My two unique rics
Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 6:39 pm
1966 Ric 330 was purchased used from the now defunct Dr. Guitar in Garden City Michigan in 1986 or 85. I paid $300 for it. After looking for a Ric for many years I finally gave up and went to by a Fender Tele I had seen at another store. When I got there , it was gone. I stopped at Dr Guitar on the way home and the owner said,"I have something for you." It was a butchered 1966 330. The original bridge and tail piece were gone and replaced with an all in one bridge/ tail piece which had promptly fallen over when the strings were tensioned and a cheap trapeze was installed . The guitar was originally Fire Glo but was refinished natural. I know this by the slight Fire Glo overspray in the sound hole. The top and internal base of the neck had been routed for humbuckers which destroyed the structural integrity at the neck and the neck was slowly pulling up as this was not a complete neck through body guitar. Slowly I found a used Ric Bridge and Pickups (who knows, maybe they were the originals.) I finally figured out the neck and installed a maple puck in the neck position pick up hole after socking two small screws into the back to pull back the neck, giving the rigidity back to the guitar and improving the sustain by remaking the neck to top connection. I repaired and replace a couple frets myself. I installed a gibson SG style Bigsby like the type John Lennon did. I love playing this guitar and every time I play out people always comment on how great it sounds, and when my friends play it they fall in love. I had a fire in 1992 and I was able to grab it running out of the apartment.
1966 Ric 360 ( says 365 in red wax pencil under the pick gaurd. It was purchased used from Wonderland Music in Dearborn Mich for $399 around 1987. I had gone in to look for an amp. While walking through the door I turned to friend and said,"why are we going here, they never have anything cool?" Turns out they had a Jet Glo Ric 360 which I promptly bought.
It was near mint!! In 1992 I had the above mentioned fir and unfortunately could not rescue this guitar from damage. All plastic and inlay material was melted. Pickups were destroyed and the High E side of the neck was charred and the top fire damaged. A crack I had always been able to hear but not see opened up in the top. I cried. I decided to try and save it. after sanding of the burn, and charred neck wood A friend and I appoxied the crack and clear coated the guitar. The Burn looked really cool under the clear coat. I redid the inlays with a mixture of poly-resin and blue/gold iridescent paints. I replaced the frets with larger ones. The neck is a full mm narrower at least at the nut because of all the burned rosewood that had to be removed. I recently purchased a nut and new Klusons from you. I had the nut sectioned but had to re do it even further. I play violin so close together strings aren't a big deal. I actually filed my own frets and did okay. I plays pretty well, for an amateur job. I just ordered the electronics from you (had to get the left handed set cause your temporarily out of the right, and have been for sometime). It has a gold plexi pick guard. It is a blast to play and although I wish it was still mint like when I got it, there is something very special about it and I am glad to have strings on it after 16 years.
Sean Fitz
1966 Ric 360 ( says 365 in red wax pencil under the pick gaurd. It was purchased used from Wonderland Music in Dearborn Mich for $399 around 1987. I had gone in to look for an amp. While walking through the door I turned to friend and said,"why are we going here, they never have anything cool?" Turns out they had a Jet Glo Ric 360 which I promptly bought.
It was near mint!! In 1992 I had the above mentioned fir and unfortunately could not rescue this guitar from damage. All plastic and inlay material was melted. Pickups were destroyed and the High E side of the neck was charred and the top fire damaged. A crack I had always been able to hear but not see opened up in the top. I cried. I decided to try and save it. after sanding of the burn, and charred neck wood A friend and I appoxied the crack and clear coated the guitar. The Burn looked really cool under the clear coat. I redid the inlays with a mixture of poly-resin and blue/gold iridescent paints. I replaced the frets with larger ones. The neck is a full mm narrower at least at the nut because of all the burned rosewood that had to be removed. I recently purchased a nut and new Klusons from you. I had the nut sectioned but had to re do it even further. I play violin so close together strings aren't a big deal. I actually filed my own frets and did okay. I plays pretty well, for an amateur job. I just ordered the electronics from you (had to get the left handed set cause your temporarily out of the right, and have been for sometime). It has a gold plexi pick guard. It is a blast to play and although I wish it was still mint like when I got it, there is something very special about it and I am glad to have strings on it after 16 years.
Sean Fitz
