Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Check this out...it ends pretty quick...What do you guys think:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7408262905

Looks OK, but you're gonna pay through the schnozzola for a jackplate...

Yes, the missing tailpiece plate will be hard to replace.

But is it dooable? I'd not do it for a financial gain..just a really good project.

Alisha, it is easily doable, provided you are not seeking absolute period originality. You can get it looking very, very close on a Fender budget, doing it yourself. You picked a good example of a great entry-level project. Now, the challenge is to get it at a reasonable price. It's right on the edge of silly money for a good stripped body. Many of us have paid less than this for fully functional original vintage Ricks!

Paul. Thanks for the info. That was the one drawback....$400 for not so much, no matter the potential. Where do you even begin to look for those lonely Ric's? What are some of your experiences?

I've been very lucky for a short-timer. I found an '83 Electro ES-16 (student model short-scale) "under the bed" with what seemed like the original strings, even, in dusty but absolute mint condition, for $400.00 at a swap meet. We stopped into a very busy but out-of-our way meet one Sunday morning to look for CDs and luggage. It was sitting in the guy's trunk in the parking lot before we even got into the meet!

I got it home and spent 3 or 4 hours cleaning it. It's back under the bed, looking like the day it was minted.

I bought a '76 (I think) 430 (have to recheck the bridge again) from eBay on a "Best Offer". The seller wanted $599.00; it had just been listed. I jumped in with $329 to get negotiations started and to my surprise my offer was accepted. I only paid $25.00 shipping as it was less than 100 miles away. Came with a nice B5 Bigsby, too.

Those were my two "under $400.00" Ricks in the last year.

Wow...that's very cool. I'm getting too anxious I guess. I'm new to Seattle, so I don't know that much around here and I've been surfing the net a little bit and haven't found anything within a decent price range.

I keep looking too, Alisha - in the vain hope that........

They almost always go beyond what I consider a reasonable price - not necessarily a bargain one. I've been looking for a refin project (a Paul special, that is) for about a year now, with no luck. You have one serious advantage over me - you're in the US, so your chances are increased heavily over mine. I can't offer you any more than the best of luck in your search. I suspect that there are hundreds stored under beds, in wardrobes and on garage shelves just waiting for someone like you (sounds like a song!) to bring it back to life.

BTW - give my regards to Seattle! I was there in '02 for about 10 days and really loved the place. Great people and even better bars!!

I have my Seattle coffee mug and Frazier t-shirt in view as I type..........

Geez, if you're looking at spending that kind of money for a lifeless hunk of wood and then hunt up a pile of expensive parts just to make it work, buy my Jetglo 250. It's a real, living, breathing guitar (that will kick some serious butt when you plug it in). You'd have to beat on it for a while with something heavy if you really want to start with a true basket case, but it has some stuff that could use attention and could be a great and relatively rare project to restore to showroom glory. I'm about to list it on eBay, but would rather sell it to somebody here.
http://webpages.charter.net/tbradshaw/250mst%20002.jpg

Todd! Perfect! Email me (listed in my profile) and let's talk