Quick clear coat chip question

[DiBiaso]

I purchased my first Rickenbacker last weekend (2003 360 Maple Glo) and have been thoroughly enjoying the honeymoon. The guitar has been nicely broken in with a few nicks and dings here and there. No worries to me

One thing I did notice is that the clear float seems to be chipped off the fretboard binding a bit. Is this any reason to be concerned, or just cosmetic character?

[fiveightandten]

My '92 360 has a similar thing going on, though not as bad as that. It really hasn't gotten any worse in quite some time. It's purely cosmetic. I'd just play the guitar, until it gets bad enough to bother you. That will probably take a while. Alternatively, you could have a luthier do a spot repair on it. Find someone local for an opinion and estimate.

[DiBiaso]

Thanks for the response! So glad that it is cosmetic.

I picked a little off with my finger so that i don't feel the ridge as much. Luckily the worst of this is on the "high e" side so i don't really see it when i am playing. it is a little chipped on the "low e" side, but not nearly as bad.

I'm planning on taking it to a luthier sometime in the next few months for a quote. Figuring that if i can have both sides of the binding clear coat redone for around $200 i'll have it done, if more i'll live with it as it is.

I cannot express how smitten i have become with this guitar over the past week!

[thisismusicinc]

My '98 4003 has the same flaking of the clear coat, but a bit worse. Only on the binding though. It has never bothered me much. None of my other ricks have a simular issue

[DiBiaso]

My '98 4003 has the same flaking of the clear coat, but a bit worse. Only on the binding though. It has never bothered me much. None of my other ricks have a simular issue

so weird.

i brought the guitar to a local (and very reputable) shop ad they gave me two options... i could have the rest of the clearcoat buffed off the binding so there would be tactile edges where is chipped off (about $100 or less) or i could have the clearcoat removed fro the binding, have it masked off and re-clearcoat just the binding ($200 or more).

which of the two options would you guys go with?

[collin]

Option B with new clear coat.

However - make sure the repair facility understands that most Ricks made until a couple years ago use Conversion Varnish (CV) instead of conventional lacquer finish. The two types of finishes are not compatible.

[jps]

A 2003 era would have CV.

[manta]

Yes, that's one thing I would make sure about is that the luthier understands RICs. If it isn't bothering your playing, I'd let it be.