Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Matt Clark wrote:I would have had this guitar made completely from scratch but a ghost guitar would be illegal.

There's no legal issue if it's for personal use; the legality becomes an issue when you attempt to sell an instrument which did not originate in the RIC factory, and you advertise it as a Rickenbacker while it has Rickenbacker trademarks all over it. People build their own brand-name replicas all the time; it's when those instruments make it to the market and are sold as the real-deal that it becomes a legal issue.

DriftSpace wrote:

Matt Clark wrote:I would have had this guitar made completely from scratch but a ghost guitar would be illegal.

There's no legal issue if it's for personal use; the legality becomes an issue when you attempt to sell an instrument which did not originate in the RIC factory, and you advertise it as a Rickenbacker while it has Rickenbacker trademarks all over it. People build their own brand-name replicas all the time; it's when those instruments make it to the market and are sold as the real-deal that it becomes a legal issue.

Yes, and I paid Larry to make this for me, so I'm not sure what your points is, unless you just felt it necessary to point this out. I never said I did this myself.

jps wrote:Cool, but I was asking if Larry did the R inlay himself, or had an inlay artist do that?

Oh ok, you were never this specific. You will have to ask Larry.

For some reason, I'm reminded of an old joke I used to do in the Celtic group. It was one about my Scottish uncle, the "thrifty" one... He had the same pair of shoes for over twenty years. Wore 'em every day, he did, too. Every even year he had 'em re-soled, and every odd year, he had the tops replaced, but they were the same shoes, by gum! The very same ones! Oh, and on leap years? "New laces, me boy, new laces!"

Somehow, I think this guitar is headed down that same long and winding road, from which there is no return..

As Matt said in the other thread he fulfilled himself a long time dream. That what dreams are for - to make them come true! He will getting over the nitpicking about 49 % or 51 % original quite well - I'm sure - when picking up the baby and she makes him fly ! Congrats Matt ! Nice axe !