Combo w/ a odd headstock?

Vintage, Modern, V & C Series, Signature & Special Editions

Moderators: rickenbrother, ajish4

User avatar
jsm610
Intermediate Member
Posts: 1074
Joined: Mon Apr 19, 2004 5:00 am
Contact:

Combo w/ a odd headstock?

Post by jsm610 »

I haven't seen enough of these to know all the ins and outs. You've all see the one on ebay now with the weird headstock? What's up with it?
User avatar
jingle_jangle
RRF Moderator
Posts: 22679
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:00 am
Contact:

Post by jingle_jangle »

Looks to me like it was originally ordered as a lefty, and then converted to righty. Then the truss rod cover was removed and lost. I'd guess that somebody was going to try to make one with right-side-up lettering, but never got around to it.
“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
User avatar
leftybass
RRF Consultant
Posts: 5359
Joined: Sat Feb 03, 2001 10:23 am

Post by leftybass »

Hmm, hard to say. My .02 is that it was a right handed guitar from the factory. There may have been some attempt later on to do a lefty conversion, but just to make the peghead a lefty shape makes no sense to me, the body is where it would need attention for the sake of playability. It is still intact in it's original shape. I think there may have some damage at some point to the peghead, and they did the best they could. YMMV!

Fender's first known left-handed Telecaster (1952) had a right-handed neck and bridge pickup route on a lefty body....no jigs existed at the time to a proper lefty. This was remedied about a year later....
User avatar
jwilli
RRF Consultant
Posts: 4327
Joined: Sun Aug 06, 2000 8:45 pm

Post by jwilli »

What'll it go for? If you got it, would you have a new neck made for it or leave it as it is?
User avatar
admin
Site Admin
Posts: 15123
Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2000 5:00 am
Contact:

Post by admin »

How about a link, folks?
Life, as with music, often requires one to let go of the melody and listen to the rhythm

Please join the Official RickResource Forum Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/379271585440277
relayer4u
Intermediate Member
Posts: 544
Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2006 3:54 pm

Post by relayer4u »

User avatar
elysrand
Advanced Member
Posts: 2757
Joined: Fri Nov 17, 2006 6:00 am

Post by elysrand »

Was the oversized piece of galvanized or zinc-plate added to the back to hold it together structurally due to the cracking, or was that large a piece of metal endemic to the original?
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and sit in with the band whenever you can, to keep your chops up!
tblair
Veteran RRF member
Posts: 241
Joined: Tue Oct 10, 2000 12:52 pm
Contact:

Post by tblair »

That's the back plate to cover the body routing.

It's on many, but not all of the 600s/800s.
User avatar
jingle_jangle
RRF Moderator
Posts: 22679
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:00 am
Contact:

Post by jingle_jangle »

...and it's usually flocked in a gray color. Can't tell if this one is flocked or just a worn plated item...
“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
35012
Member
Posts: 208
Joined: Sat Feb 04, 2006 4:55 am

Post by 35012 »

I always thought that the elongated jack plate only existed so that both the jack and the strap button could be on the same piece of metal, but here, there is a separate piece of metal for each. Would I be correct in assuming that the jack plate piece was flipped around horizontally to keep the body together where it split, and the piece of metal that holds the strap button is a replacement?
User avatar
8mileshigh
Senior Member
Posts: 3532
Joined: Thu Nov 20, 2003 6:00 am

Post by 8mileshigh »

Lots of things don't look right to me....only compared to what I've seen. I don't remember such a back plate shape? Although the flocking looks correct? The headstock looks like it's been re-shaped? And I would have expected to see the serial number on the second plate? I'll have to look at mine when I get home - but the neck doesn't look right from the shot of where it joins the body?
User avatar
8mileshigh
Senior Member
Posts: 3532
Joined: Thu Nov 20, 2003 6:00 am

Post by 8mileshigh »

ImageImageImage
User avatar
8mileshigh
Senior Member
Posts: 3532
Joined: Thu Nov 20, 2003 6:00 am

Post by 8mileshigh »

Lots of things don't look right to me....only compared to what I've seen. I don't remember such a back plate shape? Although the flocking looks correct? The headstock looks like it's been re-shaped? And I would have expected to see the serial number on the second plate? I'll have to look at mine when I get home - but the neck doesn't look right from the shot of where it joins the body?
User avatar
jingle_jangle
RRF Moderator
Posts: 22679
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:00 am
Contact:

Post by jingle_jangle »

Headstock has not been lengthened or shortened, and with the long end at the left side, it would be a lefty Rick, as far as I can tell. Hence my early speculation.
“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
User avatar
8mileshigh
Senior Member
Posts: 3532
Joined: Thu Nov 20, 2003 6:00 am

Post by 8mileshigh »

The headstock just looks too narrow and long to me? But who knows? It looks like a great one for the Wilczynski treatment though Image
Post Reply

Return to “Rickenbacker Guitars: by John Simmons”