Curious about Rickenbackers

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Mon Aug 13, 2012 6:10 pm

I like a bunch of 'em, don't dig the Rolls Royce-level snobbery from the company itself though.

westtexasred · Post by **westtexasred** » Mon Aug 13, 2012 10:50 pm

DanHeron wrote:My dream guitar is still a Rickenbacker Capri, in black:

soooooooo pricey though.

I tried to win a Capri on Ebay a couple of years ago Missed it by this much... (thread link)

Leisureclub · Post by **Leisureclub** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 12:24 am

NickS wrote:I have a friend who used to work in a guitar shop. He said that with their limited production capacity, Rickenbacker prioritised domestic customers over export and that it could take 2-3 years between placing an order and actually getting a guitar in the UK. I'd be interested to hear from any Shrotscaler who works in a guitar shop whether they've heard this.

From what I've heard, it goes even farther than this. The dude that runs the whole company keeps tabs on his dealers and plays major favorites.

The dealer that's actually in my town asked about putting in for a 325 and they were pretty unresponsive. The dealer that's like 180 miles away got one(an order, not the guitar) in the day I was up there. That's not as tragic for me as most, since I'm up in that part of the state pretty regularly but I found it interesting. That could be the sales rep or whatever too. It's really just rumors.

theshadowofseattle · Post by **theshadowofseattle** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 2:25 am

NickS wrote: He said that with their limited production capacity, Rickenbacker prioritised domestic customers over export and that it could take 2-3 years between placing an order and actually getting a guitar in the UK.

I see how this sucks for UKers, but I kind of like it as an American.

toez10 · Post by **toez10** » Thu Aug 16, 2012 4:03 pm

Leisureclub wrote:
NickS wrote:I have a friend who used to work in a guitar shop. He said that with their limited production capacity, Rickenbacker prioritised domestic customers over export and that it could take 2-3 years between placing an order and actually getting a guitar in the UK. I'd be interested to hear from any Shrotscaler who works in a guitar shop whether they've heard this.
From what I've heard, it goes even farther than this. The dude that runs the whole company keeps tabs on his dealers and plays major favorites.

The dealer that's actually in my town asked about putting in for a 325 and they were pretty unresponsive. The dealer that's like 180 miles away got one(an order, not the guitar) in the day I was up there. That's not as tragic for me as most, since I'm up in that part of the state pretty regularly but I found it interesting. That could be the sales rep or whatever too. It's really just rumors.

John Hall, the current head of Rickenbacker is definitely known for his outlandish political incorrectness, especially in the rickenbacker forums. If you're a rickenbacker purist and take his word as gospel, he's incredibly helpful, if you dare deviate question his choices he will verbally assault you. I prefer shortscale...

I met John Hall at the NAMM show one year, and he was actually very nice to me, but I still think he's kind've a cockhole for dicking with the stores that want to carry his guitars, and the people that want to play them.

If you're ever board, troll over to that Rickenbacker forum and pick through the gems as he berates people who want to change their guitars, or want info about their rickenbacker copies.

DGNR8 · Post by **DGNR8** » Thu Aug 16, 2012 10:49 pm

I have often felt the same way about Rickenbacker as BMW and fraternities. They cater to spoiled rich kids. Both BMW and Rick make a nice product, but they rarely get modified, and they seem to require upkeep through expensive dealers.

I have worked on three of them, and had trouble selling them because buyers were worried about non-factory mods. I ended up trading one of them for a sweet vintage LP Deluxe.

I am working on a Sonic Smith tribute with 70s era Gibson HBs, to shake shit up. Maybe Rick will see the light and reissue it. I am using a ruined 450 12 that had been converted to a six string model. I will hold completely to the Sonic model, except that this one will be black instead of natural (because of the existing conversion scars). The risk is that two vintage HBs on an a light all-maple guitar may ROCK TOO HARD. It could be brittle sounding, but we won't know until the paint cures.

