Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Would it be possible to reshape a late v63 headstock in the shape of the early ones?

I have made a comparison picture of the two.
The most clear is the early headstock, the ghost like is the shorter late headstock.
I positioned the wood to match, not the tuners.

Wim - you could lessen the bulbous crest shape, but you can't easily make the headstock nearly 2cm longer! hmm...although using a shorter vintage style TRC might give that impression. Plexi TRC lengths have varied over the years, e.g. I've got a 425V63 TRC which is a good 1cm+ shorter than current re-issues.

godber wrote:Wim - you could lessen the bulbous crest shape, but you can't easily make the headstock nearly 2cm longer! hmm...although using a shorter vintage style TRC might give that impression.

You mean like this, on my '98 4001V63?

Spot on Jeff

godber wrote:Wim - you could lessen the bulbous crest shape, but you can't easily make the headstock nearly 2cm longer! hmm...although using a shorter vintage style TRC might give that impression. Plexi TRC lengths have varied over the years, e.g. I've got a 425V63 TRC which is a good 1cm+ shorter than current re-issues.

Apparently both types of headstocks are the same size, the only difference being where the walnut wings join the neck.
With the later ones that'd be near the nut (like the RM1999 models?), with the earlier ones it's approx 2 cm. further (like a standard 1963 model?)
Personally I prefer the 'short' ones, except for the shape, which looks better on the longer ones.
The trc could indeed use a little trimming, but not too much, because it'd look more like a 70ies one then.
I know, I'm being difficult.

Here's my '88 V63 head: