Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Kevin Parker, guitarist for Tame Impala has a jetglo 330 with what appears to be duct tape surrounding the sound hole. What is the purpose of this? is it to prevent feedback? Or maybe dampen the sound?

It's just to mirror the pickguard for looks it seems.

Bad looks at that...

The Accent vibrato with missing handle doesn't help either.

Is that duct tape, or did he have this guitar painted like that?
It looks like that could be an original turquoise finish, covered up by a bunch of black electrical tape....
Back in the old days, I heard of people putting tape over the sound holes of guitars to minimize feedback, but this doesn't appear to be the case here.

I try not to be too negative, but my guess is the guitar looks better without the whatever-it-is on it. Yikes!

It appears to have some anomalies, like the toasters and the bridge being an Accent without the bar, could it possibly be a Rose Morris? It would have a trapeze if it was a modern 330 would it not? The presence of the Accent would indicate it is either a Rose Morris or something from the V series, would be my guess.... But I don't recall a 330 style guitar, with cats-eye soundhole, being in the V series, with an Accent.. If it were a bass, I'd be more cut-and-dried for me....

I opened the photo and it is a jetglo finish with hideous paper/duct tape slapped on it. Kinda pointless since it looks better without that.

A...it's a psychedelic band with a decorated guitar...that's ok isn't it? Like art and individuality is ok right?

squirebass wrote:It appears to have some anomalies, like the toasters and the bridge being an Accent without the bar, could it possibly be a Rose Morris? It would have a trapeze if it was a modern 330 would it not? The presence of the Accent would indicate it is either a Rose Morris or something from the V series, would be my guess.... But I don't recall a 330 style guitar, with cats-eye soundhole, being in the V series, with an Accent.. If it were a bass, I'd be more cut-and-dried for me....

Aside from the groovy decorative touches this looks like a standard 60's era 335, given the 21 frets, toasters, and Accent. You see lots of 335s, 365s, etc. without the vibrato arm as some players either don't use the vibrato, find the arm gets in the way of playing, or both. In any case, it's not a Rose Morris or a V-series reissue, but it's a cool guitar nonetheless .

chronictown wrote:

squirebass wrote:It appears to have some anomalies, like the toasters and the bridge being an Accent without the bar, could it possibly be a Rose Morris? It would have a trapeze if it was a modern 330 would it not? The presence of the Accent would indicate it is either a Rose Morris or something from the V series, would be my guess.... But I don't recall a 330 style guitar, with cats-eye soundhole, being in the V series, with an Accent.. If it were a bass, I'd be more cut-and-dried for me....

Aside from the groovy decorative touches this looks like a standard 60's era 335, given the 21 frets, toasters, and Accent. You see lots of 335s, 365s, etc. without the vibrato arm as some players either don't use the vibrato, find the arm gets in the way of playing, or both. In any case, it's not a Rose Morris or a V-series reissue, but it's a cool guitar nonetheless .

Now there you go, thanks chronictown, I was thinking this must be a pretty old guitar for such a young player, maybe the duct tape covers some hideous mod. I've seen some horrible things done to guitars over the years.... Sometimes I wake up screaming in the night....

Love this band, and he is a phenomenal talent!

chucksimms wrote:Love this band, and he is a phenomenal talent!

Amen to that brother! I'm pretty sure people will be talking about this guy for many years to come.