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 11:24 am

A couple have popped up on my local Gumtree:

Rickenbacker 330 Jetglo 1987 Â£900

RICKENBACKER 4003

murdok · Post by **murdok** » Tue Aug 21, 2012 1:49 pm

i have some rickenbackers. they are nice guitars but a bit limited in what can be done with them. they are great if you are into the beatles, but my experience with them, especially the necks are that they are not junk per se, its just if you grow up with Fenders, the rickenbacker necks are like fossilized caveman shit.

one thing that always struck me about rickenbackers is that in my opinion they are sold at US Custom Shop prices, but really are Made in Japan type quality guitars. they are so expensive mostly because John Hall is a luddite who refuses to sell the company or offshore any of the manufacturing. I understand that he wants to look after his employees and keep it all in the US, but this whole distorted concept of him wanting things done a certain way is just pure ego - he basically makes as many guitars per month as he feels like it seems and you get what he feels like selling you, its his own brand of communism.

I had a rickenbacker 12 string that had some bridge problems, as you are aware the saddles are hand grooved. Well i needed a replacement bridge. Couldn't source one in my country cause Rickenbacker refused to deal with the national distributors. So I had to deal with the Rickenbacker regional supplier who took 6 months to get the bridge in stock, then charged me FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS RRP for it. yes. 500. dollars. for. a. bridge. and they ship ungrooved, I had to pay a local tech guy 150 bucks to have it notched.

It is just crazy for a manufacturer to limit the models of instruments and the color finishes available, and then demand that you wait two years or more for him to get around to building it. The lemmy basses took TEN YEARS to ship the entire limited edition run. I tried to order a 4001c64 from another country and was quoted an 18 month wait. I instead backdoored one from a US dealer. Was available in Black and Fireglo, which they didn't do the Fireglo very well. During the run on this bass they changed the shape of the neck and width of the body "for manufacturing efficiencies" Subsequent to this, on a whim Rickenbacker decided to make a handful of them in White, Yellow, Green and Blue with a street price of over 5 grand. I would have gotten one in blue if the fuckers had of made them in the regular run.

Overall I found researching, deciding to buy and being happy with my rickenbacker purchases a major pain in the ass. I still have them, i like them but don't play them very often. I get a feeling that most rickenbackers end up under the bed. The beatles wrote most of their good shit on epiphones anyway

ultratwin · Post by **ultratwin** » Tue Aug 21, 2012 3:32 pm

I'd likely be just as disgruntled in such a position, and would have nothing to do with the company by now if I were you.

At the same time, I do have two used Rickenbackers, and like many others if I ever end up with a Gibson in the collection you can be sure someone else's sebaceous glands have beat me to smudging the nitro with human grease.

bigsby'd · Post by **bigsby'd** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 9:33 pm

Leisureclub wrote:A big reason that Ricks are in relatively low supply is that they still make them basically the same way that they always have. The rest of the guitar manufacturers have adopted modern factory techniques and Rickenbacker has had more or less the exact same setup since the 50's.

I've got a 325v64 on order from a local dealer. Should be here by February. I probably would have bought a used one from the internet but this new one was cheaper than I usually see them anywhere. The downside is the 9 month wait.

They can only make a couple of models at a time, so if the guitar you want just finished its production cycle, you could be waiting a long time. The owner of the shop that put my order in has been waiting on their electric mandolin. They told him 18 months.

Rickenbackers are made on CNC machines now....which, I'm pretty sure isn't how they were made in the 50s.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 10:21 pm

murdok wrote:i have some rickenbackers. they are nice guitars but a bit limited in what can be done with them. they are great if you are into the beatles, but my experience with them, especially the necks are that they are not junk per se, its just if you grow up with Fenders, the rickenbacker necks are like fossilized caveman shit.

one thing that always struck me about rickenbackers is that in my opinion they are sold at US Custom Shop prices, but really are Made in Japan type quality guitars. they are so expensive mostly because John Hall is a luddite who refuses to sell the company or offshore any of the manufacturing. I understand that he wants to look after his employees and keep it all in the US, but this whole distorted concept of him wanting things done a certain way is just pure ego - he basically makes as many guitars per month as he feels like it seems and you get what he feels like selling you, its his own brand of communism.

