Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

JH gave me the scoop on that a while back. There are differences in color tone between individual instruments because of spraying technique but the pigment color is the same. The easiest way to tell them apart is to check the finish in a place where it is not likely to be touched very often, like under the guard, TRC, tailpiece, or the sides of the neck very close to the body.

And then there are some (Walnut? Autumnglo?) that are not "bursts" but a solid stain (tint?) overall like a Burgundy is done. It's confusing, and I'd like to get it sorted out for the book.

Paul, there was a 'Walnut Brown' finish which was a translucent solid stain, not a burst.(Think of Burgundyglo, but brown.) In fact, back in the day I had heard this finish referred to as 'Walnutglo'...YMMV...

There is a picture of one (a 4001) in the Smith book and the factory catalogs from the mid to late 70s. John Williams has a Rickenbacker 360/12 from 1969 that has this finish, it is the earliest I've seen.

Thanks, John. Any idea what time span "Walnut Brown" was produced?

The more I read here, the more I feel I shouldn't trust the "trusty" color timeline chart on The Rickenbacker Page/Music Connection. Hope RIC has a better record that I may be able to use in the book.

I've got a '76 "Walnut Brown". It seems to be a pretty rare color, as I haven't seen many of them out there. Did they have the "color of the year" back then?

IMO it is a rare finsh, you don't see it very often in the scope of things. I dunno how long it was 'officially' available as a color option, but as I said above JWilli's 12-string is the earliest I've seen at 1969...The factory price sheets may reflect a more accurate timeline; it may have been available up thru 1982, I'm not sure...

There are a lot of 3000 series basses colored that way.

Not the greatest picture, but here's my '76 AG headstock:



One thing I should point out - the finish on the body and the finish on the headstock are quite different! I haven't had a chance to take good pictures recently - gotta grab my tripod from the storage space...

$1803.01 with 6 minutes to go!

I remember about 2 months ago, there was a dealer on Gbase I think, that wanted $1700.00 for one in slightly better condition, and I though, NEVER......

Certainly a rarer colour, but those prices just keep rising...

Unless AG or Walnut becomes a COY, there won't be any more. I'm not a fan of brown, but some of the examples I've seen posted here are quite stunning!

I never liked brown on Rics until I went to the Columbus Confluence and saw my 1st Monty Brown in person.....simply beautiful. Photos certainly don't do it justice. I'm sure AutumnGlo and Walnut have the same effect.

Oh Yeah !!!! My 77 AG just appreciated !!! $$$

I never would have guessed it. Mine was always the "spare". I got a break on the price because no one liked the color back then. I got it for just under $300 in 1981. A JG at the time was getting $325+

And looking as good today as when you bought it 25 years ago Ted!