Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

My 330 LS is almost complete. Paul says he is wrapping it up. Once it is done, he will ship it tom my son's address in Seattle. When he returns from deployment he will have a nice new 330LS to enjoy.

simer4001 wrote:My 330 LS is almost complete. Paul says he is wrapping it up. Once it is done, he will ship it tom my son's address in Seattle. When he returns from deployment he will have a nice new 330LS to enjoy.

That's almost worth enlisting for. I wonder if they still take old hippies?

Some construction shots of Michael's LS...

The guitar (a brand new 2008 FG 330), with top cut out and parts laid out. Note the wooden cleats glued in place to support the LED/mirror assemblies for each side. The control side LED mirror is cut out for the circuit board to clear. Vertical clearance is very tight.





The mirror panels, LEDs in place, are test-fitted here. There are wiring harnesses handmade of premium 30-gauge stranded, Teflon-jacketed wire, which is color-coded to each of the three colors. All wiring joints are soldered and shrink-tubed. There are about 75 solder joints in each conversion, not including the ones on the circuit board.



A closeup of the socket for the DIN cable that connects the stomp box to the LS. The stomp box contains a transformer and AC/DC converter, and receives the signal from the amplifier and transmits it to the LS, all through the hookup cable. The box also has a typical high-grade stomp button to turn the light effects on and off, and a status LED to indicate whether the LS circuit is live or dead. There is a 3A slo-blo fuse protecting circuit and user.



The LS with one acrylic panel in place, minus the Rowlux "swirly" plastic sheet that is the visual trademark of the Rickenbacker LS since its beginnings in the late 1960s. I use the same Rowlux as was used on the original Light Shows.



All that remains now is to install the cable between the stomp box and the guitar, and screw the panels in place. Following testing, the guitar is packed up and sent off.

On Thursday, this LS will be completed and more photos will follow.

I have completed a JG one as well; last Saturday it was delivered. In JG, the SS conversion looks a lot like the original 331. Here's the JG one in process:

Wow.... that is just way too cool!

It would have even looked great if it had just stayed Fireglo, IMO....

I was going to say they look great in Jetglo.
I trust Melibee's judgement more than my own, however.

They are two different solid-state LS 330 conversions, one in FG and one in JG. I'm also doing another in MID.

teb wrote:That's almost worth enlisting for. I wonder if they still take old hippies?

I'm not sure if they take old hippies, but they took one young one at heart. He actually will have another of Paul's creations when he returns. It is a non-Rickenbacker, but still a cool guitar. Paul is taking an Epiphone Flying V and painting some red flames ala James Hetfield.

Very impressive stuff....

We are enlightened...

simer4001 wrote:... When he returns from deployment he will have a nice new 330LS to enjoy.

Brian, that is a GREAT homecoming gift.

Also, pass along to your son my thanks for his service.

I will Richard. Thank you.

Paul, is it a mental effort to drop the mill bit into a brand new 330FG? I would have a very funny feeling inside. Just curious.

wmthor wrote:

simer4001 wrote:... When he returns from deployment he will have a nice new 330LS to enjoy.

Brian, that is a GREAT homecoming gift.

Also, pass along to your son my thanks for his service.

Brian, +1 from me also.

Any thoughts on routing out a 4003 for a thin body semi-hollowbody lightshow, making a new unrouted centerpiece for 4004 like pickups? I'll wait in line.

I'm half-done with a 4003 LS right now, Brian. The pickup idea is the same way I'm heading...two pickups, with the setup closer to a 4004 or 4005--two identical housings, whether they be toasters, hi-gains, or humbuckers. The big honking bridge rout will be filled.