Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hey Paul, I think I remember this correctly, but did Mr. Hall say the original AZ came from a VW paint color. I did some looking on the net today and the closest I came was VW paint code L633- also called VW blue. It was used from 1966-1969. If this is correct, how does your formulation differ if at all? Nice work so far on Mr. Combs 67 by the way.

The formula I use is a VW formula from 1964. I'm not sure of their code--#L360 Sea Blue, perhaps?.I just have the 5-digit mixing code and the formula. I do not use it as formulated, anyway. I darken it slightly with a blend of three colors, to get an exact match to the Rick color.

Whatever it is, I know I will love it!

Found this paint chip for VW Blue, it's pretty close.

Not even close, Mark.

The dangers of matching colors on computer monitors are well-known by design professionals.

Bill's guitar is, in life, a couple of shades lighter and a tad greener than the picture above looks on my Apple monitor. My Windows monitor has the lightness closer, but is still off on the hue. Neither is color-certified.

L633 is much darker and bluer than Azureglo. Here it is somewhere between a Navy and a Cerulean Blue.

But color names are meaningless, as they do not represent standardized formulas.

At any rate, L633 is for too late a model VW. It's a '64 color. And, referring to my mixing directions, Sea Blue is correct.

Interestingly, VW had a color called "Azure", back in '54. But it's too light and too blue!

I thought the color that came from a VW was Mid Blue.

I have not seen anything on this. And, of which of the myriad Mid-blues are we talking?

The first one. I recall JH telling me (at NAMM '06) that the current Mid-Blue harkens back to the original color, the idea of which came when someone observed it on a VW that was parked near the shop in the 60s, and that between the current version and then it had changed over the years. For whatever reason, I assume most of the blue Ricks I saw in the 70s and beyond were Azureglo. But I'm probably wrong.

Your absolutely right about the perceived match Paul, as this overlay shows(thanks jpeg wiz). That's why people like you paint guitars for people like me.

I believe that story about the VW was tied to Azureglo, not Mid Blue, Glenn...

10-4. Which color goes back farther?

The VW Variant blue was the match for the Azureglo. Midnight was just selected to be reminiscent of Azureglo but a bit livelier.

So Azureglo would go back farther.

I hope so! Otherwise, I gotta go look up reminiscent!

No wonder I like all the blue Ricks that I've seen (blueburst as well.)