I Need An Education In AmberGlo

[Tommy]

I posted the picture below on another forum and a member there said, "Wow, nice AmberGlo."
Now before I reply to him I want to know, have I had an AmberGlo guitar all these years and not even known it?

I need a quick education in AmberGlo. What I can find is it was color of the year recently, but was it ever a stock color? My guitar was purchased new in 1992. I have learned the binding on AmberGlo Rics is more yellow than white. My binding is definitely more yellow than white (but that could be due to aging). The center of my Ric is certainly not pink, it does look more yellowish.

Basically two questions that can clear this up for me:
1. When was AmberGlo offered by Ric?
2. Do FireGlo Rics eventually age into something that would make it resemble an AmberGlo Ric?

Here's the pic of my Ric:

[Danotron]

Hey Tommy,

I'll give it a try.

"Amber Fireglo" was color of the year for 2006. Many were ordered and due to the backlog at RIC, the orders that were placed were filled through 2008. Amber Fireglo was a sort of Vintage "aged" fireglo color that used a tinted clear coat that was not completely clear. This helped simulate the vintage appearance of the color.

Many older Rick guitars and basses achieve the "aged" look the old fashioned way, by aging , and that's what your guitar looks like.

She a beauty!

Dan

[Tommy]

Thank you. Very informative.

So AmberGlo was sort of Rickenbacker entering the relic sweepstakes that has gripped many guitar companies.
I know relic is a dirty word amongst many guitar afficianados, but if AmberGlo was to achieve an aged look, I suppose the word relic does apply.

[collin]

So AmberGlo was sort of Rickenbacker entering the relic sweepstakes that has gripped many guitar companies.
I know relic is a dirty word amongst many guitar afficianados, but if AmberGlo was to achieve an aged look, I suppose the word relic does apply.

Sort of. I think that it was less to make the guitar appear older as it was to expedite the process of getting the fireglo color looking the same shade as we see on older Rics.

Since AFG, the paint type has been switched to UV, which does not fade or change over time, but the colors look closer to the rich vintage shade right out of the factory. I'm a bigger fan of the new ones, as the AFG tint clear tends to make the binding and inlays appear greenish. That doesn't look so great, IMO.

[Danotron]

Thank you. Very informative.

So AmberGlo was sort of Rickenbacker entering the relic sweepstakes that has gripped many guitar companies.
I know relic is a dirty word amongst many guitar afficianados, but if AmberGlo was to achieve an aged look, I suppose the word relic does apply.

I'm not sure I would say "Relic" as those guitars are usually scraped , scratched, weather checked, and dinged up to appear as if they had been well traveled and used for years.

Amber Fireglo only addresses the color. Other than the color having a more "Vintage" look you got a perfectly clean, and un-played instrument.

Amber Fireglo was one of my favorite COY's but I agree with Collin, the standard Fireglo finish RIC has been producing the past few years is pretty much perfect.

[ozover50]

I'm still hunting for the elusive 350v63 AFG..... very few made - only ever saw one for sale in Minneapolis.

Should have bought the darned thing!!!

[wittyair]

I think it's important to distinguish between "amberglo" and "amber fireglo". To my knowledge, Rickenbacker never made an "amberglo".......only the 2006 COY "amber
fireglo". They made a one off "amber Montezuma Brown" using the same technique as the "amber fireglo". They did a real nice job with that one.....probably one of the most striking finishes they ever did......IMHO.

[cjj]

Nice!
Looks fairly similar in color to my Amber Fireglo 4003FL:

[sloop_john_b]

There is no "Amberglo".

[jdawe]

Sounds like a Sherlock Holmes story: "An Education in AmberGlo", the long-lost sequel to "A Study in Scarlet". Holmes and Watson unravel the tangled web linking a series of murders in east-end London to a shadowy and mysterious guitar manufacturer in California ...

P.S.: whatever colour you call it, that's a beaut, Tommy.

[8mileshigh]

Someone sure needs to teach you a lesson........ for owning so many cool Ricks......LOL!!!

[redamber]

I'm still hunting for the elusive 350v63 AFG..... very few made - only ever saw one for sale in Minneapolis.

Should have bought the darned thing!!!

I have a number of Amber Fireglos - including the elusive 350V63 AFG you refer to. This one was made in Mth 2 2008:

In truth, aside from the yellow fret markers, the difference between this model and a more recent Fireglo 350V63 is marginal. Still, an AFG is an AFG.