Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I have a chance to purchase a friends 74 330/12 in a private sale.
Question. what issues are problematic during this period (neck issue etc.)
It's not a closet queen from what I hear. What price range to expect for a 6 outta 10?
Appreciate any feedback.
John

They're cool guitars and with the 330, it's basically 60s construction body with updated electronics. Does it have transitional hi gain pickups?

No major issues with these, the two-piece body is less susceptible to the neck shifting than earlier 3-piece and still sound great.

Without knowing more details or photos, it's hard to price out but I'd guess $1400-$1800 for a decent player 21-fret.

Hi Collin,

Thanks for the info. There are only a couple of this year on the registry. (Last collected sale was in the $ seventeen hundred range).
I know the lower PG has been shaved by the rear screw hole due to I assume a crack on the guard.

Will I be likely to see a variety of hardware during this transition period?

http://www.rickresource.com/register/vi ... rings%3D21

I will know more when I hopefully get a chance to go see it today if he is available.
I will try and take some pics.
John

Hey Collin/Kenny,
Finally went and saw the 1974 330. Turns out it is a Nov 73. That's the good news.
Condition has some serious dings on edges, crack lower guard and is filthy dirty as seen in pictures.

A few observations:
Action is very high on upper neck
Bridge is adjusted rock bottom to the plate
Previous repair at neck pocket (cracks visible)
cracked lower guard

Good points
Nov 73- No others on registry, a few 74's
21 fret neck
hardware appears intact
Great birds eye maple
Electrics work good
Comes with case (purple)

What do you think... truss rods, neck reset, I know you can't tell all from photo's.
appreciate your inputs. I think the neck pocket body repair is the major issue.
What would your highest offer be knowing it needs work. Cost of a good neck reset ?
Here are pics.
John

More pics

more pics again.

Bound fretboard...very interesting. The wood on that back looks great.

Count the frets.

sloop_john_b wrote:Count the frets.

As JB pointed out, this is a 20-fret bound neck. Which we have seen one notable example of before:





As discussed here.

Neck angle is pretty horrible, which explains the max-low bridge setting. I'd think a reset is in order, which can't be cheap..... I've never had to go there so I'm not up on the expense. Love the figured back...

What the?


Weird one for sure. I once had a bound neck 330 from '72(?) but it was 24-frets. Never seen another 20-fretter besides Johnny Marr's and I always thought his was modified to be that way. Strange by all measures..

That said, still not highly collectible in the early 70s, cool as they are. With a neck angle that severely shot, it loses a big chunk of its value as its essentially unplayable until it has major expensive surgery. Plus from the neck tenon seams, it appears to have had at least one failed neck reset....wonder what's up with it?

Pick it up if you can get it cheap, but remember that a neck reset is expensive and in untouched, all-original no issues condition, that's maybe a $2000 guitar, IMO. Don't sink more money into it than it's worth unless you can do the reset yourself. I'd guess it's a $1000 guitar as it sits (well, that's around what I'd pay since I can do the reset myself). A shop reset can't be less that $600, I'd bet.

Good luck!

sloop_john_b wrote:Count the frets.

John,
Thank you for reminding me how to count!
24 21 24 21....... who would have thought 20

Thanks all the feedback. I will keep you posted when I know something.

John

Rubsoul wrote:

sloop_john_b wrote:Count the frets.

John,
Thank you for reminding me how to count!
24 21 24 21....... who would have thought 20

Thanks all the feedback. I will keep you posted when I know something.

John

The guitars were jealous of the minimalist approach of the basses and all the fun acoustic guitars have without an amplifier.