Quality of "R" tailpieces

[sowhat]

Or a merger, perhaps? Rickenyota or Toyenbacker?
(kiddin')

[incubus2432]

Kiabacker!

[mfb]

Let's focus on the topic shall we, which is:

"Shoddy R tailpieces" later changed to "quality of R tailpieces".

Yes, I agree, although the part looks good from above, the finishing of it's underside and inner edges (at least on the new ones I have) is quite nasty compared to one of my older ones (from the mid nineties).

By the "finish" of it I mean that the part appears not to have had a final dressing prior to chroming.

Had this been found on only one of my newer guitars, then one could say that was an exception, but I have three of them, all new and fairly recent, where this occurs.

One of such pieces was quite nasty in fact as when I was changing strings, one of my fingers got caught on a sharp burr and drew blood.

The guitars that came with these nasty burrs (on the underside, mind) are from 2005 and 2006.

It didn't overly concern me as a little filing gets rid of the burrs, however, since the topic has been brought up from someone that has had the same experience, on the other side of the globe, I would tend to think that it seemed to be a little drop in quality control by whoever makes the part and whoever fits it to the finished instrument.

I would think (but I could be wrong) that it would be of interest to the manufacturer, as I am very sure that, since the analogy has been made, if a Morgan buyer found that if the winged "Morgan" emblem on their car was rougher than usual and brought it to the manufacturers attention, that Morgan would be very happy to hear from their customer, instead of denigrating them and their way of thinking.

[squirefan01]

This may be a stupid question, but could the chemical changes in the plating due to new RoHS compliance standards create this issue? I remember that JH said RIC was ahead of most companies as far as adopting RoHS, so maybe seeing the effects in a 2005 model isn't too far fetched?

[mfb]

This may be a stupid question, but could the chemical changes in the plating due to new RoHS compliance standards create this issue? I remember that JH said RIC was ahead of most companies as far as adopting RoHS, so maybe seeing the effects in a 2005 model isn't too far fetched?

I don't know whether that was the cause or not, but if it was, it is superfluous to this discussion.

Let's be clear here, if you are going to draw comparisons with a car manufacturer with a very long pedigree focusing on uppermost quality of design and components, you better make sure that what leaves your factory is at least comparable in quality terms, regardless of any new process in manufacturing. After all a new manufacturing process, amongst other things, has as one of its tenets a specification to improve the product (or at least keep it to the same quality standard as previous), not to make it worse.

[jps]

I have always seen RIC as the MI manufacturing equivalent to Ferrari. Not the "gold chain" Ferraris as most folks know, but the Ferraris from the glory days of the '50s and '60s. Those of you who are up on the subject will know what I am infering.

[lyle_from_minneapolis]

Seems to me kind of futile to get into a peeing contest about this with a CEO on a public forum. You know, "Confess! Confess!" It just won't go anywhere.

Sure, it's not "out of bounds" to discuss, and there may well be a legitimate problem. But if it was my company, I wouldn't be hashing out nitty gritty problems like this with all of us, on the internet, for the whole world to read. It would be dealt with case by case, personally. I hear story after story of RIC making things right when there is a problem...but guess what? It ain't gonna happen right here, in your house, on your computer screen, all because of a lot of heated rhetoric.

If I had a rough tailpiece, I would ask and expect the company to make it right. But I wouldn't demand they roll over and play dead on a discussion forum.

[kenposurf]

Well stated Mark..

[mfb]

If I had a rough tailpiece, I would ask and expect the company to make it right.

You're quite correct of course. Keep in mind that what you said is applicable only if a company, or their representative, is willing to do that (make it right) in a material manner, and not just pay lip-service and take the view that they can do no wrong.

Manufacturers often play the "blame the intermediary" game and often the intermediary plays the "blame the manufacturer" game, or is simply unwilling to bother chasing the manufacturer, for many, many reasons.

I'll give you a personal example. I have a authorised Rickenbacker dealer here in my city. There is absolutely no way I can get new replacement parts for a Rickenbacker here from them. I have asked..."ah", they say, "we have no distributor in the country anymore" ...

