Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

paologregorio wrote:Ah, interesting. I know from previously asking you that nitro is a more delicate finish, but I've also read that some players swear by it for its purported tonal effects on guitars. I probably wouldn't know either way. I have an old Gretsch Tennessean, which has a nitro finsh, as well as three new Terada made reissues. My Japanese Reissue Gretsches sound just as good as my old one, if not better. They are definitely made much more precisely, and play wonderfully. Evidently you prefer the non-nitro finishes.

Is a nitro finish really cheaper-material-wise? It's more time consuming to apply, yes?

Some people say they can hear the finish; logic tells me it's gonna show up on on air-filled guitars, not solid bodies. OTOH, older solid-bodied instruments also have different-quality (usually heavier) hardware with heavier plating, and the wood of the bodies and necks is aged...this will make the tone different. How much of that tone difference is paint is hard to say.

Acrylic lacquer is a bit more durable than nitro, but not a whole lot.

Nitro is cheaper in general, very easy to apply, buffs up nicely with a minimum of flatting and color sanding; generally is not clear-coated. Much less labor-intensive than a typical polyester or polyurethane finish.

What's not to like? Take less time, charge more money. and it scratches easily relics well.

Fascinating as always Paul. Thanks for the 411!

Weren't Danelectros sold at Sears as kiddie guitars?

Well, sorta. They were low-end models to put Des Moines and Billings in a swingin' mood for little $$$.

Their model 1440 should be familiar to many of us as the guitar sold with the amplifier (a 2 watt monster) in its case.

I remember being an oh-so-cool Junior with my Fender in HS, snickering at the Freshman who carried his to show 'n' tell...now they're collectible.

Imagine that...

Well, I just saw a silly asking price on eBay. It's a clean original circa 1967 Coral electric sitar for a BIN of $42,999. That's gotta be a new record for any Coral product. I'm planning to buy a new Jerry Jones reissue of the same instrument. They go for about $750 with case and I've heard they have much better tuners and construction than the originals. Why would anyone think this sitar is worth $43K?

Indeed. My own take is misplaced decimal point...does $429.99 make more sense?

Paul: $429 sounds more like it to me, but there have been several original Corals that have listed for months with starting bids of $4K to $6K and no interest. Obviously no one is going to pay that kind of money, which just makes this $42K look even more silly. These things are pieces of junk!

randyz wrote:Paul: $429 sounds more like it to me, but there have been several original Corals that have listed for months with starting bids of $4K to $6K and no interest. Obviously no one is going to pay that kind of money, which just makes this $42K look even more silly. These things are pieces of junk!

The one I had the "pleasure" of playing had its intonation go south at about the fifth (!) fret.

randyz wrote:Why would anyone think this sitar is worth $43K?

He's dreaming.

randyz wrote:Well, I just saw a silly asking price on eBay. It's a clean original circa 1967 Coral electric sitar for a BIN of $42,999. That's gotta be a new record for any Coral product. I'm planning to buy a new Jerry Jones reissue of the same instrument. They go for about $750 with case and I've heard they have much better tuners and construction than the originals. Why would anyone think this sitar is worth $43K?

I'm in the "misplaced decimal place" camp on this, unless it has celebrity connections. It's amazing what some folks will pay just because some dead rock-god sweated on an instrument.

On the Jerry Jones - great idea - they are well-made and stable instuments, and light as a feather thanks to the traditional Dano constuction. IMHO they are worth the premium over the Asian Dano reissues.