UK Pearl White Specials

[godber]

It would be quite different if, in fact, we were testing new products to bring to the market (which these and the one-offs aren't).

That's sad to hear John. I may be quite wrong, but if you introduced standard Rose Morris spec 1997/1998/1993 Fireglo reissues using the C series bodies and neck profiles I suspect you'd have a queue round the block (not least here in the UK)...I'd certainly be in that queue. I appreciate this will never be your bread and butter for the business, but even with the lower volumes I'd be very surprised if it didn't make economic sense for your business given the higher margin on lines like these.

I'd buy one for me and one for the pension.

[godber]

The crown radius on a regular 330 - 25.4cm
The crown radius on these - 18.4cm.

The difference in playability is amazing.

Cheers Rob - that's quite a difference.

[k43rover]

Personally, I would love to see a 330 produced with these specs. Yeah, I prefer the slash sound hole. Ok I will see if I can find a hole small enough to crawl into.

....I can recall so many previous threads on here with content along the lines, "I hate the f-hole...well I love the f-hole...well I hate it...well I love it more that you hate it...no you dont.....yes I do....bla bla bla...etc etc etc.... repeat ad nauseam" - bottom line Ken, I think you are going to have to find a much bigger hole than you thought as there will be plenty on here wanting to join you in slash hole heaven. However, as an f-hole fanboy myself, and in the spirit of peace, love and understanding that a well known ex-Beatle is still promoting, I'm hoping that we can all agree that 21 frets and X-bracing are just universally FAB regardless of the shape of the sound hole...!! Peace and Love Man!

[ken_j]

I didn't say I hate the f-hole. I prefer the slash hole. I do understand that why many prefer the f-hole. I do like the 21 frets, smaller crown radius, toasters, color combination, unbound with dot markers, trapeze tailpiece and the x-braced top. There is much to like about this instrument. I guess I would like to see a C or V series 330 OS.

[jps]

I'm hoping that we can all agree that 21 frets and X-bracing are just universally FAB regardless of the shape of the sound hole...!! Peace and Love Man!

I agree! Here is mine.

[Wurlitzer]

Slash sound holes look great too, my local dealer has a dozen on the wall for the past 10 months.
Too many frets though.

[electrofaro]

Keep watching this space and you will see some options which may be more to your taste over coming days...

Wellll... it's been at least 24 h since my last post... any update... how long do we still have to wait?

....well, you asked for it Werner!

Wait? So you went with gold??? I really didn't see that coming - looks great!

[k43rover]

These guitars look great, but to me, white-on-white is where it's at!! If there is a US dealer that has a future special order for all white Ricks, put me down for a 330-6. Just pm me for a deposit. -Jeff.

Looks like you're in good company preferring white-on-white Jeff...you just need to add some flower stickers for the complete retro look

[rkbsound]

These guitars look great, but to me, white-on-white is where it's at!! If there is a US dealer that has a future special order for all white Ricks, put me down for a 330-6. Just pm me for a deposit. -Jeff.

Looks like you're in good company preferring white-on-white Jeff...you just need to add some flower stickers for the complete retro look

It's a bummer that RIC is limited in it's color choices, but it makes it all that more exciting when a new color is introduced -- either permanently or temporarily. As the pic above shows, it's also fun to see artists sporting Ricks that are not standard looking. Pretty cool. The white guitars and basses produced have surely been a hit and don't "hang" around.

[yoyo]

Hi,

I have one and I must say, whilst a Really great guitar, i have a few qualms:

...I would have preferred to have seen the usual headstock shape employed.

...For the extra money that these cost, and the fact that they are a 'special run', I feel that 1) the correct pick-guards could have been made especially and 2) that a vintage reissue case could have been included rather than the standard moulded plastic one.

...Also, mine has stark white paint painted on the heel of the neck near the two truss rod holes - there must have been a slight flaw in the finish on the neck joint (treble horn side) because its been touched up with a blob of the same stark white paint used on the heel - kinda sticks out like a sore thumb and bugs me a bit.

When it arrived all 5 pots were lose and wobbling about... I had to remove all the cooker knobs and tighten them up... not what i'd expect on a brand new guitar that cost me £2150.

On the plus side, it looks beautiful, resonates marvellously and sounds amazing... A set of 11's and its sorted.

[k43rover]

Hi Lewis, welcome to the forum!

As you will see from the posts earlier in this thread (and indeed on other threads), the points you raise about the pickguards on this guitar have been well explored and many of us (myself included) share your views.

I'm sorry to hear about the paint quality concerns you mention. If you are unhappy with those aspects, I would take them up direct with the supplying dealer (I assume guitarguitar) and/or Rosetti as I suspect these could be looked at under warranty.

