RIC Acoustics. Do they exist?

loverickbass · Post by **loverickbass** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 8:21 am

I think mine sound like acoustic versions of my electrics. Somehow they have that RIC jangle.

I took a mirror down in the soundhole once and looked at the bracing. They look different than most other guitar bracing. Maybe that makes the differance. Don't know, maybe Dale or Paul wants to comment on this.

Cole

byu · Post by **byu** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 8:27 am

I'm not a big fan of the Taylor sound. They sound different than Martin but as good. Construction quality is equal to Martin or Taylor.

westtexasrickenbacker · Fri Aug 11, 2006 11:03 am

Wow, they must be great. Saying they sound different, but as good as a Martin is saying quite a lot!

Bill, did you get yours online or from a local shop?

byu · Post by **byu** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 12:27 pm

I ordered both from a local shop. Got the 6 string first and played it in the store and placed my order for the 12 right there & then.

steverok · Post by **steverok** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 7:04 pm

Bill Henshell's guitars give me GAS.

eric_b · Post by **eric_b** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 8:20 am

Here's some nice acoustics as well from a friend and former co-worker (not at RIC)

http://www.ryanguitars.com/

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 2:06 pm

Eric, those are stunning. The bevelled edge is a technological tour-de-force...

eric_b · Post by **eric_b** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 3:50 pm

Kevin has quite the attention to detail..Knowing and seeing his woodworking skills over the years,it's certainly no stretch that he's become the Luthier that he is..Not to mention that he's a heck of a nice guy as well...

epitreture · Post by **epitreture** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 12:54 am

Why couldn't Rickenbacker move acoustic production to another state where they could afford to hire luthiers who could also afford to live there? Then they could meet demand and begin taking orders again. Not to mention avoid a lot of taxation and environmental regulation.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 4:41 am

I went through a seat of the pants analysis on this a few months ago on this Forum, starting with a state with minimum land and regulatory costs and low payroll for skilled labor.

The numbers do not add up for a startup operation and are difficult to meet even for an already established manufacturer, unless you get into tens of thousands of guitars a year, without incurring a substantial debt load and raising the prices of the line appreciably. The taxation thing is only a small part of a manufacturer~s burden and regulation will become consistently strict in a matter of years across the USA.

The answer, of course, would be to go offshore, which John Hall has sworn never to do.

epitreture · Post by **epitreture** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 5:43 am

I see your point. It's a shame then that Rick acoustics will always be like faberge eggs. Only a very few will have one and everyone else will just have to look at the pictures. God bless America.

loverickbass · Post by **loverickbass** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 5:58 am

Much better than looking down in the soundhole and seeing,"Made in the Peoples Republic of China."

Cole

epitreture · Post by **epitreture** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 6:11 am

Right. It's better not to have one at all. Pictures are much better.

epitreture · Post by **epitreture** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 6:43 am

If you cannot afford to make a product that people want, then you have two options. You stop making the product or you move somewhere you CAN afford to make the product. If this means you will be heading overseas where rice is consumed in large quantities, then you pack your chopsticks and go. If, as previously stated, John Hall has vowed not to do this, then John Hall is wrong.

sowhat · Post by **sowhat** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 6:44 am

I understand that generally, "Chinese" is associated with "cheap" (in all senses of that word), but in fact, i have an electric acoustic Fender made in China and i like it.