Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

My new Rick 660/12 arrived this past week and I couldn't be happier. The bigger neck width fits my hands great and the tone is awesome. Lots of sustain and the intonation with the 12 saddle bridge is dead on all the way up the neck. The one thing I do not like is the gold pickguards and gold truss rod nameplate. (Whats with that anyway?) Rickenbackers should have white pickguards... especially with a black finish and a black/white checkered binding. So I ordered two new pickguards from Rickenbacker for $35- and then was told it was $50- for the truss rod nameplate!! They require you turn in the old one to purchase a new one. Outside of the outlandish price I pointed out that I was turning in a brand new one, not a broken or scratched up old one and that they should make an even exchange, given that they will put mine back in the new parts bin when it arrives. They would not budge and I had to have that white one so I lost that argument. Other than that I am quite enjoying my guitar. Thanks again to all who helped in my decision to purchase this guitar.....

Glad to hear you like it, Mitch. I love mine too.

You should have posted an ad here when you wanted white parts. I'm sure there would have been many people who could have helped you out, or traded parts with you.

Congrats on your acquisition. John's right - Post an ad to see if someone wants to swap. Lots of people love the gold guards and TRC.

It's kind of a color-by-color preference. My blue boys look pretty good with the gold, though they might look even better with white ones- I just don't know. I suppose if I wanted to use a different color, I would find replacements and hold onto the originals. No, I wouldn't buy them from "the ruler of another planet" or one with a "simian face on the body orbiting Earth."

I understand the policy of protecting trademarks, but not allowing us to keep part stocks is probably my single point of contention with the wonderful gang at Rickenbacker.

A big +1 on Blue Boy 660 w/ gold!

Beauty, John! Those classic knobs look good on yours- I'm so used to the stock ones that I'll just keep mine the way they are. I think my bb's are greener than yours already, but that might be just a result of the painfully yellow light in my house.

BTW: I also think the gold stuff goes exceptionally well with the AFG and Midnight Blue 660s, but I don't have any of those.