Thanks for the all the very helpful comments - this an excellent and friendly forum.

Ed- might PM you for a bit of advice about buying in the UK

[Kees]

I've hear nothing from the seller , who seems to have gone to ground! I think I'll leave 365, and carry on the search for my first RIC.

Thanks for the all the very helpful comments - this an excellent and friendly forum.

Ed- might PM you for a bit of advice about buying in the UK

I don't know whether someone else noticed this too, but it also seems that the bridge PU is a bit crooked..

[k43rover]

Rob, will be happy to give you whatever advice I can - drop me a line with your contact details Ed

[pesimax]

Hey, i was just about to put a message on about renovating my 365 when I find their is already a message about it lol.

Hey, I'm the owner of the Rickenbacker 365, I was thinking about putting a new bridge/vibro on it as the one at the moment looks a little old...well it is a bloody old guitar. Also my luthier tilted the bridge pickup slightly (he says its better that way). So my question is, is it worth renovating it or leaving it as is. I mean it sounds great and has a fantastic action, but i'd like to do it purley for my own self esteem lol. I still play it live every now and then and sounds great. My lead guitarist in the band recons i should put new tuners on it because of its age.

I was only selling to pay off my student debt (first year post graduate journalism) and I happen to have bought a new les paul 50's tribute goldtop, but i've managed to sort out the payments now so i'm thinking about keeping the old girl.

[Ontario_RIC_fan]

George what is the serial number? FH?

Congrats on getting to keep her!