Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I was fortunate to pick up a 1981 JetGlo 4080 from a seller in Japan in late December. For it's age, it's in good shape with just a few small dings, and a bit of rust/corrosion on some of the screws and hardware. The binding has yellowed considerably and under some light, the finish has a very noticeable green tint to it. Enough so that my wife and a few friends commented about the green color when I took it to a small, private performance. In the attached picture, you can't see any trace of the green tint, but in the video that I've seen, I can definitely see the green. And I don't like it, lol.

[EDIT]: The green is also quite visible when viewing with a flashlight or under bright flourescent/led lighting. [/EDIT]

Because of the green tint, I'm considering having it refinished. I plan to keep this bass to enjoy playing and looking at it so I'm not terribly concerned with resale value. I'm more concerned with MY enjoyment of the instrument. And the green definitely detracts from that.

What would you do? And who would you recommend to do a refin?

Thanks,

--jack

Larry Davis the THE ONE to send your 4080 to for a quality refin, and in a timely manner, too. He has done many outstanding jobs on forumite's Ricks over the years.

https://www.davisguitarworks.com

The green tint is caused by the yellowing of the clearcoat. This can probably be polished out with Scratch-X, but I wouldn't refinish the instrument. It'll only be original once.

jps wrote:Larry Davis the THE ONE to send your 4080 to for a quality refin, and in a timely manner, too. He has done many outstanding jobs on forumite's Ricks over the years.

https://www.davisguitarworks.com

Thank you for this recommendation.

aceonbass wrote:The green tint is caused by the yellowing of the clearcoat. This can probably be polished out with Scratch-X, but I wouldn't refinish the instrument. It'll only be original once.

Understand about the yellowing. I have some Scratch-X and will try that. I'm not terribly concerned about keeping it original. I would PREFER to do so, but I'm not hell bent on it.

Thanks!

--jack

sweet 4080, congratulations! To me unless there is something really nasty with the finish, why bother. A lot of effort and money.... it it plays nice leave it.

Yes, the yellowing is the clear coat. Unfortunately though, this doesn't just happen on the surface and you can probably polish until the cows come home with compounds like ScratchX and it won't do more than make it shiny. You would have to remove and replace the clearcoat to remove the yellowing.

teb wrote:Yes, the yellowing is the clear coat. Unfortunately though, this doesn't just happen on the surface and you can probably polish until the cows come home with compounds like ScratchX and it won't do more than make it shiny. You would have to remove and replace the clearcoat to remove the yellowing.

Indeed Todd and add to that the yellowing of the lenses in your eyes and many colour changes will emerge as time marches on.

It earned that greenish tint.

My 1981 320 JG has developed the slight greenish tint, even being kept out of direct light except when playing it. I confess I don't play it as much, since I primarily gig on bass. Once a year I polish it with Zymol, change the strings "whether they need it or not," and keep going.

teb wrote:Yes, the yellowing is the clear coat. Unfortunately though, this doesn't just happen on the surface and you can probably polish until the cows come home with compounds like ScratchX and it won't do more than make it shiny. You would have to remove and replace the clearcoat to remove the yellowing.

I tried some Scratch-X last night and that's exactly what happened. Scratch-X made it shiny, but didn't touch the green-ness at all.

--jack

admin wrote:

teb wrote:Yes, the yellowing is the clear coat. Unfortunately though, this doesn't just happen on the surface and you can probably polish until the cows come home with compounds like ScratchX and it won't do more than make it shiny. You would have to remove and replace the clearcoat to remove the yellowing.

Indeed Todd and add to that the yellowing of the lenses in your eyes and many colour changes will emerge as time marches on.

Yes, I can "see" it now: an entire band playing only old conversion varnish JG instruments, "Ladies and Gentlemen - The Cataracts!" playing their greatest hits:
I Need to Hold Your Hand (And when I touch you I feel happy inside; It's such a feeling that I need, I can't see, I can't see, I can't see....)
Yesterday (all my vision seems so far away)
Drive My Car (Asked the girl I needed to see, said baby, I can't see....)
The Waiting (for a ride) is the Hardest Part
Hey! Mr. Space Man (won't you please take me along - I can't do anything wrong)
Turn! Turn! Turn! (around - your glasses are behind you)
Blue Eyes (Blue eyes...baby's got blue eyes...no, wait - they're green; no, yellow, no...ahhh!)
What I Like About You (What I like about you You hold me tight Tell me where I need to go since I can't see at night, yeah)

You're singing my songs, Scott!

Amber Jetglo is real, Ive been saying so for years! I had a 1988 4003S with it in 2009! Larry Davis is your man. Have him make you a 12er neck to go with it for Rush songs.

jdogric12 wrote:Amber Jetglo is real, Ive been saying so for years! I had a 1988 4003S with it in 2009! Larry Davis is your man. Have him make you a 12er neck to go with it for Rush songs.

I can barely play a 6

--jack

If you are sure you will keep it for life then refin away.
If not, give it a year and re-evaluate.
I would go for a nice veeeeeerrryyyyy light transluscent brown or a peachy tan so you can see all the lovely wood grain. Clearcoat optional.