Silver Rickenbackers (1980-1988)
Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2000 3:48 pm
A colour that is certainly not mainstream for Rickenbacker International Corporation is "Silver." I was introduced to this colour a shrt time ago when I purchased a 1988 Model 4003 in silver finish. I rounded up a couple of additional photos and thought I would post them to hear your comments. While the Silver finish is listed in the books from about 1980 to 1984 the three examples that I am posting here fall outside of this range. This once again shows the value of research in my view.
The first is a 1987 320.
An interesting aspect of all silver finishes from this period is the tendency of the "clear coat" finish to yellow producing a noticeable greenish cast to the instrument. These instruments a difficult to photograph and the 320 appears yellow in places in this photo.
The second is a 1988 Model 4003 Bass which, if I might say so is a wonderful player and also has a greenish tinge to it.
I confess to having some difficulty remaining objective here.
The third is a 1998 Model 230 solid body. This photo really does the instrument justice and the clear coat yellowing is far less dramatic here and the greenish tint is not significant.
This photo is taken from the internet and presented here with the courtesy of Pick Of The Ricks
So the photos here point to a number of interesting features from an historical point of view. To begin it is clear that the Silver finish was in production from the early to late 1980s and did not end by the mid 1980s as a folklore has it. Second, even the later instruments were finished with a clear coat that yellows rather significantly or at least is somewhat more noticeable as its effect is to created a greenish tinge. Nonetheless, I find this colour unique and hence a bit different from the standard colours.
The first is a 1987 320.
An interesting aspect of all silver finishes from this period is the tendency of the "clear coat" finish to yellow producing a noticeable greenish cast to the instrument. These instruments a difficult to photograph and the 320 appears yellow in places in this photo. The second is a 1988 Model 4003 Bass which, if I might say so is a wonderful player and also has a greenish tinge to it.
I confess to having some difficulty remaining objective here. The third is a 1998 Model 230 solid body. This photo really does the instrument justice and the clear coat yellowing is far less dramatic here and the greenish tint is not significant.
This photo is taken from the internet and presented here with the courtesy of Pick Of The Ricks So the photos here point to a number of interesting features from an historical point of view. To begin it is clear that the Silver finish was in production from the early to late 1980s and did not end by the mid 1980s as a folklore has it. Second, even the later instruments were finished with a clear coat that yellows rather significantly or at least is somewhat more noticeable as its effect is to created a greenish tinge. Nonetheless, I find this colour unique and hence a bit different from the standard colours.