Short Takes: Rose-Morris Redburst
Despite being frightfully expensive in the UK, demand was strong for the Rose-Morris Rickenbackers upon their arrival in 1964. Especially for the models that kinda looked like the one played by that guy in that band.
In a case of best timing ever, UK distributor Rose-Morris had begun discussing a deal with Rickenbacker for UK rights in 1962—before Beatlemania had really begun in earnest. By the time the ink was dried and guitars were on the ocean in early 1964 Beatlemania was at its peak—with that first chord of “A Hard Day’s Night” strummed on the 360/12 George had been gifted by F.C. Hall himself in New York just that February hanging in the air.
Imagine how giddy Rose-Morris was. 1993? 1997? 1998? Couldn’t keep ‘em on the shelves. Rose-Morris spent 1964 and 1965 begging and pleading for Rickenbacker to send more guitars! But the short-scale 1996 and 1999 bass were slower movers, and the 615-based 1995? Nobody wanted them.
Maybe their conservatism had bit them in the bum, Rose-Morris worried. Maybe they needed to offer some color other than Fireglo. As early as August of 1964 Rose-Morris was asking Rickenbacker if other colors were an option. Maybe black? Maybe a bright Fender-style cherry red? “We’ll paint ‘em any color you want”, F.C. Hall told them. “On your NEXT order. We gotta finish the orders you’ve already placed first.”
They wouldn’t get to that “next” order until 1966. Beatlemania had crossed the ocean and Rickenbacker couldn’t keep up with US demand. And when they finally got around to filling the Rose-Morris order, here’s what they looked like:
Holy Teisco Del Rey-glo, Batman! That is really something else! The Rose-Morris purchase order and factory records refer to it as Autumnglo but, c’mon man. That ain’t no Autumnglo.
They hadn’t actually made an Autumnglo guitar—a brown to amber burst—since 1959. Here’s what it looked like then:
Now compare and contrast:
How they landed on that precise black-to-red burst I have no idea. Maybe that’s exactly what Roy Morris asked for. Maybe they combined the black and the red he had specifically called out. Maybe the details are in the archives somewhere. We’ll likely never know the specifics. But it happened!
You won’t find “Redburst” on any Rickenbacker color chart. You won’t find the name on any Rickenbacker letterhead anywhere. It is not an official factory designation. Officially, they’re Autumnglo. But again, c’mon. Redburst is the term collectors hung on these guitars long ago, and it stuck because it’s accurate.
The Redburst models 1997, 1998, and 1999 were finally shipped to Rose-Morris in 1966. But the ongoing delivery delays were straining the relationship, and Rose-Morris had already begun to look for alternatives. While more guitars would be produced for Rose-Morris—in Fireglo!—in 1967 and 1969, by 1968 Rose-Morris was importing Japanese made Rickenbacker copies for UK sale under the Shaftesbury brand name.
Remember how I said you wouldn’t find the term “Redburst” in any company archives? Well, that’s technically true but you WILL find “Red Burst” associated with this 2007 Ric Outlet one-off 4003:
And that’s what there is to know about the Rose-Morris Redburst. Want to learn more about…everything else? Check out the rickenbacker101 site map and see what’s already been covered! Have a suggestion about what we should tackle next? Drop it in the comments and we’ll add it to the queue.
Very Cool! Any idea how many were made in this color? Not very large numbers I guess.