Just ordered 4004/5 Cheyenne II

pma · Post by **pma** » Mon Jun 23, 2003 5:25 am

I placed my order for the new 5 string model and am now waiting for some type of availability quote. For any others out there who have one on order, I would be interested whether anyone has any info on this. I know Rickenbacker hasn't yet committed to a production date but if anyone hears anything, please let us know.

Thanks,

Paul

banta · Post by **banta** » Mon Jun 23, 2003 11:15 am

Yes, according to Rickenbacker that bass is available September of 2002.

(Don't hold your breath.)

jeff_ulmer · Post by **jeff_ulmer** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 12:26 pm

Just like the September 2001 availability of the Lemmys?

turlu · Post by **turlu** » Fri Jun 27, 2003 1:12 am

I have been waiting for so long for the new Cheyenne C11 5 String to be available that I simply gave up !!! It`s been almost a good two years that the model has been announced and 12 to 18 months waiting period on the top of that for an order to be delivered is too much.

ojobob2 · Post by **ojobob2** » Fri Jun 27, 2003 1:28 am

Waiting that long is ridiculous

Id never wait that long. Its kinda like Rickenbacker doesnt want its customers to be happy. Thats a bit harsh i know but.....

lshaia · Post by **lshaia** » Fri Jun 27, 2003 3:24 am

Gentlemen, I am in total agreement with you that a waiting period of this magnitude for an instrument which is ordered without a test drive would be unacceptable. I don't know that they don't want their customers ("end users" actually; GC, Musician's Friend, et al are their customers)to be happy, it just seems that selling everything they make has allowed Ric to occasionally adopt a "take it or leave it" attitude.

banta · Post by **banta** » Fri Jun 27, 2003 4:19 am

There's so many that want the traditional 4 string Ric that the company isn't concerned with developing newer models. I can accept that to a point, but I'd like to see some new models like this 5 string available for younger players. (And us older players who think young.)

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Fri Jun 27, 2003 5:25 am

I still believe that 5 string basses are the future ...

If Ric just makes 4 string basses then the 4001/4003 will become an anacnorism like the hofner beatle bass ... a bass just used by old guys doing old music ...

I love my 4003s5 .. it is great for modern music ... my converted 4004L5 is good for that as well ... I would buy a 4004CII5 if they were available but there is only one in the world and it aint for sale ...

Also you never see 4004's in music stores or in the big online distributors like musicians friend or ams ... etc ... it is hard enough to find a 4004 4 string let alone a 4004 5 string ...

A player has to actively seek out and find a Rickenbacker ... especially for 4004 models or five string models ...

turlu · Post by **turlu** » Fri Jun 27, 2003 6:12 am

I just think that these days each guitar company must have a 5 String Bass in its production and ready for delivery for its loyal customers. Rickenbacker should not be exception. The Cheyenne seems very interesting and there are no other Ric 5 String Bass available for now.
If I can have a reasonable estimation of delivery time, I will be the first one in line to buy one.

admin · Post by **admin** » Fri Jun 27, 2003 6:24 am

RIC is at the max. When you are at 100% capacity the result is a waiting period. It is just not possible to work any faster and RIC won't compromise the quality that it has demonstrated for more than 70 years.

The bad news is the wait, the good news is that you will have a top quality instrument. An additional pleasant side effect is that four other people on the same street won't have the exact same model and finish.

Rickenbacker wants their customers to be happy and certainly does not have a take it or leave it attitude. That they are committed to their customers and their fine product gains support from John Hall's willingness to answer questions about Rickenbacker instruments himself! I don't know of any other CEO of a guitar company who is as accesible to customers as Mr. Hall.

squirebass · Post by **squirebass** » Fri Jun 27, 2003 6:50 am

I'd like to know an estimate of the delivery on a Laredo in Montezuma Brown. I really like that finish, and even though I have a guitar on order in that color, I have been intrigued by those 4004's for a long time(but so far resisted the temptation!). Are the wait times really long on all 4004s or only on the 5 string models?
While I am not a fan of the waiting list, especially for a Ricky, I gotta respect John Hall for being so careful to keep the quality at a very high level. I would imagine there are so many pressures to go the other way, i.e. slap the product together in order to crank out more...

turlu · Post by **turlu** » Fri Jun 27, 2003 6:54 am

I would not trade quantity for quality myself, from Rickenbacker company, and I fully agree with Peter.

But, in the other hand, 18 months waiting is a long time !!!

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Fri Jun 27, 2003 6:59 am

5 String the basses of the future? Yeah, and D tuning will be the norm for rock. Yawn.

ricnvolved · Post by **ricnvolved** » Fri Jun 27, 2003 8:25 am

Count me in the skeptical camp concerning the future dominance of 5-string basses. I simply don't believe it's gonna happen. I think it was Dave Westheimer who talked about this subject in a post elsewhere and reported on a statistical analysis he was privy to. If I remember correctly, the slice of the 5-string market had been holding steady at about 25% and there was nothing to indicate a major upward shift anytime soon. But I want Dave, or whoever provided that info, to chime in if my memory is faulty.

dave4004 · Post by **dave4004** » Fri Jun 27, 2003 9:55 am

Yes, that was the information I was given.

Of course, every company has to assess its own situation. I'm sure RIC could sell more 5-strings than it's doing now, but with hands full supplying 4-strings, there's not much reason to change.