Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Ah, Billy Mumy. I first heard this ditty on "Doctor Demento". An '80s classic.

Billy Mumy, you say?

Yup. He was one half of the "Barnes and Barnes" duo. The "Fish Heads song is on their debut album, "Voobaha" ("Greetings" in Lumanian).

My, this is getting esoteric, isn't it?

Late to the discussion, but YES, YES make Ruby a COY!!!

Imagine a new Ruby 660, or 350V63, or 4003, without any checking, bright and shiny and glowing like a solid red guitar can't.

Ummm...

A Ruby 381V69! I'm enjoying this vision.

I am now lusting for a ruby 330 or 330-12, thanks to the original post.

Well, I picked up the Rick a few days ago. It was a gear/cash swap so I can't estimate exactly what it cost me, but it's in the $1300-1400 range cash equivalent.

In person the lines are definitely checking, it's just that the previous owner wasn't familiar with finish checking and didn't know exactly what it was or how to describe it. In another 10-20 years it will just be a part of any 30-40 year old guitar's character. Even now it's not that noticeable from a few feet away. The guitar plays very well and has had a pretty quiet life...no fret wear, no finish wear other than checking, no wear at all on the case exterior. Even with old strings it has a nice sound, both acoustically and plugged in. Here is what I have been told about the history. The original owner worked in a music store, collected guitars and had a pretty large collection (100+). So I don't think he played it much if any. I don't think it ever left his house until it was sold. He is the one that lost his heating during winter and after it was fixed the heat apparently came back up quickly and caused the checking in a few of his guitars. The second owner bought it 4-5 years ago and has only used it for home recording. He has taken it out of his house once since owning it.

I'll try to take some more detailed pics sometime and post them.

I still love it with the checking. I look at those pictures lustfully.

Agreed. Ruby has a very special charm and appeal.

jingle_jangle wrote:Agreed. Ruby has a very special charm and appeal.

It's only a matter of time until I ask you to refin my 330MG.

Ruby is a beautiful finish, and pictures really can't do it justice.

steverok wrote:

jingle_jangle wrote:Agreed. Ruby has a very special charm and appeal.

It's only a matter of time until I ask you to refin my 330MG.

I'm a ready Teddy, Freddy.

Hey Jingle,

Is there a preferred way of caring for a guitar with checked finish? Any special treatment to keep it from progressing?

Really nothing you can do to keep from progressing. Once the finish and wood have achieved equilibrium, the checking will stop. But it's impossible to predict at what point this will happen.

Special care would involve not using silicone waxes (you don't want it to soak into the wood through the cracks, as this will make it very hard to refinish when time comes) and keeping water away. Of course, any guitar care product which leaves a white film, like many waxes, will load up the cracks and compromise appearance. So, go light on the waxes.