Small cracks & paint issues question?

[JackAlan]

Thanks for reading. In my search for 330 & 325 Ric's I have looked at several and had a question on the following issues:

1) Noticed small line wood color showing thru paint at indent line for the tailstock (Usally on the non pickguard side) You know, the sharp edge where the flat of the top body dips into the valley for the tailstock for the strings. Looks like a "joint" that has opened ever so slightly to me.

2) Line with similar to above around in spots or all around the back of the guitar (where the back must have been glued on for the hollowed out center.

3) Sometimes with that line a very slight "bulge" in the paint. Description best as if it had "glue bulging thru joint of back to body but I know that's on what it resembles. I know it's not glue, but that's just to describe the look.

4) Esp. on the JetGlo, very foggy paint & sometimes small, maybe could they be tiny cracks, in the paint here & there on body top, neck back etc.

Are any of these from temps/humidity or from some other issues? It looks like the paint jobs are rather fragile or is this just my ignorance in Ric's?

Any help to AVOID having those things happen to mine!!

Thanks in advance for any tips

Jack

[jingle_jangle]

Thanks for reading. In my search for 330 & 325 Ric's I have looked at several and had a question on the following issues:

1) Noticed small line wood color showing thru paint at indent line for the tailstock (Usally on the non pickguard side) You know, the sharp edge where the flat of the top body dips into the valley for the tailstock for the strings. Looks like a "joint" that has opened ever so slightly to me.

2) Line with similar to above around in spots or all around the back of the guitar (where the back must have been glued on for the hollowed out center.

3) Sometimes with that line a very slight "bulge" in the paint. Description best as if it had "glue bulging thru joint of back to body but I know that's on what it resembles. I know it's not glue, but that's just to describe the look.

4) Esp. on the JetGlo, very foggy paint & sometimes small, maybe could they be tiny cracks, in the paint here & there on body top, neck back etc.

Are any of these from temps/humidity or from some other issues? It looks like the paint jobs are rather fragile or is this just my ignorance in Ric's?

Any help to AVOID having those things happen to mine!!

Thanks in advance for any tips

Jack

(1) is most likely an edge that's buffed or worn through the color into the wood.

(2) Sounds like a glue line separation, possibly from shrinkage.

(3) Not sure what this refers to, without a pic.

(4) Foggy clearcoat on JG Ricks is from lack of care and bad atmospherics. The tiny cracks are expansion cracks caused by temperature extremes (cold guitar brought into hot room)

The paint jobs are not fragile--I've seen lots of 40+ year old Ricks that still look fresh. It's in the varnish, man. The varnish coatings on Ricks since 1960 or so are among the most durable.

Now Rickenbacker is finishing their instruments with a UV-cured polyester varnish, which is, to put it mildly, bulletproof.

Well, nearly...

[JackAlan]

Thanks Paul,

I may have a photo or two that were sent to me via email. If I can locate I'll post here or PM you on the Bulge & paint showing thru. If I still have it one is a closeup that shows one of the lines on the body top and the side/top edge (like where binding would be on other guitars. It actually looked like paint cracks in straight lines very thin opening. On the side it may be quite hard to wear thru in that spot.

Thanks again. Just for a rule of thumb, how long do you recommend allowing a cold guitar to "slowly warm up in it's case" before removing. I waited for a day with my 330 I just received.

Jack

[jingle_jangle]

You did the right thing. If temps were/are below freezing, leave it in the case for a day.

[JackAlan]

Thanks, I was hoping that was long enough.

Also, did you read my question about Naptha as a "safe" cleaner to remove all the old wax buildup on a Ric finish? Is that true for guitars esp. a Ric? Or if WD-40 is safe for the same?

My 325 came in but it's still in its case. The shipping box was so cold that I left it yesterday in the shipping box(was delivered to my business while I was there, so it didn't sit on my front porch or anything) . This AM box opened and case was still cooler than I liked, so I'm leaving it unopened to warm up till tomorrow. That will be 2 days. Hope they didn't stress it out as I couldn't believe it was that cold.

Thanks

Jack

[jingle_jangle]

WD-40 shouldn't come within ten miles of a guitar. Great for cookouts, though...

Naphtha's the cleaner of choice, along with Windex and a toothbrush ( for hardware that's been removed from the instrument).

[trosse]

You did the right thing. If temps were/are below freezing, leave it in the case for a day.

If you are about to play a gig at 23 o'clock and arrive at 21 - after to hours driving thru winther-wonderland with guitars and gears in the back of the van - then it will be slightly difficult to let the guitar warm up for a day, right?

The rule of thumb therefore is that you - usually after warming up for an hour or so in the firmly closed case - carefully lift the case lid and check if the warm air in the room condense into a grey-bluish wet film on the still cold surface of the guitar.

If it does - CLOSE! and wait for another half hour. As soon as the varmer air doesn't condense as described then use the lid of the case as a fan to distribute the warmer air around the guitar - and after a few minutes - you can take the guitar out of the box and start rocking.

Rickenbackers are - due to John Hall - known to be less vulnerable to low temperaturs compared to high temps, btw. They stand high humidity much better than dry air as well.