I had a rickenbacker 12 string that had some bridge problems, as you are aware the saddles are hand grooved. Well i needed a replacement bridge. Couldn't source one in my country cause Rickenbacker refused to deal with the national distributors. So I had to deal with the Rickenbacker regional supplier who took 6 months to get the bridge in stock, then charged me FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS RRP for it. yes. 500. dollars. for. a. bridge. and they ship ungrooved, I had to pay a local tech guy 150 bucks to have it notched.

It is just crazy for a manufacturer to limit the models of instruments and the color finishes available, and then demand that you wait two years or more for him to get around to building it. The lemmy basses took TEN YEARS to ship the entire limited edition run. I tried to order a 4001c64 from another country and was quoted an 18 month wait. I instead backdoored one from a US dealer. Was available in Black and Fireglo, which they didn't do the Fireglo very well. During the run on this bass they changed the shape of the neck and width of the body "for manufacturing efficiencies" Subsequent to this, on a whim Rickenbacker decided to make a handful of them in White, Yellow, Green and Blue with a street price of over 5 grand. I would have gotten one in blue if the fuckers had of made them in the regular run.

Overall I found researching, deciding to buy and being happy with my rickenbacker purchases a major pain in the ass. I still have them, i like them but don't play them very often. I get a feeling that most rickenbackers end up under the bed. The beatles wrote most of their good shit on epiphones anyway

What a bunch of trolling rubbish.

I love my 330. Only complaint I have as an actual owner is stringing the tailpiece...well that and how prone to smudges/surface scratches the Jetglo is (but I knew both of these things going into it). The guitar is a solid workhorse for just about anything that wouldn't require a humbucker or trem system.

singlepup · Post by **singlepup** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 3:56 pm

I almost traded an AVRI Jag for a 1989 Ric 610 last year. I wish the trade had gone through. Just love those Ric necks. 24.75 is a very playable scale.

aen · Post by **aen** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 7:49 pm

I like how the basses look. The guitars always look like the Father Of Pointy Metal guitars to me.

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 7:58 pm

The ultimate try before you buy guitar: I'd always loved the look and aesthetic of them as a n00b, but when I played one, hated the feel; the relationship between strings and body (not neck) felt to me almost like a lap steel or a lute, they were so far away...

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 8:13 pm

aen wrote:I like how the basses look. The guitars always look like the Father Of Pointy Metal guitars to me.

Even the 360?

I'll admit, I've had a love/hate relationship with the points on the 330, but the fact that they are probably the furthest guitars in both sound and feel from a pointy metal guitar mixed with the players they are mostly associated with usually is enough for me to come around to it.

UlricvonCatalyst · Post by **UlricvonCatalyst** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 10:59 pm

The UK is awash with Rickenbackers and always has been as far as I can tell. New ones more than used ones, maybe, but there are plenty of them out there. I've had a few over the years, one of which I will always regret selling till I get another one.

I've bought two 330s at Â£500 a pop - admittedly a few years ago now at the time when it was almost $2 to the Â£ and you could buy a new one for Â£799 (I think). It's interesting the way the new price governs the second-hand price with these guitars more than any others I can think of. Unless you're talking really vintage, anything post-1980 will sell for a fixed rate, presumably because the quality is so consistent.

aen · Post by **aen** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 11:36 pm

Nick wrote:
aen wrote:I like how the basses look. The guitars always look like the Father Of Pointy Metal guitars to me.
Even the 360?

I'll admit, I've had a love/hate relationship with the points on the 330, but the fact that they are probably the furthest guitars in both sound and feel from a pointy metal guitar mixed with the players they are mostly associated with usually is enough for me to come around to it.

Haha, ok, no that one looks like it's really bloated.
My former bandmate had one of those in a natural finish that he wouldn't play out or let anyone touch. He had kind of a phobia about his things, though. Like "No, I won't help burn CD's of our band for our record release show because I feel like my brand new computer breaks a little bit every time it gets used."

The thing I DID like about it though was the finished rosewood fretboard. That shit is cool.