Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Thumbnail guitar is the last one, after the 381 JG

A 330 with carved top???

Very cool...I like the combination of a carved top (no carved back) but with a 330/360 shaped pick guard.

This guitar has been around for ages. Supposedly there were two like it, from what I've heard.

This poor guitar can't seem to find a home. It's been with at least 4-5 dealers over the last 20 years, including two trips at Norm's. At the prices that have been asked ($20K at one point) I guess nobody wants a fancy 330?

It's been called a 381 prototype, but it's more 330 than anything else. And there are other guitars made in '68 that more accurately could be called a pre-production 381.

Interesting info Collin, thanks. It was the first time I had seen this one, to me it looks a bit weird.

It's not listed on Norm's site, so perchance it sold? 14999 USD is what it says on the tag in the video.

electrofaro wrote:Interesting info Collin, thanks. It was the first time I had seen this one, to me it looks a bit weird.

It's not listed on Norm's site, so perchance it sold? 14999 USD is what it says on the tag in the video.

Could have been filmed a long time ago, I'm not sure.

This was in Norm's personal collection for a long time (along with the Jetglo '72 381), both guitars are pictured in his first book.

Then it was sold to another dealer, who sold it to Fretted Americana where it was available for years at like $18-20K or something like that, then possibly another dealer and now back to Norm again. I'm not even sure it ever had a real owner during this entire period, or was just passed around various dealers. Which is unfortunate, because it's certainly nice!

yeah the whole passing on stuff is sad. Guitars should be played even if it's just every now and then, and not hidden at dealers