"We used genuine Rohm & Haas Plexiglas brand until approximately
     1995, when they stopped making it. At that time, we had no choice
     but to buy from other makers of sheet polymethyl methacrylate. We
     still buy from multiple sources because, as I said, each batch is
     decidedly different and we try to select as much as possible, for
     the original look, just slightly transparent. But each of the
     materials has a different color, and each changes its color
     differently depending on the type of light, i.e. incandescent or
     fluorescent. Add aging and reaction to air pollutants, and you
     can get as many shades of white as you find "white" paint chips
     at the paint store."

    [John Hall, jhall@rickenbacker.com, 6/12/2000]

    "For many years we used only Rohm & Haas brand of sheet polymethyl
     methacrylate. This was the most consistent and sound material on
     the market.  Unfortunately, R & H, even though they were the
     inventors of Plexiglas, decided to exit that market and things
     haven't been quite the same since. We find each batch to have
     very different characteristics, the color being only one
     difference, and no maker to date has nailed it yet on this
     issue. It's gotten to the point where we basically have to select
     the material just about the way we do wood, which is ridiculous
     for a manufactured material.  This is speaking of American-made
     product, by the way, as we haven't considered the foreign-made
     materials for use in production.

     Anyway, the bottom line for the moment is that the color is going
     to vary until someone gets it right . . . unless we just stop
     making guitars with plexi components, of course."

    [John Hall, jhall@rickenbacker.com, 6/11/2000]