Doing a "Fogerty mod" on a 325?

[DeWayne Hayes]

Hi folks,

I'm a long-time lover of Ricks, treasuring my 1991 360WB amongst my guitars. But I've also always been fascinated by John Fogerty's PAF hum bucker mod on his 325.

I'm contemplating picking up a 1988 325, which - due to the period it came out - is far from "historically accurate." It has a large headstock, "R" trapeze tailpiece, Sperzel tuners. Seems less like sacrilege to modify such a guitar.

What I'd like to do is this. 1) Have the guitar refretted and, in the process, remove the lacquer from the fingerboard. This alone should make a much better situation for string bending. 2) Replace the bridge position pickup with a PAF-style humbucker.

Short of crucifying me for buggering a perfectly good guitar, does anyone have any thoughts or experience with either modification - the fretboard or the humbucker? I'm basically trying to create a short-scale guitar capable of lead playing, but that sounds unique due to its scale and pickup configuration. I'm not trying to exactly reproduce Fogerty's guitar, but rather, build on his idea.

Thanks,
DeWayne

[collin]

Anybody considering routing their Rickenbacker to fit a humbucker deserves the crucification, IMO.

I can't tell you how many times I've labored repairing humbucker routes on old Rickenbackers that were clearly modified by people who thought (incorrectly) that they would own the guitar forever.

As for removing the finish (it's not lacquer, BTW) off the fretboard, that's a matter of personal taste. But I highly doubt that removing the finish is going to make it that much easier to bend strings on a 325. They're just not designed for that kind of playing.

[DeWayne Hayes]

I understand the finish is conversion varnish, not "lacquer." I was using "lacquer" as a generic term.

[jdogric12]

Have you thought of just replacing that pickup with a RIC HB?

[DeWayne Hayes]

Have considered that and may try it - just have no experience with Rick HBs. Seems like a logical approach.

[jdogric12]

You'll probably want 500k pots if you do. Dane (aceonbass) here does great harnesses for such applications.

[ChuckEds]

Hey DeWayne,

I had to get the fretboard on my '02 620 planed due to it developing a slight twist, after it was done I decided not to have it refinished and there wasn't any noticeable difference in the sound or playability. Fogerty never seemed to have any problem rocking his 325 with the glossy finish.

I'd look into the RIC humbucker or a mini HB of some kind, that way you could more easily reverse it if you ever wanted... and you wouldn't leave some guitar tech a gaping hole to fill in!

[DeWayne Hayes]

Thanks, Chuck. Yeah, true, Fogerty left the fingerboard as-is. And he certainly bent some strings!

[scoobster28]

I say if you want a real Humbucker installed in your Rick, do it. But if you ever try to sell on this forum down the road, expect the hail to rain down.

I love Fogerty (we have the same birthday) and would mod a 325 myself to be like his if I could. But I don't have a fireglow 325 with "F" hole, and doing it to a slash hole guitar wouldn't be close enough for me.

[Dom]

What strings did Fogerty use on Acme? I know he said the Kustom with the 15” was key. I swear I hear a Rangemaster…

I go for swampy too. My main was an 88 370WB that had 3HB1’s with single coil and phase switching and also had the fretboard finish removed. Remove the finish and you will have fret grunge. Didn’t make a difference sound wise, but fingertips do not stick.

Dane does a great harness. I had 3 HB1’s at first and found I preferred the hottest fiber top HiGain that was on it stock at the bridge for the bite and response…like what you’d have on that 88. Love the HB1’s in neck & mid…also for the canceling and the wiring options but for swampy stuff at the bridge I vote hi gain or toaster.

[iiipopes]

The finish really has nothing to do with ability to bend notes. I can bend notes on my 12-string with its original finished fret board. If the fret board has too many divots and wear, yes, I can see skimming it before refretting to assure playability. I actually wore the fret board of my 4002 so badly from 20 years of gigging it that I needed to have it skimmed when it was refretted. Fortunately, the ebony board is so thick there was no issue.

Regarding the humbucker, before you bugger the guitar beyond recognition, have you considered trying one of the Rick HB-1's or any number of after market pickups that will do the same thing as a Gibson humbucker in the Rick pickup footprint? This would be less expensive than taking a router to the top of the guitar and ruining it.