Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

been itching to pull the trigger on a 330 for some time now, but recently got discouraged when i read about rick's neck blues.
is it true once the neck is compromised, it's practically useless? and does it happen often? and how would one go about preventing it from happening ?

Not quite sure what you're talking about. Can you be more specific than "compromised?"

Ric necks are always getting a bad rap on this forum. They are made of wood and they will move,just like any other Guitar neck. IV owned several Ric 12 stringers and never had a bit of a problem with there necks.No what you are doing before you make any adjustments. Gary

I think your talking about a neck reset?

@ jdogric12, like warping, twisting of the neck. maybe a few accidental taps here and there.

and yes kind of, from what i gathered neck resets can cost as much as a new rick. I'm just afraid that the neck will get bowed some how to the point of unplayability.

I'm not aware of any systemic design or construction flaws in modern Rickenbacker guitars. A well maintained 330 should offer no more problems than a Gretsch or Gibson.

As long as some ignoramus hasn't abused it, it should be fine. Basically, what Gary tried very hard to express.

If you're buying used (which I recommend) make sure to get good photos of the neck straightness, angle, and room for the bridge to adjust.

jdogric12 wrote:As long as some ignoramus hasn't abused it, it should be fine. Basically, what Gary tried very hard to express.

If you're buying used (which I recommend) make sure to get good photos of the neck straightness, angle, and room for the bridge to adjust.

This is probably the most succinct, profoundly significant statement I've read regarding buying a guitar.

Back when I was much more of a noob, I bought a used Model 1996. I met the seller at his place of work at the end of his work day; a hot, hot summer day in the Southwest. So he sets the case on a table, opens it and invites me to inspect it. I pick it up and immediately notice how hot the guitar is, I mean, really hot, and realized that he kept that guitar in his car trunk the entire day. But, being a noob, I did not realize the significance of this. Later on, way too late to complain, while trying unsuccessfully to get the action of my strings lower, I discovered accidentally (by looking down the length of the neck from the headstock) that the neck was twisted - the face of the headstock and the face of the guitar body were not parallel. Very disheartening. It's sitting in its case. I should have sent it off to Paul for repairs; his three-year work completion schedule would have been perfect in my situation. So, there you go -- those brief words of advice -- had I been more aware -- would have allowed me to avoid buying that guitar. I appreciate "live & learn," but not at that much of an expense.

I don't think the necks on Ricks are any more troublesome that any other set neck. With those it's just more involved to solve problems than with a bolt-on neck, where you (player, repair hobbyist) can easily make adjustments (e.g., shimming) or, if worse comes to worst (?), simply replace the neck. But, yeah, you can't abuse a guitar and not expect problems to develop.

Orville is right in that it comes down to poor treatment by the user.

Why anybody would keep a guitar worth thousands of dollars in their hot car trunk (especially in a humid climate) is simply beyond me. The glue that holds together nearly all guitars will NOT hold after exposure to intense heat or humidity. In fact, hot steam (heat + humidity) is exactly what I use to intentionally remove the neck on guitars!

The older Rickenbackers (especially pre-73) tended to have more neck shifting issues, and these are much less prevalent since the 1980s. But it still comes down to the owner and careful treatment of the instrument.

With all that being said about your neck issue topic the bottom line is I personally would never buy a Guitar unless I held it in my hands and played it! I'm sure most of the players on this forum would agree. Your taking a big risk if you don't. Just my opinion. Gary

bowser2533 wrote:With all that being said about your neck issue topic the bottom line is I personally would never buy a Guitar unless I held it in my hands and played it! I'm sure most of the players on this forum would agree. Your taking a big risk if you don't. Just my opinion. Gary

I used to adhere pretty strictly to that, but have loosened up a little and have actually gotten by pretty well. When you get into certain brands and models, getting hands-on is a bit of a luxury. I'm in the Chicago area with pretty good access to a lot of good stores and sometimes have to take a chance. Most don't have the access I do and physically putting hands on a used Rick, or even a new one, can be difficult.

Not to turn this into too much of an advertisement, but the Marketplace on this site is a pretty safe bet provided its an established member selling. You have the scrutiny of a community of experts and any accidental misrepresentations tend to get corrected quickly. Plus the simple fact that no established member wants to be called out for selling ****.

bowser2533 wrote:With all that being said about your neck issue topic the bottom line is I personally would never buy a Guitar unless I held it in my hands and played it! I'm sure most of the players on this forum would agree. Your taking a big risk if you don't. Just my opinion. Gary

Orville mentions in his post above that he did play the guitar in person first!

I think the frequency of neck issues is greatly exaggerated (for most brands), but know what you're looking at and check everything throughly whether it's in-person or via photos. Buying sight-unseen is not a big concern, just make sure have recourse if undisclosed issues are found.

Thank you all for the insight, but can i ask how safe is it to buy from overseas? Like from Europe or Asia? I assume the guitar will be in the description it is described when it was packaged and shipped, but when it is in transit is what makes me nervous. It's thousands of miles up in there air and also being in the back of a delivery truck. Has anyone have any problems?

I've bought four Rick basses online in the past five years or so that have taken the reverse journey - The States to England by air and road couriers. All arrived unscathed, mostly without even a mark on the cardboard box packaging!

Ash

The risk of buying from an overseas seller comes not from damage in transit, but from being ripped off. Using a service like Paypal should offer some kind of recourse. You might want to look into that. Plus, guitars are safer on cargo planes than on trucks, where they absorb every bump in the road between here and there.