Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Does anyone know if the necks had variations throughout this period like Gibson's? I have a '65 330 and a '65 625 and both seem to have skinny necks...just curious if early 60's necks were wider and fatter.

It's been my observation that early late '50s and early '60s necks, with the odd exception of the Combo 400s (I wonder why?) are the slimmest of the lot, and when Rickenbacker went to the double truss rod system, necks got a tiny bit beefier in general. Toward the late '60s they slimmed down again. I've got several '67s with very slim and shallow necks, and have worked on some '69s that were beautifully delicate and felt like my '60 does.

Anyone else?

This topic has come up a few times (and there is currently a thread about it in the "vintage" section).

From my experience, they change every year, and by every model. The most consistent thing about vintage Rics is their inconsistencies.

Just like the color and pattern of the Fireglo finish, neck shapes changed every year, and often on each instrument.

I've noticed that deluxe models (360's) had slimmer necks than 330's etc, but only slightly. Every OS model I've played had the slimmest necks of all.
In the past few months I've had three 1966 330 FG models come through my ownership or contact, and compared the necks on all of them. They were all produced a few months apart, and each had different neck shapes (I measured them with digital calipers in all directions).

So, sorry it's not much of a good answer------but part of the joy of collecting vintage Rickenbackers is that each one is handbuilt, unique, and won't feel the same as the next. Sometimes you will just find one that just feels right, with no rhyme or reason.

There's obviously shape variance as well; I played a `62 375 with slim necked that was noticeably D shaped, rather than C shaped.