Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Back in September, flushed and excited by my July acquisition of a 360/12 JG, I rather rashly purchased off Ebay, the body and neck of a 360/6 FG. Totally stripped, it came with nothing but the paint-job andthe nut. I saw my investment as a long(ish)-term project- especially after checking the cost/ availability of replacement parts!
However, undeterred I made my first move towards refurbishment, making a stencil of the scratchplates and TRC which Bruce, the Design Technology technician in the school where I work recreated in white acrylic.
Meanwhile I was scouring the web for suitable parts and putting out feelers to try and obtain a tailpiece- an 'R' tailpiece at that. I found a Rick-a-like bridge which seems a little less massive than the originals, but will do for now. I bought a pair of Eastwood 'Ricky-likey' toaster pickups which for £10 each are probably not going to sound like the real thing, but they'll do until I can get my hands on some hi-gains! Genuine Kluson Deluxe tuners from the USA for a fraction of the UK price- even after paying a ridiculous customs charge; the two pickups from Canada managed to pick up a £20 (100%) duty charge as well. This combined with the rising dollar, more or less ruled out any plans I had to buy and ship anything from the US via some really good people in this forum...
Project on hold whilst I prioritise my funds toward No.1 Son's birthday and Christmas prezzies, still lacking electronics, knobs and the @*%&ing tailpiece.
I had a clear-out of unused gear which went on the 'Bay and generated some needed cash, So I bought some pots from hong kong for peanuts, AllParts Rick-o-type knobs and a gen-u-wine stereo output harness.
Still no tailpiece, then lo! I bid for one on Ebay and won! But it didn't reach the Reserve price Then I see the guy who was selling the TP relisted it and also had a Galveston 330 'copy' for sale, and reading the blurb noticed that 'the person who bought using Buy It Now would get a genuine Rickenbacker tailpiece and special nameplate'. Aha! armed with my fistful of EBAy cash I buy it and 3 days later arrives a rather useful acoustic guitar HS case containing a (surprisingly not bad) 330 copy, 'R' tailpiece and TRC; all for £249. RESULT!
Everything in place I realise that I don't have a jackplate, and of course, it being rick-o-sound, can't find one... so back to see my mate Bruce in the DT department who was more than willing to help and came back to me with a beautiful polished copper plate, which whilst not authentic, does the job, looks great (I want ALL-copper hardware now!) and cost me nothing, although I foresee some beers heading his way. So much for on-going project. It only took 7 weeks!
NOW I have a working 360 which I know is not 100% original, but is beautiful, plays like a dream, sounds great and makes me ask myself, EVERY time I look at it, why did I not get one years ago?
Sorry- that went on longer than I'd anticipated. But can you tell how pleased I am with myself!

x

What a brilliant story Mark.

So how much did your 'custom' Ric end up costing you in total?

I'd love to see some pictures.

Sounds cool, MArk. Yes, let's see some pics.

dogload wrote:Back in September, flushed and excited by my July acquisition of a 360/12 JG, I rather rashly purchased off Ebay, the body and neck of a 360/6 FG. Totally stripped, it came with nothing but the paint-job andthe nut. I saw my investment as a long(ish)-term project- especially after checking the cost/ availability of replacement parts!

It's a bit of a slog, but especially in today's dumpy economy, and with the help of fellow Forumites, this can be a simple task, and would in the end net you a Rickenbacker guitar that's genuine. Of course, the toughest part is a genuine TRC. They do turn up, and will end up costing a couple of hundred bucks...think of it as the cost of admission.

dogload wrote:However, undeterred I made my first move towards refurbishment, making a stencil of the scratchplates and TRC which Bruce, the Design Technology technician in the school where I work recreated in white acrylic.

I admire your ingenuity. Hopefully the replica TRC will not say "Rickenbacker" on it, which will make it a counterfeit. BTW, the shape of that TRC itself is considered "trade dress", and protected by law.

dogload wrote:Meanwhile I was scouring the web for suitable parts and putting out feelers to try and obtain a tailpiece- an 'R' tailpiece at that. I found a Rick-a-like bridge which seems a little less massive than the originals, but will do for now.

The best part of this is the last two words...it indicates that eventually you'll be going with genuine Rick parts. To give you a leg up on the task of acquiring the correct stuff, I'll make you a deal--I'll send you a bridge, no strings attached (pun intended). But, you gotta promise to go with genuine Rick parts for the rest of the project. An "R" tailpiece can be gotten on Ebay...hang in there

dogload wrote:I bought a pair of Eastwood 'Ricky-likey'

dogload wrote:toaster pickups which for £10 each are probably not going to sound like the real thing, but they'll do until I can get my hands on some hi-gains!

