Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Alright Kids, here is a question that might want to make some of you pull your hair out......

I want to put on a Kauffman on my 330.....and before you say "NO! dont do that" and "They are bad" and "He has gone crazy", understand that I want to pin it so it dosent act as a vibrato (like in another thread ive read).

so here are the questions.....

Is it possible to put a Kauffman from a 325 on a 330

Would I have to drill any extra holes (I have an R on the 330 now....)

would it look daft>? is there anyone else who has done this who has a picture?

Alex, I'm no whiz on this but a Kauffman is much wider at the tail than an R and uses four screws. The reason I took mine off my 325 was because it was essentially useless and just got in the way, unless you remove the arm.
You're right, you're crazy. LOL

Stan" You can install the Kauffman on a trapeze tailpiece. Going from an R to a trapeze you have two options as I see it. First on a newer instrument replace the "R" bracket with the trapeze bracket drill all the holes required. It covers over the R bracket but there is no going back. Second glue dummy screw heads into the trapeze bracket using only the strap button hole to hold the bracket in place. This is reversible but not as stable as the proper installation of the trapeze bracket.

Alex, beauty is in the eyes of the Rickenbacker owner. It may not look daft but folks may think it is a daft move.

I would leave well enough alone on this one. You will have one of a kind though, so if that is the goal then who cares if it is daft.

Peter,like I said I'm no whiz on this...and now you know why...but I'm with you about changing it and that 'no goin' back' is a scary proposition. You're also right about it's all subjective, it is indeed in the eye of the beholder.

A key for me is the year of the 330 as the hole for the strap button needs to be in the right place to line up with the bracket.

Kind of a neat-looking thing IMDO (In My Daft Opinion). Reminds me of an old long-tail I saw in an incredible collection of '50s Rick pictures on the Web. And it gives a hollowbody Rick an undeniably "historic retro" look. The one picture I do recall (there were many) showed an Autumnglo longtail 345(?).

There. I've said it. Now it's time for my medication again...

Paul: As always, the functional versus the aesthetic.

You are right it does take one back to the early days and there is certainly no harm in that.

I feel the same way about the trapeze tailpiece and the montezuma brown finish.

Mmmmm........ Montezuma Brown....

One wonders whether any MB instruments came into Australia at all.

Yes. They're all in MelBourne.

wow, thanks much for the feedback.......but wouldnt the original mounting matierial work for the 330----if it were from a 325?

and yes...not only do I want to use a retro looking vibrato, but im also bringing back the word "daft" from near extinction. Lennon thought that the vibrato looked like a spoon coming off of the guitar.....and although I usually follow Beatle advice....this is not technically a beatle guitar...so its okay

oh and the guitar is an 02' which may or may not be good news....

nice, its ashame i wouldnt be able to buy one of those extra long arms.....Hey, do you think it will effect how the guitar fits in its case?

Lennon thought that the vibrato looked like a spoon coming off of the guitar.

Alex, I would be very interested in the primary reference for this. Do you have it handy or is it from memory?

Darn, I know Ive read it somewhere....But I dont know if it was a direct quote or someone quoting Lennon.

and how do you do that quote thing?