Colour bleed on Midnight Blue 4003

[drathbun]

I understand your frustration with the problems with your instrument, but I think it fair to point out some of the other side of the story. Rickenbacker is a privately owned company. The owner put up the forum as a place for enthusiasts to discuss their products. They make it clear in their information about the forum that it is moderated and posts concerning customer service issues will be deleted and the place for these issues is with their customer service department.

If you have a problem with a Fender, Taylor, Martin etc etc guitar, do you go to their official website forums to complain about their products? Ummm.... NO because they don't have discussion forums. Gibson does but they have the same disclaimer about customer service issues and the forums are moderated by customer service personnel.

It seems to me the main issue is whether RIC is holding up its end of the bargain concerning warranty. Way back in January you said you received a courteous letter from John Hall explaining that your guitar was not under warranty as it was not purchased through a RIC dealer. I'm also aware that other owners who have reported the same color bleed issue are having their guitars refinished by RIC because they ARE under warranty.

I have a 1981 RIC 320JG that I bought second hand. I doubt RIC would fix it for me under warranty. If I had bought a "brand new" RIC on eBay that doesn't have a fingerprint on it and then had issues with it, again I wouldn't expect RIC to fix it under warranty. If I went to their corporate website forum and complained at length about it, while having private conversations and correspondence with their customer service (including their CEO) , I shouldn't be surprised to be banned.

Here is your post from January 31, 2006:

I have heard from John Hall. He gave me a very prompt and courteous reply, for which I am quite grateful.

I am not covered by the Ric warranty for a number of reasons:

I bought the bass through an importer, which though I was the first to open the box, John reckons technically makes it 'third hand' - so the warranty is automatically invalidated. That's not worth arguing about. But I would be extremely careful in future of anyone who says the store the bass is supplied to is a 'first owner'. Ric don't do 100% of their business direct with customers, so this needs clarifying for everyone. I'm not the person to do this - I'm exhausted with the issue!

The warranty is USA and Canada only. I'm in the UK. Zap! Warranty not applicable.

The bass was built in Nov '04. Though I only took delivery on July 25th 05, he states (quite correctly) that the bass is now over a year old - so beware of any Ric basses that have been in a store's stock for a while in any shop, as by that reckoning, they may automatically fall out of the warranty period. Construction date vs sale date?

As I have said above, I am 97% happy with the bass and will continue to use it as is. The fault is hardly noticeable - none of my bandmates had noticed it.

I would just advise people buying any MID finish Ric to be very careful in handling it. If I hadn't actually used it, this problem may never have occurred!!!!!!!!

For a problem that is "barely noticeable" you received a "prompt and courteous reply" from the CEO of the company. You then explain you are satisfied with the explanation that your guitar is not under warranty and warn others to read the warranty information carefully (yes the warranty starts from date of manufacture).

Given this result back in January, I don't understand why the continuing mudslinging about Rickenbacker in this thread.

[leftyguitars]

I had an issue with a "Custom shop" Gibson which I had bought second hand, I raised it on the Gibson custom shop forum and withing 24 hours I had a reply on the thread from a Gibson member of staff inviting me to mail him directly (which I did) a new part was sent to me FOC (no shipping charge or anything even though I wanted to pay). I posted the positive outcome on the thread. A good result for everyone. I got the bit that I needed, Gibson got a glowing follow up for all to see.

[12stringbassist]

Hi Doug,

"Why mud-sling at Ric in this thread?"

I have been quite upfront at all times that my bass is NOT covered by a warranty, etc. You have quoted my main points above. I have in turn pointed people to Ric's Customer service e-mail address. Give me credit please, for toeing their corporate line.

I disagree entirely with 'date of build' being the warranty date. No offence meant, but that is possibly wrong. What happens if a bass is in a shop and remains UNSOLD for over 12 months before it leaves the shop?

Has the warranty expired? I think NOT.

Date of purchase works as the legit date by law in the UK. The seller still has a statutory responsibility to the purchaser.

The seller can then go back to Ric.

If 'date of build' is Ric's stated position, I would like to see the warranty slip BEFORE I would take delivery of any bass or guitar from them. Why buy a guitar with a two month warranty. No-one in their right mind would do it.

I would return anything with anything less than 12 months on it. So should everyone else with any sense.

As to continued 'mud-slinging', it isn't me doing it. Other people have the same issue and keep adding to this thread, like yourself. Post away.
My recent posts have all been positive or supportive of people in the same situation.

If you think the bleeding bass is 'lovely' - make me a good offer on it, or be quiet.

Quoting me back at me is quite amusing, especially when I stated the bald truth (which generally fell in Ric's favour) and what I said is not open to dispute.

Keep on posting, my friend. I personally didn't care if this thread 'fell away' ages ago, as I am quite ok with my current situation, but folks like you keep the thread alive.

See http://www.crazeeworld.plus.com/images/ ... eed_04.jpg and consider what you'd think if it was your £1000 bass....

I'd just add that I DO appreciate the tolerance of the moderators on here. This thread hasn't all been good press for Ric (bad press was never ever my intention), but there is an issue to be dicussed here, which John Hall has admirably stepped in on.

It has, in the main, been discussed sensibly and constructively and some people may have got help with their issues -which is surely what this forum is for.

John Hall e-mailed me for my postal address a while ago to send me something. Whatever it was (probably a writ for being a grumbler) hasn't materialised yet.

