Short Takes: 1968 366/12 OS with Ebony Fingerboard

There are several defining characteristics that spring to mind when you hear the words “vintage Rickenbacker”. Toaster pickups. Crushed pearl inlays. 21 fret necks. Backpainted plexiglass truss rod covers. And a finished bubinga fingerboard with white grain fill. But if we know one thing about Rickenbacker it’s that there’s always an exception to the rule—and here’s one right here!

What we have here is a 1968 366/12 OS with an unfinished ebony fingerboard. And before you call BS, this one actually has some documentation:

“One made in 1968 had a Jetglo finish, double binding, and an ebony finger board.” That excerpt is from the Richard Smith book, which cited factory shipping records. So the factory made a point of writing it down…and here it is!

Note also the binding at the end of the fingerboard. That was not something Rickenbacker normally did for guitars with bound necks at the time.

The rest of the guitar was more or less standard 366/12. The 12 saddle bridge you see here is obviously a later replacement. A recent owner says it plays well with low action, doesn’t need a neck reset, and “it sounds phenomenal. It just sings!”

So…why? As in so many cases from this era, we’ll almost certainly never know. But it proves once again that you should never be surprised by the unexpected from this period in Rickenbacker’s history!

To learn more about the 6/12 “convertible guitars” like this 366/12 OS, click HERE!