It's Official: 12 month wait for a Rick

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 4:38 pm

That's a handout we made for the NAMM show, winter 2007.

86kubicki · Post by **86kubicki** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 1:58 am

Interesting that "All Remaining acoustic orders" are included in the list at 2+ years. While that time frame is fairly open ended, I wonder if RIC is making any headway on re-starting acoustic production?

beatlefreak · Post by **beatlefreak** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 2:05 am

I seriously doubt it, at this time. They're working to catch up the COY orders from the last two years.

86kubicki · Post by **86kubicki** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 2:14 am

I also notice that the 4004cii/5 was not included on the list. Assuming that there are outstanding orders for both the 4004cii/5 and acoustics, it's interesting to note that only the acoustics were mentioned.

drumbob · Post by **drumbob** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 12:04 pm

John...It would seem to me that you should just hire more luthiers so you could build guitars faster without compromising quality, of course, rather than forcing people to wait 12-18 months, which I believe is excessively long. Last year, discovered I needed a Rick 12-string for the music I'm playing, but I made do with a nice Danelectro 12 instead, until I found a 330-12 used. I couldn't wait 12 months to order a Rick and wait for it to arrive. I would bet other musicians feel the same way.

Just my opinion, FWIW.

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 12:11 pm

JH has stated good luthiers do not like to live in SoCal.

drumbob · Post by **drumbob** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 2:53 am

Why not? So Cal isn't a bad place. I mean, I never liked LA too much, but there are other places that are pretty nice. Central Cal and the wine country is beautiful.

Of course, he could move the company to New Jersey so I could visit the factory! Just kidding.

rumbush · Post by **rumbush** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 4:21 am

"...do not like to live in SoCal."

That's somewhat out of context. JH has said the cost of living here is such that he can't afford to keep luthiers well-paid and adequately housed. The median price for homes in California is $580,000 right now & there's no real indication that the housing market will soften here as it has in the rest of the country.

I rent, in Redondo Beach no less. Two months ago my rent went up 30% from one month to the next. What I pay in rent for a 1-bedroom place here, anyone could buy a 3- or 4-bedroom home for out in the desert or in some other state.

No wonder it's hard to keep luthiers on hand with these kinds of prices.

beatlefreak · Post by **beatlefreak** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 5:33 am

I don't think anyone would like to see $5000+ for a new Rickenbacker acoustic.

squirebass · Post by **squirebass** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 11:47 am

Don't they have apartments over there? Here in Dallas we have scads of them, all over the place, constantly new ones under construction... But I guess if the price of land per sq foot is high enough, then you gotta charge enough rent to pay all the property taxes and such...

kvalois · Post by **kvalois** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:11 am

Hi:

I've been waiting for 1 1/2 years now for my new 360 six-string amber fireglo!

berth · Post by **berth** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:34 am

My dealer (netherlands) told me the wait was 600 days now. (In answer to where my 4003 BBR stayed which actually was ordered even longer ago.)