My mapleglo Rickenbacker has started to turn a gold color. Is this normal with a RIC?
 

My mapleglo Rickenbacker has started to turn a gold color. Is this normal with a Rickenbacker mapleglo finish?

Not sure about the mapleglo, but the finish on my 85 4001 is definitely less brilliant than it used to be.

Yes! Beautiful patina! Too bad this rare 4000 model is now only worth about half of what it would have been otherwise had the original pickup not been removed from it.

This is not an original 4000. It's a 1995 4003S that I got for a really cheap price. I had a new pickguard cut for it to cover the neck pick ups I removed so now it looks like a 4000 model. I still have all the original parts so I can put it back to it's originally set up. I always wanted a 4000 model but eveytime I find one used it's way out of my price range. I know what you mean iiipopes, if I got my hands on a real 4000 I would not change anything on it. The bridge pickup I installed on this is one of the new Joe Barden RIC replacement humbuckers. I'm real happy with it. The bass no longer has the single coil hum when plugged into an amp and it still sounds like a RIC.

Yes!

Does anyone know why that's happening?

:D

AWESOME! :cool:

Except for the non original pickup, pickguard and control positions.

Just to be clear, it's not just Rick's that have this happen. Check out an older Olympic White Fender; they yellow just like the white Ricks.

In any case, RIC used to use a conversion varnish that is affected by UV radiation. Blueboys become Seafoam Greenboys often as well. Personally, I like the ambering on a Mapleglo.

About a year or two ago, RIC started using a new finish. I think it's still a conversion varnish (possibly not), but it is UV-resistant, so the colors are expected to remain consistent over time.

Well, alrighty then. Never mind.

I know on my P bass the Olympic white has turned a beautiful yellow over time.

If you keep the instrument in its case at all times, and never play it, this will not happen.

:)

What a fantastic looking bass!

That looks great!!

Cheers,
Jim

my Rockinbetter is doing this too, it@s like a very light gold but not all over only in some parts and it really catches the light too. mine is only two months old.

That's cool

the pickguard and control positions look stock to me. just not an original pickup, but you could put a RI horseshoe in there.

It is possible the PG is the stock shape for that vintage, but the controls are too parallel to the strings compared to other 4000s that I have seen ('50s-mid '60s 4000s are eve more angled than the late '60s through the end of the production of them). I prefer the shape of 4001 PGs, I would have put one of those on the bass as long as it was being replaced, anyway, maybe even a longer '60s style PG, especially if a HS PU was going in it. :cool:

Just like my jazz.

Attachment 305986

Nice Rickenbacker 4000!

I would take out the tone sucking Seymour Duncan pickup and put in a Ric hb-1. The wire it in with a toggle so you can make it go Series, Parallel, Single. It would improve the tone of the bass and make it more "Rickenbacker" and thus increase resale value.

Unitl a few years ago Rickenbackers had a finish that yellows with time.