Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I have recently acquired my dream guitar (a '66 365 O.S.) and was surprised that it weighs more than my '66 335 by a very noticable difference. Surely the binding can't be the sole factor here- does anyone have any insight as to why there would be a difference? Love them both, but curious.

How much of a difference are we talking about?

Interesting! I found out at the Columbus confluence how much more a standard 4005 weighted compared to my WB model. So you are finding the reverse, eh?

Wood density could play a part here as well.

This is something that has always intrigued me as well. My '64 360/12 (round top) weighs more that my '67 360/12 which has the extra wood in the body called the 'converter block', and about the same as my '68 370/12, also with the block and a 3rd pickup.....most 12-strings after late 1966 have this extra wood that you can see through the soundhole. The '64 of course doesn't have it but feels a bit more heavy to me...Guess I should weigh them...The '64 must have more wood left in it around the edge internally when the top was routed....theory, but that's what I'm thinking.

Some of the earlier guitars from late '64 that have 'R' tailpieces will add a bit of weight due to their solid-cast construction...I'm not sure when the casting process was changed, but these early 'R' tailpieces are heavier.

He's talking about an O.S. 360.

I would chalk the difference down to the handmaking process - in the '60s there were no CNC routers and computerized tools, and guitars probably varied in a lot of ways...shape, weight, finish, etc.

dpowell wrote:He's talking about an O.S. 360.

I would chalk the difference down to the handmaking process - in the '60s there were no CNC routers and computerized tools, and guitars probably varied in a lot of ways...shape, weight, finish, etc.

Right, and my point is that it doesn't matter what model it is....you can find differences in many different ways that may add weight to an instrument.

chucksimms wrote:I have recently acquired my dream guitar (a '66 365 O.S.) and was surprised that it weighs more than my '66 335 by a very noticable difference. Surely the binding can't be the sole factor here- does anyone have any insight as to why there would be a difference? Love them both, but curious.

Ditto regarding the point that there were no CNC machines back then so the guitars were all hand made.The amount of wood that was routed out of the inside of the body by individual craftsmen before it was braced and glued together could easily vary and account for the weight difference.