Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Has that finish always been issued by Rickenbacker along with fireglo and "natural"? I see Mapleglo more like a blonde finish, rather than a natural.

Sérgio wrote:Has that finish always been issued by Rickenbacker along with fireglo and "natural"? I see Mapleglo more like a blonde finish, rather than a natural.

https://web.archive.org/web/20030203093 ... icinfo.htm

Considering that the "Fireglo" that we know today wasn't really standardized in 1958, you could really make a case that both Fireglo and Mapleglo were introduced the same year, in 1959.

Sérgio wrote:I see Mapleglo more like a blonde finish, rather than a natural.

Both Mapleglo and "Natural" (the term used prior to 1959) are the same thing - a clear coat over sealed wood. But the wood type differed until 1959, when maple became standard (hence, Mapleglo). Prior to that, bodies were made of other materials including alder.

A "blonde" finish in the guitar world typically means a transparent off-white color over Ash wood, which is what Fender standardized in the 1950s. You may be referring to various levels of ambering in the mapleglo, which happens over time as the clear coat yellows.

I had an alder '63 900 "MG." I never should have sold that guitar (which I realize I've said many times, yes)

jdogric12 wrote:I had an alder '63 900 "MG." I never should have sold that guitar (which I realize I've said many times, yes)

I bet that sounded great!

teeder wrote:

jdogric12 wrote:I had an alder '63 900 "MG." I never should have sold that guitar (which I realize I've said many times, yes)

I bet that sounded great!

You'd think it would be terrible, but it was really a great guitar. I even gigged with it a few times in pit orchestra gigs.