NGD AliExpress 360v64

[cincinnatiharry]

Chinese copy (Rickenfaker, Chickenbacker) of a Rickenbacker 360v64 model. I bought this from AliExpress and then took it straight to the luthier I use, Pat Beasley at Dolmen Guitars in Limerick Ireland. He took off the fretboard and made a new fretboard for it with new nickel frets and a “nubone” brand nut and tailpiece too.

It plays really great, perfect intonation. Neck is thick like a 1950s Telecaster. I love the pickups.

[rank]

I bought a Ric bass from Aliexpress & it was unplayable as well but once I got it fixed, it plays great but I still need to change the pickups.They still sound horrible.

[Pacafeliz]

...does not look bad, though!

[Fiddy]

I think I'd rather put the money towards a Greco copy... After the fretboard replacement you gotta be getting close to the value of a Greco.

The Greco will most likely play way better, and keep going up un value or at least maintain it.

[MuscleDad420]

The Chinese Ric copies tempted me too. I was disappointed with the 330 copy I got because the wings weren’t fully hollow, so it weighed as much as a solid body. Is this the same with yours? I agree, the faux toasters are great. For whatever reason P90’s and mini-humbuckers are almost always great on budget Asian guitars. Yea, they’re actually mini-humbuckers. The fact they’re wound in the mid 7k ohm region makes them chime.

I sold the 330 copy pretty quick once I noticed the Chinese builders started doing neck-thru 620/660 copies. When I got mine I fixed the wonky factory wiring (the blend control was a master volume ), put in a pair of hi-gains from my mid-2000’s 360 that I put toasters in, got a tailpiece from Winfield Vintage, upper and lower pickguards from Pickguardian drilled for the factory 16mm 500k pots, rubber chassis grommets to lift the upper pickguard, GraphTech nut, and a repro TRC with raised letters — also from AliExpress.

I also leveled the frets. The secret is leaving the frets mostly flat with only a hint of a crown on the sides, like a real Ric. Of course the nut width and profile are completely different...more like an Epiphone Les Paul. Very homogenous.

Pretty pleased with how it came out. I think all in it cost me between $500-600.

[Fiddy]

The 620 copy looks good. Was the original pickguard gold?

The OPs looks nice, but i always think resale value.. Though that might mean fuck all soon enough with a lot of guitars..

My Greco

[Larry Mal]

Are the strings running weird on that one? It looks like the tailpiece isn't in the right place.

[UlricvonCatalyst]

I'd love a black 360v64 six-string, but it sounds like AliBongo isn't the way to go about it. It seems like once you get into the $500-$600 stratum there are probably better things to spend your money on than a copy, though I can definitely relate to having to opt for something which is almost what you really want.

Anyway, looks like you have a nice set-up there, so enjoy your new geetar.

[Fiddy]

OP gone like coronavirus droplets in the air.

[marqueemoon]

Did the Ric Police get to the OP?

[Fiddy]

The Mexican Rik police got to me. I gave them a $20 and they went away.

[MuscleDad420]

I'd love a black 360v64 six-string, but it sounds like AliBongo isn't the way to go about it. It seems like once you get into the $500-$600 stratum there are probably better things to spend your money on than a copy, though I can definitely relate to having to opt for something which is almost what you really want.

Yea, I tend to agree. Even if you find a seller with good reviews, they can still deliver hot garbage. If you don’t do your own work or have a drawer of applicable parts to offset cost, I don’t generally suggest somebody go down this route.

The 620 copy looks good. Was the original pickguard gold?

Thanks. Yea, it was the nasty gold the Chinese sellers use. My original plan was to strip it off the acrylic upper and lower pieces and spray it with some Testor’s #1244 but I got really busy and opted for white plastics for convenience. The main draw for me was the neck-thru construction and checkerboard binding. Your Greco is nice! I had a Greco 4001 copy many years ago and it was a superb copy of the real deal.

[Dok]

The Chinese Ric copies tempted me too. I was disappointed with the 330 copy I got because the wings weren’t fully hollow, so it weighed as much as a solid body. Is this the same with yours? I agree, the faux toasters are great. For whatever reason P90’s and mini-humbuckers are almost always great on budget Asian guitars. Yea, they’re actually mini-humbuckers. The fact they’re wound in the mid 7k ohm region makes them chime.

