Short Takes: A Tale of Two Rubies
Neither of which is Ruby Red
Factory finishes change over time. Paint suppliers change, environmental regulations force solvent changes, and formulas get tweaked. Add in the effects of aging—and the natural variation from painter to painter—and you end up with guitars that are red, brown, crimson, and even pink, yet somehow all still Fireglo.
Most of the time, these differences are just variations on the same theme. And while that’s still true of Ruby, its story is a little more complicated. That’s because the name has actually been used twice—in two different eras for two similar but not identical finishes applied in dramatically different ways. It’s worth knowing the difference, so let’s quickly run through it.
The first version of Ruby debuted in 1981, and applying it was a complicated process. First, a base coat of automotive primer was laid down. Then a layer of metallic silver. Finally, several coats of red-tinted clearcoat were applied over the top. The result is quite striking in person.
This version of Ruby was produced from 1981 to about 1990. Given that relatively short run and modest production numbers, not many people have seen one in person. Add to that the fact that the metallic silver undercoat’s subtle sparkle doesn’t photograph especially well, and it’s no surprise that Ruby guitars from this era are often misidentified as Burgundy—and vice versa.
The easiest way to tell if you’re looking at the first version of Ruby or Burgundy is to look for wood grain or neck stripes—Burgundy is semi-translucent while Ruby is opaque. Also note in the photo above that, just like Fireglo, Ruby can vary slightly from guitar to guitar depending on how heavily the tinted clearcoats were applied.
Given the numerous layers, this version of Ruby is one of Rickenbacker’s thickest finishes. As such, it is more prone to checking than most finishes, and in extreme cases the tinted clearcoat can flake away, exposing the silver layer beneath.
You’ll often see Ruby guitars called “Ruby Red”. That’s incorrect—they’re just plain Ruby. I’m not certain how this misnomer became common—my best guess is that shortly after Ruby was introduced another finish simply called Red appeared, and the two ran concurrently until Ruby was discontinued around 1990. Somehow the two colors got conflated to produce the name Ruby Red. But the official name was always just Ruby.
While Ruby guitars were available during the black hardware/black trim era (click to learn more), they came standard with chrome and white plastics. That said, since any guitar could be custom ordered with BH/BT, blacked-out Ruby guitars do exist.
So, as we’ve said, the color was discontinued around 1990. But that’s not the end of this story.
When the Ruby name returned years later, the finish itself had changed completely: no silver undercoat, no tinted clearcoat layers, and a very different visual effect that again, sadly, does not photograph well.
Debuting at the 2012 NAMM Show, the second version of Ruby is—just like Midnight Blue, which first appeared alongside the first version of Ruby in 1985—often described as “metallic”. But that characterization isn’t quite right. A more appropriate description would be pearlescent.
There is a difference between the two, although it’s subtle. Metallic paints contain tiny metal flakes—usually aluminum—that reflect light and create a sparkly shine. The flakes are usually too small to see individually, but in so called “metal flake” finishes they can be much larger and clearly visible.
Pearlescent paints, on the other hand, contain tiny mica flakes—a non-metallic mineral—that both reflect and refract light, giving the finish a deeper, almost three-dimensional effect with subtle color changes. Ruby number two’s paint is pearlescent, not metallic.
The effect is subtle—something that becomes clear when you compare it in person to 2020’s special run of “Ruby Pearlstars” 4003s which added more pearlescent flakes—not so much that the color shifting became obnoxious, but certainly more noticeable.
This second version of Ruby was much simpler to apply: a base coat of the pearlescent finish would then get the same clear top-coat as all other colors.
Ruby would again be discontinued in 2017—although far more guitars were produced during Ruby’s second run than its first. A handful of special runs and one-offs have appeared in the years since, but if there are plans for another revival, they haven’t been shared.
And that’s the tale of two Rubies. Same name. Two eras. Two very different finishes.
To learn more about Rickenbacker’s “factory” finishes throughout the years, follow this link. For everything else, check out our handy site map.
That '81 360/12 WB is a stunner!
Didn't Ric do some red instruments in the '70s? I have a red '77 360-12.