Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi to all,
does everyone knows when at Rickenbacker switched from slotted head screws to phillips ones (I'm referring to TRC and Jack plate screws)? It was in the 60s or 70s?

I've seen phillips head screws on 60s guitars, and once owned a '77 360/12 wbbs/os with slotted. I also remember seeing a picture from the 50s, of a Capri with Phillips, although I can't seem to find it right now. So to answer your question: Yes.

Data for the screws is one area that is surely all over the place.....this would be a good topic for someone to study, from all-original examples.........

When Rickenbacker did changes to guitars and basses, there was almost never a certain day, month or year as a defining point. Changes happened gradually, and sometimes for years you could find both the old way and the new change.

TRC/Jackplate were generally slotted in the 60's and phillips in most of the 70s onwards. Of course there will be exceptions---never say never with Rics, but that's what I've gathered.

Some stuff, like toaster pickups, were more consistent. I haven't seen original toasters with anything but slotted screws (I mean the tiny screws that hold it together), until toasters made in the 80s.

The screws holding the pickups onto the guitar were mostly phillips, from what I've seen. So I guess it varies depending on the part as well as Ric's natural variation anyways.

Basing of countless pics I've seen seems that slotted screws on TRC and jackplate goes throughout early 70s, but there's no certain rule. The most curious things I've seen are three all originals Rickies 345s made same month of the same year (4/67), whose s/n differs only 4 (four) units each other - coming from the same batch imported in Italy: two of these have slotted screws, one have phillips...