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Build a Rickenbacker 325?


Aster1

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Hi Ya'll,

 

Can anyone recommend or direct me to parts like a body/neck and other necessary parts. I can't seem to locate a copy like the Model 10 325 and may have to try building a good John Lennon Beatles black classic Git.

 

Thanks for any help! :thu:

 

Aster

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Good luck. I've never seen Rick kits of any kind. You can buy parts from the manufacturer, but to build a guitar it would cost twice as much. If you want to copy one (which is patent infringement) you would need to have an original on hand to copy.

 

Good luck in either case. Unlike Strats which are simple builds, Rickenbacker guitars are extremely well made and to even get close requires a builder close master craftsman levels

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I got a replacement bridge that had steel saddels vs brass and has slightly different hole dimensions. Enough to make it different but not a direct dropin part nor could it be used to replace parts like the saddels themselves because of the different screw threads.

 

I also got a pair of toaster like pups from GFS. Havent tried them out yet, but again not drop in replacements. You can buy the knobs which are ald style radio HiFi stuff, but not many aftermarket parts are out there.

 

Even the ones that have bolt on necks arent your usual bolt on. They extend half way down the body below the pickguard below the pickups. If you were to adapt a neck you'd have to get a through body blank and work it down. You'd also have to take 1/4~1/2 off the width and make it much less tapered.

 

You could build a rickenbacker looking body but to have it play like a rick, its not going to happen. They're unique enough where most can easily spot the differences.

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My only thought was for me, just a tunes hacker for my own pleasure, to play. Won't be going on any tours with my abilities. I just won't spend $2200 for a real Ric when I'm just hack'n.

 

I'll keep looking for a Model 10 as someday/somewhere someone will want to sell one. As the saying goes, "It would be good enough for who it's for."

 

That would be Me

 

Thanks for the help

 

Aster

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My only thought was for me, just a tunes hacker for my own pleasure, to play. Won't be going on any tours with my abilities. I just won't spend $2200 for a real Ric when I'm just hack'n.


I'll keep looking for a Model 10 as someday/somewhere someone will want to sell one. As the saying goes, "It would be good enough for who it's for."


That would be Me


Thanks for the help


Aster

 

 

 

Thats the way its done. Work, Save money, and spend that money wisely.

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Building stuff I wanted but couldn't afford (headless, fanned fret, etc) is what got me started on building. It has now become a consuming hobby. You will not save money or produce an awesome instrument at first, but you will gain skills and be rewarded, if you want to go down the path of building.

 

I would not hesitate to make a copy for myself but I would not sell one for legal reasons. With the Rick you have all that specialized hardware you would have to get.

 

I am glad I was naive when I started. If I knew how hard it is sometimes, I might have just bought something. Seven years later I have spent lots of money and time, and nearly cut off two fingers, but I have an awesome hobby.

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Many feel that longer strings for lower notes means better sound. Ralph Novak has an interesting paper on scale length and clang tone.

 

I have purchased three great necks for him and made a few myself. I have also made a couple reverse-fanned (for ergonomic reasons) by request for friends. I now prefer fanned frets.

 

A guy came over to buy an amp, I handed him my fanned headless. He played for a few minutes, set the guitar down, looked at it, and said WTF ? He didn't even notice until he looked at it.

 

model9_c_750x1000.jpg

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What the hell is that?

 

It is the most beautiful guitar ever made. Not.

 

No lie, a kid saw it and said "that's wrong, those knobs are supposed to be on the top". A friend asked me to make him something, and gave me the freedom to go wild. It was gonna be another cigar box guitar, then the thought occurred to me - I wonder how carved (instead of bent) sides would work ?

 

Sorry for the thread stealing.

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and am in the middle of prototyping.

 

FWIW, here are some issues I had with carving:

-I had some serious router tear out in spots, i mean 3-4 inch pieces. Maybe due to the greenish poplar I got from the hardware store. I think on the curves I was supposed to move in from the outside with the router instead of following the curve around

-I routed the shape into 3 pieces of 1" poplar, then stacked the pieces. I did a lot of sanding with 80 grit and still never got rid of the lines on the side.

 

Otherwise this wasn't too bad of an idea. Other than it adds a little extra weight.

 

carved_sides_1.jpg

 

carved_sides_2.jpg

 

Sound clip

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