Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hello,
I am new to the site and was wondering if I could get some help regarding dating my 345 Capri. It has a thinner neck stripe than I've seen on other Capris and larger dot inlays- did Rickenbacker vary these features over the years? Unfortunately I do not have a serial no on this instrument. The only thing original on the guitar is the middle pick up. Thanks!

In my experience, there is more variability among capris than later rics.

David,
Did you happen to sell a Capri recently? If yours was the one I'm thinking of, my instrument is very close in appearance to yours...just some things about mine seem strange. For one the radius of curvature of the neck is fatter than most Rics I've ever owned or played. It is also relatively heavy, especially for a Rickenbacker. This is the only 'straight on' shot of the guitar that I have.
Thanks,
Rick

Rick, the picture is quite small and hard to see which makes it difficult to make observations from.... We can do better if we had closer shots of the guitar....how about e-mailing me the pic? Thanks.

From the size of the headstock, that guitar looks to be of fairly recent vintage.

I can't see a Capri in either photograph. If we're talking about the FG guitar on the left, the waist is too low for it to be a Capri, and it has 5 knobs. The pic is soooo tiny I can't tell for sure about the waist issue. It has oven knobs and white guards...But you did say it's modified, so...

The tuners are recent (should be single-row Klusons) and something looks odd about the FG. The headstock looks big, as Bob pointed out, but the maple areas of the neck do seem to have the same sort of flame that was common on the earlier Capris.

Please post bigger pics so we can figure this one out.

I have received some pics of the guitar in an e-mail from Richard, and from what I have seen leads me to the conclusion that it may be a privately made body and neck combination that resembles a Rickenbacker with many authentic parts attatched to it....at the very least the guitar has been re-necked. Looks like a great job nevertheless.

If Richard wishes to get a second opinion and send the pics to others on the Forum who are moderators or who own known good 1958-61 Capris, that is fine, in fact I recommend it. We're here for that kind of thing, and I just want to be objective and honest. On we go...

what are the pot codes ?

Of the 10+ capris I've owned I've not seen one with
a post '84 peg head....

Capris are inconsistent in some areas:
4 different sound-holes
3 different horn shapes
differing binding widths
spacer blocks on the maple at the heal

But the center lam (if present) always was the wider....