Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hello all, I just discovered this forum and I am really happy that I did! I have always loved the sound of Rickenbacker guitars and now I finally own a brand spankin' new 350V63 in Mapleglo (my favorite).

I am sure that this has probably been posted before at some point but a quick search did me no good. I want to "Hamburg" this guitar up and I am getting lots of conflicting opinions on it. Here are the things that are going through my head at the moment:

1. Bigsby B5 in Gold - I have heard that it easy to put one on a 350V63 but I've also heard that the slope of the guitar makes it an uncomfortable and unlikely fit.

2. I want to "Gold Up" the guitar with all gold hardware. This includes custom gold plating the pickup covers and the bridge (or just buy a Bigsby gold bridge?) and getting a custom Scratch Plate set painted to perfectly match the gold truss cover available from Rickenbacker.

3. Gold Burns reproduction knobs.

4. I have read about the wiring mod to route the middle pickup to the 5th knob for volume control. Is this a worthwhile mod to get that 60's invasion sound? I know legend has it that John disabled the middle pickup to get his signature sound but that is conjecture.

Obviously I am not looking to clone John Lennon's guitar exactly but simply to approximate it and wind up with a stunning monster of a Beatles axe.

Can I please have advice from anyone kind enough to share? I am also looking for advice on who might be able to do this work for me. Ed Roman Guitars in Vegas has offered but so far they are the only idea I have.

I have a feeling that I am really going to be enjoying this community!

Russ

A warm welcome to the forum Russ. Can't help with your question, but welcome aboard.

Welcome to the forum, Russ, and congratulations on the acquisition of your first Rick. I won't offer any suggestions because more than likely they will be dud - but there are plenty of people here who will offer you the best advice possible.

And probably some opinions on Ed Roman, too....

Welcome Russell! I'm sure people here will help you (Paul perhaps?) and you'll have great time here!

Thanks guys and dolls,
I am already vibrating with the love I feel here

Welcome!
You know, some people I used to work with talked of vibrating quite a lot, but I don't think they owned any Ricks

I vibrate frequently. It is invigorating and produces extreme tones from 660/12s in high gain amps.

Welcome Russ, and congrats on acquiring my favorite Ric body style. Time for me to get one too I think.

Wow. Gold. I imagine that you've already got a line on platers for this.

The Burns knobs could be a bit of a headache...You could anodize them gold or find a plater who can do gold over nickel over copper over aluminum but I wouldn't advise it with the fine knurling on these knobs, as the knurling is impossible to polish and will look gnarly when done. Hmmm. That's right--gnarly knurling.

Anodizing or alodyning is your best bet or leave 'em natural--they'd still look good.

I'm a fan of that wiring mod--you wouldn't believe the tonal palette that it opens up!

Welcome Russ,

As mentioned there's a thread here that discusses Mr. Romans service and general attitude in some detail. You may want to do a search and read it carefully before making any sudden moves in that direction.

As far as modifying your guitar? Well if you really want to..............(I wouldn't personally) talk to Paul W on this forum in the section called Reflections of a Curmudgeon or Dale Fortune he can usually be found in the Technical Forum. They may be interested in helping to build your dream guitar.

Paul,
It seems you get the A#1 vote of confidence from most folks here on the forum

I am not married to the idea of Burns knobs. I am open to suggestions. I don't have a choice yet for a plater but do you believe I am better off getting the pickup covers and bridge anodized gold anyway? I am in the metals business and it would be relatively simple to just call up a favor or two. Probably last a lot longer than a plating job too...)

I suppose the main thing here is the Bigsby B5. Can I install this safely and are the results clean and stable? I found a local Luthier that said the vintage Ricks had a deeper cutout that would more easily accomodate a Bigsby but the current ones are simply too shallow and the mod would overpower the guitar. This could be bad info of course, since I have heard of some people that have already added the Bigsby to a 350... but I would rather hear that from you than him since he was not a Rickenbacker specialist.

I will probably do the wiring mod to have the fifth knob function as a volume pot for the middle pickup. Too tempting not too and I can always retrace my steps if I don't dig it.

Why do all this to an already incredible guitar? Because I have always believed that anything that can be done well can be done to glorious excess (with the only downside being a small commission payable to the Devil upon exiting the building).

Russ

Welcome Russ,
I also have a 350V63 in Jetglow and I'm
keeping it stock. I waited a long time like
you to get one and this is a keeper. Just
like my Gretsch 6128TBEE Duo Jet and my reissue
Vox AC-30TBX my setup is complete. Russ enjoy
this forum the people here know a lot about
Rickenbacker guitars.
Lou D

Russ,

Welcome from another new guy. Congrats on your 350--it's a beautiful instrument. I've been trying to find a post I recall reading in another forum about the 350/Bigsby question. As I recall, the issue was not so much the body cut but the spacing of the pickups on the 350 that results in the bridge being further back on the 350 than the 325. I could be wrong--I'll keep looking.

Bill

I have always put some a mint green pickguard on all the twelves that I let my rymthm buddy use. So the mint green would go on a 350V63/12 if I ever got one.

Yes Aitch, I DID see the liverpool 350 on Aussie ebay! I'm still sobbing!$2G's!

Pretty good price for an '03 build over here, Greg. Any chance of getting that Christmas bonus from your boss early?