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

[bill reed]

Originally Posted by Music Scholar

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

do you mean the top clear coat is going gold or the maple wood under it. with my bass its the wood under the top coat that taking a light gold colour in places and it sort of catches the light. its hard to take a picture that shows it.

[Music Scholar]

I'm not sure if it's the wood or the finish that's turning gold but it's turning a different color. I did notice that when they cut me a new pickguard the volume and tone placement was a little too parallel compared to real 4000 models. I'm thinking about having them cut me a new pickguard that looks closer to the real 4000's. I did find a Rickenbacker forum online and this question has been asked alot. According to the Rickenbacker representatives this is normal due to the finish they use. They say the mapleglo finish turns into a beautiful "Patina" color with age. They say they are now using a different finish and believe the newer Rickenbackers will not change color as much as the older models. Only time will tell. I like the change in color.

[Osprey]

Originally Posted by Music Scholar

I like the change in color.

Me too. Wood is a lovely natural material, and your bass will look better and better with time. (If you have an oak table which is 400 years old it will probably look a bit darker than is ideal to show the grain, but I doubt if you'll worry about this with your Ric). All my basses are natural finished: walnut, mahogany and whatever-the-P-bass-was-made-of-but-still-looks-good. I'm glad lots of folk prefer paint: plenty of their instruments look good with similar or contrasting pick-guards, but it helps your bass and mine to look distinctive.

[MrLenny1]

I had a white 80's Fender Jazz that turned yellowish from
smoky bars. Got rid of it because it scared me to think what my lungs
might look like.

[sj_bass]

Looks to me like you have a factory defect - send it to me and I'll grudgingly take it off your hands...

Seriously, it looks stunning! And yes, it's perfectly natural for any bass that's being played - and not kept in a hermetically sealed case - to have a glorious aged look.

[johnson79]

I personally love a nice "vintage amber" clear finish.

[Steveaux]

It's a normal function of age.

Exposure to oxygen and light cause the finish to turn amber.

[woodyng]

Nice bass! Personally,I love the "ambering" that occurs on these,especially on mapleglo and fireglo. and Ric's own amber fireglo color is my favorite finish,it just looks awesome.I have started taking my 2 4004's out of their cases to help encourage the process.

[Music Scholar]

I'm going to hold onto this bass and give it alot of TLC.