Bassic Colors No. 16 – Blue Boy blue

[artisan4]

If you're talking "way back," it was not a standard color for Rickenbacker. The Rick instruments used by Jim Reeves and the Blue Boys were painted this pale blue, but it is not clear that any came that way from the factory. According to the BB's bass player, James Kirkland, he recalls his "brown burst" Rick 4000 bass was repainted in pale blue "in Nashville" and it's possible the other instruments were also refinished.

The "Blue Boy" Color of the Year was 2004, alongside the second year of Montezuma Brown (COY 2003-04). Obviously the color and name were a nod to Jim Reeves' band circa 1960 or so. Blue Boy was applied a year or so earlier for some special instruments exported to Japan, then re-established as the COY for '04.

Is James Kirkland still around? It would be interesting to read an interview with him.

[libratune]

Blue Boy was applied a year or so earlier for some special instruments exported to Japan, then re-established as the COY for '04.

Not sure if any basses were involved, but in 2002 RIC did two runs of Blue Boys, 40 instruments for Japan and 40 for UK markets.

Here's a pic of a 360 BB 02 and its Japan warranty card:

[Sartana]

Ah....ok. Thank you for the info. Guess it was basically a 'one off' color. Thanks!

[bassduke49]

If you're talking "way back," it was not a standard color for Rickenbacker. The Rick instruments used by Jim Reeves and the Blue Boys were painted this pale blue, but it is not clear that any came that way from the factory. According to the BB's bass player, James Kirkland, he recalls his "brown burst" Rick 4000 bass was repainted in pale blue "in Nashville" and it's possible the other instruments were also refinished.

The "Blue Boy" Color of the Year was 2004, alongside the second year of Montezuma Brown (COY 2003-04). Obviously the color and name were a nod to Jim Reeves' band circa 1960 or so. Blue Boy was applied a year or so earlier for some special instruments exported to Japan, then re-established as the COY for '04.

Is James Kirkland still around? It would be interesting to read an interview with him.

I interviewed him for the book a few weeks ago. There wasn't much to tell, but the old Rick is lost to history. He left it in Reeves' basement and left the music biz. Reeves died shortly thereafter, and the whereabouts of the bass is unknown. Kirkland said "It was the best bass I ever played."