RICKENBACKER 381 Description
- offset sharp double cutaway semi-hollow maple body, carved top, white bi-level pickguard, checkered bound body, bound wedge-shaped soundhole, through-body maple neck, 21-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl triangle inlay, tune-o-matic bridge/trapeze tailpiece, chrome hardware, two chrome bar pickups, five knobs ( two v, two tone, mix control), three-position switch, available in Brownburst or Natural finish, mfg. 1958-1963, reintroduced 1969-1974.
The original run of this series, 1958-early 1960s, had single pickguards, 2 controls. In 1963, a fifth knob (mix control) was added. Fingerboard inlay was both dot and triangle. There were also a number of variations that Rickenbacker produced, some with F-shaped soundholes and some with vibratos. Some models with vibrato bridges and tailpieces may be called a Model 382.