Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi all,

Can anyone recommend a 381 color other than MG or FG? I'm looking for a color that's more vivid, yet really brings out the body carving.

Montezuma Brown and there is one for sale at Willcutt Guitars. Also blueburst.

Mine, my first Rick 6 string (December 2004):

Hey Paul, how about a purpleburst or aquaglo 381?
Either one of those would look incredible!

I had a 2000 Sea Green 381- it was most eye-popping!
Even hardened '61 Les Paul Jr. types had to go "whoa!" when they saw it come out of the case. The body details were very apparent.

Here's a Blueburst, belonging to John Williams:



Here's a Sea Green and a Jetglo, owned by Steve Wood and Mick Kern, respectively:

Oooh, I like that SG 381!

I saw one in Kansas City at a guitar show about six years ago that someone had refinished, and it was a prismatic silver metal-flake finish with black "binding". (It looked like a painted-on pinstripe to all of us.) It was blasphemy for Ric collectors, but it was quite beautiful. It really drew a lot of looks because it was so unique. They wanted $3,800 for it though, which I thought was a HUGE rip-off. (And still do, but the market was a lot lower then than it is now.)

Hey, pretty sharp guitars! I gotta get me one of dem. Or Two. Or Three...

"I had a 2000 Sea Green 381- it was most eye-popping!
Even hardened '61 Les Paul Jr. types had to go "whoa!" when they saw it come out of the case. The body details were very apparent"
-Mitch Easter

Mitch Easter! I bought my AG Blue 360 WB after seeing you play your blue 330 in Let's Active on MTV and live opening for Echo and the Bunnymen at the Paladium in `84

Did you sell the SG 381?! Ouch!

FYI: there was an ad on the Rickpage that mentioned "same finish as played by Mitch Easter" regarding a SG 381 for sale on its site.

Ooh, I like the aquaglo finish as well. I don't think I'd buy a purpleburst though. Not fond of purple.

I think it's down to SG, Aquaglo, or Blueburst. Does anyone have a photo of an Aquaglo 381?

Hmm, if I'm unable to find an Aquaglo or SG finish, I wonder if Dale or Paul could do a translucent finish in either of those colors if I found a slightly worn 381 in MG and wanted it refinished......

Hi Paul-
I traded the 381 when I decided to try a 660. I liked the idea of the 660 a lot and I'd sort of been thwarted using the 381 on stage because it was so prone to squealy feedback when using a fuzz box or any kind of gain device. The 660 was great to play, but just as microphonic. I have a '68 365 and it didn't feedback like that at all, just the opposite of what you'd expect! So I just figured that the new toaster pickups aren't for me, although I haven't heard anybody else complain about this problem. I couldn't imagine swapping out the pickups on the 381 but I probably should have, it really was astounding to see! Now I think some 80s high gains on that guitar would've been about perfect. Oh well! PS- I'm honored to have been a positive influence on a young, impressionable guitar shopper!?

Paul, by "Aquaglo" do you mean turquoise?

Aquaglo is a name that I gave to a series of transparent aqua burst finished Ricks that I've done for different customers. So far, it's been a 325, a 335, a 700C/6, and a 4001. I think an Aquaglo 381 would look pretty incredible, though.

But it's not a stock Rick finish.

Now, Turquoise...that's another matter.

I prefer the color of Paul W's as seen earlier in the thread. It makes that body shape pop, IMHO!

IMO, Charlie, the burst-type finish is the nutz for a 381, just for that reason. Although I've seen both Turquoise and Blue Boy and they look pretty good too. Bright finishes like SG tend to hide contours; JG like a John Kay is very subtle; all highlights and reflections.

Mitch - did you trade your Sea Green 381 to Mike Parks? That's where I got mine, and I'm wondering if it's your old one.