Rickenbacker gets bad press in UK

beatlefreak · Post by **beatlefreak** » Wed May 16, 2007 9:55 am

I do remember several people talking about black R tailpieces breaking. It would have been on this forum, as I was never in the alt.rickenbacker group.

krick · Post by **krick** » Wed May 16, 2007 10:47 am

I believe it was reported that the black R tailpieces are more likely to fail due to the powdercoating process used on them.

krick · Post by **krick** » Wed May 16, 2007 10:55 am

Here is a link to a comment Mr. Hall made on the RIC Forums:

http://www.rickenbacker.com/forum_view_message.asp?forum=General_Forum&message_id=24061&thread_id=2301&thread_name=Tension%20tests%20done%20on%2012%20stringers%20?&p=p#24061

jsm610 · Post by **jsm610** » Wed May 16, 2007 11:20 am

Thanks for the link Kevin!

When mine broke I was sitting right in front of it. I keep most of my stuff on hangers, and it happened to be directly above my computer screen. My first thought was that the neck was breaking. My second thought was to plug it in, because it was making a pretty cool sound...

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Wed May 16, 2007 12:12 pm

John, what year model did the tailpiece come from?

jsm610 · Post by **jsm610** » Wed May 16, 2007 12:15 pm

It is an I don't remember off hand the year 330/12.

I bought it as a gift for myself when I graduated university, so I'm guessing its a '92/'93 ish one. Unless it was sitting in the store for a while...

I can go look at it if you want - just holler!

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Wed May 16, 2007 12:30 pm

Naw, that's quite alright. Ever since this topic has come up, again, about black tailpieces I start wondering about my black trimmed '93 360/12. I take a genteel approach to it.

jsm610 · Post by **jsm610** » Wed May 16, 2007 12:35 pm

I wouldn't worry about it. Mine snapped about a year and 1/2 ago, so it worked fine for 12 years and I'm not sure I did anything to it, nor could have done anything to prevent it...

If it is going to break it will, and most likely it isn't going to and it won't!

kranz · Post by **kranz** » Wed May 16, 2007 12:45 pm

Yes, this was discussed here quite some time ago. In fact, I hold that discussion thread directly responsible for the near simultaneous failure of the chrome R tailpiece on my '67 330/12.

Personally, I find it annoying that RIC has chosen to enlist their customers in the global war against fraudulent RIC branding through their prisoner exchange..., err... I mean part exchange policy. I could imagine a SNL skit where trench coat garbed Belushi and Akroyd exchange R tailpieces under the glare of klieg lights at Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin in the dead of night. Oh, how I long for the good ol days of the cold war. Actually I think those issues are better handled with either a law suit or an air strike.

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Wed May 16, 2007 12:56 pm

Nonetheless, be it chrome or black 'R's, gotta love 'em. My black 360/12 I would never part with.

jwilli · Post by **jwilli** » Wed May 16, 2007 1:01 pm

Wow Stan, thats some nice figured Maple in your 360/12. And the 660/12 isn't lacking either.

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Wed May 16, 2007 3:52 pm

Thanks for noticing, Jwilli.

jwilli · Post by **jwilli** » Wed May 16, 2007 4:23 pm

How about a closeup of the 360 body?

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Thu May 17, 2007 3:15 am

Sorry, John, didn't see your post until this morning. See if this is any better.

chronictown · Post by **chronictown** » Thu May 17, 2007 3:41 am

Beautiful, Stan. I was never a big fan of the black trim option, with the exception of on mapleglo guitars/basses. And it's extra-nice on your well-charactered, patina'd 360/12.