Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'm documenting the guts of a stock 2004 Turquoise 4004L Laredo for my book. This shot of the controls in the cavity reveals that this particular Laredo has the body wings of a 4004Cii Cheyenne II. Note the maple/walnut/maple sandwich construction. Don't know if this was an occasional practice or an error. We know that sometimes poor wood grain will most times be covered by an opaque finish, and maybe this was initiated as a Cii. The serial number penned into the cavity matches the number on the chromed-plated jackplate, so I don't think this was a part swap by owner. Ironically, I AM swapping out the chrome parts for gold (except for the jackplate - I think the "VIN" should match the "chassis") with Dane Wilder. So this one is not only going to look like a Turquoise Cii, it was "built" like a Cii !

That is interesting. They must tape off the control cavity prior to spraying. I wonder, why bother?

That makes me REALLY curious what the maple looks like on that one...

johnallg wrote:That makes me REALLY curious what the maple looks like on that one...

Yeah, strip that lousy paint offa that thing...

cjj wrote:

johnallg wrote:That makes me REALLY curious what the maple looks like on that one...

Yeah, strip that lousy paint offa that thing...

I wouldn't go that far, but it would be interesting to see what it is like. The Cii uses premium figured maple so to cover it over with paint it either had to be flawed or just one of those things.

I've never played a Cii... but aren't they marketed as "brighter" due to their all-maple body? So even though I would probably never care (I've really loved all the Ciis I have played, other than not totally getting along with the neck profile on one of them) I'm sure some people would be upset to get a walnut sandwich construction on accident.

Paul, I had a 650 Colorado (which is supposed to have an all-maple body) which had it's paint stripped off, revealing a mostly walnut body in the vein of the 650 Dakota. I was told by Ben that this was common.

sloop_john_b wrote:Paul, I had a 650 Colorado (which is supposed to have an all-maple body) which had it's paint stripped off, revealing a mostly walnut body in the vein of the 650 Dakota. I was told by Ben that this was common.

If you visit the RIC website and check the specs for a 650C it states "hardwood" for both the neck and the body. http://www.rickenbacker.com/model.asp?model=650C

cjj wrote:

johnallg wrote:That makes me REALLY curious what the maple looks like on that one...

Yeah, strip that lousy paint offa that thing...

cassius987 wrote:I've never played a Cii... but aren't they marketed as "brighter" due to their all-maple body? So even though I would probably never care (I've really loved all the Ciis I have played, other than not totally getting along with the neck profile on one of them) I'm sure some people would be upset to get a walnut sandwich construction on accident.

Josh, the Cii having the walnut sandwich is a tad darker sounding - the all-maple Laredo is the brighter instrument.

Paul, your post got me thinking about my 2008 JG Laredo
and sure enough I found the M/W/M sandwich in the cavity as well.
Also, in certain light reflection I can see the flaming wood grain that the cii body has.
Pretty cool stuff

Can you make out the grain under your Turq. ?

cassius987 wrote:I've never played a Cii...

D'oh, I meant L.

johnallg wrote:Josh, the Cii having the walnut sandwich is a tad darker sounding - the all-maple Laredo is the brighter instrument.

I know that's what people say which is why I thought someone who ordered an L might be irritated to discover this surprise.

The specs for the L just say hardwood and I think John Hall posted once that hardwood means they can do just this. I remember reading a post around the same time where he also said he could never recall using walnut on either an L or a 650C. I could be remembering incorrectly, though.

nukebass wrote:The specs for the L just say hardwood and I think John Hall posted once that hardwood means they can do just this.

Oh wow, good point.

So I could buy a laredo thinking I'm getting an all maple instrument that might have a creamy walnut center ? Bad on Rickenbacker.