Wow, there’s a lot going on here to address. The first post in this thread you are asking for advice between two models, 325c64 and 360/12c63. You received many responses giving good advice. About a week later, you announce that you decided on the 325c64. You say that it is awesome and fills your needs. Good for you!
ayoungmusiciandude wrote:“After really playing and getting use to my 325c64 I love the thing!”
Then you announce that you want to convert it to be more like a c58. As pointed out by previous posters, you are destroying the value of a collectible guitar. People here aren’t going to be cool about that sort of thing. You reply with:
ayoungmusiciandude wrote:“I heard Ric enthusiasts were stuck up snobs from various people but I was hoping it wasn't true.”
The Rickenbacker community is fairly small and devoted. At least compared to the giants like Fender and Gibson. Rickenbacker guitars are a niche kind of instrument, however they have been associated with some of the best artists of the Rock world. As has been stated before in this thread, people here generally love Rickenbackers for what they are. They appreciate the history. They don’t really look at them as a palette for customization. Does that make them snobs….? There are probably people here who would frown upon having a Rick refinished. Much less the overhaul that you are proposing. After you finish this project, what will you end up with? In your own words,
ayoungmusiciandude wrote:“I've already seen the list of changes, modifications and tweaks, it'll be grueling and tedious but in the end the only difference will be the woods of the body and neck!”
So you are destroying the value of this guitar so that in the end the only difference will be the woods of the body and neck. I think many people are thinking, “then why do this then?”
ayoungmusiciandude wrote: “I've wanted a replica of Lennon's first 325 since childhood but it eluded me as by the time I joined the work force it was 2010 and the guitar was discontinued.”
Really? Cause it seems like you got the hankering for a c58 after playing one that you mention here.
ayoungmusiciandude wrote:“Hey guys! I actually got the 325c64. With the proper amplification and pedals it can elicit any sounds! Great playability! However I just got to try a c58 for the first time. Currently looking to trade my c64 for a c58.”
You attempt to justify your mods by;
ayoungmusiciandude wrote:“Guitars are works of art for the user to do with it what they see fit and the 325 itself is like a canvas for many.”
“Fun fact one of the biggest Rickenbacker players of all time altered his or are you forgetting? “
“Lennon took a blonde 325 and no one here curses him for painting it black, snipping wires and changing bridges and knobs.”
I guarantee you that John Lennon didn’t make these changes to his guitar because he considered it a work of art. Everything I’ve ever read leads me to believe that Lennon simply looked at his guitar as a tool. It was a means to an end. It wasn’t the end itself. As has been pointed out already in this thread, the Kaufman to Bigsby mod is a sensible one because the Kaufmans are ****. I’m sure it didn’t take Lennon long to figure that out. The snipping wires probably happened because he was a complete amateur and didn’t know what he was doing. I thought the knobs got changed because he kept losing them. I may be wrong about that.
ayoungmusiciandude wrote:“With mark ups to 6000 dollars on some it's pretty easy to see why I'm doing this.”
Yeah, I see them on ebay and reverb for this price too. But also notice that they aren’t selling. Why? Because they aren’t worth $6000. If you really want a c58 shop around. You can still find them at reasonable prices. It may take a while, but it can happen. I bought a v59 a few months ago for $2500. Look for guitars that aren’t selling. You see them relisted for months on end. Make an offer, they just may take it. That happened in my case.
ayoungmusiciandude wrote: “the all wise brainiacs at Rickenbacker decide to discontinue”
I can understand you feeling this way. Most people here probably have a wish list of models that they wished Rickenbacker still made. I would love to have a c58 also. But I bought the v59 instead and haven’t looked back. Should Rickenbacker ever make these again, I might get one.
The reality of the matter is that Rickenbacker had to make some tough decisions in order to reduce a huge backlog. Discontinuing some models was a business decision. I am glad they chose to do this as opposed to compromising on principles. I think that has worked out pretty well for the company and I hope it continues to do so. In the future, they may make limited runs of some of these instruments again.
Ultimately, you nailed it. This is your guitar and you can do whatever you like with it. Pete Townsend used to smash Rickenbackers at the end of a set. They were his and he could do whatever he wanted with them. However, that doesn’t stop me from thinking that he was an idiot for doing so. You came here on the pretense of wanting advice. But you don’t like the advice you got. It seems to me that you didn’t really want advice as much as you wanted validation for doing what most people here think is a crazy idea.
I guess there is a silver lining here, at least you didn’t buy a c58 and convert it to a c64.