Dressing up a 350V63 - My first post - Advice?

[sashua]

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