Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Oh c'mon where would the world be without OCD people?!? We'd probably never have half the innovations we do and most all of the art of the world would probably never have been made! Besides, one of my best friends has diagnosed OCD...really!

Last week we played an outside gig under a temporary canopy - metal poles/canvas cover. Everything was fine until the end of the night. Turned left, lifted my Rick over my head and Bang!....caught the blasted headstock on a crosspiece. It was one of those almost too scared to look moments. But, I looked it over and over and I must have made contact with a tuner post. No ding, no scratch. Lucky. Still in tune, too. Got to be more careful but Rosie's already got a little bump on the headstock from a collision with a cymbal (got a little carried away and turned right, that night).

This is my 1979 Strat. Bought it in early 1980 , used but mint. Then I proceeded to , ummmm , play it. A lot. Picked up a little wear and tear over the years Funny thing , it looks better in the photos. Hides a lot of dings and strum marks.
PS- NONE of my Ricks look like this

I sit firmly between both chairs of this arguement/controversy.

I have had extreme good fortune in purchasing a MINT 1998 325v63 JG, 99% mint 2005 330/12 JG with toasters and a kinda-nice 1986 330 MG.

In both cases of the newer guitars, I paid top dollar, but the JetGlo finish ended up scaring me. I had to double-shampoo my hair lest one fleck of dandruff be visible. The 325 was so clean, I felt I had to dress up in a zipperless long-sleeved jogging suit and ditch any watch or jewellery to play it.

After serving it's purpose of letting an older guy like me in his 60's, his slightly younger brother and a 12-year-old nephew pretend they were John Lennon on the Ed Sullivan show for a total of 20 minutes, the 325 was sold at a profit, because I knew I could never do it justice. If I were a good enough player to bang it around night after night and tape the last playlist to it.... but that's another lifetime ahead.

The 12 string just didn't get played often enough, so it departed during a period of financial hardship to a better home.

The '86 MG had originally been bought new by a budding star for his record producer after his record hit number one. It seems to have stayed in the case for a number of years because the recipient didn't play guitar. I didn't pay a fortune, because the age put it in that "not quite vintage but old enough to have problems" zone. The finish has aged beautifully, and it's a real player as well as a looker. Several musicians who have dropped by to look at other stuff I may have had for sale have always wanted to try it, with beaming looks on their faces.

This one's a keeper.

On another note, I regularly see folks selling their "roadworn edition" Fenders and Gibsons.

They have to explain that they will NOT reduce the asking price because of the "apparent condition"!!!

buchrob wrote:In both cases of the newer guitars, I paid top dollar, but the JetGlo finish ended up scaring me.

My first Ric was a Jetglo 360, and that finish drove me crazy. No matter what you did, you'd put some sort of indentation in the back when you played it. Suffice to say, I don't think I'll ever own a JG Ric again.

If the dings bother anyone on a Ric, my solution is to get a JetGlo and always keep a jar of black lacquer nail polish and touch up your dings.

I play my JG daily and ding it occassionally. Nothing major and most don't even scratch the surface paint.

Aside from it being nearly mint looking and older than most newly minted college graduates, it's fabulous seeing it in all of its JG glory.

I should probably polish it again but I can't be bothered most times to do so since it'll just be dirty again in 20 minutes after that.

I would think Mapleglo and clear nail polish would be easier to touch up and be less noticeable that a touch-up has occurred.

Any solid-color guitar (black/Jetglo especially) will be prone to seeing it's little dings easily, and no matter what you do, you'll always see it. That's why I don't plan on getting solid color guitars right now, at least until I'm ready to handle it.

Up close, my Jetglo 620 is a mass of dings and scars. But from anything more than 3 feet away, it looks all glossy and new.

Slightly off topic, but if you cruise gbase, and look at relic'd Fenders, you'll see them listed as "mint condition". My brain hurts when I read this.

customxke wrote:Slightly off topic, but if you cruise gbase, and look at relic'd Fenders, you'll see them listed as "mint condition". My brain hurts when I read this.

That is a very easy claim to make and how would you disprove it??