I have a pair of the real thing that you can have for $20.00 each.

dogload wrote: Genuine Kluson Deluxe tuners from the USA for a fraction of the UK price- even after paying a ridiculous customs charge; the two pickups from Canada managed to pick up a £20 (100%) duty charge as well. This combined with the rising dollar, more or less ruled out any plans I had to buy and ship anything from the US via some really good people in this forum...

Project on hold whilst I prioritise my funds toward No.1 Son's birthday and Christmas prezzies, still lacking electronics, knobs and the @*%&ing tailpiece. I had a clear-out of unused gear which went on the 'Bay and generated some needed cash, So I bought some pots from hong kong for peanuts, AllParts Rick-o-type knobs and a gen-u-wine stereo output harness.

Still no tailpiece, then lo! I bid for one on Ebay and won! But it didn't reach the Reserve price Then I see the guy who was selling the TP relisted it and also had a Galveston 330 'copy' for sale, and reading the blurb noticed that 'the person who bought using Buy It Now would get a genuine Rickenbacker tailpiece and special nameplate'. Aha! armed with my fistful of EBAy cash I buy it and 3 days later arrives a rather useful acoustic guitar HS case containing a (surprisingly not bad) 330 copy, 'R' tailpiece and TRC; all for £249. RESULT!

You're the first person I've heard of who bought a Chinese copy Rick to take genuine Rick parts off it to put on a genuine Rick. I hate to be a hard-a**, but pleez make a bonfire and pitch the Galveston into it...selling it on is illegal...

dogload wrote:Everything in place I realise that I don't have a jackplate, and of course, it being rick-o-sound, can't find one... so back to see my mate Bruce in the DT department who was more than willing to help and came back to me with a beautiful polished copper plate, which whilst not authentic, does the job, looks great (I want ALL-copper hardware now!) and cost me nothing, although I foresee some beers heading his way. So much for on-going project. It only took 7 weeks!

Copper will begin to tarnish in a couple of hours. Best to try to pick up something more appropriate. And, copper hardware, unless heavily lacquered (which wears off with playing) is quite impractical.

NOW I have a working 360 which I know is not 100% original,[/quote] (more like 50%...)

dogload wrote: but is beautiful, plays like a dream, sounds great

it'll sound better with a set of real hi-gains

dogload wrote: and makes me ask myself, EVERY time I look at it, why did I not get one years ago?

Sorry- that went on longer than I'd anticipated. But can you tell how pleased I am with myself!

Congratulations, Mark. Remember, however, that a real, 100% Rickenbacker is something to admire, keep, and cherish for years to come. I trust that my post has found its Mark, and puts its point across without my seeming to be mean-spirited...my heart's in the right place, Mark...

Can any other members help with parts to help Mark get the Frankenricker legit? What do you have?

Well thanks for the support guys!
By popular demand, here are the pics I took this morning (6.30am so excuse the blurred quality- I just thought it was my eyes...)

Full Frontal
Jackplate
Serial Number
Cameraphone blurriness
Body shot
Back

Rob, I reckon that it has cost me £700 to get to this stage- I know I could probably have scored a complete one for not much more- but that includes the Galveston guitar, which I guess I'm getting for free, lol. I have financed most of this project by selling off my unused gear, so I feel vindicated

Thanks Paul, you know how to pee on a fire don't you! Ha ha, only kidding- I know what you're saying, believe me. You would not believe how seriously I'm taking this rebuild! If it had been a strat or a tele, I would have just thrown anything together- my tele thinline for example:

Customised

I'll make you a deal--I'll send you a bridge, no strings attached (pun intended).

Really?! OK

You're the first person I've heard of who bought a Chinese copy Rick to take genuine Rick parts off it to put on a genuine Rick. I hate to be a hard-a**, but pleez make a bonfire and pitch the Galveston into it

LOL. Honestly though, it's not that bad, but a Rickenbacker it ain't. It was a means to an end- the guy had obtained the real bits to (as he put it) 'Rickify it' for playing in a Beatles tribute band.
The jackplate is just a stop-gap- my mate offered to do it as a favour- otherwise I would have had a cople of sockets hanging out of the holes- and used my 12strings plate as a template, so it fits properly.
Finally, I'd like to thank my girlfriend, my stylist, God and my topiarist for making this dream come true... can I write that without sounding facetious? (can I even spell that properly?) Ugh my head hurts I've had to be in a meeting between starting this post and now, and I think I am starting to ramble.
Thanks again guys- I'll keep you posted as the reality replaces the fictitious!

That's a sweet geetar...PM sent.