Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

What the heck is this?
I believe it's a Rickenbacker, but look at all the stuff I took off it:
I am in the process of restoring it. It must be an early Combo-wired Capri, it looks just like another one I have:
The acquisition of this guitar was an unusually long and bumpy road. The restoration has been challenging. Only the body, pickups and pickguard were original. Missing or changed were the TRC, tuners, nut, wiring loom, bridge, jackplate, tailpiece, strap buttons and all fasteners. Fortunately there were no extra holes or routes in the wood.

Thanks to Glen Lambert for recreating the correct wiring loom -- this is an early Capri, wired like a Combo with a tone switch. Winfield Vintage supplied a vintage bridge (modeled after the one on the ATG 365 Capri/Combo) and the "soft bend" Kauffman arm.

The butcherblock top on this guitar is stunning. I count 11 pieces, including the "extension" at the top of the bass horn. There is a trace of ATG coloring in the truss rod route, so I believe this guitar was originally ATG and later stripped and refinished in natural.

Beautiful guitars! Wonder what corners of the Earth Rickenbacker had to scour to get the amazing curly maple on those Capris.

Are you going to recreate the Autumnglo finish or leave it natural?

Nice one Ron! I'll be watching this one come together


Is this the Palm Springs Capri?

deaconblues wrote:Beautiful guitars! Wonder what corners of the Earth Rickenbacker had to scour to get the amazing curly maple on those Capris.

Are you going to recreate the Autumnglo finish or leave it natural?

I think I am going to leave it natural. The wood on this one is too good to be covered up, especially with a refin, no matter how good of a refin it would be. Besides there is already an ATG (and a FG butcherblock out there somewhere) and I like the variety of a natural finish. Also there is nothing that needs to be covered up, the wood is fine and unmolested the way it is. Except perhaps for that shaded area on the back. I am unsure whether that is a woodgrain or a finish matter.

collin wrote:Nice one Ron! I'll be watching this one come together

Is this the Palm Springs Capri?

Yes indeed. Long story there. Took 3 months for the deal to come together. Very quirky seller.
There, bridge cover and case added.

Just wondering why the jackplate was removed. And TRC. Soundhole is different too. Just wondering....

jwilli wrote:Just wondering why the jackplate was removed. And TRC. Soundhole is different too. Just wondering....

The soundhole measures out the same as the other. As to why the TRC and jackplate were removed, who knows?

That top wood is amazing. Beauty, Ron..!

Wow she really is a beauty !

Peter

libratune wrote:

jwilli wrote:Just wondering why the jackplate was removed. And TRC. Soundhole is different too. Just wondering....

The soundhole measures out the same as the other. As to why the TRC and jackplate were removed, who knows?

These early '58 Capris with the butcher block bodies and long soundholes are too cool.

i just noticed the three side dots at the twelfth fret….
Too cool….

chefothefuture wrote:i just noticed the three side dots at the twelfth fret….
Too cool….

My '67 330 has three side dots at the twelfth fret, but the the two outer ones are lower then the middle dot making a very shallow triangle.

Would this be a twin to the blue one I picked up for Graham a few years ago? I remember it had the extra butcher block piece on the bass horn too.

jdogric12 wrote:Would this be a twin to the blue one I picked up for Graham a few years ago? I remember it had the extra butcher block piece on the bass horn too.

Hmm. Can you post a photo of that one?

That's not the 325 longbody you're talking about, is it?