Up for sale, a 1961 Rickenbacker 450 Combo in excellent condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original hardshell case. A rare and early example, the Maplego gloss finish highlights flame and bubble maple figuring across the body wings. This 450 Combo boasts the cresting wave body first seen in '58, particularly the contoured, slender iteration of the cresting wave body introduced in mid-61, of which this is one of the very first examples.

The maple neck through body construction and slab rosewood fingerboard ensure an authoritative, clear natural acoustic quality that's channeled faithfully via the pair of stock Toaster Top pickups. The pickups have a distinctive treble articulation and jangle, with a bell-like warmth and percussive cut in the neck position, and more smooth growl and chewy twang at the bridge. This Ric is featherweight at 6lbs 7oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar with 10-46 string, low action and accurate intonation.

Neck Specs:

-Wood: Maple
-Shape: Medium C, measuring .860” 1st fret, .880” 12th fret
-Fretboard: Rosewood slab, small dot inlay, light finger wear behind frets 1-5
-Frets: Slender, refret, leveled/crowned, faint wear beneath the plain strings on frets 1-8
-Scale Length: 24 3/4”
-Nut: 1 5/8” (modern)
-Headstock: Gold lucite truss rod cover
-Tuners: Grover Sta-Tite, butterbean buttons

Body Specs:

-Wood: Maple
-Pickups: Toaster Top Alnico single coil x2 (bridge pickup rewound to vintage spec)
-Controls: Volume x2, Tone x2 (inverted), Three-way pickup selector
-Harness: CTS pots date to the 3rd week of ‘61, Astron “dynamite” paper-in-oil tone caps
-Hardware: Six-saddle bridge (recessed into body)
-Plastics: Gold lucite pickguard (modern, Pickguardian), pointer knobs (modern)
-Serialization: AF-prefix stamp on bridge base translates to June, 1961 production

The Mapleglo nitro lacquer finish exhibits overspray on the front, back and headstock, while the neck profile and body perimeter retain the original unaltered finish, and there is prominent curly flame figuring on the bass-side third of the body, with more subtle bubble maple figuring on the treble third. Cosmetic wear includes buckle rash across much of the back, with some cable worming through the gloss across the back and additional small scuffs and dings from honest use. The original nitro gloss on the neck profile has a worn-in, easy-playing feel.

The original silver tolex hardshell case is included; all of the latches are functional, and the handle is intact.