Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I've got a 1975 430 #OI 6145. It's got a black pickguard and truss rod cover and a matte black finish. I've seen it this way in catalogs but I think this is a refinish (dust in the paint especially the cutaways.) If it's original I don't want to change it but if it was natural to begin with I'd like to spray it a different color. Can I get this info from the factory? Thanks
Frank

Frank: I would not hesitate to contact [email protected] at Rickenbacker International Corporation. This is a reasonable request and, although they are very busy, I am sure that they will try to answer this question to the best of their ability. Remember that the records over the past 70 years have been treated differently before the introduction of computers.

I will say that the likelyhood of there being dust in the finish is slim

The booth at that time was pretty clean .I don't see a lot of crud in their finish work.

Here is what I would do.

Pull off the pickguard and check the cavity.
If the entire cavity is a solid color without any taped off area ..I suspect it is a refinish.
There was always a piece of tape covering a model number or name in ALL the guitars.
If the face is not buffed under the guard then it is a refinish.
The whole face gets machine buffed .Even under the guards.
If you have 2 or more colors in the cavities...good bet it's not stock.

Lastly.Get some lacquer thinner and using a 'Q' tip (cotton swab) dab some thinner into a spot in the cavity....let it sit and if it softens in under 1 minute ....then it's a refinish.If it turns to cottage cheese ...it's enamel and definately a refinish job.
If there are globs of paint material inside ....
Well you guess where I'm going .

The factory has no time to spray a cheesey job and there is a look.It's like counterfeit money ,if you see the real thing ,even a blind man can tell by feeling .

Plus there is that Rick o smell.