Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi Everyone,

I have a 1991 370 that is supposedly one of the "extra" bodies from the McGuinn series. It's black, has checkerboard binding in the back, the pickups are spaced more than a regular 370 and it has the vintage nameplate. If it helps, the owner of Pick of the Ricks was the one who told me about it.

I'd like to trade it for a black 36012C63.

I was wondering if a straight up trade would be worth it, or is worth more (or less) than the 360?

I have an 360WB and I just like that style body more, plus I'm not a fan of the 11k pickups.

Thanks for any help!

The 370 might be worth slightly more, c63/12s are going for around $2500 used and most people want fireglo because some guy from England played one like that. Maybe $2300 or so for a jetglo c63.

The 370 would be harder to replace, but I'm not sure on the exact value. People pay truly stupid money for actual McGuinn models - but usually that means mapleglo, compressor electronics and a numbered COA and sig pickguard.

If you feel good about the trade, go for it but know you're not getting the better end of the deal in my opinion.

(All that said, I think the C63 is a slightly better guitar. Love the C-series in general...)

flyernut wrote:Hi Everyone,

I have a 1991 370 that is supposedly one of the "extra" bodies from the McGuinn series. It's black, has checkerboard binding in the back, the pickups are spaced more than a regular 370 and it has the vintage nameplate. If it helps, the owner of Pick of the Ricks was the one who told me about it.

I'd like to trade it for a black 36012C63.

I was wondering if a straight up trade would be worth it, or is worth more (or less) than the 360?

I have an 360WB and I just like that style body more, plus I'm not a fan of the 11k pickups.

Thanks for any help!

Although the style is different, the sound is too.
The 370 will be more 'jangly' than the c series.
Try to play one, or search for comparisons on YouTube, see if you like it first.

collin wrote:
People pay truly stupid money for actual McGuinn models - but usually that means mapleglo, compressor electronics and a numbered COA and sig pickguard.

Don't know about that Collin.
I'd say people pay stupid money for a '57 Les Paul, but $5000 for a highly collectible Rickenbacker is not all that much in comparison.
I see people paying premium prices to have a run of the mill Ric in British racing green, for example.

Part of the reason I want to trade is that I don't get much jangle out of it. Maybe it's the 11k pickups? I play through a Vox AD60VTX and a Roland JC120.

wim wrote:

collin wrote:
People pay truly stupid money for actual McGuinn models - but usually that means mapleglo, compressor electronics and a numbered COA and sig pickguard.

Don't know about that Collin.
I'd say people pay stupid money for a '57 Les Paul, but $5000 for a highly collectible Rickenbacker is not all that much in comparison.
I see people paying premium prices to have a run of the mill Ric in British racing green, for example.

My point is that the McGuinn and many other LE models are crazy money because they're often the exact same guitar as other production models, minus the pickguard. No difference, and certainly nothing different in regards to the build, playability or sound.

A '57 Les Paul (though I assume you meant 58-60 Burst) is not a reasonable comparison. There are specific differences in the build and tone of those guitars compared to all others that followed, and prices are driven by speculative investors, not musicians.

flyernut wrote:Part of the reason I want to trade is that I don't get much jangle out of it. Maybe it's the 11k pickups? I play through a Vox AD60VTX and a Roland JC120.

I had 14k toasters on my v64, didn't jangle either.
I unwound them to the 7.4k specs and since then it does 'jangle'.
Some people actually want those hot toasters, you might be able to swap them for scatterwounds.

wim wrote:

flyernut wrote:Part of the reason I want to trade is that I don't get much jangle out of it. Maybe it's the 11k pickups? I play through a Vox AD60VTX and a Roland JC120.

I had 14k toasters on my v64, didn't jangle either.
I unwound them to the 7.4k specs and since then it does 'jangle'.
Some people actually want those hot toasters, you might be able to swap them for scatterwounds.

That would make sense but Tony also prefers the 360OS body style so trading/selling his 370 for the 360/12C63 is worth it to him.

I see a lot of value in the RM's... if you don't mind the hot toasters, you're getting the best of the 60's: 21 frets, slim neck, inlays, checker binding, and even a compressor, with none of the problems... years of potential damage and mods, and even needed neck resets. Usually a much better case too!

To agree with Collin, I think 5-7K is nuts... that's why it took me so long to get one, I waited til a sub-4k one fell in my lap. It has a little finish damage but I can have Larry Davis re-clear it, easy.

collin wrote:

wim wrote:

collin wrote:
People pay truly stupid money for actual McGuinn models - but usually that means mapleglo, compressor electronics and a numbered COA and sig pickguard.

Don't know about that Collin.
I'd say people pay stupid money for a '57 Les Paul, but $5000 for a highly collectible Rickenbacker is not all that much in comparison.
I see people paying premium prices to have a run of the mill Ric in British racing green, for example.

My point is that the McGuinn and many other LE models are crazy money because they're often the exact same guitar as other production models, minus the pickguard. No difference, and certainly nothing different in regards to the build, playability or sound.

A '57 Les Paul (though I assume you meant 58-60 Burst) is not a reasonable comparison. There are specific differences in the build and tone of those guitars compared to all others that followed, and prices are driven by speculative investors, not musicians.

The PT was probably the least different, only the F hole made it different as far as I know. After, they continued to build them as RM reissues
The TP had birds eye wood and a wider neck no other Ric ever had. Then they continued to build them as the 660
The RM is a 21 fret 370 NS which was not reissued in any form (except a small series for Japan) and it has electronics no other Ric ever had
The JK has active electronics no other Ric has
The CS had different fretboard wood and colour, otherwise a V63
The SH was a 350 never offered in that configuration
The CW has very exquisite wood and very different build.
The GF model, i don't know

Small differences sometimes, but the actual instruments these stars played were standard too.

The PT is exactly the same as a garden variety 1997SPC model (except the tailpiece was R instead of trapeze).

If you count out figured wood and finish color...

The TP is exactly identical to the 660/12
The CW is identical to any 360 made from 1965-1973 (maybe even less interesting because of the lack of CP inlays)
The CS is identical to a 4001V63
The RM is identical to a 60's 36/12, apart from the electronics (which are easily modified to a normal guitar).


That really leaves four (4) signature model Rickenbackers that are substantially different from any other production model and can't be easily "

The JK
The SH
The LK
The GF model (though even that could be modified from a standard 230)


By all means, these are neat guitars and if you're a fan of the artist, go for it! I'd buy any of them at the price of a comparative standard model and in some cases even more. But not double, triple the price of it's garden variety cousin. But hey, to each their own!

Why isn't the LK model included here, or, did I miss it?

jps wrote:Why isn't the LK model included here, or, did I miss it?

I've been a Motörhead fan the past 30 years and I forgot the LK

It's different for sure.

I didn't forget the LK.

See above.

collin wrote:I didn't forget the LK.

See above.

He didn't read your post