I sold the 330 copy pretty quick once I noticed the Chinese builders started doing neck-thru 620/660 copies. When I got mine I fixed the wonky factory wiring (the blend control was a master volume ), put in a pair of hi-gains from my mid-2000’s 360 that I put toasters in, got a tailpiece from Winfield Vintage, upper and lower pickguards from Pickguardian drilled for the factory 16mm 500k pots, rubber chassis grommets to lift the upper pickguard, GraphTech nut, and a repro TRC with raised letters — also from AliExpress.

I also leveled the frets. The secret is leaving the frets mostly flat with only a hint of a crown on the sides, like a real Ric. Of course the nut width and profile are completely different...more like an Epiphone Les Paul. Very homogenous.

Pretty pleased with how it came out. I think all in it cost me between $500-600.

When this lockdown is over you must let me come see this in person. I have been missing my old 620 like crazy lately all except for the goddamn neck profile... although I really hate those Epi Les Pauls too. Well, shit.

[MuscleDad420]

When this lockdown is over you must let me come see this in person. I have been missing my old 620 like crazy lately all except for the goddamn neck profile... although I really hate those Epi Les Pauls too. Well, shit.

Yea, it’s just that generic Asian guitar neck shape. You’ve felt it hundreds of times before on any number of affordable to midrange guitars. It’s familiar but doesn’t quite excite, y’know? Which is fine by me. It has a nut width that is more forgiving than my real 360, which was a motivating factor and it’s not like the Chinese Ric 330 copy I had previously, which had huuuuuuge shoulders. I cannot overstate how much the Chinese builders really are hit and miss.

[cincinnatiharry]

I think I'd rather put the money towards a Greco copy... After the fretboard replacement you gotta be getting close to the value of a Greco.

The Greco will most likely play way better, and keep going up un value or at least maintain it.

I looked and looked for a Greco RG100 and what I found is they were MORE than a used Rickenbacker 330, I can get a genuine 330 with the case for about €1000 usually, the Greco RG100 was up to €1500 when I could find one.

Are the strings running weird on that one? It looks like the tailpiece isn't in the right place.

Works perfectly, my luthier fit it. I was thinking of selling my 330v64 copy but now I am gonna keep it. I recorded this week with it and it just sounds so good. Gonna put a Bigsby on it.

The Chinese Ric copies tempted me too. I was disappointed with the 330 copy I got because the wings weren’t fully hollow, so it weighed as much as a solid body. Is this the same with yours? I agree, the faux toasters are great. For whatever reason P90’s and mini-humbuckers are almost always great on budget Asian guitars. Yea, they’re actually mini-humbuckers. The fact they’re wound in the mid 7k ohm region makes them chime.

I sold the 330 copy pretty quick once I noticed the Chinese builders started doing neck-thru 620/660 copies. When I got mine I fixed the wonky factory wiring (the blend control was a master volume ), put in a pair of hi-gains from my mid-2000’s 360 that I put toasters in, got a tailpiece from Winfield Vintage, upper and lower pickguards from Pickguardian drilled for the factory 16mm 500k pots, rubber chassis grommets to lift the upper pickguard, GraphTech nut, and a repro TRC with raised letters — also from AliExpress.

I also leveled the frets. The secret is leaving the frets mostly flat with only a hint of a crown on the sides, like a real Ric. Of course the nut width and profile are completely different...more like an Epiphone Les Paul. Very homogenous.

Pretty pleased with how it came out. I think all in it cost me between $500-600.

My wings a semi-hollow, the horns are solid. Your 620 is awesome. I like it a lot.

Yeah I like my 330v64, enough to invest in buying a flight case, a Bigsby, a custom truss rod cover. I am gonna re-wire it too and use VIP brand potentiometers... I am going to take out the "blend" pot and put in a Big Daddy Var-I-Tone switch I have laying around too.

My luthier installed a new fretboard on mine and I paid €330 for it so I might as well go all the way and finish it off.