I have written Rickenbacker if they would see fit to sell me a part, readily available on their site, but although they have an eBay store that now ships worldwide (although the part I am referring to is not available throught their eBay outlet), they are not willing to sell it to me from their "boutique". They know very well that there are no distributors here so it would make a little sense that they would see my request as not outlandish. Keep in mind that although there may be similar parts available through an internet dealer in the states, it may be very difficult for those that do not have access to the internet to deal with them and many people are still reticent about sending credit card details over the net to an unknown (to them) quantity.

Although I have other avenues to obtaining these parts from trusted sources, nevertheless this makes it very difficult for many that have Rickenbackers, to maintain them in a manner they would like - parts do wear out.

If the company has decided not to, or is unwilling to, have a distributor here for whatever reason, I would think it would behove that company (if it is still in business) to maintain some sort of local access for their previous customers.

There was a time for example, where Citroens were not available here, however new genuine parts for them were always available, either directly from Citroen itself or an intermediary here.

So, getting back to your statement, of course many people, I think, would and will gladly contact their first known avenue of recourse, thereafter if they have no resolution to their problem I would think any normal person would try to approach the manufacturer.

I would think that the sheer frustration of not getting anywhere sensible, would drive many to forums such as this to discuss their experiences, don't you think?

[ozover50]

Manuel: I agree that in our situation (no local distributor) there may be difficulties having parts replaced under warranty and I would think in that case, contacting RIC Customer Service would be a good start. At least one would then know what the possibilities are.

As far as Rickenbacker spare or replacement parts and accessories are concerned, any authorised Rickenbacker dealer in the US can sell these parts globally.

http://www.rickenbacker.com/news_item.asp?news_id=27&news=recent

[lyle_from_minneapolis]

You've got a point there, Manuel.

It's not the point that I thought we were discussing...but, yes, I would wish there was some way to get the thing done if I needed a part that appeared to be available elsewhere, but not to me.

You have a problem that you wish RIC to resolve. My advice from the sidelines (and then I promise to hop off this bus, because I am not invested in this problem, do not wish to annoy you, and should probably just shut up) would be to seek out and understand the reason why the company chose not to distribute parts there. Companies make these sorts of decisions for concrete reasons, most often of a financial nature. There just might be an angle you could find to get what you need. But if I really wanted RIC to help me out somehow, I probably would not choose to browbeat John Hall on a public forum.

I'm just sayin'.

[charlyg]

If you have no respect/trust for/in the company or CEO, why should I have any respect for your opinion, or believe it is as bad as you say? What makes your opinion any better. or more truthful? It seems to me this is just a nice big soapbox for a rant. I have no more basis to trust your opinion than I do the ones defending the quality. There have been many people on here who say their model from the same year is fine.

[mfb]

Thanks Howard, I in fact have no problem getting the parts I may want or need, from other sources apart from Rickenbacker, (plus I do a little travelling myself - although lately the more I do the less I want to do!) and as I've stated on a few occasions on this thread, the new tailpieces that came with my newer instruments, although a little rough, do not altogether bother me.

As far as "browbeating" anybody, I understand where you are coming from Mark, but nothing is further from the truth. What I have written is a response, my opinion, to what others have written, and if they are entitled to put their views forward, then in my humble opinion, I am also entitled on this public forum, to that privilege.

Charly, I don't know where you got that from, to be honest. I'm very sure that I haven't said any such thing.

But seeing as you brought it up, I can perhaps reiterate the idea that trust and respect are earned, and no one, in my opinion, earns either by calling others out because they don't necessarily agree with their views.

[wolfgang]

Yes, Charly,
let's talk about beer and tacos...

[sowhat]

If you have no respect/trust for/in the company or CEO, why should I have any respect for your opinion, or believe it is as bad as you say?

...and vice versa. Methinks when people chose who to believe, they rely on a) their own experience; b) their close ones', friends' and mates' opinion; c) the opinions of those who show the initial respect for them. Simple as that. Or, i may be wrong, of course. As far as this forum is concerned, i'm still here because i like (most) people who post here in the first place.