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How many Monte/Brown 381's produced?
Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 1:44 am
by ricmanx
Hi Folks,
my first post,I own a 381/6 string guitar in the lovely monte/brown finish,does anybody know how many of these were produced?
Thanks
Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 2:24 am
by rick_ovic
Howdy Robert,
Welcome to the Forum. You are now part of the ever-growing British chapter of this wonderful place.
Current production total information is not publicly released by RIC. The Smith book contains some much-debated production total for some years in the 1950s and 1960s, however modern statistics are not released. We do know that production today is much gretaer than it was in those earlier years.
Your 381 is the top of the range model with check binding and deluxe features. Application of the check binding is considerably more labour intensive than the normal white binding, so my guess is that far fewer of these models are made than the more standard 330 and 360 models.
The Montezuma Brown finish was Colour of The Year for 2003 and looks especially good on 381s.
Now, you must post a picture of your guitar!
Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 5:23 am
by jingle_jangle
Welcome, Robert!
My own Monte Brown 381/6 was the first Rickenbacker 6-string that I owned, way back in December, 2004. What a spectacular instrument!
It would be interesting to have that production figure. I'll take a rough guess and say "less than 250".
Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 8:52 am
by ricmanx
Thanks Darren and Paul for the warm welcome and info regarding the production figure for the 381MB, I've seen a few 381/12MB knocking around but very few 6 string ones which is why I wondered if any members here knew.
Paul, I too got my first Rickenbacker a 360FG back Dec.2004 and quite a few more have followed since !!
Will post some pictures soon.
Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 8:59 am
by lars
Hey Robert, welcome! I know of one 381V69 MB six-string in Norway, not mine.
Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 10:28 am
by jingle_jangle
I suspect there were four 381/12s for every 381/6 produced...just a gut feeling, based upon what I've seen for sale, and also what I've seen at the RIC factory when they were being produced.
Remember, just a guess again...
Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 8:36 am
by red_rob
Love the MB on 381s and 660s
How's about some of those old pictures of your assistant holding the 381 Paul?
It seemed to strangely look better in those photos....
Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 9:27 am
by jingle_jangle
Ah, Regina...she got married and moved on. The pics of her replacement, alas, are not appropriate for a family Forum...
Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 9:32 am
by red_rob
We'll be the judge of that Paul - get 'em posted!
Regina eh? Reminds me of a limerick I once heard..
Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 9:47 am
by dr_bob
There's a 381 MB 12-string available at Willcutt Guitars. A while back they were asking $3600 but I suspect that they would take a couple hundred dollars less.
Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:13 am
by jingle_jangle
Yeah, Rob, I used to call her "that" Ciceronian Latin pronunciation (long "i") just to tweak her temper.
Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 3:01 pm
by red_rob
"there really was no one FINER..."