Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

After doing a truss rod adjustment the other day I chipped my 4003s8. During the adjustment I had it covered/protected so it was fine. When it was finished, restrung and tuned and I went to put it back in it's case I fumbled with my ratchet and the socket/extension fell off of the ratchet and struck the upper horn (face side) as it lay in it's comfy case.....DRATS! I go through a bunch of careful steps to keep it looking good and when it's seconds away from total safety I put a 3/16" chip in it along with a smaller "ding". Anyway....it was in a bad spot to leave as a "character mark" so I touched it up with some black paint and clearcoat along with wetsanding/polishing. It actually came out quite nice but the black doesn't match perfectly so it is driving me nuts. Here is a pic....it doesn't look as bad without the direct flashlight on it but you see my point. And it is certainly better than a giant chip



So luckily my best friend is one of the best custom bike painters that I have ever seen and he'll take care of this for me pretty cheap. He can either repaint the whole front black and blend it at the edges or do some sort of graphics. I know the opinion here would be to have it stock but I already "ruined" that so I might as well make the best of it. I'm leaning towards some ghost flames that are either tinted clear/candy or another shade of black....that way it is there but not real obvious. I think a wine candy with a hint of small metal flake in some graceful flames would hide my lapse in judgement and still look classy. Either that or I could strip the whole thing and paint it lime green with purple flames.....still classy

So does anybody here have any ideas or some pics of painted flame Rics.....I know I saw one before but can't find the pic in a search.

I just have to get it finished for the confluence. I do feel as though it's chances of making it in Paul's book are done though.....

a motorhead album cover would always be nifty. go with something that is near and dear to you.

jaymi did a union jack on one of his and it looked great.

As a Motorhead theme maybe I could just glue a Cocoa Puff and some hair over the chip as a tribute to Lemmy's mole....

I know Eric Kutzler (apologies if I mis-spelled) has some pics of his Blue Flame Ric somewhere on the forum...that's what you're looking to do?

Not that dramatic.....a little more subtle.....

I would like to see the pic again to check out the pattern of the flames.

or perhaps the cover of anthrax's I am the Law EP since you're the strong arm of the law and such.

Do a Marilyn Monroe graphic like that Fender Custom Shop Strat from a few years ago!

Steve, you got the last name right.

Here are some pics.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v385/ekutzler/Basses/4001backcloseup.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v385/ekutzler/Basses/4001closeup.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v385/ekutzler/Basses/4001frontback.jpg

Thanks for the ideas but apparently you guys have a different idea of subtle than I do.

Thanks for the pics Erik......your's looks great! I'm not going to copy it I just wanted an idea of how the flame pattern would look and what to shoot for.

I am pretty sure that I am going to shoot black flames. The whole front of it had some light scratches anyway so it isn't a total loss. Since I'm just doing it in black I'll probably do it myself since there's no shading involved and I'll get a little more satisfaction that way. Plus even at my discounted rate from my buddy I'd still save enough for several sets of strings by doing it myself (he'd still have to buy supplies and hold up paying jobs to get it done in time for the Confluence). And if I botch it he can always fix it for me so that takes off some of the pressure .

I'll takes some in progress pics for my comedy contribution to the forum.....

subtle is not in my vocabulary.

Brian, just bring it to the confluence as it is and we'll have a paint party - The 'Confluence Bass'.

Hey, Brian, don't hurry it on my account. There will likely be other opportunities to have the instrument photographed, and there's no deadline with my book. Having tried it once, I don't recommend trying to refinish it yourself. I f***ed up my '72 MG 4001 back in 1975, figuring I could simply strip the finish and airbrush a new one. Now I'm looking at having a pro redo it thirty years later.

Paul, as for having a stock 4003 present at the confluence, I will bring my '87 JG since I live here.

The more the merrier! Can't have "too many" pictures. Looking forward to Columbus!

Not to mention you could Photoshop out the ding if necessary...or frame the photo in such a way where the ding doesn't show.