Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi folks,

Do the shades of mapleglo look quite different from year to year? or are they all pretty similar?

for example, a 360 MG from 1997 compared to a 360 MG from 2004. Will they be almost identical, or individual?

just curious

I would say yes, new mapleglo ricks (to me) seem variable in their shades....I've seen some brand new guitars that look extremely anemic and some that appear darker and more golden in comparison. I don't think it's anything you can predict or even generalize (i.e. "2001 MGs were very pale"); it probably just depends on the given batch of wood and the natural variation among and within each batch. Maybe someone else here has more insight into this than my 2 cents worth, though....

Similar but not identical. Naturally, it depends on the wood and the age of the finish. I've seen some MG Rics that seem almost white, others are a nice woody beige, and some (quite old ones) are in the process of acquiring a lovely, subtle, golden patina. You can't go wrong with Mapleglo. It exudes class IMHO.

Hey Guys,

Thanks for that, I thought that might be the case.

Perhaps the older they get, they probably even change a bit. I guess a lot of the photos you see of them vary heaps, some being almost white, like you said John, and others quite rich and golden.

I love the mapleglo, why cover it up with paint I say.

My 660 is quite pale, almost white under bright flourescent light. It almost changes to light beige under incandescent (sp?) bulbs. In natural daylight it is quite neutral and changes with the figure in the wood. I've seen some Mapleglos that are pretty much yellow. a bandmate of a friend had a 70's 4001 that was yellow, but I think that could also be attributed to the clearcoat yellowing with age.

The color depends on many factors, among them the finish's original provenance and chemistry, the amount of UV and of course the actual color of the unfinished wood.

Light woods like maple, left unprotected in sunlight, turn yellowish as the UV rays attack and partially break down (oxidize) the wood's cell structure. Some "clear" finishes have UV inhibitors to prevent color change, but some of the older clearcoats like nitros, and stuff like Fullerplast, will turn yellow themselves with age. I've stripped some guitars which were quite yellowed and found light natural maple underneath.

Nice new wood with a crystal-clear coating, and warm amber aged finishes both have unique charm, and both have their own fans!