Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Steve, the finish is completely opaque.

Here are a couple of sound samples, btw, from my new 75th 330.

The first one are snippets of two country / bluegrass songs (Dark Hollow and New River Train).
Dark Hollow is with bridge pickup only.
New River Train with both pickups.

http://download.yousendit.com/40AAE59F3B0ED077

Next clip is Sunshine of Your Love.

http://download.yousendit.com/75FE3F305F643CD3

Amplifier: Fender Cyber Champ. Fingers only, no picks.

Both clips had a little EQ adjustment and stereo enhancement through MAGIX Audio Studio.

[Guys, remember, I’m only a beginner guitar player.]

The 4003 was more opaque for two reasons.One,it was only the second instrument painted that color,so we were still very much in the experimental stages with this finish..Two,we are using a slightly different technique to spray these in order to maintain the opacity.

This paint does indeed have a high degree of transparency to it..Honestly,I'd love to try a nice flaming (or quilted) maple 381 with a light transparent coat of the DCM,so you can still see the wood..But that's just me Like all of you,I have my own personal wishlist too!

Just do it, Eric. We won't tell!

The following observation should not be construed as a personal comment to Eric, who has done a marvellous job as RIC's finishing head in his short time in that position. It merely gives my own views on color, based upon my 35+ years as a designer, finisher, and colorist/color matcher.

It's considered bad practice when formulating and applying color, to try to do more than one thing at any time. DCM is a pearlescent, despite its name ("Metallic"). To have a pearlescent that is also transparent seems to me to be gilding the lily. The pearl essence in the paint actually obscures the wood grain underneath, and ends up fighting with it for one's attention.

Is it pearl or is it candy (transparent)? It should be easy to tell at first glance.

Paul - as you have DCM bass #1, I was wondering if you can see any maple grain through the finish? At the factory you could see the differentiation between walnut and maple on the headstock, but I didn't look closely enough to see whether any maple grain could be seen through the finish. Here's a pic of the headstock (I've cranked the brightness and contrast).

In normal lighting, not flash, no grain can be seen.

In strong--halogen--lighting trained right on the back of the bass, no grain either.

Flash really penetrates and shows things that cannot be seen by the unassisted eye.

Just got a call from my dealer and I should have my 330 Annie by Monday, or maybe, if I'm really lucky, by Friday! Woooohooooo!

Good for you Melibee! Take some snow pics with it, maybe?

Edit: Is is okay to take a guitar in the snow? I know nuttin' about no snow. Never seen the stuff.

Ummmm.... A Ric would not like being out in the snow, LOL! In fact, when I get guitars via UPS in the winter, I do not open their packing boxes for two days, in order for them to acclimatize gradually, so as not to risk finish checking or other damage....

So you've never seen snow, JDog? You need to come up to Minnesota and visit us this winter, and we can take you on a winter adventure: skiing (cross-country and downhill), snowmobiling, sledding, and ice fishing are all fun things we do outside around here!

As a side-note, we just went out in the woods and cut down our Christmas tree last night, and it was just like a Christmas card, with those big fluffy snowflakes coming down....It was beautiful!

Really? How long does it snow til?

No offense of any sort taken Paul,I have the utmost regard and respect for you personally,and the fine work that you do,but honestly,I have no such qualms about "gilding the lily"..In my 20+ years (I'm just a kid mind you) of painting,finishing,modelmaking,experimenting, I've never been one to really toe the party line of what is or isn't considered proper when it comes to experimental painting.I happen to believe that it certainly is possible to have a trans metallic,and to my eye and others as well,the metallic and the wood grain showing through can certainly be complimentary instead of competitive.A case in point would be the COY candidate that you saw when you were here..

This of course is only my personal opinion as well..Not right,not wrong,just a little different.

That's great news, Melibee! It's gonna be a tough time letting it acclimatize..... you'll be itchin' to take a peek, I'm sure!

Jason, we generally have lots of snow from December through the first half of March, at least....

But by the end of January I start getting cabin fever and find myself longing for warm sunny beaches....

Better come over here, then Melissa.... we have a few thousand of those!

Oh, I wish we could, Aitch!

Guess I'll have to keep working on that hubby of mine....