Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I just received an early 90's 360 WB (Midnight Blue with Black Binding). The guitar has seen very little playing time, but when looking at the side there are two thin white (glue, excess gloss coat?) lines of material between the Black Binding and the Blue Wood. It comes and goes as you go around the guitar (unfortunately worse on the side you look down on when playing). There does not appear to be any separating or damage. If this was White Binding it would be impossible to see, but being Black and Blue it really jumps out.

Has anyone else had this or seen this? If so, was this a problem early on or caused by temperature changes over time (like I said, the rest of this guitar is mint, so it could not have had any major temperature changes).

If there is no cracking through the clearcoat, it possibly might be fue to the solvent used to soften the celluloid binding and fix it to the wood, with the help of tons of tape and rubber bands at the factory.


Let's ask Mr. Fortune if he's checking in:

Dale, do you think it's possible that the white acetone/celluloid solution somehow got used on this black binding job, or possibly there was some cross-contamination between black and white binding jobs?

I have seen this on a Yamaha SBG-3000 that someone tried to glue when the top was seperating. I have a battery powered "Black Light" that I take with me when I go and buy used guitars. The black light will show your binding in one color or shade, and any other materials in another. I hope yours is an easy fix.

Are you sure that the line is between the binding and the wood as opposed to on the binding? I just stripped a Ruby 360WB that had a less than stellar scraping job on the binding. In some places a thin line of the silver undercoat was visible between the scraped area of the binding and the red paint on the body. There may be something similar here. I don't know if RIC used an undercoat on the Midnight Blue, but if so, that may be what you're seeing.

Good news: it's just wax.
Bad news: it's a ***** to get out.

You know, David, I noticed this on both my 2004 new Ricks when they arrived. I thought the worst, like you. So I got out my Opti-visor abd looked really closely.

Yup, wax (or maybe finish glaze), left over from the final factory application/wipe-off. Sitting in the slight valley where the checkerboard met the body wood on top.

Of course, I was as relieved as you are.

I shoulda known and mentioned it. But I went, "NAH"!

Oh, to get it out:

Q-Tip and denatured alcohol, as long as your finish has not checked. If it's showing any signs of checking, use a diaper or flannel cloth (RIC cloth OK) with a sharpened popsicle stick wrapped inside to get in there.

Thanks Paul. It’s all cleaned out and she looks beautiful. I was pretty bummed last week, thought I got a lemon. This is the first Ric I have bought with black hardware, it’s pretty cool. The black binding on the neck, with the sliver of rosewood and than midnight blue neck looks very sharp. I’m going to have to dig out some acid washed jeans to complement it.

Ain't it grand that it turned out to be an easy fix! Let's see some pics, David. Sounds like a beaut!

Here are a couple photos:

David - That is one nice look'n axe - Congrats!!

Normally, I would not go for this color combo. But I would be wrong--this is an incredibly attractive guitar! The black binding makes it! Congratulations, David.

Good lookin' guitar. I am partial to the black hardware (although discontinued). I have a 360/12MG in black and I would never part with it.

Thanks guys, you can't go wrong with a 360 with binding.