Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

......a direct replacement for a 330 TRC?

I want a back painted, genuine 'made in usa' Rickenbacker gold TRC, and im struggling. Just got a gold TRC through the post today, which the seller said would fit but it doesnt.

The problem is the top horn. It is longer than my standard raised-letter TRC, so the top screw hole is going to be in the wrong place.

Am i searching for something that doesnt even exist?

Here we go again..........

There's many shapes of those guys. Add to that, some of the ones you see on eBay are fakes. When looking, best to ask the seller for a xerox copy or a tracing so you can be sure.

PickGuardian!

Great products and service.

stringsncords wrote:PickGuardian!

Great products and service.

Nope. Rick stopped offering them in exchange because the TRC gold never matches the gold on the PG; even thought the same formula is always used, in order for the color to match, the PG/TRC have to be sprayed with the same batch at the same time in order for the TRC and pick guard to match-it's the nature of the paint.

Its not the colour, but the size that is the problem.

Add to that, the 330 in question is a 2011 model, so has the vintage spec with smaller headstock. Did they start making the truss rod covers smaller as well, seeing as the headstock is smaller?

This might also affect the gold TRC size.

Well, the molded TRCs are all the same size since they come from a mold. The plexi versions are a bit more "hand-made" in that they have to be cut from a sheet of plexi. I'm sure they use some sort of template, or even CNC these days, but in the past, they tended to vary from instrument model to model and even from year to year.

So, unless someone specifically decided to make the plexi ones the exact same size as the molded versions, which I don't think ever happened, it would be very difficult to get one that's exactly the right size with the exact same hole pattern...

stringsncords wrote:PickGuardian!

Great products and service.

for TRC's???

My 4003 has what I'd call a standard size fully molded letter TRC, white plastic with black letters. The same molded one is used on the 4004L, but it is black plastic with chrome letters.

The gold ones I've seen are longer, have more of a swoop. Clear with the gold field and black letters done on the rear. That same shape was on the 4001v63's I believe, again clear, but with a white field and black letters done on the rear. I believe that the V's and C's use the longer one, to match the original 4000 one. Curious thing, my 1993 4003s has the standard TRC, but the headstock also has another hole piloted (but never screwed into) further up the headstock right where the longer one would get its top screwed in. The standard TRC just barely hides that hole.

Didn't the 12 strings had some sort of arc notched out on the lower edge so it would fit?

jdogric12 wrote:

stringsncords wrote:PickGuardian!

Great products and service.

for TRC's???

I suspect he meant you can get yours (the one you already own for clarity) painted there.............because that's what they do.

There are two ways I can imagine:

1. Cut the screw and attach it with removable glue. The other two screws are enough normally.
2. Make the TRC smaller (carefully!). Actually I go this way with a broken one.

Yes, I meant for converting a White PG to a Gold PG.