Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

My '89 4003S

My '76 4001

Whoever sprayed those mid 70s FGs sure knew how to paint.

I totally agree John.

Amen ....I had two 77 4001 basses . Both beautifully finished .

johnallg wrote:Whoever sprayed those mid 70s FGs sure knew how to paint.

Mark Arnquist?


This guy new his craft

On a lot of those old 4001 FG's, like the seventies models, I see a much less abrupt transition from painted edge to the inside, in addition to the more red/orange tone. What it does make me wonder is what one from around, say, 04, will look like it 30 years. I'm certain that the old seventies models looked different back in the day. Now, does anyone have a good picture of an FG 4001 from when the instrument was brand new?

gray wrote:Now, does anyone have a good picture of an FG 4001 from when the instrument was brand new?

The problem with this is the color film and printing technology wasn't all that great and colors will have shifted and faded by now, so you still won't know what the FG looked like back then when new.

The 60's and early 70's are generally really good. Gerry's '64 is a wonderful example and the mid '72 through '73 is a really good example too. That guy had it down!

All subjective of course!

jps wrote:

gray wrote:Now, does anyone have a good picture of an FG 4001 from when the instrument was brand new?

The problem with this is the color film and printing technology wasn't all that great and colors will have shifted and faded by now, so you still won't know what the FG looked like back then when new.

I know, but I thought it might be worth a peek anyway.

I just love the earlies '70ies FG with its smooth transitions. The AFG does not even come close to it.

I was aware that Mark worked at Electro back then, but was unaware he was one of the painters. Could anyone verify or debunk this?

It takes me about 15 minutes to spray an old-style one color burst like one of the old '70s basses. I imagine they could have been done in less time in production. A two color burst, add another 10; I've done up to 5-color bursts, which take a couple of hours minimum for the color application.

The long and short of it is that RIC painters take much less time; it's likely due to production flow.

It's entirely possible that a painter came on board at some time in the past and either had a way to set up a gun for one-pass shading, or developed it, and thereby sped up the finishing process immensely. Somehow this took, and became the standard.. When it's done just right, it's nearly as nice as an older burst (although it's a different look and never as gradual a fade).

You have to be deft to paint single-pass bursts all day and not mess up a lot of the guitars and basses you paint. You also have to have immense hand and arm strength; those guys hold up the guitars by the end of the necks in some cases; they are constantly re-positioning the instrument; it's like a ballet. Try holding a bass body out at arm's length by the headstock, for any period of time!

The worst of the one-pass bursts that leave the plant, we have dubbed "Clown Glo". Some repainting goes on; once an instrument is up to the shading stage, it usually has so much time invested that it becomes feasible to strip a bad mistake and refinish it.

I prefer the very gradual bursts; they are just more comfortable to my own eye.

Paul,

I don't think he was a painter per se. I know he can do refins, but his old posts here will detail what he did there, and maybe Dale or Don Ademek can chip in to help.

I do seem to recall he mentioned, and I wasn't too sure if he was tonque in cheek here, that one of the guys back then who did great work was colour blind....

I'll bet that was the guy who did those rare "Graybursts".

Ambered by clock.