Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I just discovered that the tailpiece bracket on my 370/12RM broke where the tailpiece fits into it (while the guitar was in its closed case, so I don't know exactly when this happened), and was wondering whether anyone else has had one of these brackets fail.

One positive thing is that I need to order a few other parts anyway, so I'll get a replacement when I do that.

I haven't had the bracket fail, but I have had a 'R' tailpiece break.

The bracket for the trapeze tailpiece failed on my 1987 360/12V64 about 12 years ago. I was "gigging" 4 times a week then, and wasn't sure if I did it or not, but there were no impact marks on it. Maybe it just failed, too.

Ted and Joseph,

Thanks for your input. By the lack of other comments, I would take it that this problem is not common at all.

I am posting a picture of the broken bracket in case anyone is interested.

Thanks Dr. Who. Looks like some distress marks at the left edge as it appears in the photo. Is that photo compression or "rust" on the flat edge? Just in passing, this problem has been discussed before and while uncommon it has been noted to occur with any obvious signs of wear. Are you sure you weren't doing your Pete Townshend "windmill" or worse?

I know of someone who did his Pete Townsend impression and ended up putting his headstock through the drywall. Don't worry, it was a Fender, not a Ric - and thus, it is funny.

Peter,
You are right about the distress marks on the left side; the plating on the edge shows some small curved fracture lines radiating from what was probably the weakest point along it. As far as corrosion, the metal is slightly discolored (whitish-grey), but it looks more to me like just surface oxidation, nothing moisture-related. I don't think the part had been removed previously (a little history: I bought this 370/12RM from the original owner about three years ago, and he had taken pretty good care of it). I'll take a closer look at the piece (I don't remember where I stuck it after snapping that picture, so I have to find it first) and post an update if need be.


And believe me, I don't do much windmilling anymore, even with my 1997PT!

I finally found where I had left the part, and upon examination, I have concluded that the brownish stain on it IS rust, but that this came from the mounting screws (which had some distinctly visible rust on them) and not the bracket itself (which appears to be "pot metal" - I think it's an aluminum-based mixture, but then again, I'm just an analytical chemist, not a metallurgist).