Can you identify this Rickenbacker?

[Victor Croll]

My first post here and I'm sure some of you knowledgeable guys know more about this guitar than I do...

I have a friend in the north of the country who's recently passed uncle left him a Rickenbacker in his will. He left it to him on the condition that he gets the guitar restored to its original condition. That part of the deal lies with me. Now I know it has a couple of lifted frets and that's not a problem!

Now, I know I'm being a little presumptuous as I haven't seen the guitar for real yet but, what I'm trying to do is identify it! I apologise for the quality of the pictures but these are all I have at this time;

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/vv60/vic_sox_croll/Rick_02.jpg

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/vv60/vic_sox_croll/Rick_01.jpg

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/vv60/vic_sox_croll/Rick_04.jpg

The only ones I've found so far have 4 tone/volume controls + a 5th smaller control and a 3 way. From what I can gather, this has 2 controls, 2 toggles + a 3-way! I was told the guitar is a 57 buit I think it's a slightly later 60s model. Maybe it's a short-run custom or an import (I don't know).

Now, obviously, I'll know more when I get it but I just wondered if anyone here has any more info?

[Joshua Levin-Epstein]

It looks like a M-1997, European equivalent of a M-335. You can tell its an export by the F hole. These were imported between 1964 and 1967.

It had the typical 5 control plus toggle configuration. It looks like someone made a new control plate (looks like different plastic to me).

[Victor Croll]

It looks every bit like an M-1997. I just also found out that the imports into the UK all had tremolo's and had black control knobs! The only difference in the one I have coming is it has 2 control knobs! I can find no information whatsoever on a 2 control / 2 toggle variation! I guess I'll know more when I actually get to see it...

Thanks for the invaluable info :)

[Victor Croll]

I now have the serial number which is DB133! That dates the guitar to February 1964! Why it has only 1 tine and 1 volume is a mystery. I'm currently trying to get hold of a close up pic of the controls so that I can say for sure that it has 2 x toggle switches!

The fact that it's a 64 model shows it is one of the earliest M-1997 if that's what it truly is! I wonder if it's some kind of prototype?

Someone must know for sure?

[Victor Croll]

Here's a picture of the controls:

Controls

[Victor Croll]

How do you actually embed an image in a post? Can someone point me toward the code to do this rather than post a link?

[LARRY KLOSE]

Click the second icon in the upper left corner of the reply box.  It'll tell you to get the file you want to embed and there you are.  I've been on this forum for a couple of years and I only just found out how to do this from an answer in another thread.  Who knew?

We're in the twenty-first century now, for sure!

Larry

[Victor Croll]

Yeah, I tried that a couple of times but it just posted the image link as a link not the actual image!!! I'll try that again now, here goes...

[Victor Croll]

Aagghh! Splendid! Thanks :D

[Victor Croll]

Update!

I will physically get this guitar today WHU-HOOO! Since I last posted, I have found out that the owner now suspects the toggle switches to be a later addition. He says he has (and I quote) a 'bag of bits' that look like they once were in the guitar. I suspected all along that the guitar had been modified. I have been given instruction to get the guitar back to original spec' so I will be back here bending your ears for advice on pots/caps/wire (I believe these have 300k pots)...

[Victor Croll]

Even John Hall doesn't know what model this is! Apparently, the serial plate does not match the model of guitar! This guitar could have been built any time between 1958 and 1966 (my guess-timation) but as it has the clef-shaped f-hole (which was for the British market), it's likely 64-66...

[Robbie Collins]

Looks like the model Pete Townsend and George Harrison used. Morris Rose?

http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/1965-rickenbacker-model-1993-1

[Victor Croll]

It is a Morris Rose and we think it's a 1997 model. The serial DB133 dates it at February 1964 but John Hall says that that serial does NOT match the guitar model that shipped. So, we suspect the serial plate on the input jack was a later addition. Why = we don't know! Even John Hall doesn't know what it is exactly. It's definitely an early 60s guitar as we know who owned it most of it's life. We just don't know what year/model for sure.

We know for certain it's a UK model as it has the clef-shaped f-hole & a tremolo...