Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

When approximately did the guitar (330, 360 etc.) bridges stop having the two raised circles under the bridge?

Chirp....

Well, I was hoping someone just knew this off hand, but since no responses, I did a little checking. I have a 1969 (IB) that has the raised circles and a 1973 (MK) that does not, so somewhere in there.

It's interesting to see a pic of the difference between the two.

Keep up with the great research, David!

Sorry, I don't have anything useful to add.

I'm always trying.

How about this Q?

Is there anyway to tell 60's double line Klusons from the 70's - early 80's ones? (excluding the screws)

early klusons are patent pending (including some kluson deluxe double liners) while later ones are patented or plain, in around 1970 there are some chrome plated ones too ...and the screws are slot head for early kind and phillips for later ones.. the tuner bushings are slightly smaller for those before 1965/66 and bit taller for later ones...now the thing is that you can find mix of different period tuners on ric way up to 1980, i have 80's 450/12 that has all but one kluson deluxe plain and the one has patent pending on it. the guitar is mint and i am positively sure that nobody touched it since it was made...so I can only imagine there was huge box of tuners somewhere at the assembly line and whatever they took out of it ended on a guitar... that could perhaps explain some of those 198x that have five schallers and one grover too...

Yeah, Kluson tuner history is pretty organized. The keys changed all the time, but the actual tuner housings were where the differences occur.


Check it out here:


http://home.provide.net/~cfh/kluson.html

I like how they went out of business in 1974, and RIC used them until 1982-83ish. They must have stocked up big time.

Since the bulk of 60's Rics were made between 65-69, there will not be much difference in those tuners and the ones made 1969-1974, which are on all other guitars.

I just notice an easy way to tell the 60's (double line) from the later 70s, and you don't have to take anything apart. The top of the post on the 60's is flat with a bit of beveling. The later ones have a rounded top. I looked at about 10 guitars from 67-82 and the 60's all had the flat, along with a early 73 480 with trans pickups. All the guitars from later years, I happened to look at 76-82 had the rounded tops.

The later bases tend to be stamped flatter than the early one as well, but this varied. I found the model number and patent stamped varied in look through out, just based on strength of the press.

Small sample, but we can see if it holds up. Here's a pic, because we all love pics (1968 and a 1980):

Another little detail. The switch tips have a little pattern on the bottom starting around 1990ish.

Here's a 1968 and a new one:

xcoyle wrote:I looked at about 10 guitars from 67-82 and the 60's all had the flat, along with a early 73 480 with trans pickups. All the guitars from later years, I happened to look at 76-82 had the rounded tops.

David, I checked my '72 480 and its posts have the flat tops with the bevel...it also has transitional hi-gains, by the way.

I finally got around to taking a few (marginal) pics of the original roller bridge from my '64 375. Excuse the poor focus. I had to hurry as my battery was almost dead. Anyway, mine has a pair of concentric circles at each end. Looks like they changed the tooling (press or brake used to form the u-shaped bridge) more than once. Interesting detail and I would have never noticed if it weren't for your initial post.

those nuts are flipped 180 degrees that's why they look different.

Are the rubber grommets supposed to go underneath the bridge? I always see them on top.. It would make sense.

The pattern on yours looks like circle within a circle, a little different.

Here's a Jan. 1964.