My hands-down favorite Rickenbackers from an “isn’t that weird?” standpoint are “transitional” early 1970s 6-string 360s. Specs and features were in more or less continuous flux from “vintage” to “modern” between early 1970 and late 1973–with a few “transitional” features that wouldn’t make it to the end of 1973 thrown in—and there are so many different combinations of specs and features during this period it can be hard to keep up with them all. I have a timeline of the changes here, and when a guitar from that era with a specific set of features that I haven’t yet discussed in detail pops up I like to highlight it here. So…let’s get into it!
This guitar from June, 1970 is an example of what I refer to as version 2.0 of the transitional 6-string 360s. Here’s the details. We start with the most obvious transitional specs: the neck and inlays.
While the neck has transitioned from the vintage 21 frets to the modern 24, it still has vintage crushed pearl inlays. On top of this we have the transitional spec of a 24th fret marker—a feature that would only last from about April of 1970 to May of 1971.
Pickups are transitional first-gen Higains. Easily identified by their threaded polepieces, these pickups sound quite different from the button-top Higains that would follow, and were used from April, 1970 to May, 1973.
On the back, this guitar retains the vintage checkered back binding. This would be the last vintage spec to disappear on the 360, lasting until September of 1973. And then we come to the coolest party trick of version 2.0 guitars: the headstock.
The vintage “skinny” headstock has gained single-ply, white binding. Note that the Kluson Deluxe tuners this guitar originally wore have been replaced with Schallers at some point.
The bound vintage headstock with Kluson Deluxes would be replaced by a bound Gumby headstock with Grover Rotomatic tuners in September, 1971.
Version 2.0 transitional 360s were produced between roughly June, 1970 and August, 1971. You can get the complete rundown from version 1.0 to version 6.0 here. Want to learn more about…everything else? Check out the rickenbacker101 site map and see what’s already been covered! Have a suggestion about what we should tackle next? Drop it in the comments and we’ll add it to the queue.
Fabulous details on your favorite era guitars! Love the inlays and bound headstocks.
In the late 70s I had a 3-pickup version, with toasters, that I sold after a brief time.
I was never more than a dabbler as a guitarist,
but have owned maybe a half dozen guitars over the years, never for very long.