Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

[img]http://imageshack.com/a/img538/3846/epD9rf.jpg/img]hello all
This is my first post-I acquired this guitar and was just wondering if it was anything special? -nice clean guitar with a bit of checking in the clear- pics will post as soon as I figure it out

You don't usually see 'em with the 3 pickups. Nice find. Looks like it is in great shape. Check the serial number through the RIC company website checker and see what year it was made.

I had trouble with the link so here's the photo.

Nice collection. I am guessing that the 370 WB is a 1990s build based on the headstock shape.

As Tim suggests, check the serial no. on the RIC serial no. decoder to get accurate info on the issue date.

manta wrote:You don't usually see 'em with the 3 pickups. Nice find. Looks like it is in great shape. Check the serial number through the RIC company website checker and see what year it was made.

Thanks for the serial # tip-
Looks like january of 94

Thank you in advance for any help on this guitar
sorry for my ignorance but how can I tell what pickups these are?

2nevet wrote:Thank you in advance for any help on this guitar
sorry for my ignorance but how can I tell what pickups these are?

If the pickups have Phillips screws in the corners, they are likely "hi-gain" toaster tops used in vintage reissues and other guitars from the '70s through circa 2000. They would read out at 11 to12K ohms. If they have slot head screws in the corners, they would likely be "scatterwound" toaster top pickups that RIC started issuing beginning around 2000 through present. Those are designed to resemble the sonic qualities of the '60s toaster top pickups and should read out at about 7 to 8K ohms. As your guitar was made in 1994, those PUs are probably the hi-gain toaster top PUs, but they could have been changed out at some point.

Beautiful guitar sir,congrats!

Does it make much difference putting 7-8K Toasters in a 1989 360/12V64, would it make it sound like a current 360/12C63?

I assume not as they have different inner construction.

libratune wrote:

2nevet wrote:Thank you in advance for any help on this guitar
sorry for my ignorance but how can I tell what pickups these are?

If the pickups have Phillips screws in the corners, they are likely "hi-gain" toaster tops used in vintage reissues and other guitars from the '70s through circa 2000. They would read out at 11 to12K ohms. If they have slot head screws in the corners, they would likely be "scatterwound" toaster top pickups that RIC started issuing beginning around 2000 through present. Those are designed to resemble the sonic qualities of the '60s toaster top pickups and should read out at about 7 to 8K ohms. As your guitar was made in 1994, those PUs are probably the hi-gain toaster top PUs, but they could have been changed out at some point.

thank you much

The reason I ask if this 370 is special is because I have to choose between a afg 381 or the 370. So my guess is the 370 is a better choice since 381's appear to be abundant ?

libratune wrote:I had trouble with the link so here's the photo.

Nice collection. I am guessing that the 370 WB is a 1990s build based on the headstock shape.

As Tim suggests, check the serial no. on the RIC serial no. decoder to get accurate info on the issue date.

epD9rf.jpg

Great photo!

3 beautiful guitars, Seven Toasters Strong.

2nevet wrote:The reason I ask if this 370 is special is because I have to choose between a afg 381 or the 370. So my guess is the 370 is a better choice since 381's appear to be abundant ?

RIC doesn't make 6-string 370s any more and hasn't regularly made non-reissue double-bounds since the1990s. RIC is still making the 381 reissue model. I would go with the 370 which is rarer and probably a lot less money.

If at all possible, though, you should play each of them first to see what feels best for you.

jch wrote:Beautiful guitar sir,congrats!

Does it make much difference putting 7-8K Toasters in a 1989 360/12V64, would it make it sound like a current 360/12C63?
I assume not as they have different inner construction.

I unwound the 14kohm high gain neck pickup down to @ 8kohms on my 360-12WB FG ckbd. It made all the difference in the world. It changed the tone from almost too dark to be usable, to just mellow enough, almost acoustic-y.

OK, the OP's 370 is having a bad influence on me. Stifling-urge-to-order-for-my-guitar-the-thuh-third-pickup-pickup-hiccup-AHHHHH! (Don't worry, I'll be alright in a few minutes after I get it out and play a few songs.)

Hey OP - if you end up not liking the mid+neck tone that is the upper pickup switch position, I'll be happy to send you my mod diagram. Feel free to send me a PM. discussion of my mods here:
http://www.rickenbacker.com/forum/viewt ... f=2&t=7928

Swapping out "hot" toasters and replacing them with scatterwounds makes a significant difference. More vintage-y sounding for sure. Plus enough people like the hot toasters that you don't have to lose money making the switch.

jdogric12 wrote:Swapping out "hot" toasters and replacing them with scatterwounds makes a significant difference. More vintage-y sounding for sure. Plus enough people like the hot toasters that you don't have to lose money making the switch.

And might even make some! Although, depending on the OP's style of playing and repertoire, I might recommend keeping the bridge pickup, and only swapping out the other two. But if all three pickups read about the same DC resistance, or roughly 11 kohms or so, the neck and mid together might actually sound alright, unlike when an overwound high gain was the neck pickup and an underwound was the middle, as was done in the '70's and '80's.

Now to decide if i want to buy new pickups or have the originals rewound.

What's the average cost of having them rewound versus new p'ups ?