Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Paul: After this example, and wanting to have it all, I could only choose rainbow.

I think those chameleon colors (shifting colors, whatever you call them) work OK on a car, but not so well on a guitar. The paint's effect is best on a curved surface, not flat, and one you can see from several different viewing angles. The relatively flat surface of the 350 body won't take advantage of the shifting appearance, and the guitar is so small that you would need to view it fairly closely and move the guitar (or your head/eyes) around to get the shifting effect. Follow? It's all in the viewing angle and light incidence/reflection angle that makes that type of finish work. A big, curvy car moving past you would work perfectly.

A very good point, Paul. You also intoduce a variable that we have not discussed here. Does the smaller size of the 350 body suggest on type of colour or finish over another in order to show it off best?

Do some finishes work better on the large size 360 bodies and some on smaller bodies, for example.

Paul W - dust from Deimos - dust from the moon of Mars??

Peter, that Monty looks really nice, but for me it would be too dark - more of a walnut burst maybe. Then I really love woodgrain (c'mon, all MGs and a walnut 4004C!).

Ah, I recognize this, it is Paul's dining room!

That car I was talking about really has a pretty minimal amount of the color shifting paint on it since it was the front wing and nose on an open rail top fuel dragster. I remember thinking the paint looked pretty neat, but I think I was looking more at all the chrome and stuff on the huge engine.

I'm sure that what looks good on a guitar (or car for that matter) is highly dependent on one's personal taste though. I think it would be very difficult for anyone to say a particular color would look better on a particular size of guitar and get everyone to agree. You just have to look at a bunch of different things and try to visualize what you think will be perfect. And, as it sounds from what Paul has said, if it turns out you end up not liking it, strip it and try another (or find someone who thinks it's great and sell it).

So has the selection narrowed for you at this point, Peter?


I think we can maybe try to quantify the categories at this point. Here's a very rough breakdown:

Metallic solid color - 3 'votes'

Metallic burst - 1 'votes'

Autumnglo/Redburst/Other 'traditional' brownish burst - 7 'votes'

Cherry burst - 1 'vote'

Bluish burst - 2 'votes'

Mary Kaye - 1 'vote'

Trans. Green - 1 'vote'

Other COY or solid finish - 2 'votes'

Color-changing 'flip-flop' - 1 'vote'

Dan: The selection process continues as the field is narrowed. I thank all those who continue to make this experience and enjoyable one.

While the majority of the finishes here are interesting in their own right, I have certainly learned a thing or two from the comments that have been made.

1. At this time a solid colour is not in the cards for me as I would like to take advantage of the grain. My 350 is certainly not flamed or quilted but it does have a nice grain.

2. As I already have a Montezuma Brown Rickenbacker, I would like to move away from the very dark brown tones in this refinish.

3. Aquaglo, Mink, Orangeglo, and a Deep Red and several others have all been used as custom colours recently and as such I would not feel right moving in this direction as superb as each of them turned out.

4. I will stay away from the traditional fireglo, not because I don't like it but because it is readily available in new and used instruments for those who are patient.

5. The field I am currently exploring has narrowed to include brown tones that are lighter than montezuma at the same time slightly darker than mapleglo. I prefer the warmer tones and for this reason have moved away from the blues and greens.

So I am in agreement with the majority of suggestions made here when it comes to going for a burst and something that showcases the grain.

Sounds like something a tad lighter than Walnut, maybe.

i apologize that i am such a hoover for the rainbow paint idea, would that not be amazing and a true one-off it it COULD be pulled off in a semi-transparent brownish innovation by a particularly-gifted painter (like Pall Wilczinski), who could do it with the grain showing plainly through the finish (regardless of the flatness of a rick!!!!)

Ryan: What you say is true enough. I would worry, however, that I might feel that it is a bit too much of a novelty piece with the rainbow.

Kira: Not a bad sample at all. When I plug that photo into the colour palette generator I come up with the following.

We could be getting warm

Perhaps starting with the middle colour and then stepping down from there.

Bottom color first, then top then middle, in order of application. It takes a bit of consideration to picture them as transparent