Rickenbacker clear coat

thinneckrick · Post by **thinneckrick** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 7:37 am

Does anyone know what kind of clear coat Rick used on their guitars ? I am having my 81 4001 refretted and i need to know if it is acrylic or nitro lacquer on the fretboard . Any help on this would be gratefully appreciated . Thanks all

bassduke49 · Post by **bassduke49** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 7:53 am

You may get to read from someone at RIC, but I can tell you that it is a proprietary "Conversion Varnish." Hope John or Ben Hall can chime in to let you know what stripper or refinish alternatives you have.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 8:11 am

It's a two-part catalyzing urethane. Neither acrylic or nitro is the proper stuff.

Sounds like your luthier doesn't know Ricks very well...

It can be stripped with ordinary methylene chloride-based strippers, like JASCO. I prefer to first pull the old frets and then sand off the old varnish, as sometimes strippers will attack the inlays. If the inlays are going to be replaced, this is less important.

Neither acrylic lacquer or nitro will look right if that's what he's refinishing it with and if looks matter to you.

I use PPG 2021 or 2042 automotive clear coat. It's a high-durability, non-yellowing formula two-component polyurethane.