Does Mapleglo “Fade?”

firstbassman · Post by **firstbassman** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:44 am

I was in a local music emporium the other day and the salesman pulled out of the box a 360/12 MG. I realize that no two pieces of wood are identical but the color looked very light to me. Sure enough, when I glanced at a 330 MG hanging on the wall, it was about two shades darker. The salesman said when the guitar is exposed to light and the outside it gets darker over time. Think he’s correct? Thanks.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:46 am

Yup. Both the maple and the Conversion varnish age over time. I call it "ambering".

Now you can buy your Ricks pre-aged to a beautiful Amber, but only in FG. The original plans to offer Amber Mapleglo were scrapped because the difference in appearance wasn't great enough.

leftyguitars · Post by **leftyguitars** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:13 am

I agree, the brighter the light, the darker it gets - leave a piece of new pine in a sunny window and it will darken considerably within days.

randyz · Post by **randyz** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:21 am

I've got a '79 360 MG that is a very pretty yellow color. My '97 330 MG is a sickly tan color. Both guitars stay in their cases, but they were both 8-years-old by the time I bought them. I wonder if the 360 got more exposure to sunlight by a previous owner. How risky would it be to leave the 330 sitting in a sunny room?

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:27 am

The difference in colors between your two guitars is probably due, not ony to exposure, but also to variations in the CV formula between '79 and '97.

firstbassman · Post by **firstbassman** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:42 am

Thanks very much!!!
By the way, I accidently posted my question here. I meant it to go under "Guitars." My apologies.

Amber, huh, interesting. Any photos online exist?

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:51 am

The Amber FGs are on the factory website and were on display at NAMM.

firstbassman · Post by **firstbassman** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:06 am

Paul, I'm sorry for the dumb question.
As soon as I hit 'submit' I knew I should just look at the Rik site.
Here are the colors (including Amberglo) for the 360:
http://www.rickenbacker.com/color_viewer.asp?model=360
My apologies.
Just the center of course turns amber. The rest stays redish. Interesting.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:17 am

That's not entirely accurate, Mark. Since the varnish is tinted amber, the entire guitar's coloring shifts a bit toward the orange side of red, and away from the pinkish tones we've come to see as "new factory FG".

This color option is very nice, IMO.