The Astro Guitar kit is a somewhat unusual entry in our “Rickenbacker-adjacent” category of guitars in that was actually produced by Rickenbacker—well, Electro String Instruments Corp. if we’re being precise—but there is nothing “Rickenbacker-ish” about it.
So what was it? The brainchild of employee Marvin Boyd—who is not the Solon “Curly” Boyd responsible for the Boyd Vibrato, which is in turn NOT the vibrato unit included on mid 60’s 425s—the Astro was a no frills “assemble it yourself” electric guitar kit built by Rickenbacker for the 1963 and 1964 Christmas seasons and sold primarily through the (now defunct) May Department Stores. Dealer cost was $19.99 and retail was around $49 per John Hall’s recollection. For comparison’s sake, an “entry-level” 425 had an MSRP of $189.50 at the same time. Approximately 300 were allegedly produced.
To be clear, these guitars were in no way Rickenbacker branded—on purpose. These were low budget and no frills. The one piece neck was held in its slot by string tension alone (although most have had later bolts added) and had a steel reinforcement bar, not a truss rod. The channel for the rod was routed through the fretboard and filled with a “front skunk stripe”—leading to offset position markers.
There were two slightly different bodies over the run…one with the dimpled bottom you see above, and one with a more traditional offset style as seen below. Far more of the former have been documented than the latter.
Tuners were junk 3 on a strip open gears, with no bushings, the pickup was something like a Higain precursor…the only obvious common parts are the floating compensated bridge found on period 400 series guitars, strap buttons, and the control knobs. The headstock design looks like the bastard child of a Danelectro and Mr. Gumby.
I don’t care how much research you do into this guitar, you’re only going to find a handful of examples—including the one retained in the factory museum. That’s how rare they are today. While photos of the kit show an unfinished body and a black pickguard, all of the ones you’ll find today are cream or black with red or white Masonite pickguards, suggesting that at least some of them came prefinished from the factory.
Funnily enough, luthier Jay Pawar has made a reproduction—the Astrogator—if you just really dig the design. That may be your easiest path to finding one!
re: "Approximately 300 were produced."
hard to believe there were that many....
re:"The one piece bolt on neck (with no backplate) had a steel reinforcement bar, not a truss rod.."
It doesn't have a bolt on neck... I'm pretty sure you can adjust that rod...
re: "Tuners were junk 3 on a strip open gears, with no bushings, the pickup was some kind of no-name off the shelf…the only obvious common parts are the floating compensated bridge found on period 400 series guitars and the control knobs."
they had bushings (the pic above is a guitar I own, the bushings just fell out), the pickup is RIC pickup, like a 430. Common parts are also strap pegs, frets, same finish as a RIC of the era, same neck carve, etc.
re: "...suggesting that at least some of them came prefinished from the factory."
I've only every seen one photo of a kit (meaning one that was sold, not in the factory), and all other photos are of finished instruments, so prob most came finished, and a at least some didn't...
Note that most also seem to have had a sticker/logo on the headstock... and the black ones had finished headstocks.
I have a bunch of these - and some pics on my insta if you want to use them....
Lookswise, I love the Jetsonian style of it!