Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Has anyone noticed the variations of shading on fret boards from year to year ? I have a 1990 360/12V64 a 1991 350/JL, and a 2012 330/6. My V64's fret board seems to have faded in color after recently re-stringing. I just noticed it next to my newer 330, the V64 seems to have a very much lighter fret board shading ??? So then I compared it to my 350JL ( John Lennon Ltd. Edition full scale ) and noticed the same. OMG, is it my old age creeping in or is the 1990 fret board naturally finished much lighter than my other two Rickenbackers ? Any idea ? Perhaps different types of wood or finishes back in 1990 ? Oh well, just plugged in and played and it still jingle jangles righteously through a 35 watt Fender '63 reissue Vibroverb...

Cheers,

Gary ( modrock )

There is much variation in the bubinga used. My 1981 320 is as orange as ever.

Thanks Scott, even in the case the fret board finish seems to yellow. A common problem with bubinga I assume..Cheers !

Gary

The newer 330 will have Caribbean Rosewood instead of the Bubinga that was on the 90s guitars. RIC switched over to Chechen (Caribbean rosewood) in the fall of 2011.

The new Rosewood has more figuring and shading. And well just looks much nicer I think.

Even with the older Hong Kong Rosewood on the older models there is lots of variation. My 1977 620 has the darkest fretboard of my RICS.

modrock wrote:Thanks Scott, even in the case the fret board finish seems to yellow. A common problem with bubinga I assume..Cheers !

No, the yellowing is from the CV top coat, not the bubinga.

Ontario_RIC_fan wrote:The new Rosewood has more figuring and shading. And well just looks much nicer I think.

Totally agree! CR looks fabulous.

Thanks for your reply Brian, I have 3 Rickenbackers, mostly late 80s, early 90s models, and the bubinga seems to vary on all of my guitars. I'd love to have a newer 1997+ model, but not being a regular musician and bills to pay, I doubt I'd ever be able to afford another guitar And my wife wouldn't like the ideal either. However, the FireGlo finish on my 360/12V64 and newer 330 is excellent. I have a 350JL in JetGlo and the finish is holding up very well other than the fretboard finish. Now if I could just convince the Mrs. I need another guitar, I'd be happy...

Regards,
Gary ( modrock )
Northern California..

Fingerboard wood, even of the same species is going to vary from guitar to guitar: lighter, darker, figuire, amount of grain and of course how much the clear coat has aged. I do agree that the newer Caribbean Rosewood / Chechen that is now being used is really nice. I have a 2013 620/6 and the fingerboard is beautiful....looks like brown marble. Gibson would call it AAAAAAA Grade Xotic Rare Marble Quilted Flamed Rosewood and charge a premium for it.

1990 in particular was a very light year for RIC fretboards. I had a 370/12SPC like that.

My old '96 325v63 has a gorgeous fiery fretboard and it never changed in color. It looked pretty mint for a guitar that age despite playing it a LOT (I took great care of the instrument).