Rickenbacker Model 365 Thinline Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1966)
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Rickenbacker Model 365 Model Thinline Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1966), made in Santa Ana, CA, serial # FD-1143, Fireglo red sunburst finish, maple body and neck, padouk fingerboard, original silver Tolex hard shell case.
One of the most recognizable of the classic 1960s guitars, the Rickenbacker "300" series of thin hollow-body guitars has returned to favor again and again as new generations discover its bright, well-defined sound and utterly distinctive look and feel. This is a very fine example of the iconic "Fireglo" (red sunburst) Model 365 from Rickenbacker's peak year of 1966. This sleek California hot rod was the mainstay of Rickenbacker's line from the late 1950s to the present, and was one of the most popular guitars of this period. The round-edge (post-1964) Model 360 is virtually an icon of the 1960s, and is synonymous with the music and sounds of that era as well as more recent styles. They remain one of the sharpest-looking and most distinctive-sounding vintage designs.
This lovely original guitar was built in April 1966 and remains in excellent playing condition. It has what Rickenbacker termed the "Deluxe" features of the period. The vibrant red Fireglo finish is on a round topped, checkerboard-back bound body with a single bound stylized sound hole. The laminated maple neck has a lacquered padouk fingerboard ornamented with crushed pearl "slash" inlay. The headstock is fitted with Dutch-made VanGent tuners with pearloid buttons (used occasionally as Kluson had supply issues around this time) and the trademark white Rickenbacker logo headplate.
The two "toaster top" pickups are mated to a 5-knob wiring rig allowing maximum blending flexibility, and the guitar is wired with the "Rick-O-Sound" stereo output almost nobody has ever used. Fortunately a convenient mono jack is provided as well, something Gibson missed! The "Accent" vibrato unit is simple but fairly effective, using a bent piece of metal as the spring and a bent and dangerous-looking sharp-tipped arm many players have removed or at least swung backwards.
The single most famous 330 series Rickenbacker guitar would of course be John Lennon's 1964 Model 325, used during the Beatles' period of worldwide fame in 1964-5. Following the Beatles' lead, many young musicians in the 1964-68 era worldwide chose thinline Rickenbacker guitars, making them an enduring 6-string symbol of the period.
The models 335 and 345 are firmly associated with the early Who; the group's first records are an absolute showpiece for the unique Rickenbacker sound. The Model 365 refers to the "deluxe" features combined with two pickups and vibrato; the 360 is identical with no vibrato, and the 370 and 375 have three pickups. Despite sometimes being dismissed with a "1960s cliche" tag, the Rickenbacker 365 is a more versatile guitar than many realize, a great-sounding and very classy instrument for both retro and modern sounds!
Overall length is 40 in. (101.6 cm.), 15 1/4 in. (38.7 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) deep. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 9/16 in. (40 mm.).
This is a beautiful example overall, with only some light wear and in excellent playing condition. The original finish is clean and bright with virtually no fade, showing scuffing, dings and dents overall most deeply on the back. There just a few dings, most notably to sides and tip of the headstock. The back of the neck has some very minimal rub wear on the lower side.
All hardware is nearly all original; the lower pickguard is a correct repro as is the Accent vibrato arm. There are some slight glue marks above the back edge of the guitar from someone trying to glue up the cracked original long ago. The bridge cover is missing, otherwise everything else is complete. The fingerboard and original frets are undisturbed with some wear mostly in the first position. Internally the wiring rig also remains original. This is one of the nicest playing '60s Rickenbackers we have had with a really excellent neck angle and no signs of the common fingerboard separations by the nut (often seen on these). This Fireglo hot rod is still resting in the original silver HSC. Overall Excellent - Condition.
One of the most recognizable of the classic 1960s guitars, the Rickenbacker "300" series of thin hollow-body guitars has returned to favor again and again as new generations discover its bright, well-defined sound and utterly distinctive look and feel. This is a very fine example of the iconic "Fireglo" (red sunburst) Model 365 from Rickenbacker's peak year of 1966. This sleek California hot rod was the mainstay of Rickenbacker's line from the late 1950s to the present, and was one of the most popular guitars of this period. The round-edge (post-1964) Model 360 is virtually an icon of the 1960s, and is synonymous with the music and sounds of that era as well as more recent styles. They remain one of the sharpest-looking and most distinctive-sounding vintage designs.
This lovely original guitar was built in April 1966 and remains in excellent playing condition. It has what Rickenbacker termed the "Deluxe" features of the period. The vibrant red Fireglo finish is on a round topped, checkerboard-back bound body with a single bound stylized sound hole. The laminated maple neck has a lacquered padouk fingerboard ornamented with crushed pearl "slash" inlay. The headstock is fitted with Dutch-made VanGent tuners with pearloid buttons (used occasionally as Kluson had supply issues around this time) and the trademark white Rickenbacker logo headplate.
The two "toaster top" pickups are mated to a 5-knob wiring rig allowing maximum blending flexibility, and the guitar is wired with the "Rick-O-Sound" stereo output almost nobody has ever used. Fortunately a convenient mono jack is provided as well, something Gibson missed! The "Accent" vibrato unit is simple but fairly effective, using a bent piece of metal as the spring and a bent and dangerous-looking sharp-tipped arm many players have removed or at least swung backwards.
The single most famous 330 series Rickenbacker guitar would of course be John Lennon's 1964 Model 325, used during the Beatles' period of worldwide fame in 1964-5. Following the Beatles' lead, many young musicians in the 1964-68 era worldwide chose thinline Rickenbacker guitars, making them an enduring 6-string symbol of the period.
The models 335 and 345 are firmly associated with the early Who; the group's first records are an absolute showpiece for the unique Rickenbacker sound. The Model 365 refers to the "deluxe" features combined with two pickups and vibrato; the 360 is identical with no vibrato, and the 370 and 375 have three pickups. Despite sometimes being dismissed with a "1960s cliche" tag, the Rickenbacker 365 is a more versatile guitar than many realize, a great-sounding and very classy instrument for both retro and modern sounds!
Overall length is 40 in. (101.6 cm.), 15 1/4 in. (38.7 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) deep. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 9/16 in. (40 mm.).
This is a beautiful example overall, with only some light wear and in excellent playing condition. The original finish is clean and bright with virtually no fade, showing scuffing, dings and dents overall most deeply on the back. There just a few dings, most notably to sides and tip of the headstock. The back of the neck has some very minimal rub wear on the lower side.
All hardware is nearly all original; the lower pickguard is a correct repro as is the Accent vibrato arm. There are some slight glue marks above the back edge of the guitar from someone trying to glue up the cracked original long ago. The bridge cover is missing, otherwise everything else is complete. The fingerboard and original frets are undisturbed with some wear mostly in the first position. Internally the wiring rig also remains original. This is one of the nicest playing '60s Rickenbackers we have had with a really excellent neck angle and no signs of the common fingerboard separations by the nut (often seen on these). This Fireglo hot rod is still resting in the original silver HSC. Overall Excellent - Condition.