SHOP NOTES: COMBO 600

[jingle_jangle]

Expat Guitars in Tokyo has a nice Rick Combo 600 for sale.

What caught my eye was the back side of the back aluminum cover--

This cover was obviously cut to shape with aircraft snips (see the blade marks around the edges...)

On the back is written a note to "Gonzales", in pencil:

...just a little bit of Rickenbacker History.

"No more skinny CRs"--What is a CR?

[collin]

Very cool!

Another mystery to solve, eh?

CR = Control Routes?

[jingle_jangle]

Doesn't make sense in the context. Seems to refer to a piece of wood that came ready-sanded thin from another person (Hank?) but which they ran out of, so Gonsalez (sic) would have to make his own by sanding something else thinner.

[jingle_jangle]

I thought of "shinny", as CJ mentioned to me, being a misspelling of "shiny", but can't see anyone sanding something to make it shiny.

[cjj]

Yeah, on my first read through I though it might mean they don't want any more shiny CRs, and sanding would remove the shininess. But that really doesn't make sense with the end of the sentence. I was thinking more that the 'k' looks more like an 'h' and trying to make sense of it. But I really think skinny makes more sense...

[jingle_jangle]

Would make a cool t-shirt.

[jwilli]

CR = Cruss rod?

[libratune]

"No more skinny CRs"--What is a CR?

I interpreted this to mean "no more shiny covers," in reference to the back cover on a '50s chambered-body 400, 600 0r 800 Combo. Some of these covers were a thin aluminum sheet with a "shine," many were a thin piece of plastic, fiberboard or mahogany, and some had flocking on the outward-facing side.

[analogpackrat]

Maybe the writer is telling Gonzales that they no longer have the shiny "CRS" material so he either has to sand it to make it shiny or wait for Hank to get some more of the shiny stuff.

[doctorwho]

I read that word as "shimming" which would make sense if they had to sand a piece to make it fit.

[egosheep]

Thanks for the head's-up, Paul... too cool! I love Combos.

Here is a version without that pesky watermark:

Edit: how awesome are those knobs!!! Never seen those on a Ric before.

[apossibleworld]

Those are 30s or 40s Rick knobs, not original to this guitar.

[Ivan3000]

Really cool, Looks like 'ol Gonzales is getting in trouble!
If I were the owner, I'd clearcoat that to preserve it forever, But thats just me.

[expatguitars]

Howdy all -

I'm very flattered to have made the forum, and as I've probably had more time to ponder this enigma than anyone, it seems only fitting I make my maiden post here.

I believe the "CRS" in question stands for cold rolled steel, which does indeed appear to be the material of this particular cover. And when you're out of the shiny stuff and all you have is matte what do you do? Tell Gonsalez to get wet sanding of course! Or wait until the shop gets more shiny stock. Thankfully for us Gonsalez did not appear to be the waiting type or else this little nugget would've been lost forever.

Adam

PS Robbie is correct about the knobs. I've been praying for a pair of flying saucer knobs to find me, but in the meantime those slightly anachronistic ones'll do.

[Ivan3000]

Howdy all -

I'm very flattered to have made the forum, and as I've probably had more time to ponder this enigma than anyone, it seems only fitting I make my maiden post here.

I believe the "CRS" in question stands for cold rolled steel, which does indeed appear to be the material of this particular cover. And when you're out of the shiny stuff and all you have is matte what do you do? Tell Gonsalez to get wet sanding of course! Or wait until the shop gets more shiny stock. Thankfully for us Gonsalez did not appear to be the waiting type or else this little nugget would've been lost forever.

Adam

PS Robbie is correct about the knobs. I've been praying for a pair of flying saucer knobs to find me, but in the meantime those slightly anachronistic ones'll do.

Welcome! What a way to start off!