This guitar was one of a series of exports produced in February 1966 in response to the request of Rose Morris for a change in color from the standard Fireglo finish. What emerged was a red-to-black “Redburst” finish, of which only 25 were made in export model 1997, such as this example. This guitar shows playing wear and has a Rickenbacker case that has been custom lined with green plush material. This guitar is depicted and discussed on pages 198 and 199 of the Rickenbacker Book (2023). The model 1997 in its construction is essentially a model 330 with an f-hole instead of the slash soundhole.