Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

jwinstonp wrote:I am not looking for rare, etc. etc. I just know that in the past having owned a few fenders and gibsons and selling them that it was a giant pain in the ***. If anything was unoriginal or refinned then it was a dog that just wouldnt sell. If I ever have to sell the guitar or someday 100 years from now one of my grandkids needs money and trys to sell then they will deal with the scrutiny and bs that comes along with a refinished non original guitar. And the value will be nothing.

so, while I dont own a rick and really want this I am having a tough time squaring away the idea of $1700-$2000 for a non original guitar.

And 620's most certainly are not rare. They're one of the most-produced models by RIC and have been probably since the late 80's (and have been in constant production since 1962 or so).

You're not taking a rare Rickenbacker and having it refinished, you're taking a very common one. If you're taking one in one of the most common colors, I can't believe that it wouldn't increase in value if it had the pedigree of coming from a good refinisher, like the ones mentioned above.

620 deals can be had. There are certainly ones that go for under $1000, and have personally seen a nice one go to a forumite in the past year for $600 or so, on eBay, via a quick BIN.

And I would absolutely argue that refinished Fenders and Gibsons are not worth "nothing".

Worrying about what the guitar will be worth a hundred years from now sounds like you're just looking for any reason not to have one refinished.

I'd have a Rick refinished in the color of my choice if I couldn't find a Rick I wanted in the color I wanted. Heck, I'm having more than that done to a second hand RIC that I bought. I'm not doing a color change, but I'm having just about everything else done to it.

I am not looking for rare, etc. etc. I just know that in the past having owned a few fenders and gibsons and selling them that it was a giant pain in the ***. If anything was unoriginal or refinned then it was a dog that just wouldnt sell. If I ever have to sell the guitar or someday 100 years from now one of my grandkids needs money and trys to sell then they will deal with the scrutiny and bs that comes along with a refinished non original guitar. And the value will be nothing.

You're still very out of touch with reality on this one when it comes to Rickenbackers. I'd certainly love to find a bunch of "valueless" refinned Rick dogs. This forum represents some of the most fanatical and knowledgable Rickenbacker entusiasts on the planet and assuming that it was a regular model, rather than something collectable "as is" simply because it's so old and rare, most of us would pay more for a guitar which had been refinished by Paul or Dale than we would for one that's all original or even brand new. The fact that you have to get on a waiting list just to get a guitar in to be refinished by these guys is a testimony to the value and quality of their work. Used 620's aren't terribly difficult to find. If having one in Blueboy is as important to you as you make it out to be, I'd pick up a decent used 620 and get on the list. I suspect you would be looking at something in the $700 range for a total refinish. You won't be disappointed with either the quality of the new finish or what it does to the guitar's value.

The folks who have posted already on this have given you great advice. If you are willing to wait for the right 620 deal to come around, and select the right person to refinish it, there is no question that you'll have a guitar worth more than you put into it. It's probably a good idea to think through what you really want in the end. For example, do you want the guitar that is exactly to factory specs, or are you willing to have someone refinish it in something other than Conversion Varnish? I struggled with this question myself recently and eventually decided on the latter. I'm very happy with the results (See my avatar and the picture below).

I would suggest setting a price you're willing to pay for a 620 and enlist some others to be on the lookout (Many forum members would be happy to help in your search for a 620). Next, get a hold of the luthiers mentioned already and get a quote for what you'd like to have done, and how long it would take. Then the only thing you've got to do is decide whether or not you want to begin the quest....

John, that's a great pic of your 350...

brianeharmonjr wrote:I don't think I've ever even seen a 620 blueboy. I'd love to see some pictures if anyone has some. I've seen 650C's, 660's, 330's, 340's, 360's, 370's, 4003's, and even a 325/12, but never a 620 BB.

Brian, here's one, sold recently from the Music Connection.

I've said it before, but I'll say it again to repeat the point; I predict that restorations and custom work done on Ricks by Dale and Paul W(apologies if I've left any others out, these are the only two gents I know by name) will in time make such guitars even more valuable than a non-refinished Rick. These craftsmen/artists refin the guitars in such a way so as to make them factory fresh and correct, at the very least, and in the case of customized guitars, put Rick touches on guitars that could have been factory customs, guitars that are arguably, even more Rickenbacker than they were before, rather than less, as is the case with many custom guitars. RM style F-holes, binding, one off finishes done Rick "glo" style, walnut wings, pearloid, full width triangular inlays, et cetera. These are all Rickenbacker touches, done by master craftsmen, and could hardly be said to devalue any Rickenbacker guitar. Quite the contrary. The idea that the atypical, dinged-up, road weary, JG Rick 330 that I bought will be worth less after Dale refinishes and dolls it up is nonsense.

On the other hand, if Dale and Paul's refinishing/customizing did somehow manage to devalue a guitar, all those who have original condition Ricks should be happy rather than disappointed; the existence of fewer original condition older Ricks would mean that such guitars were rarer, thereby making them more valuable than they would otherwise be.

That BB 620 is gorgeous btw!