Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I just heard back from a Rickenbacker expert on this guitar. Within two seconds of looking at the pics he knew exactly what this was.

The info:

-the body is a frame test for a jig set up. WHY the fan shaped hole is beyond me.

- the wind missing on the headstock is due to it most likely living in a garage. It got hot... and came loose.

-as to an ebony fretboard... there was a room about 10 ft X 6 ft full of brazilian rosewood and ebony fretboard blanks ... gathering dust. Where they are now is unknown to me. This room was next to the bathroom in the woodshop by Dick Burkes ofice.

- the thing is not a guitar.

- the neck pocket is a typical post 1985 pocket.

- it cant be made into a guitar ... its a TEST
if you cut a ramp into the face ... then you need a back on it.
what holds the neck in place ?
this is a 'thing' waiting to be turned into a clock

So, like I think I mentioned, this thing is going up on the wall somewhere, as "art". Maybe at my house, maybe at someone else's house. A big thank you to that resource who helped me. Invaluable source of knowledge!

Curt a fundamental reason this Forum exists is to share information on the history of Rickenbacker guitars. Thanks for passing this information on. We learn something new everyday.

I've seen that fan-shaped hole on a 381 that had its top removed.

To be honest, I'm a little bummed that this isn't some sort of project I can build into an actual guitar. Oh well.

Chubtone wrote:To be honest, I'm a little bummed that this isn't some sort of project I can build into an actual guitar. Oh well.

I am willing to bet Paul W could turn it into some kind of lightshow guitar... He does conversions from stock RICS...

But it wouldn't be cheap!

Chubtone wrote:I just heard back from a Rickenbacker expert on this guitar. Within two seconds of looking at the pics he knew exactly what this was.

The info:

-the body is a frame test for a jig set up. WHY the fan shaped hole is beyond me.

- the wind missing on the headstock is due to it most likely living in a garage. It got hot... and came loose.

-as to an ebony fretboard... there was a room about 10 ft X 6 ft full of brazilian rosewood and ebony fretboard blanks ... gathering dust. Where they are now is unknown to me. This room was next to the bathroom in the woodshop by Dick Burkes ofice.

- the thing is not a guitar.

- the neck pocket is a typical post 1985 pocket.

- it cant be made into a guitar ... its a TEST
if you cut a ramp into the face ... then you need a back on it.
what holds the neck in place ?
this is a 'thing' waiting to be turned into a clock

So, like I think I mentioned, this thing is going up on the wall somewhere, as "art". Maybe at my house, maybe at someone else's house. A big thank you to that resource who helped me. Invaluable source of knowledge!

Interesting!

If this thing is a jig made to calibrate some sort of cutting device for bodies, why does it have a fretboard? Why does it have a headstock or a neck at all? I know there must be a reason, but it's a fun puzzle.

Chubtone wrote:-as to an ebony fretboard... there was a room about 10 ft X 6 ft full of brazilian rosewood and ebony fretboard blanks ... gathering dust. Where they are now is unknown to me. This room was next to the bathroom in the woodshop by Dick Burkes ofice.

But fortunately not to us! It was all moved into our wood storage area here in 1990 when we moved the factory. There's still a few bits and pieces left but the only ebony remaining from this batch are 3/4 size guitar blanks. My bass used the last full sized board.
For this guitar we're building for Bob Hawkins, I had to *SHOCK* go out and actually buy a piece of ebony!

Re the "oddity", I've not commented on it previously as it did not leave our factory legally.

Nice, one piece of history leads us to a couple more! Goings on at the Factory are always of interest to me.

Interesting stuff, indeed, Peter!