Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Does it look like the pickguard is cut away for a third toaster? It says in the description it is all original, and I see no routing from a third pickup. Is that how the pickguards came from the factory, already cut like that in case a future owner wished to add another toaster?

The photo on page 197 of the Smith book shows one that looks the same.

I got to play a 456/12 JG a couple of weeks ago. Not a bad guitar, and the converter comb worked very smoothly. If that auction were in the US, I'd be bidding.

The reason that the guard is cut like that is the 450 body has less clearance under the strings than a 360. It allows the "comb" sufficient space.

I messed around with a 360 with a converter comb many years ago and actually kind of wanted to buy it. The comb does actually work, the bad part about them was where they put the handle mechanism. It's was just a little bit in the way - making it rather unwieldy.

I used to own (sigh...) a 456/12 from September 1967, and I don't remember it looking like that. But then, I almost always had it in 6-string mode so comb would have probably sat where the gap in the pickguard is. I'll have to dig through my pictures...

I miss that guitar. It was my first Rickenbacker.

I feel your pain, Ethan ... when I tried out the 456/12, I was actually there to buy the 370/12RM FG, and wished the checking account had a lot more in it ... and I had originally planned on buying a 620 BB VP that weekend, to boot!

Rickenbacker did not offer a 3 pickup 400 series model. There are a couple that have surfaced that claim to be original, but I have seen them, and in each case the middle pickup was added after it left the factory.

Scott: Would your argument also pertain to the Rickenbacker Model 483? Also, are you ruling out the possibility that the factory made any customized 3 pickup models for the Model 450 and 460 models?

Peter. I never think about the 480 series models. I guess this makes me a vintage snob... sorry.

It is my understanding and belief that there were no factory 450 or 460 models with 3 pickups built in the 1960s. I have seen two that sold for a lot of money that were modded with the third pickup, they didn't leave the factory that way.

Thanks for the clarification guys!