Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I've owned 10 ricks (guitars and basses) and my 1966 335 fireglo is the best guitar BY FAR. I've been tempted a few times to get a newer 330, but...
1. NO recent or current 330 comes close. Why does the neck on this seem so superior?
2. Why doesn't Rickenbacker offer them W/ vibrato anymore? Mine's great if you're not too hard on it- Ventures type whammy stuff it stays in tune great.
3. LAST the headstock on mine is much smaller (and I think more attractive)than later models. Is there a practical reason for the larger headstock?
One day I'll post a pic- it's an awesome guitar that has seen many years of recording and gigging.

Your neck is what it is .

They vary over the years due to the human factor and from tooling wearing.Mostly from the human factor.
I don't know how the back of the necks have been shaped since 1984 but prior to that ,a shaper with a huge cutter took a pass at one side of the neck ,then the other.This left a very small 'V' shaped wedge from about the 4th fret to the heel.This was removed using a bladder sander and a flap sander.The guys that operated these tools have changed over the years and the styles of sanding have also .The old human factor at work.

Headstock sizes are for similar reasons.
With todays tooling and CNC equipment ,it makes it easier to maintain size and shapes.
BUT as they say in the computer world.....

Garbage in ...garbage out. Meaning ,if you don't get it right the first time ,try again.

John Hall is obviously ,with the C series ,trying to get it right.That and all the Carl Wilson signature that I have seen or worked on are every bit as good ,if not superior to the original guitars.

Now before I get flamed for blasphemy,This is as a tool and from a general standpoint.

The intrinsic value of vintage is of course a different matter.
BUT again ,the fretwork,the trussrods,the bridges,the tuners.

Now as far as the 1985 to 1995 guitars go ,The 330 is a different guitar.But again ,if you look at all the different models of Strats or LesPauls and all their years ....Rick is much more consistant.
Thank you JH.I can't wait to see the new 2001 NAMM guitars in the Seattle area.