Regarding the headstock shape, I don't have an issue with it although you are right that its very unsusual (unique?) for a 12 string shape to be used unaltered on a 6 string version. I personally feel the headstock point is also somewhat linked to the choice made by the factory to use off-the-shelf plastic rather than bespoke items for both the guards and truss rod cover. The use of a relatively short trc (the same dimensions as that used for the 325C58) I believe has exacerbated the optical effect of the longer headstock. Take a look at the attached picture of my guitar with larger and more normally shaped white guards fitted (for a 330/360) and the truss rod cover removed. When I looked at it without the trc there to draw the eye, the headstock actually appeared much more normal in shape and I would say well proportioned. I think if bespoke gold truss rod covers had been fitted (say more like the longer shape used on the 360V64 six strings) the headstock shape itself would have appeared less elongated.

Anyhow, I also fully agree with your final comment about these guitars....they are indeed beautiful and sound wonderful

[chucksimms]

That looks stunning. The white pickguard works, though the gold is beautiful too. All this talk on this guitar has me excited about getting a new Rick. I'm in agreement with those that would line up for a dead on '60s 'f' hole 330. The reissue 1997/1998s I played were all pretty sweet and I'll bet if new ones were ever coming down the line they'd be unbelieveable, especially with a smaller vintage headstock.

[paologregorio]

Well remember too that Rosetti requested the headstock shape, so I don't see how RIC should be criticized for its design.

The existing rule for specials is that no new hardware is made/created, and the only Rick that currently comes with gold guards is the 660.

[k43rover]

Well remember too that Rosetti requested the headstock shape, so I don't see how RIC should be criticized for its design.

I don't think that's right. in a case like this, I suspect the UK distributor pretty much takes whatever the factory decides to give them having agreed to do so based on production numbers and the broad outline/idea of the product (not specific design details which we explore in minute detail here on the forum). Furthermore, as all 10 guitars flew off the shelf at pre-order stage with the final specification still not confirmed by the factory, from a commercial perspective you have to ask yourself whether anyone at Rosetti (or indeed the dealers) would focus much on one or two aspects of the finally delivered guitar. As long as it has sold well and delivered the margin they were looking for they are unlikely to have a problem with it. In that context it's not rocket science to work out why Rosetti are looking for more from the factory (see John Hall's earlier point about "EXACTLY" more of the same).

If you go back and read the RIC Facebook posts (and indeed comments on threads in this forum) which outlined the development process of the final guitar spec (with Ben posting teaser pics of the unfinished bodies, and comments on the changing specs of the final guitar from the slash hole/24 fret prototype along the way) it conveys the impression of an iterative process rather than working to some grand plan which was pre-agreed with Rosetti.

Having now received the guitar, I actually like the headstock design! Yes it's different to a six string headstock, but I'd say the shape is still classic Rickenbacker and for me it's pleasingly different and a feature of the guitar I consider positive as it makes it even more unique

The existing rule for specials is that no new hardware is made/created, and the only Rick that currently comes with gold guards is the 660.

I hesitate to make the obvious point here, but I can't think of a better case where "rules are there to be broken" should have been applied.

I fully understand that for small batch production the factory would not want to (and cannot be expected to) go to significant additional expense to tool up for major changes (i.e. body/neck design/major hardware like the pick-ups etc etc). It obviously wouldn't make economic sense for them to do that. But we all know how much time and money it costs to order up (or make yourself!) a set of plastic for a guitar (and that's including a retail mark-up). This white guitar was not retailed at the same price point as a standard 330. We all paid a significant premium which reflected the bespoke features. For that kind of outlay I think it's reasonable to have expected that an item like the plastic guards could and should have been made to standard 330/360 21 fret specifications even if the colour was bespoke.

Looking at it another way, if the dealer had said to me at the final production stage that the factory had been in touch and was saying that they needed to get bespoke guards/trc manufactured and that had not been factored into the original price he quoted, and would I mind paying an extra $100 and waiting an extra week, I would have been completely happy to accept both the oncost and delay. Even if the factory didnt want to do that and break any rule about "no new hardware is made/created", I would have personally much preferred that they then simply used standard off-the-shelf 360 21 fret vintage reissue guards/trc in white.

[k43rover]

That looks stunning. The white pickguard works, though the gold is beautiful too. All this talk on this guitar has me excited about getting a new Rick. I'm in agreement with those that would line up for a dead on '60s 'f' hole 330. The reissue 1997/1998s I played were all pretty sweet and I'll bet if new ones were ever coming down the line they'd be unbelieveable, especially with a smaller vintage headstock.

Thanks Chuck.

I've also played the older vintage reissue 1997 model, alongside '60's originals, and now this 1997/330S White LE guitar. I'd say there's no contest between the earlier 1997 reissue and this latest guitar with the C63 body/neck. The action and tone/resonance of the white guitar is just great and as close as I've come to a '60's original in a modern era Rick.

A guitar I have never had chance to play is the Fireglo 360C63 six string made as special order for the Japanese market a few years back. I assume the body construction and neck profile on that guitar must have been the same as on this white guitar. If you look at the picture below of that guitar, it looks like the factory built that one with a standard vintage style six string shaped headstock (and it's also fitted with standard 21 fret 330/360 shaped pickguards ).