Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I inherited this guitar and have been trying to find more info on it, but have not had much luck. In all the searching I have done thus far I have not seen another of the same, and have not found someone else who has. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
--Justin

Looks like one of those early 80s vintage reissues.

Well, it's got "320" written on the inside, first entry. I'm assuming it's a Rick 320:

https://www.guitar-list.com/rickenbacke ... backer-320


Measure the scale length, i.e., the distance of a string from nut to bridge (length between opposite contact points of a string). The 320 = 20.75 inches.

What are the numbers/letters stamped into the metal jackplate? That would help determine the date of mfg.

(the jackplate is on the side of the guitar near the controls)

Beta5788 wrote:I inherited this guitar and have been trying to find more info on it, but have not had much luck. In all the searching I have done thus far I have not seen another of the same, and have not found someone else who has. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
--Justin

That just means that you have not been looking in the right spot!

Here are pictures of 30 320 guitars made 1975-1981 exactly like yours.

http://www.rickresource.com/register/ga ... =0&month=0

There are only two MG examples we have collected so far - both from February 1976. Rickenbacker made them with the raised TRC, the high gains and the f hole between 1975 and 1982ish. So that gives you a rough idea of the date.

If you share the SN as Ron suggested we can date it to within a few weeks of its leaving the factory in Santa Ana California.

I own one of these guitars myself, although mine from August 1977 (QH3474) does not have the f-hole and is in the more common Jetglo Black.

If you intend to play it, you must put a heavier gauge of strings on it for it to intonate properly. RIC still makes a set that works perfectly, and is what I use on mine.

I notice that your deceased relative has moved the bridge so that it sits on an angle.

I bet this is because he tried to intonate it with a 10-42 standard Eletric guitar set.

The other thing to warn you about Rickenbackers of this vintage is that they have the old style hairpin truss rods. They DO NOT work like Gibson or Fender guitars, in that you can't adjust the neck by turning the truss rod nuts. Doing so frequently damages the guitar and can even pop the fretboard off.

Do a search here on this site on "Adjusting old style truss rods", and before you hand it to any service tech make sure you discuss this before hand..

One final observation - from the interior of the cavity there seems to be some evidence of the original finish which was likely Walnut (or as I call it Walnutglo). A rare finish for one of these guitars. The guitar player from the UK band Squeeze played a Walnutglo 320 for a few years in the early 1980s. I presume at some point the guitar was stripped to the maple.

Without the number on the plate, it's still likely it's from 1975-'79. Nice 320.