Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi guys & girls,

I'm definitely out of playing in big cover bands, whose managers DEMAND active 5 string basses.

I'm back on RIC soon, planning my budget so that a 4003 will arrive here around Feb 2010.

Still undecided on the finish though : Jetglo, Mapleglo or Fireglo ?
I love JG but I find it very rock/metal/punk oriented
FG is much better for that, IMO
MG is very nice and the walnut wings are plain visible, but the finish itself looks a bit "neutral" to me. And I'm afraid how it will turn when yellowing with age.

Any advice ? Which one do you like most, and why ? (intended more specifically to all of who who own/owned these different finishes)
Oh and, btw, going to pickup a brand new one (2009 or so).
Thanks in advance !

Quick reminder : this will be my 6th RIC through the years :
1977 RIC 4001 JG
1979 RIC 4001 FG
1999 RIC 4003 WHT/BT
1994 RIC 350 Liverpool
2003 RIC 4003

FG!!!

But that's just me.

The current FireGlo is pretty sweet.

Fireglo always seems the most attractive to me, personally.

Tell you what, put a paper bag over your head, pick up three Rick basses, and play each by turns. Then without removing the paper bag, decide which one sounds the best to you.*
JimK











*Only half-joking.

I had a new Jetglo 4003 on order, saw the current Fireglo and changed my order to Fireglo!

'09 FG is pretty fantastic, all right.
JimK

Thanks for your inputs !

What has changed in new Fireglo ?

The new Fireglo has a beautiful red color a nice gradual blend to a lighter color in the middle and the new UV cured finish has a very deep shine. They look like some of the nicest Fireglo Ricks ever, if not the nicest ever.

Thanks Joey for this information. I did not know that. But it's true I had already noticed there were some variations around Fireglo from an era to another.

They're all gorgeous instruments, man. My two basses are vintage MGs. I love the yellowing and slight fade in the finish.





1979 4001 on the left, 1968 4001 on the right...



1979 onstage



1968 onstage

They look like honey ! Very sweet basses, Javier !

Thanks a lot! I'm a bit frustrated right now. The band I played in split up almost a year ago and I haven't found the right bunch of guys to start playing with yet. I really want to start gigging again! Those basses have been in my bedroom and way too long!

Go with Midnight blue.

As an unbiased collector, I'd say Fireglo is just about the only colour that can be truly said to be unique to Rics, you can get any other colour from the others, no one, I mean no one, (with the the exception of one of our own (Paul Wilczynski) who does who can do a wonderful Fireglo, and Minkglo) can come close to Fireglo, it's Rickenbacker's signature colour. You can still see the wonderful grain on the wood, and the Walnut wings through the lustrous red.

Just my two cents !!