Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I bought a Squier '51 back in December, which is a very inexpensive yet pretty good guitar. I've enjoyed hot rodding it with better pickups, tuners, bridge, etc. etc., and learning a bit more about how electric guitars are put together in the process.

This has got me thinking about possible mods for Rickenbackers. I haven't done any mods to either of my Ricks, aside from replacing the HiGains on my 330 with toasters. (If my 330 was jetglo instead of fireglo, I would probably buy some aftermarket gold plastic parts.)

Let's hear about what YOU'VE done to personalize your Rickenbackers, and post some photos too! Have you used genuine Rickenbacker parts in unusual ways (ie: TV knobs on a 330), or added any non-Rickenbacker parts?

Ummmmm.... do total refins and restorations count?

My 330 Purpleburst used to be fireglo, and it now has gold guards and oven knobs, and I LOVE it.... I consider that one to be my personalized guitar, and it is just perfect for the music I usually play....

And my 481 slant-fret is probably the only one of its kind in Blueburst, and it rocks like crazy....

Of course all the credit for their new look goes to the very talented Paul W....

Some minor ones, mostly done before I bought my '77 4001...

Practical (debate??!! )... Schaller bridge, brass nut, sanded fretboard, .0047 surgery

Cosmetic... Pickguardian Vintage white guard

I can't quantify the benefits of the mods... I have no reference to "before"- I just know it's the best-sounding and playing Rick I've ever owned!

I put TV knobs on my 4000, & yes, those are Seymour Duncan replacement pickups. Not the best idea, but I didn't know any better at the time.

My 4001 now has a Hipshot bridge/tailpiece & the neck pup rewound courtesy of Mr. Sergio Silva (many thanks!).

Great! Keep 'em coming, folks.

Melissa - Any pics of the purpleburst/gold/TV-knobbed 330 you can post?

Nothing too huge here. My Trans Green 4004Cii and JetGlo Laredo now have black hardware with the both bridges being Hipshot A series. The JetGlo Laredo also has the fretboard refinished to match (blackstar ripoff) by Paul Wilczynski.

Oh, I forgot....the 4004Ci has a gold vintage style TRC.

My 4003 has the Hipshot bridge, also changed the neck pickup to a HB1. Added a chrome surround to the bridge pickup. My 340 has higains with toaster tops(Thanks Sergio!). I also added a on/off switch for the middle pickup. I wired the middle and bridge pickup together. When the main toggle switch is in the bridge position and the middle pickup is on I get a nice Fender quack sound.

Cole

Here's a pic of the 330 that Paul took before he sent it back to me.... I still have to take some more pics of my own--it's kind of a hard color to capture with the digital camera, but in real life it is UNBELIEVABLY gorgeous.



And here's the 481:

I take the bridge covers off...

I have the parts, but it's not officially modded yet. I'll be putting a Badass 1 bridge and Schaller M4S tuners on my 4001. My tribute to Geddy Lee's old '77. Sure, it seems evil to drill holes like that, but it's mine, so pfft. Besides the bridge is required big time, tribute or not. My tailpiece has lifted a bunch more recently, so it's gotta go.

I converting the hardware on my 650C Monty from chrome to gold...will have two pup's for sale soon!

I put oven knobs on my 660/12, took the signature pickguard off of my Carl Wilson and replaced it with a plain one, and put a toaster pickup in the neck of my 4003 (have more mods planned for that one).

Apart from swapping plastic parts for gold & adding a third pickup, the only real mod I've made is to my 360WB (now a 375WB). I have dispensed with the tone controls & have a seperate volume for all three pick ups & a master volume (REALLY useful in live situations). I also have a push pull pot on the master volume to engage & disengage the cap.

Very cool Tony! That guitar is really something.