Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

...the wood, that is, rather than the Rick finish of the same name.

I'm a big fan of 650 models, and I'm pondering the notion of snagging the next walnut-winged example that comes around. I'm just not so hot on the look of the walnut.

What I'm wondering is, what's the feasibility of refinishing the wings on one of these, maybe something translucent, resulting in a deep red color, for instance? Is this difficult with walnut?

How much of a pain is it to work with an oiled finish, in general? Would it be more feasible or practical to refinish such a thing in an opaque color, or does it matter?

RutleDirk wrote:...the wood, that is, rather than the Rick finish of the same name.

I'm a big fan of 650 models, and I'm pondering the notion of snagging the next walnut-winged example that comes around. I'm just not so hot on the look of the walnut.

What I'm wondering is, what's the feasibility of refinishing the wings on one of these, maybe something translucent, resulting in a deep red color, for instance? Is this difficult with walnut?

How much of a pain is it to work with an oiled finish, in general? Would it be more feasible or practical to refinish such a thing in an opaque color, or does it matter?

Dennis: The finish on one of these oiled-finished Ricks can be made paintable by first wiping it down with a solvent (acetone, in this case), filling with a filler or identical or contrasting color to the walnut, sanding the filler, then spraying a couple of coats of sealer on it. A light sanding of the sealer, and a finish can be applied.

There is no problem getting a deep transparent red on a walnut guitar. As long as the color is a couple of shades deeper than the walnut itself, there are no issues.

To finish this off, I'd recommend a matte (non-glossy) conversion varnish. Elegant! But a standard gloss varnish would work and look great, too.