Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

The brace inside my 1996 appears to be maple.

You will find that most alder ricks don't actually have bracing. My research of early ricks indicates that bracing on capris(330-375) didn't start until around 59, and small hollow bodies(310-325)until around 62. Most alder bodied capris were replaced by maple and other wood bodies around late 59. This is not a definate transition period, but it is based on what I have researched for the past 13 years. Like most vintage ricks, it is hard to put a date on a particular feature. Guitars like the combo 850 with deluxe features is proof that anything is possible with vintage ricks.

I meant 64 for the 310-325 series bracing.

So both John Lennon's 58 and the 325C58 don't have any bracing?

Does anyone have a picture or diagram showing the internals of these guitars?

I have never opened up JLs 325, but most 58 325s and all c58s do not have bracing. C58s have a 3/8" top thickness, which is thick compared to the 3/16"-1/4" thick tops from the 60s. I have found that as soon as you try to standardize a vintage rickenbacker trait, you find an exception. So it might be possible that JLs 58 had bracing, but I haven't seen proof that it did.

Early ricks are not known for consistency. I have seen early deluxe capris with dot inlays and others with sharkfin inlays. John Williams has a 58 365 with a checker bound fingerboard. Try to find another one with that.

"John Williams has a 58 365 with a checker bound fingerboard...."

And that is only on ONE side of the fretboard. (!)

The 2007 RIC Retail Price List has been posted on their website and the "1996" model is no longer listed.

BAM. The door is closed. One year only.

Kev, I gotta wonder if the '06 run produced as many as the original 1964 run did....I kinda doubt it for the moment, maybe half at best..

I'm glad I got mine! That was about the best decision I made last year.