Rickenbacker Refinishing

Vernon Bates · Post by **Vernon Bates** » 23 Mar 2004 7:05 am

Hello everyone. New Member here. I have a bakelite Rickenbacker, black, that I want to "clean up". The chrome pieces are somehat rusted so they are currently being electroplated. What I really need to find out is - can I use ordinary hardware store spray paint on the bakelite surface?

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 23 Mar 2004 7:29 am

Please reconsider "painting" your bakelite.

You can bring back some luster by washing it with a mild soap and water ... then use a rouge made for plastic ... Blue or White Rouge ... with a canton flannel buffing wheel.

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www.horseshoemagnets.com [This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 23 March 2004 at 08:00 AM.]

Roy Thomson · Post by **Roy Thomson** » 23 Mar 2004 11:24 am

HiRick,
That seems like a great product!
I note the White Rouge has a gloss
and wonder if it's an application
that lasts a long while or just for
the short term.
Roy

Jeff Strouse · Post by **Jeff Strouse** » 23 Mar 2004 11:32 am

Aloha, Vernon,

Bakelite is special...it isn't like "normal" material, so I wouldn't recommend paint either.

Rick Aiello knows best when it comes to Bakelite Rickenbachers!

He has helped many (including me) restore theirs, and has an nice collection himself.

Enjoy your instrument! It's a rarity, and I doubt if anyone will make a guitar out of that material again.

Ian McLatchie · Post by **Ian McLatchie** » 23 Mar 2004 12:56 pm

Vernon: Please follow Rick's suggestion, and don't paint the damn thing, whatever you do! Not only would the results be industrial-strength ugly, but the second you start to spray paint the bakelite the instrument's value will be reduced by almost fifty percent, if not more. Even gently rubbing on a light polishing paste like Flitz with a soft cloth will considerably
brighten the finish, and buffing the instrument as Rick describes should bring it back almost to new. There are already way too many vintage instruments out there that bear the scars of paint jobs and other ill-conceived attempts at cosmetic "improvement."

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 23 Mar 2004 2:07 pm

Well, at least no one suggested sand papering the surface before spraycan painting the body. What a relief!

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 23 Mar 2004 2:41 pm

Well.... I used sand paper on mine to begin with, because the surface had "pimples" all over it. I had never heard what it was caused from. I used 220 grit (black) sand paper to get it leveled off, then wen to 320 grit,400 grit, 600 grit,1200, then finished with 2000 grit which I got from Stewart MacDonald. ( stewmac.com) Then I used a big buffer with the suitable compound for plastic, and it came out fine. I'm not sure how well paint would stick to bakelite anyway, sanded or not. Of course I also think it would be sacrilege (spelling)to paint a bakelite.
A little work with polish should do wonders for it.
Good luck BILL

Bob Stone · Post by **Bob Stone** » 23 Mar 2004 2:54 pm

My ca. 1936 Ric Bakelite was really beat when I bought it. The Bakelite was heavily gouged and scratched, especially on the back. I removed the scratches, etc. using grades of sandpaper down to a final abrasive finish with 00000 steel wool. Then I polished it with Simichrome. It looks great, but as anyone can testify, you can never duplicate the original glossy finish as it came from the mould. But you can come pretty close.

I had to decide if a specific area on the instrument was best given the full abrasive treatment or good enough just to warrant a light polish with the Simichrome. (I was not familiar with Blue or White Rouge referenced above.)

But please don't paint that precious plastic baby whatever you do. And by all means send the magnet doctor (Ric Aiello) an E-mail.

Enjoy your Ric. There's nothing else quite like 'em.

Vernon Bates · Post by **Vernon Bates** » 23 Mar 2004 5:16 pm

I sent an e-mail to Roy Thomson about "painting" the Rickenbacker about a week ago and he suggested posting this on the Forum. I appreciate very much the responses that I received today. I can assure you that I've put away the paint brush and will not commit any sacrilege upon the Rick. I'll seek out some polish of the type mention in the responses. Thanks to all of you for your interest.
........ Vernon

George Rout · Post by **George Rout** » 23 Mar 2004 7:47 pm

Hello Vernon, just wanted to welcome you aboard the SGF from this Maritimer living in Ontario for many years.
Geo

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 23 Mar 2004 9:34 pm

I just about had a heart attack when I read what you were planning to do Vernon. As one Canadian to another, please read the very wise comments above and DON'T even think about painting that beautiful critter. I have a bakelite also and I would NEVER think of ruining it in this manner. BTW, welcome on board...you'll enjoy the Forum and learn a great deal.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 24 Mar 2004 3:17 am

My late friend, Ralph Kolsiana owned a Rick Frypan - serial # 4 - that's right, the 4th frypan made. I remember how proud he was when he showed me his refinishing job. He had spray painted the entire guitar with bronze automotive laquer. My Stringmaster was repainted by the previous owner in a kind of sonic blue. He also thought it was cool to take the chrome Fender logo from the case and nail it to the front of the guitar - much more visible than those spagetti logo decals. I'm thinking of painting polka dots on my Weissenborn ... kinda like Buddy guy's polka dot Strat. [This message was edited by Andy Volk on 24 March 2004 at 09:51 AM.]

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 24 Mar 2004 5:06 am

I just bought a '35 B6 body and neck ... I wanted the neck for another B6 body I have. The body had a reported "nasty crack" thru the bridge area.

Tuned out to be "age cracks" ... splitting of the surface "skin" only ...

I'm gonna put a pair of my new H-Shoes in her

Bill Creller told me awhile ago about mixing bakelite powder with West Systems epoxy to fix damaged bakelite areas ...

The seller (thanks Ty ... aka Totally Tighe) is sending me a Black Rajah bar that is missing a big chunk so I can file it down for some black powder.

I'm gonna try that ... then sand as Bill C. specifies above, buff/polish ...

If I cant get a good "look" goin' ... I'll simply take some black shoe polish ... rub into the other cracks and wipe off the excess.

Its just pigmented wax .. and it helps the light from hitting and scattering ... doesn't fill/hide in the crack ... but it makes it alot less noticable. I used it before ... works well

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www.horseshoemagnets.com [This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 24 March 2004 at 05:14 AM.]

Keith DeLong · Post by **Keith DeLong** » 24 Mar 2004 8:33 am

Good luck with it, Vern, I'll be at the April jam to see how you made out.
Keith

Robert Corwin · Post by **Robert Corwin** » 28 Mar 2004 12:53 pm

Any thoughts on whether or not the epoxy and powder trick might work to repair worn bakelite frets on a Spanish model?

Any other suggestions? thanks.

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 29 Mar 2004 4:56 am

I was hoping Bill Creller would "jump in" ... he's the bakelite "guru" for sure ...

Ever know anyone who successfully drilled holes to convert a post war B6 into a "string thru body" ... Bill did ... adding another string to boot

.

He introduced me to West Systems Epoxy (he knows the guys ... boat builders) ...

Anyway, to answer your question ... bakelite fortified West Systems epoxy would build those frets back up and make them functional ...

I would suggest masking the surrounding area ... ordering some ultra fine wet/dry ... 1200 and 2000 are hard to find ... and getting the proper wheels and rouges.

To convert the B6 to a B7 ... Bill filled in the existing groves .. and re-filed new ones ... so your frets will be able to "stand up' to the pressure.

Bill's a master crafstman ...

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www.horseshoemagnets.com