Route 66 Guitars Rickenbacker Gallery

[route66guitars]

I've been wading through the thousands of images I've taken of the vintage inventory that's passed through my hands over the past 30 years. I've decided that I will post a Rick at least once a week to this new topic (provided this is o.k. with the admins.) I'll include serial number as well as any of the instrument's history I have, along with images. I will be posting the rough images, without editing.

To start things off I thought I would post shots of Roger McGuinn's original 360-12.







This is the instrument that he returned to the factory for the addition of a third pickup and custom wiring harness (often referred to by Rick collectors as the "BYRD" wiring).

McGuinn left the guitar with someone in lieu of a debt in early 1966, and never collected it. Instead, he ordered a replacement 370-12 from the factory, and borrowed a 360-12 FireGlo to get him though his scheduled live appearances while awaiting it's arrival.

The guitar was sold to my former partner at Voltage Guitars, Lloyd Chiate, in 1990. I authenticated the guitar for him, which is when these images were taken, and obtained invoices from the factory documenting the modifications done to the guitar. I mentioned the guitar to the then curator of the Experience Music Project. Experience Music purchased the guitar, where it remains on display in their permanent collection.

[libratune]

Scott, thanks for this thread. What a great idea -- something to look forward to each week . . .

What is the serial # of this particular guitar? It appears from your narrative that it was a 1965 build. Is that correct?

[route66guitars]

Scott, thanks for this thread. What a great idea -- something to look forward to each week . . .

What is the serial # of this particular guitar? It appears from your narrative that it was a 1965 build. Is that correct?

Sorry. There's been so much discussion of this guitar over the years that I forget not everyone knows this serial number by heart.

The serial number on this guitar is DJ451. October 1964.

It's the guitar he bought after seeing George Harrison's in A Hard Day's Night, and used for the Byrds early hits.

[libratune]

Thanks Scott. I could have found the number by looking around a bit, but I thought it would be best to have you put it on this thread to match up with those great photos.

It's interesting to me that, of the 128 Ricks of all models currently listed on the Register as having 1964 serial numbers, Roger's is the only 300-series Rick in Mapleglo.

[egosheep]

Thanks, Scott! This is really cool. Are you going to add these to the registry as you go? I would love to see some of these in a higher resolution.

[route66guitars]

Thanks, Scott! This is really cool. Are you going to add these to the registry as you go? I would love to see some of these in a higher resolution.

I will add them to the registry as well. It appears someone has submitted this guitar since I posted the thread, as it's not in the viewable registry, but my attempt to submit it warns me that someone else has posted that serial number. I guess in the future I have to add them to the registry before posting them here to prevent others from taking credit that isn't theirs.

I'm not going to add hi res images of most of the instruments I post, as I do license images for use in books and magazines. I am also toying with the idea of both posters and a coffee table book of the instruments we've photographed (As Norm's and Gruhn's and others have done in the past.) I have had trouble with others using my images for commercial purposes without permission after I've posted them to my web site or a forum as part of a discussion.

This guitar has been discussed at great length in the past. The next instrument will likely be one almost no one has seen before. Stay tuned.

[rickinroma]

Scott,

I have appreciated your pictures for years since you used to send me your catalogues by post when I was in your mailing list back in the early 90s. I must have some of them somewhere.
I particularly remember both the first 360/12 fireglo ever made (along with Harrison's and Campbell's 620/12) and the "time machine" 1967 mapleglo 4005 LH you got assembled from the factory sometimes in the 90s that is in hands of one of the users here in the RRF.

Actually I purchased my 4005 by Lloyd Chiate back in 1991 during my first Rickenbacker-hunting-holiday in So-Cal... I still have his invoice

http://www.gospel.bo.it/albums/userpics ... G_2522.JPG

nice memories

[electrofaro]

Great idea! Can't wait to see/read more

I especially like that picture... that one would be a great poster, imo!

[cjj]

I will add them to the registry as well. It appears someone has submitted this guitar since I posted the thread, as it's not in the viewable registry, but my attempt to submit it warns me that someone else has posted that serial number. I guess in the future I have to add them to the registry before posting them here to prevent others from taking credit that isn't theirs.

I doubt it's a case of anyone "taking credit", rather, just someone making sure the guitar gets entered into the register. It should be entered as a "CI", collected instrument, meaning it does not belong to the person who submitted it. If it was entered otherwise, the entry will be corrected.

In any case, it's probably a good idea to enter them before posting just to save the hassle of entering and finding it already there.

Great thread though, it will be interesting to see these historic guitars!

[beatlefreak]

Great images, Scott.

[jps]

Fantastic thread, Scott. I am very much looking forward to seeing how this develops.

[Ontario_RIC_fan]

Fabulous idea for a thread Scott!

Looking forward to this..

[jch]

Great thread, and great idea to make a book!

[8mileshigher]

Great thread, and great idea to make a book!

+1 on that !!

[collin]

Nice thread, Scott!

Well.....technically, Sunday is the beginning of the calendar week, so let's have round #2 !