Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

i HAVE A GUITAR THAT LOOKS JUST LIKE THE RICKENBACKER 350V63 OR THE 325V63 MINUS THE wammy bar its a combanation of a cuople of styles but it has the 3 pick ups and cut away on both sides it lookes exactly the same as some of the rickenbackers that i have seen but it says Tracer performer series u.s.a its the jetblack colour is it fake or what because its exactly the same and also at the bottom bridge piece instead of the R its just a disign almost looks like 2 music notes beside eachother so can anyone help me out?

Welcome Kyle. Can you post some pictures? It sounds like a faker though.

Welcome, Kyle!

It does sound like a faker based on the description, but a picture or two would nail it down.

Sorry Kyle, as the first 2 replies to your question seem to confirm, your guitar is known as "Firewood"!
Post some pics though, you may surprise us all!
Welcome to the forum mate, stick around!

I have never seen one of these instruments, however, I have read discussions on line about the "Tracer Performance Series USA" with regard to Tele copies. It certainly sounds like a copy to me Kyle. The tailpiece is a giveaway.

yeah im gonna post some pics right now thanks for ur replys guys i pretty much new all along it was fake but i just never was sure but heres some pics anyways thanks

It's invisible, to boot...

Kyle try reading this it may help when posting a pic viewforum.php?f=39

these r the pics

You have a faker, Kyle. Hope it didn't cost you too much... A good way to tell is that awful "chrome spaghetti" tailpiece, first seen on Gibson Byrdlands back fifty years or so ago, where it looked elegant. Now the Chinese factories are popping 'em out by the zillions and you'll find them on many Chinese guitars.

I don't know Paul, the Gibson speed knobs seem to make a good argument

Kyle, I am sorry you got a fake, and hope you didn't pay good money for it. Welcome to the forum anyways, and hope you can get yourself a real one. Don't hesitate to ask for help in getting the real thing, as there are many friendly, honest people on this site who can help you find one, verify one, or even sell you one.

Good luck, and the opening statement to Paul was certainly not intended as a laugh at your expense. The pots that RIC uses have solid shafts on them which would not allow the mounting of the Gibson speed knobs, which mount on split shaft pots.

Those have been around for quite a while, for more than 10 years under different brands. I don't know if they were all Chinese, I think the Series 10 were actually Korean. Another way to tell them apart besides the tailpiece and the knobs (which doesn't mean much, someone could just change the pots), is that they never have lacquered fingerboards.

That is a fake...

Yeah, I think I've seen 'em in person before, they're as ugly as you can imagine!

Kyle,Dont be disheartened many people buy copies of guitars as a starter.If they didnt they are very privileged.My first guitar was a strat copy and it was horrid!Heres a thinker.From small acorns great oaks grow.It might not be the real thing but let the player make the choice.Sometimes great sounds come from a underrated instrument.Its all in the playing! not the instrument
People can buy a Porsche and drive like a ***** and people can buy a ford and drive Lewis Hamilton.Make it sing,sometimes life is what you make it.
Best regards Scott

I don't think they're ugly, they don't look too different than a regular Rick. It's just when you start to play them, and that neck... Actually I think the 330 copies are worse, I only tried one and I really hated the neck.