Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi,

Picking up a 325v63 today, and according to the seller, it's in great shape. It also comes with the 12k toasters that originally came with it, and he's installed a set of scatterwounds to make it more 60's authentic.

I haven't seen any specs on this version, as it seems like there aren't any archives for discontinued models on the Ric website. I've read that there are differences between the vintage series and the newer C series, but can't find any definitive answers as to what they are. I just see that if you can get both models together, you will see the difference. Unfortunately, I don't have that luxury, so if anyone can summarize the main differences, I'd really appreciate it. I've heard that body shape, neck profile, and fretboard radius was all different, but can't find actual specs from the '97 model to compare it to the newer C series 58 or 64.

The owner says that it's from Oct 1997, and the headstock looks a lot smaller than the '86 model that I saw, so I assume that the shape was changed at some point. The earlier model headstock looked like a cricket bat!

Looking forward to this, as I had a 320 B series that was stolen years ago, and haven't been able to afford to replace it until now.

Cheers and thanks in advance,

Steve

Steve:

Congrats on the new guitar.

Here is a link to the literature archive on the RIC website.

http://www.rickenbacker.com/catalog_boo ... 95-vintage

Lots of images of V63 guitars if you know where to look.

What was the SN of your stolen 320B? And how did you lose it? I think getting one stolen must be the terrible.

Cheers!

Also the RRF register is a great way to track changes in various models over the years

There are quite a few examples collected.

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

In fact you may even find the guitar you are buying already there if you look.

The biggest differences will be the bridge and pickups, maybe the tuners too?

Thanks Jason.........I think that I'll be changing the bridge to a roller bridge instead of the stock bridge. Tuners don't seem bad, but will keep an eye on them.

Big bonus, and one that clinched this deal for me, was that he had changed the stock 12K toasters, that came standard with this model, to the 7.4K scatterwounds - more correct to the period. And, even better was that he included the 12K toasters in the deal.

Very happy with it, and will know a bit more about it the more I play it.

jdogric12 wrote:The biggest differences will be the bridge and pickups, maybe the tuners too?

Many thanks Brian, for the nice welcome, and it's great to see a fellow Ontario resident with the same love of Rickenbackers. Your list is quite impressive - mine pales in comparison!!!!

I did buy the 325v63, and I'm very happy with it. The seller has kept it in immaculate condition, and had upgraded the pickups from the stock 12K "hot" toasters, to the more period correct 7.4K scatterwounds. He also included them in the deal, so that was a nice bonus. I will probably build another guitar and use them for that.

As for the stolen one (it was actually a 320 from the B series that was released), it was many years ago, back in the late 80's, and to be honest, I was a young kid who didn't think to record the serial number, etc. I always kept the paperwork in the case, so I'm afraid finding the serial number now would be impossible. I was stolen from my car after a gig. I loaded all of my gear, and went back inside to get paid and check to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything, and while I was in there, my car window was smashed and the guitar was pinched. It was obviously someone who had been in there that evening, and knew the value of what I had, to steal only that once the window was smashed. It was a very painful lesson learned early, and now, the guitars leave the premises when I leave, and I never lose sight of them after a gig. All I have left is one lone photo - this one.
I'll be posting some shots of the new guitar shortly, and I have already registered it in the Rickresource database this time, along with my 660/12. I did run a serial number check with those that are already in the database, but it seems that no one ever registered this particular guitar.

Again, many thanks for your responses - greatly appreciated!!


Steve

Ontario_RIC_fan wrote:Steve:

Congrats on the new guitar.

Here is a link to the literature archive on the RIC website.

http://www.rickenbacker.com/catalog_boo ... 95-vintage

Lots of images of V63 guitars if you know where to look.

What was the SN of your stolen 320B? And how did you lose it? I think getting one stolen must be the terrible.

Cheers!

geordie9 wrote:Many thanks Brian, for the nice welcome, and it's great to see a fellow Ontario resident with the same love of Rickenbackers. Your list is quite impressive - mine pales in comparison!!!!

As for the stolen one (it was actually a 320 from the B series that was released), it was many years ago, back in the late 80's, and to be honest, I was a young kid who didn't think to record the serial number, etc.

I'll be posting some shots of the new guitar shortly, and I have already registered it in the Rickresource database this time, along with my 660/12. I did run a serial number check with those that are already in the database, but it seems that no one ever registered this particular guitar.

Rickenbackers are relatively rare in Canada. It is nice to see another one in Canada.

Every once and a while we do a little local RIC meet up, the last one was about three years ago.

Where did you buy your 320B? I spotted one at Steve's music in Toronto in 1983, and actually wrote down the SN.

Thanks for adding your instruments to the database - all of mine - past and present - are in there too.

I never get tired of looking at pictures of RICs, so by all means post away!


Brian

Ontario_RIC_fan wrote:

geordie9 wrote:Many thanks Brian, for the nice welcome, and it's great to see a fellow Ontario resident with the same love of Rickenbackers. Your list is quite impressive - mine pales in comparison!!!!

As for the stolen one (it was actually a 320 from the B series that was released), it was many years ago, back in the late 80's, and to be honest, I was a young kid who didn't think to record the serial number, etc.

I'll be posting some shots of the new guitar shortly, and I have already registered it in the Rickresource database this time, along with my 660/12. I did run a serial number check with those that are already in the database, but it seems that no one ever registered this particular guitar.

Rickenbackers are relatively rare in Canada. It is nice to see another one in Canada.

Every once and a while we do a little local RIC meet up, the last one was about three years ago.

Where did you buy your 320B? I spotted one at Steve's music in Toronto in 1983, and actually wrote down the SN.

Thanks for adding your instruments to the database - all of mine - past and present - are in there too.

I never get tired of looking at pictures of RICs, so by all means post away!


Brian

Have you seen someone about this?

Wim:

There is NO cure for the condition!


Steve:

I see that you have added your new v63 to the register... You have entered the SN incorrectly.

It should read W0 46 (Double - you - Zero) not WO. That is why the serial number decoder didn't work and give you the October 1997 build date...

You can edit the entry - so it is easily fixed.

It looks like RIC was making quite a few 325s that week!

http://www.rickresource.com/register/in ... 46&order=5

Cheers Brian,

Fixed the error and it just needs approval again, but all sorted.

Many thanks for spotting that........

Ontario_RIC_fan wrote:

Steve:

I see that you have added your new v63 to the register... You have entered the SN incorrectly.

It should read W0 46 (Double - you - Zero) not WO. That is why the serial number decoder didn't work and give you the October 1997 build date...

You can edit the entry - so it is easily fixed.

It looks like RIC was making quite a few 325s that week!

http://www.rickresource.com/register/in ... 46&order=5

geordie9 wrote:Cheers Brian,

Fixed the error and it just needs approval again, but all sorted.

Almost...

You didn't clear the date field, so the automatic decoder didn't work.

It says unknown year, rather then October 1997. No big deal mind you, but it won't show up in searches for 1997.

Ah the joys of entering data into the register! Gil has done an amazing job of programing the database, but it is very old code now he tells me...

Cheers Brian. Fixed now. I cleared the zeros from the mfg date, and it auto-detected the correct date as Oct 1997.

Really appreciate your help!!

Cheers,


Steve

Ontario_RIC_fan wrote:

geordie9 wrote:Cheers Brian,

Fixed the error and it just needs approval again, but all sorted.

Almost...

You didn't clear the date field, so the automatic decoder didn't work.

It says unknown year, rather then October 1997. No big deal mind you, but it won't show up in searches for 1997.

Ah the joys of entering data into the register! Gil has done an amazing job of programing the database, but it is very old code now he tells me...