As to this thing of Ric being a 'privately owned company', they still have a duty to put out a product of a consistent quality. If they fail to do that, they will slide into the corporate abyss like other companies have done - and deservedly so..............

If your company made sh*te paperclips, I wouldn't buy them. If Ric made consistently bad basses (just a bit of a long shot!!!!), the world probably would go away too.

[12stringbassist]

Officially "The world's tiredest bass thread..."

[drathbun]

Ian,

As to the warranty issue, here is the text from the RIC website:

Rickenbacker International Corp. guarantees this instruments to be free from defective materials and workmanship to the original purchaser for five years, except for the finish, which is guaranteed for one year. This warranty begins upon the date of manufacture as stamped on this card.

I think that sucks too because these guitars do sometimes sit in stock for long periods of time. But that IS their warranty policy.

As to being banned from the RIC site, I just don't see how it reflects poorly on RIC customer service for enforcing their rules of posting in their corporate forum.

RIC is still a long way from having a reputation for putting out sh*te products... just the opposite is true. They had a problem with the dye and are fixing it for basses under warranty and at the same time have changed their formulation to get rid of the problem in the future. Other companies (like GM) deal with these things slightly differently!

That's all folks! (From me anyway)

zipppp.......

[12stringbassist]

Hi Douglas,

I don't think Ric have ever made a BAD guitar.
A 'finish issue' on a few examples doesn't actually make a bass bad.

I do see your point about the warranty kicking off from the build date. Not good on static stock though!! In the UK we would be covered by a warranty from the shop for a statutory 12 month period anyway under the Sale of Goods Act.

[drathbun]

Ian,

I am sure you are right about the local laws. This is referenced in RIC's warranty info as well:

"Authorized RIC distributors in other countries provide warranty administration appropriate to the laws of their country."

But that would only apply if you purchased through Rosetti I would think.

Ooops... I forgot I was zipppppped!

[leftyguitars]

But that would only apply if you purchased through Rosetti I would think.

You obviously haven't dealt with Rosetti, Douglas.

[drathbun]

Ut oh! Sounds like a can of worms!

[haw]

Er, is Rosetti still going? I may be wrong but I thought they'd gone out of business or something.

Anyway, I don't want to upset any applecarts but while I very pleased with my Mar05 MG 4003, a couple of things made me raise my eyebrows.
On the back of the body there are two or three circular white blemishes underneath the finish. They are about half a centimetre to a centimetre in diameter.
It's not a problem with the grain of the wood, it's almost like something has got between the wood and the finish.
The other thing I noticed was on the neck, at the top frets on the bottom horn side, the fret board isn't quite in line with the neck and the varnish there has started to crack at the gap.

Now, the disclaimer-THIS IS NOT A COMPLAINT!!

I got the bass new from a dealer on ebay, she's mine and I have no interest in parting with her.
I'm just interested in how the blemishes may have happened and while I was a wee bit worried about the neck, the cracking hasn't got any worse over the last few months.

I'm just wondering about causes and possible remedies, stuff I can can done over years when i get the cash together.

[murtaghstyle]

Bringing this thread back to life since I was revisited by this problem (cross posted from TB forums)

My 05' 4003 was affected by this and about 3-4 months after I bought it, I sent it in to rickenbacker to get it refinished. The refinishing was covered by the warranty but I had to pay for shipping.

Now 2 1/2 years later I'm starting to see it again on the neck and my warranty is probably expired.

Should I even bother with sending it back or just live with it?

Even if they cover the charge, I will be away from my only bass for 3 weeks and will have to pay for shipping again.

Anyone else have their ric refinished and was affected by this a second time?

[beatlefreak]

Sorry to hear you're having the same problem again. RIC's warranty for finishes is one year, so the warranty would definitely be expired.

[dudgeman]

I first posted on Mon Feb 13, 2006 6:28 pm about this and have been gigging the guitar as my main bass for the past 4 years. We haven't always got on. I was treated really badly by Rickenbacker CS who said it was all my fault..no production problems blah blah...basically go swing.
Well a word of warning to you all..Mine carried on bleeding..everywhere...top of the neck..bottom of the neck..top of the body..bottom of the body basically everywhere where anything touches....it is shockingly bad quality. But then it is Made In America..I sticker that I tried to keep on there forever so I too could take it along to a rep at a show and ask how "proud" he was that it was made in America......Now to the problem.....

THE NEXT STAGE....I went to my case about 2 years ago pulled the old girl out for a gig and a bit of laquor fell off the neck onto the floor...and it has carried on falling off the neck ever since. It hasn't happened on the body yet but I am sure it is only a matter of time. The weird thing about this is when the laquor peels the white banding is as white as the day it was put on...so it is totally a paint/laquor issue. I will post photos tomorrow if I get a chance but I will get some up here soon..it is shocking especially as this isn't a cheap £300 guitar. Also the Rick was bought with an eye on the residual as they always make strong money...shouldn't think anyone would want mine.

Totally disappointed with that side of things..I waited 25 years to get one of these and every time I look at it, it is with a mixture of pride that I own such an iconic bass folowed by an imediate wave of anger at the finish. Wish I'd bought a sunburst one.....

[Grey]

stuff

Sounds like you got a bad one. Did they explain why it wasen't covered under warranty?

[rickenbrother]

Carl, if you plan on continuing to posti about RIC in a bad light, it won't be tolerated here. Makes me wonder what your contact with RIC customer service was exactly and the status of your warranty. I've always known the customer service there to be excellent. And yes, I did edit your post.