Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Please check out the attached pick and look at the 2 holes on the body on each side of the tail piece. Any idea why they are there? From a 1966 366 12 string conversion model. Thanks

Ship worm or termites perhaps??



Actually looks like someone had it strung as a 6 string and added a vibrato... But who knows??

Looks like mounting holes for a solidbody Bigsby like Lennon's.

There should be two more filled holes under the R. If there are, mystery solved!

The Bigsby probably didn't work very well with 12 strings.

Thanks everyone - will check on underneath the R and respond. I would suspect yes. I am a newbie to the forum and Ricks are not may area of expertise by any means.
Question - was a Bigsby an option from Rickenbacker or would one have to have been placed on the guitar by an owner as an aftermarket at some point in time?

musicimpossible wrote: Question - was a Bigsby an option from Rickenbacker or would one have to have been placed on the guitar by an owner as an aftermarket at some point in time?

Aftermarket most likely.... RIC only installed them factory on v59 models in the 1980s and 1990s. Since the guitar was built as a 12 string model, it would not have left the factory with any kind of vibrato on it...

What is the Serial Number? This will date it precisely. Also more pictures would be welcome! (We never get tired of looking at them!)

Thanks for replies - Need opinions please:
If the seller were asking $3500 for this and the only issues were the holes - clean and all original, strong neck - wrong case - how much would you estimate the value is hit b/c of that. Maybe it is already undervalued. I was incorrect in my first post as she is a 68 366/12 NOT a 66.

Thanks

At one time, there was a 12-string Bigsby available--I don't know if they're still available or not. My first name-brand guitar was a '66 Vox Phantom XII with a Bigsby-style vibrato. That thing was a nightmare, both to restring and try to keep in tune--as far as I'm concerned, a vibrato has no place on a 12-string.