Rickenbacker 330 changes

[Rya]

Hi,
Does anyone have any details about the changes/modifications (including dates) that the 330 has gone through in it's life? I became interested in this when I happened to read about different neck thicknesses on the model depending on the year of production.

[jdogric12]

Welcome... there is a whole forum here for you to explore and discover!

[Ontario_RIC_fan]

Hi,
Does anyone have any details about the changes/modifications (including dates) that the 330 has gone through in it's life? I became interested in this when I happened to read about different neck thicknesses on the model depending on the year of production.

There are lots of photographs in the RRF register. Click on the "Rickenbacker Register" button top right. You can then search for the 330 (and the 335 - same guitar with vibrato offered until 1974). Click on the date field and it will organize them by their serial number chronologically. There is also a "Photo Gallery' feature that you can compare images with - if say you just want to look at just the necks (front and back).

Pre 1983 examples are highly coveted as they were X braced and had the smaller headstock with Kluson tuners. JAM fans tend to snap them up when ever they are for sale as Paul Weller used that model.

In October 1984 John Hall and his wife bought the company from his father F.C. Hall. The manufacturing techniques started to change then. Also in the early 2000s when the CNC machines started to be used to create the body blanks.

Lots to learn! Cheers...

[Rya]

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

[godber]

Hi,
Does anyone have any details about the changes/modifications (including dates) that the 330 has gone through in it's life? I became interested in this when I happened to read about different neck thicknesses on the model depending on the year of production.

There are lots of photographs in the RRF register. Click on the "Rickenbacker Register" button top right. You can then search for the 330 (and the 335 - same guitar with vibrato offered until 1974). Click on the date field and it will organize them by their serial number chronologically. There is also a "Photo Gallery' feature that you can compare images with - if say you just want to look at just the necks (front and back).

Pre 1983 examples are highly coveted as they were X braced and had the smaller headstock with Kluson tuners. JAM fans tend to snap them up when ever they are for sale as Paul Weller used that model.

In October 1984 John Hall and his wife bought the company from his father F.C. Hall. The manufacturing techniques started to change then. Also in the early 2000s when the CNC machines started to be used to create the body blanks.

Lots to learn! Cheers...

X-bracing and small headstock examples were also produced in periods during 1984 - a transitional time.

[Ontario_RIC_fan]

X-bracing and small headstock examples were also produced in periods during 1984 - a transitional time.

Agreed. Oct 1984 seems to be the start of the changes. Anything made before that was X braced.

The factory seems to have been closed during the month of September. I have never seen an instrument with an Xi (Sept 1984) SN.

[libratune]

In October 1984 John Hall and his wife bought the company from his father F.C. Hall. The manufacturing techniques started to change then. Also in the early 2000s when the CNC machines started to be used to create the body blanks.

RIC started using CNC machines to create body blanks and necks in 1995.