Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Paul,

How do you get the finish from washing out?

This looks kinda green

Please don't, Joey!
Take more pictures of people or things you love and you'll be very good.

Jared,
It seems the on-camera flash was fired when the picture was taken. I'd suggest not use it. Using lamps of natural lights is highly recommended.

The finish of my Shadow has a little greenness too, when compared to the pure black pickguard. (BTW, does Jetglo always behave like that?) That can be emphasised by the flash too. The on-camera flash also makes the swirl marks overly evident.

Without flash, the shutter speed would be considerably longer, and the aperture wider, making the picture blurry of shallow depth of field, so a tripod is recommended. I seldom use a tripod though, as picture taking is a sponteinity thing for me. I choose to hand-hold the camera and use wide apertures, stop breathing when pressing the shutter release and hope my hands don't shake. The wide aperture will cause shallow depth of field (see how the checkered binding of my Shadow above are out of focus) which is not a good thing most of the time, unless used to good effect.

I sometimes use glare as a way to emphathise lines and shapes. I like how it worked in this shot, The white-out glare was the blue sky mirrored on the headstock and tuning keys:

Love this one, too.

PAul-

As usual, you out do yourself!

Thanks for the info-I'll try your suggestions on my honey's new Nikon.

I love those very classy pics, Paul.
As to the slight greenish tint to the Jetglo finish, yes, I believe this has always been there. Both my 1974 Jetglo 4001s have it. Also, high-gain pickups in the 70s and 80s were sprayed Jetglo, not black. A sure way to tell genuine, never-tampered-with Rickenbacker high-gain pickups from that era from copies or refinished genuine ones.

Thanks for the kind words and insight on the JG finish and the '70s and '80s pickups, Sérgio. Both the bass and treble pickup bobbins of Sophie are exactly how you've just described. Even the polepieces were "enameled" in Jetglo.

So this doesn't count...

Hey, it's the "Special Edition JN Shadow Shoes"!

Paul, I wish I could take pictures even half as nice as yours.... You are a true Rickenbacker portrait artist! You should have them published in a coffee-table type of art book.... You do a great job in capturing the character and beauty of your basses.

I'd buy one of those coffee table books !

Sign me up for one too ...

Wow, I'm flattered.
Yes a coffee table book might become reality some day. Give me some time to acquire more Ricks (yes I "need" a lot more!) and come up with more worthy shots for such a book that I can be proud of.

Before the book comes to see the light of day, here are the bigger images kindly posted by Bjorn:

Photo Gallery

Wow...beautiful shots....Paul,I'd definitely buy a book of your pics....