Very helpful read! But-- a few details seemed uncovered. One that seems very important is the role of the trapeze-to-R tailpiece in the transition period. Another might be the move to the HiGain pickups as part of the change.
Also, is there any transitional role for the white vs checkerboard binding on the 360 OS to NS/WB? I used to have a 1966 (best guess) 360-6 NS in FG that had sleek checkerboard binding on the back.
The fretboard inlays went from the sublime sharkfin crushed abalone (or whatever that was) to the weird dinky resin inlays, then to the larger, nicer resin sharkfins. But that was maybe across the production line and not specific to OS/NS 360s.
What I remember about WBs in the 90s was that they sometimes had toasters, sometimes HiGains, but they always had the R tailpieces. I bought 360 V64s in both 12 and 6 strings (1996 & 2000,respectively) and never looked back. Gotta have toasters and trapeze tailpiece - - though I recently put an Accent Vibrato on my 6. Revolutionized that guitar!
John Hall explained to me that RIC instruments are painted in batches of 25. During the ā60s and ā70s, the letters A through Y were marked in the cavity alongside the model number so the painters could tell the order in which the instruments in the batch were painted so that each would receive the proper drying time before the next coat of paint or clearcoat. That "U" is simply a factory code for the painting sequence. It has nothing to do with the dating or other features of the instrument.
Very helpful read! But-- a few details seemed uncovered. One that seems very important is the role of the trapeze-to-R tailpiece in the transition period. Another might be the move to the HiGain pickups as part of the change.
Also, is there any transitional role for the white vs checkerboard binding on the 360 OS to NS/WB? I used to have a 1966 (best guess) 360-6 NS in FG that had sleek checkerboard binding on the back.
The fretboard inlays went from the sublime sharkfin crushed abalone (or whatever that was) to the weird dinky resin inlays, then to the larger, nicer resin sharkfins. But that was maybe across the production line and not specific to OS/NS 360s.
What I remember about WBs in the 90s was that they sometimes had toasters, sometimes HiGains, but they always had the R tailpieces. I bought 360 V64s in both 12 and 6 strings (1996 & 2000,respectively) and never looked back. Gotta have toasters and trapeze tailpiece - - though I recently put an Accent Vibrato on my 6. Revolutionized that guitar!
Sorry for the long-winded comment :)
Oops - - you did touch briefly on the toaster-to-HiGain change, and the inlays, plus the # of frets. But still curious about the tailpiece. Thanks!
I have a ā65 365 OS Natural. Noted as 365 U in the control cavity. āUā?
John Hall explained to me that RIC instruments are painted in batches of 25. During the ā60s and ā70s, the letters A through Y were marked in the cavity alongside the model number so the painters could tell the order in which the instruments in the batch were painted so that each would receive the proper drying time before the next coat of paint or clearcoat. That "U" is simply a factory code for the painting sequence. It has nothing to do with the dating or other features of the instrument.
Thatās a great detail. Thanks, Ron!
I agree with your comment about OS and WB 360ās because of the appointments.
I do want to point out that the ā74 360/12 pictured on right does have OS written in the cavity.