Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

1968 Rickenbacker 730f

This is the only model of it's kind I've ever seen live...does anyone know much about them?

It plays and sounds like no other Rick I've played....or no other guitar for that matter.

Very nice Alan!

How long have you had the guitar? Tell us its story...

370F and very nice indeed.

I've only ever seen one other..............Just fabulous guitars, congrats!

Ok...here's the story...(this is REALLY how it happened)...

It was 1977, I was in paying my way through college with not alot of extra money. The only guitar I had access to was my brothers Guild d25, which I used to electrify by dropping a microphone into the sound hole and playing it through his stereo when he wasn't home. I really wanted an electric guitar...a Gibson Les Paul to be exact...but couldn't afford the real deal. So, finally, I broke down and ordered a Japanese knock off at the local guitar shop...but I wasn't real keen on owning a knock off. The dealer said mine would come in in about a week.

He called me on Tuesday and said the guitar was in...I could pick up the LP knock off any time that week. I just wasn't motivated to pick it up. Finally, on Friday afternoon I figured I should go down and get it. (NOW THIS PART IS THE TRUTH....IT REALLY HAPPENED THIS WAY). I was in the driveway, starting my car (1969 Chevy Chevelle) when my mother came onto the porch and said "You have a phone call.." I was just about ready to say "take a message" (it was 4 pm and the store closed at 5) but instead I asked her who it was. She went back inside, and came out and said "It's WGBH (our local PBS station in Boston)"...that perked my interest so I shut the car off and went inside. The woman on the other end told me that 9 months ago I placed a bid during their annual auction on a guitar, but the high bidder never picked it up. She said I could have it for $200...the exact amount I had in my pocket to purchase the knock off LP. Instead of driving to the local guitar shop I headed straight into Boston and was home by 6 with my first guitar...the 730 pictured above.

And that's the way it was....

I thought the story would make an intriguing movie, with June Lockhart playing my mother, Matt Damon playing me, Jimmy Stewart playing the man at the local guitar shop, Megan Fox playing the girl on the phone at WGBH, and Lindsay Lohan playing the other woman (this part would have to be written by some Hollywood writer as "the other woman" didn't exist in real life).

Great story, but

It's a 370F!

This is a 730:

I want it.

jingle_jangle wrote:Great story, but

It's a 370F!

This is a 730:

No...it's a 730F Your 730 is an acoustic. My 730 was made in April 1968, and before the model was discontinued they were very much electric.

Yep, that's an April 1968 serial number alright, but the "730" there isn't the model number...

Congrats on a great deal in 1977, Alan.

Any chance of getting close-ups of your 370F's maple?

Holy Cow....you're right...it is a 370F.....

Does anyone know why it's stamped 730???

Does that mean my other guitar is a Paul Les?

Tony Baloney wrote:Holy Cow....you're right...it is a 370F.....

Does anyone know why it's stamped 730???

Because the jackplate for your 370F was made just after the jackplate stamped 729.

Seriously, that's just a production number that has no relevance to the model of the guitar.

libratune wrote:

Tony Baloney wrote:Holy Cow....you're right...it is a 370F.....

Does anyone know why it's stamped 730???

Because the jackplate for your 370F was made just after the jackplate stamped 729.

Seriously, that's just a production number that has no relevance to the model of the guitar.

Are you serious? What are the odds of that coincidence?
Are there any other identification numbers or stamps on the guitar that you would know of?

Tony Baloney wrote: Are you serious? What are the odds of that coincidence?
Are there any other identification numbers or stamps on the guitar that you would know of?

Yes, I'm completely serious. That is purely a coincidence that would be even more remarkable if the number was 370!

If you remove the pickguard there should be two 2" diameter holes underneath it. There may be some factory markings in that cavity that would indicate either 360F or 370F. (The 370 is essentially a 360 with the middle PU added at the factory.)

The serial number has absolutely nothing to do with the model number whatsoever. If that was the case, we wouldn't have a 360/12, 325 or whatever, we'd all call them different names based on their serial numbers.

Here's a picture of my 3461:

Look, Alan, I'm just messing with you, man. You've got a great guitar and we're not kidding, it's really a 370F. Do what Ron said and look under the pickguard if you don't believe us!