Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Howdy,

Can anyone tell me whether the tops/sides of the 330 and 360's are solid or laminated like those of so many of Rickenbacker's competitors?

Respectfully,
Larry Carroll

Larry, to visualize the construction of the top you need to understand the unusual method of construction of Rickenbacker semi-hollow electric guitars. To me, it's sheer genius.

The guitars begin as a thick billet of choice hard maple, about 2" thick. They are then trimmed to the outside profile of the guitar and machined out from the back on a huge computerized woodworking center which even changes its routing bits automatically! The brand name of this machine, coincidentally, is RICKENBACHER, and the manufacturers are related to Adolph Rickenbacker, according to John Hall. Before this machine was acquired and programmed (it even slots necks to within .001" for frets on all models!), the operations were done by hand, cutting on a bandsaw, hollowing on pin-routers, slotting on a multi blade table saw, etc.

Following the machining out of the inside from the back, the neck is glued (set) in, and a thin back is glued onto the guitar to enclose everything. It's then hand-finished, painted and hand-assembled.

Rickenbacker guitars are still about 80% hand work.

So it's not a constructed guitar in the same way that a Gibson or Gretsch semi-hollow is, with bent sides attached to front and back with glue blocks. It's a machined guitar. If you look at an MG 330 (where it's most obvious), you'll see end grain on the top and bottom of the guitar, and the line where the back is glued on. All the internal blocks are machined in. Some guitars have glued-in internal ribs.

This exotic manufacturing technique finds its most elegant expression in the 381 models, which are double-bound and "German-carved".

Larry, in simple terms,except for a few models made in the late 50's, all Ricks are made of solid wood. No plywood has been used on any and all Rickenbacker Guitars.

Howdy,

Paul and Dale, thanks for answering my question. I'm impressed with Rickenbacker does things!
Respectfully,
Larry Carroll

Many if not all of the tops on the hollow-bodies were 3 piece until sometime in 1966 when they were changed to a 2 piece design. There are some exceptions though, i.e. the 'butcher block' tops on the early Capris and prototypes...

When did they start using the "Rickenbacher"?

Dale;
There Are Capris from the 50s with plywood backs.I'm not the Capri "Expert", but someone tell me, were All Capris plywood backed? or just some?

I'm not the Capri expert, either, but it seems I have seen some with solid backs.

Most all the early 325's had a Birch Plywood back, the top part was hollowed out of Alder. Now don't confuse plywood with multi pieces glued up to make a solid body as in the 3 or 4 piece bodies. These were still cosidered solid.

"Now don't confuse plywood with multi pieces glued up to make a solid body as in the 3 or 4 piece bodies. These were still cosidered solid."
Right. I call that way of doing a body[and not unlike the way Fender did their solid bodies],for lack of a better term, "butcher block" laminating.

Dale,
Didn't the fifties capri models (325+330+360) have an x-type bracing under the solid top to keep it in shape?

Some Did. The early 325's that I've worked on didn't. Some of the large Capris just had 1 brace that went from the bottom horn the the top shoulder.