Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'm just curious about the availability of Ric touch-up paints to do little dot's or lines that may show up on Ric finishes. I don't mean spray blending in areas (like body shop work) just touch up little chips or bugger marks that can crop up. Also, do the Ric's use a clear coat as the 330 JG I just bought doesn't really look like a thick clear topcoat is on it closely inspected? At least not like the Gibson or Fenders I have. If so, anyone know what type of finish the clear coat is? Looks like the finish will rub light scratches out with a bit of very fine rubbing compound. Don't want to rub thru however.

I didn't know just how thick the finish is on a Ric and I have a very small spot on in the side of the sound slot I'd like to "touch up" with black. Just a dot or two.

Thanks

Jack

Black nail varnish? Know any goths?:-)

JackAlan wrote:I'm just curious about the availability of Ric touch-up paints to do little dot's or lines that may show up on Ric finishes. I don't mean spray blending in areas (like body shop work) just touch up little chips or bugger marks that can crop up. Also, do the Ric's use a clear coat as the 330 JG I just bought doesn't really look like a thick clear topcoat is on it closely inspected? At least not like the Gibson or Fenders I have. If so, anyone know what type of finish the clear coat is? Looks like the finish will rub light scratches out with a bit of very fine rubbing compound. Don't want to rub thru however.

I didn't know just how thick the finish is on a Ric and I have a very small spot on in the side of the sound slot I'd like to "touch up" with black. Just a dot or two.

Thanks

Jack

This topic has been discussed at GREAT length, ever since the RRF's inception. The clearcoat is an acid-catalyzed conversion varnish until roughly April 2010, and UV-cured polyester varnish after that. It's not thick, however, averaging about .007" on recent vintages and less on older guitars.

Don't use rubbing compound or you will rub through the varnish, which is soft, or scratch it deeply. Instead, search this Forum for "Scratch-X and Zymol" for tips on getting rid of those small scratches and haloing.

Black lacquer nail varnish works a treat, and Scotty uses it all the time...

Thanks for all the tips & patients with the Ric noob's repetitive questions. I looked in my box of car stuff and low & behold I had a new bottle of Zymol that my brother in law gave me for a present. What I was using to buff out the scratches (by hand of course) was Novus #2 Plastic scratch remover for acrylic (plexiglas and the like). It is super fine as you can remove scratches in plastics but carefully. I will locate some lacquer Black nail polish for my JetGlo. Any brand ya'll prefer that works best, like Maybelline, Cover Girl, etc. Would Black be black or do they vary, and do you use a clear as a top coat?

Tried the Zymol with one coat to start with. Made the JetGlo dance. I was going to try my Harley Glaze (for paint, chrome & windshields) but this worked great. Harley has a product that you use over that called Harley Gloss that really makes things shine & removes any of the streaks. It has petroleum products in it, no silicone however.

Thanks again, and I'd better get a good stock of that as it looks like they are going to "Green" that product out and that means it will become a dumpy product (like everything else that use to work great, but is "better" for us. Ya ya, I'm an old schooler and really remember products & tools that were made great & worked fantastic.

Jack