Not sure if this topic has been discussed many times before or not.
A question for knowledgeable Forumites.... the Warranty Cards say something like must send within 10 days. Can someone send in the Warranty card later than those stipulated days and still have it honored by RIC ?
And what happens if you acquire a brand new Ric from a party, who has not sent in the Warranty card, but that person who sold it to you was the person who acquired the Ric in the carton from the authorized dealer ?? So therefore with time elapsing, you end up being past that stipulation of sending it within so-many days ?
Is it recommended to still send it in and will RIC honor the warranty ?
Thanks - Rich F.
Ric Warranty Cards
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8mileshigher
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Ric Warranty Cards
"What we've got is Blind Faith in each other" Steve Winwood, Newsweek July 28 1969
10 4003 FG
06 WB BRG
04 660-12 JG
03 360-12 FG
99 V64 six FG
96 650-A TQ
94 V64-12 JG
81 370-WB JG
73 480 DaphBlue
61 Cons Steel MG
10 4003 FG
06 WB BRG
04 660-12 JG
03 360-12 FG
99 V64 six FG
96 650-A TQ
94 V64-12 JG
81 370-WB JG
73 480 DaphBlue
61 Cons Steel MG
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myfretless
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Talk to Kenny, he's a very cool guy and he will shoot straight with you.
For my part, I have forgotten to send in the card a week or two late and called to confirm that it was still alright to mail it in. It has been ok up 'til now.
However, if you're talking being like 6 months late, you may have a problem.
Also, I'm pretty sure they want to see your sales ticket from an authorized dealer. Since in fact, the guitar is second hand, I think you may not be eligible for the warranty. You may need the original purchaser to send in the Warranty Card and go through that person for any warranty issues.
On the plus side, the chance you actually will need the warranty is highly unlikely.
For my part, I have forgotten to send in the card a week or two late and called to confirm that it was still alright to mail it in. It has been ok up 'til now.
However, if you're talking being like 6 months late, you may have a problem.
Also, I'm pretty sure they want to see your sales ticket from an authorized dealer. Since in fact, the guitar is second hand, I think you may not be eligible for the warranty. You may need the original purchaser to send in the Warranty Card and go through that person for any warranty issues.
On the plus side, the chance you actually will need the warranty is highly unlikely.
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kennyhowes
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firstbassman
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Well since this has come up, I have a question.
What is the real purpose of the warranty card and of mailing it in?
RIC states: 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.
The date of manufacture is also stamped on the jack plate (in code as part of the s/n).
So, let's say a guitar was built in June 2006 and I bought it in January 2007. The warranty is until June 2011. If I mail in the card the day I buy the guitar or mail the card four years
later, the warranty still expires in June 2011.
And so I also understand that if a guitar sits in a box in a store for two years before being purchased, the warranty for the purchaser then is now down to only three years.
What is the real purpose of the warranty card and of mailing it in?
RIC states: 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.
The date of manufacture is also stamped on the jack plate (in code as part of the s/n).
So, let's say a guitar was built in June 2006 and I bought it in January 2007. The warranty is until June 2011. If I mail in the card the day I buy the guitar or mail the card four years
later, the warranty still expires in June 2011.
And so I also understand that if a guitar sits in a box in a store for two years before being purchased, the warranty for the purchaser then is now down to only three years.
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8mileshigher
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Kenny et.al. --- thanks for clarifying about the original purchaser and authorised dealer aspects.
Rich F.
Rich F.
"What we've got is Blind Faith in each other" Steve Winwood, Newsweek July 28 1969
10 4003 FG
06 WB BRG
04 660-12 JG
03 360-12 FG
99 V64 six FG
96 650-A TQ
94 V64-12 JG
81 370-WB JG
73 480 DaphBlue
61 Cons Steel MG
10 4003 FG
06 WB BRG
04 660-12 JG
03 360-12 FG
99 V64 six FG
96 650-A TQ
94 V64-12 JG
81 370-WB JG
73 480 DaphBlue
61 Cons Steel MG
And when you send in the card, put in in an envelope! My card was never received by Rickenbacker (although I mailed it, I even kept a copy of it). My subsequent warranty request was originally denied, my local dealer twisted some arms and it was finally fixed by Rickenbacker though.
Never pet a burning dog
RIC states: "Rickenbacker International Corp. guarantees this instrument 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."
Under Federal warranty laws, administered by the Federal Trade Commission, a warranty such as the one given by RIC cannot be made legally dependent upon returning a warranty card. Title 16 Code of Federal Regulations Part 700, Sec.7 provides as follows:
Sec. 700.7 Use of warranty registration cards.
(a) Under section 104(b)(1) of the Act [the FTC Act] a warrantor offering a full warranty may not impose on consumers any duty other than notification of a defect as a condition of securing remedy of the defect or malfunction, unless such additional duty can be demonstrated by the warrantor to be reasonable. Warrantors have in the past stipulated the return of a "warranty registration" or similar card. By "warranty registration card" the Commission means a card which must be returned by the consumer shortly after purchase of the product and which is stipulated or implied in the warranty to be a condition precedent to warranty coverage and performance.
(b) A requirement that the consumer return a warranty registration card or a similar notice as a condition of performance under a full warranty is an unreasonable duty. Thus, a provision such as, ``This warranty is void unless the warranty registration card is returned to the warrantor'' is not permissible in a full warranty, nor is it
permissible to imply such a condition in a full warranty."
You can draw your own conclusions from the above. Here's how I read it. If you are the original purchaser from a dealer, you are entitled to the stated warranty. The receipt from the dealer and the warranty card are simply items of proof that you are entitled to the warranty for your particular product.
