Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

We have discussed this briefly before but I am wondering if during the switch over to 24 frets, if the 360 Models were the first to be changed.

I am bassing this on an old catalog from the 1970s in which the 330 series still seemed to be 21 frets while the 360 and 480/481 models were 24 frets at that time.

Here is the page from the 1975 Rickenbacker Catalog.

Wow. Did the 430 really use a Mahogany body?

John: It would seem so. Welcome to the 1000 club.

I have tried to date this change Peter, but it seems impossible. I don't think there is any doubt that the 360's changed first, as this seems to be the case in my small collection of catalogues. The 360 also went to the larger headstock way before the 330 did. My own 1980 330 has the small headstock & I have seen an '84 330 with one, but I've also seen an '81 with a large headstock.
It is interesting that the 21 fret 330's, at the time of the change to 24 fret 360's, had hi-gains in them!

I'd really love to know dates, names, places etc!

Now John has a post for each of his Rickenbackers.

Whoa, I passed 2600 on this one. Now I have 1300 for each of mine...

Good points Tony.

Without trying to second guess the thinking at RIC's head office, it seems that there was a perception by them in the 1970s that there was a need to move forward with more contemporary models, 24 frets, high gain pickups, bolt on necks and the like.

Fortunately for those 21 fret lovers, limited edition models, and the V and C series has allowed for the return to 21 frets on some models.

It seems that they singled out the 360 for consistancy, whilst the 330, being the 'lesser' model, used up any odd parts that were around. I don't know if this is the case or not, but it certainly seems that it could have been this way....

A side note about that catalog page:
It is interesting that they have a model 950 listed with 18 frets, unless Rickenbacker went with an 18 fret neck later on with that model; my 1967 950 has 21 frets....the model 1000 had an 18 fret neck if I recall correctly...