Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Alex, good for you. I like your ideas and I'm interested in what you do with the 330. I am expecting my 330 Mapleglo to arrive today via UPS (2/28) and needless to say, I am quite excited. I have been thinking of various different things I could do to change its looks with the hardware, knobs and pickguards/TRC. I like your idea of the Kaufman, I think it would look great on the 330. But, its not functional. Even though you can create a slight vibrato, the guitar will go out of tune for sure. I had one on my 325C and although I like the vintage look, it was unuseable. I took the arm off because I couln't play it in a comfortable manner without hitting it with my strumming hand. With the arm off it looks nice, but it was still insecure. Just normal playing would cause it to move and the guitar go out of tune. I posted a request on what could be done to make it non-moveable and John was nice to explain how to stop it from moving by "pinning" it. I performed the very easy task by disassembling the Kaufman and a few taps on the main rivet from a hammer and it stayed in tune, nearly perfect. If you intend to use the vibrato, its going to give you tuning fits. However, if mostly for looks, then pin it. It works.

I think we would all like to follow the progression of your 330 as it was a blast following Paul's with his new 381. Maybe I can do the same, but mine will be done over time, not all in one short-term.

Bill, I think your MG 330 would be a great candidate for the gold pickguard thing. But you'd have to do the Rick-O-Swap to get a gold TRC first, and then match the gold on the guards to the one on the TRC.

If you wanna know the troof, I decided that I like the looks (not the function) of a Kaufmann over the "R" tailpiece on my 381. So when Stan contacts me, I plan to purchase his 381 and do whatever it takes to get the Kaufmann adapted to my 381, while keeping the conversion reversible. This may mean machining a new tailpiece mount for the Kaufmann so I can keep the strap and screw mounts in the original 381 places.

I was going to use an Accent, but after looking at that big slab-o-chrome, decided that the Kaufmann gives more visual interest. I don't use a vibrato much in my playing anyway...

And I do plan to pin the Kaufmann.

Ive just done some small things to it, I plan to put on the kauffman very soon....

Vintage Knobs.....Check
grommets..........Check
......then the kauffman, then the nameplate, then the 3rd pickup....But i dont know if I should change the pickups to vintage...I might keep them standard. Ive gotta hear a 330 with 3 vintage pickups (toasters)

Let me know how it goes. I'm going to work on mine next week.

Alex, vintage pickups are fantastic and they sound very clear and sweet - Ric jabgle at its best. A word of caution to you; make sure you will not mind the middle pickup setting right under your strum/pick hand. You might have to alter your style slightly; move your hand back toward the tailpiece more, etc. I guaged it with my 330 this afternonn and confrimed that I am more happy with the dual. That's just me and you might like the triple. No doubt, it looks great.

Paul, your read my mind on the gold guards. I am pretty sure that's what I will do. But I am not sure if i can get the gold TRC from Ric? Did you get yours there? If so, then its a no brainer. I am definitely going to add oven knobs and probably the Accent. But, darn, I've got to admit adding a Kaufman would really look vintage and very cool. There should be some available at a good price from all the 325 oonversions to Bigsby.

Its to early to say what I will do with the pickups. If I keep the Higains I will want to convert them to toater look. I am also considering doing somethinbg with the tuner buttons to make them look more vintage.

Whatever, it will be fun. Paul, you got a set of gold guards you can sell me?

Bill, I suggest you contact Rick's parts department about the truss rod exchange, because this whole look depends upon obtaining a gold for white.

I have no problem making you a set of gold pickguards to match your TRC once you have it. I made my own TRC, and as I mentioned to John Hall and everyone else, I did this for my own consumption and would never violate Rick's trade dress by conveying them to anyone else, as the lawyers say.

Stan Castles is selling me his takeoff Vibrola, and I'll be playing around with fitting it as soon as I get it. But nothing irreversible, you understand.

I think that my 381, which is Montezuma Brown, has that peculiar sort of antiquey look already, due to the factory color and my homemade gold pickguards. A friend saw it in my office last week and complimented me on my restoration job! He was skeptical when I told him it was NEW. So, although it will be pinned, the Kaufmann will play a major part in that vintage vide.

If the Kaufmann, even pinned, causes any sorts of tuning problems, it'll be replaced. I'll use the Kaufmann on something else later.

sounds like a plan!

Hmmm... when does Wilczynski Custom go public? I want to buy shares!!

If the Kaufmann causes tuning problems, why would you use it on anything, ever?

Howard, unless a person has passion, any small biz becomes a Chinese laundry within months: money in, goods out, coffee and potty breaks optional.

Then, when a person has lots of itchy passion (like some of us for Ricks), to turn it into a business is a mistake, because usually (not always...therein lies the rub) the passion overrules and money is lost until the passion is destroyed.

So this will always remain a challenging, ever-renewing hobby, with little projects like the pickguards and repairing and refinishing Ricks for friends and acquaintances, with earnings plunged into...more RICKS!

Gawrsh, this is goofy fun.

Paul,

Hang on a minute while I try and dislodge my tongue which is firmly embedded in my cheek....

Yeah, I know exactly what you are saying!

My other real passion is building model wooden ships (when I have time) and if I tried turning that into a business each ship would have to sell for about $100,000!!

Keep the passion!!

Cheers

Would you kill me?

haha, that must look pretty darn weird without the picture that was supposed to be uploaded with it! it wont upload!

Ok! try this website for the picture that i was going to upload but couldnt. http://www.geocities.com/capenj4/night_vision.html

....But it still turned out tiny! but you can see it for the most part

My eyesight's not that good, Alex. What exactly is it?