Whether or not, or when, you mail in the warranty card is irrelevant to your legal rights. Mailing in the card with the dealer receipt (with a follow up call to make sure it was received) is a good way to "go on record" that you have these rights. However, it is not permitted for the manufacturer to require that the card be returned within some specified time period in order for the purchaser to be entitled to the stated warranty rights.
Whew. And like someone said, you probably won't need the warranty anyway. But let's get over this 10-day business.
Under Federal warranty laws, administered by the Federal Trade Commission, a warranty such as the one given by RIC cannot be made legally dependent upon returning a warranty card. Title 16 Code of Federal Regulations Part 700, Sec.7 provides as follows:
Sec. 700.7 Use of warranty registration cards.
(a) Under section 104(b)(1) of the Act [the FTC Act] a warrantor offering a full warranty may not impose on consumers any duty other than notification of a defect as a condition of securing remedy of the defect or malfunction, unless such additional duty can be demonstrated by the warrantor to be reasonable. Warrantors have in the past stipulated the return of a "warranty registration" or similar card. By "warranty registration card" the Commission means a card which must be returned by the consumer shortly after purchase of the product and which is stipulated or implied in the warranty to be a condition precedent to warranty coverage and performance.
(b) A requirement that the consumer return a warranty registration card or a similar notice as a condition of performance under a full warranty is an unreasonable duty. Thus, a provision such as, ``This warranty is void unless the warranty registration card is returned to the warrantor'' is not permissible in a full warranty, nor is it
permissible to imply such a condition in a full warranty."
You can draw your own conclusions from the above. Here's how I read it. If you are the original purchaser from a dealer, you are entitled to the stated warranty. The receipt from the dealer and the warranty card are simply items of proof that you are entitled to the warranty for your particular product.
Whether or not, or when, you mail in the warranty card is irrelevant to your legal rights. Mailing in the card with the dealer receipt (with a follow up call to make sure it was received) is a good way to "go on record" that you have these rights. However, it is not permitted for the manufacturer to require that the card be returned within some specified time period in order for the purchaser to be entitled to the stated warranty rights.
Whew. And like someone said, you probably won't need the warranty anyway. But let's get over this 10-day business.
Not only are we in compliance with the terms of a "limited warranty" in requiring the card, the FTC's own instructional brochure for businesses shows samples of similar return cards and points out how they may be properly used.
Bottom line, there is no restriction on the use of required return cards for a "limited warranty". We find the use of them critical to weed out the rampant warranty fraud we've observed. Much of this is due to the fact that some dealers have no qualms about issuing receipts well after the fact.
You will find precious few examples of a "full warranty" in any industry, as the requirements are quite onerous compared to a limited warranty. For example, the product must be "installed" and "reinstalled" by the manufacturer; in the case of a guitar I suppose that means arranging for the pickup and delivery. There are many other requirements that generally are difficult to meet unless you have a very low cost product that can simply be replaced by mail. A flashlight or pocketknife might be such items, for example.
I'm also a bit dismayed that anyone could think we wouldn't have studied such an important issue quite carefully and have had our policies thoroughly reviewed (and updated as appropriate) by lawyers on a regular basis.
Bottom line, there is no restriction on the use of required return cards for a "limited warranty". We find the use of them critical to weed out the rampant warranty fraud we've observed. Much of this is due to the fact that some dealers have no qualms about issuing receipts well after the fact.
You will find precious few examples of a "full warranty" in any industry, as the requirements are quite onerous compared to a limited warranty. For example, the product must be "installed" and "reinstalled" by the manufacturer; in the case of a guitar I suppose that means arranging for the pickup and delivery. There are many other requirements that generally are difficult to meet unless you have a very low cost product that can simply be replaced by mail. A flashlight or pocketknife might be such items, for example.
I'm also a bit dismayed that anyone could think we wouldn't have studied such an important issue quite carefully and have had our policies thoroughly reviewed (and updated as appropriate) by lawyers on a regular basis.
Most dealers that I have purchased RIC's through have filled out the warranty card for me and provided me with a copy.
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soundmasterg
- RRF Consultant
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Yeah Gary at NCM is very good about the warranty cards, which is nice.
I got my 350V63 second-hand from a forum member and unfortunately the warranty doesn't transfer. When I pulled the TRC off to adjust the truss rod, some of the white bottom of the TRC came off the TRC and stuck to the guitar right behind the nut. I assume it was installed on the guitar initially before the glue holding the nut on was completely dry. If I put the TRC back on, you can just barely tell that there is a crack or seperation in the white area by the nut on the back of the TRC. Its not a big deal, and eventually I will probably try to fix it some way, although to do so, I will need to know more about how they are currently making these vintage style TRC's, or will have to exchange mine for a new one. If I would have had the warranty it would probably have been covered, but its no big deal really. It plays and sounds fantastic and that is what I care about more!
I got my 350V63 second-hand from a forum member and unfortunately the warranty doesn't transfer. When I pulled the TRC off to adjust the truss rod, some of the white bottom of the TRC came off the TRC and stuck to the guitar right behind the nut. I assume it was installed on the guitar initially before the glue holding the nut on was completely dry. If I put the TRC back on, you can just barely tell that there is a crack or seperation in the white area by the nut on the back of the TRC. Its not a big deal, and eventually I will probably try to fix it some way, although to do so, I will need to know more about how they are currently making these vintage style TRC's, or will have to exchange mine for a new one. If I would have had the warranty it would probably have been covered, but its no big deal really. It plays and sounds fantastic and that is what I care about more!