Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Greetings to all!

Can anyone tell me the difference between a pre '73 and post '73 truss rod cover?

I just bought one on the "bay" for my 72 4001 and it has raised lettering. I seem to remember the original being transparent plastic and the lettering not being raised. I lost the original a long long time ago so I may not be remembering correctly.

Thanks.

jamie d

Without going into real detail, yours should be a plexi cover with the logo silkscreened in black on the second surface (back side) and white paint applied over it. It's generically known as a "vintage" TRC.

Sometime in the mid-1970s (not sure), RIC had an mold made for producing injection-molded plastic TRCs. As far as I can tell, this same mold is used for most RIC models, ground a bit at the base to fit some models, and shaved away on the top to clear the strings on the 12-string models. The mold can produce the typical white plastic TRCs, as well as black-plastic seen on some models or color choices. The raised letters are skim painted in contrasting color. The mold is only good for right-handed instruments. All leftie instruments get the "vintage" style TRCs that have the company logo back printed on clear acrylic ("Plexi"). This material is also used for the "vintage" instruments (V series, C series) and some others (acoustics come to mind). I'm open to correction/clarification on this.

Thank you gentleman. Once again it seems my memory isn't as bad as I thought. The plexiglass is exactly what I remember. It seems though, that I now have the wrong TRC for my bass. I will look into a trade. Thanks again!

jamie doc

Well, now that you have "A" TRC, you could always get the correct type brand new from the factory, with the trade in of course. I remember a time, when you could actully order TRC's and pickguards directly from RIC (through a dealer) so you could have any option/color/type you wanted. Should have stocked up on TRC's then

Plexi TRC:

For the record there is also more than one version of the pre 1974 (clear plexi painted) TRC. The made in the USA label changes places and the later smaller headstock period can be a bit smaller and be screened with the model 4001. Early versions 62-68 are pretty much the same though the hole patter can vary slightly and there can be a shaved out portion for the twelve string. pre 63's are gold painted

ilan wrote:Plexi TRC:

For a '67 guitar, judging from the notch at the bottom...

jingle_jangle wrote:For a '67 guitar, judging from the notch at the bottom...

Actually that is supposed to be a '64 (not mine, can't remember where I found this pic, probably on eBay, but when I saved it I made a note that it was represented to be a '64). But I also have a 60's TRC that has exactly the same notch. What's the story - and why only on a '67?


And why a guitar? I assumed it was from a bass, and the TRC was shaved off a little at the bottom so that the tip does not go over the D tuner bushing. Here's a 4005 headstock and the bottom of the TRC is shaved the same way:

Yeah, I'm sorta fishing...I've got 4 '67 Ricks, and all 4 have the notch (what I call the flat spot on the bottom left in the blue pic above). Apparently the TRCs were made using a too-wide routing pattern. Co-incidentally, the narrowest fretboards at the nut are those of my '67s...even my '60 Capri is slightly wider (and has a TRC of a different profile, too, which is original). And you can see how the narrow facet of the TRC was ground aggressively at an angle so it would clear the tuner bushings on the 4005. I suspect this was not an original TRC, and the lack of "Model 4005" indicates this.

It's entirely possible that this glitch (the flat spot) extends to '64s as well. But I've seen a number of '60s Ricks without the flat spot, too.

jingle_jangle wrote:I suspect this was not an original TRC, and the lack of "Model 4005" indicates this.

My '67 4005WB TRC is original to the bass and it does not say Model 4005 on it.

Nor does the one that used to reside in Akron which is seven number away from mine.

I might be wrong, but I thought that the model designation
didn't happen until late '70.
The Made in USA went parallel to the nut in '69 maybe late '68.
I've seen TRC's as late as 1975 in plexi....

Thanks for the additions to my Rickeneducation, guys. Still learnin' from the masters...

There may not have been a period where the 4005's (plexi) TRC gave the model designation. It happened for the 4001's around '70, and I still have yet to see a '69-'73 4005.