Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

John that is an amazing transformation. Congrats. Your guitar is simply stunning!

Thank you everyone for your compliments and other kind words. I am very pleased with the guitar, but to hear such positive reinforcement from people whose opinions and work I appreciate and admire is quite an additional treat. I hope that over the next year or so, many of you will be able to see and play her. It is great fun having special instruments, but even more so when you can share them with friends.

Very nice John.

Why was the fretboard made so dark? Or is it the photography?

Manuel,

No its not the photography. The fretboard is ebony, which is naturally very dark. This particular piece usually looks black, but under just the right light it appears to be a dark chocolate brown as you can see below.

Looks great, especially with the body colour. Does the ebony change the sound a little do you think, or is there no appreciable difference?

johneek wrote: The fretboard is ebony, which is naturally very dark. This particular piece usually looks black, but under just the right light it appears to be a dark chocolate brown as you can see below.

I love ebony, what a great choice for a fretboard! My Alembic necks are all ebony, as is the top and back of the Series II. Bulk ebony at the wood store has gotten sky-high in price these days - they sell it by the pound now! But it is so sleek and solid, makes a stable fretboard that just never seems to get in the way of your left-hand action or distract you.

Beautiful guitar !!!!

Congrats

mfb wrote:Looks great, especially with the body colour. Does the ebony change the sound a little do you think, or is there no appreciable difference?

That's a great question. And would love to hear other people's answers. I've heard somewhere that an ebony neck can be more percussive and there probably is a subtle sound difference between a rosewood fretboard and an ebony one, but I've never A/B'd two guitars that way, not to mention that it would probably take an take an ear more discerning than mine to hear the difference. I chose ebony because I like the feel of an ebony board and I thought it would be the best match for the color I had in mind.

IIRC, I believe that some folks who hand build guitars try to match the different woods by tapping them, and listening for unison sounds, or ones that harmonize in thirds or fifths.

IIRC, I believe that some folks who hand build guitars try to match the different woods by tapping them, and listening for unison sounds, or ones that harmonize in thirds or fifths.

Yeah, that's the only way I pick a guitar.

John, seriously, I'm with you on the feel of an Ebony board--my Taylor that you've played also has it.

Bill

Great guitar.

I love the ebony neck too.

It would be nice if Ric offered that option again...

John - thanks for sending the link. It was fascinating to follow the metamorphosis. The guitar is absolutely gorgeous, and that checked binding makes it look even more elegant.

Two observations:
1. I wish RIC was making more guitars with the checked binding, even as just an extra-cost option (and yes, I know all the arguements why they are not); and

2. Did it ever occur to anyone else that the Rick Forum might be the only place on the net where you see guys using words like "gorgeous" and "elegant"?

Now excuse me while I go check the sports page, scratch myself, and spit.

I must say John ,that's a staggeringly beautiful instrument you got there

John's guitar is featured in all its glory on the new 2008 RRF calendar:

http://www.cafepress.com/rrf_marketing

Thanks very much Paul....

John,

I don't think I've told you how cool that thing looks. I need to get the contact for that guy in Atlanta.

JKC