Have Lefty Rickenbackers Become Extinct?

[junglejem]

When I purchased my 330/12 a couple years ago, I found it by hunting through the Rickenbacker website shipping history. From what I could tell, there were two left hand Rickenbacker 12 strings (any model) available in North America.

Recently I was interested in a 660/12LH. One available in England, but the price was prohibitive. I was told in response to an online inquiry that there were none in stock, none on order, and that Rickenbacker was not even taking orders on lefties. I did not ask if that meant ALL lefty models.

I just started looking for a 4003LH (a lifelong dream of mine to own one) and went through the process of digging through the "recent shipment" history, expanding it to include every dealer on the website. Unless I missed something, I did not see one left hand Rickenbacker guitar or bass, of any model, throughout the entire network of dealers.

Does anyone know why this is? Is Rickenbacker eliminating the left hand option? Is ebay the only marketplace remaining for lefty Rickenbackers in the U.S. and Canada?

How sad.

[bassduke49]

Not eliminated, but delayed. In an effort to catch up with a huge backlog of orders, RIC has concentrated production time on the "bread and butter" models first. I remember someone from the factory indicating a batch of lefty basses coming soon. They probably wait for a certain number of orders to accumulate before they make a batch of lefties, fretless, 4004s and other less-popular models and options. Give 'em time, they're dancing as fast as they can!

[wmthor]

Jere, Paul's right. John Hall has stated a few times that the production of leftys is in hiatus until the factory backlog is reduced. Therefore, the used market is the best place for look for any lefty Ric. Keep an eye on the For Sale section as I generally post a link to any lefty that I come across.

BTW, thanks for not buying that 660/12 LH from Leftyguitars. Peter knows that only reason that I haven't bought it sooner is that I need to save up the funds before buying another guitar as I recently received a Jingle Jangle built lefty Ric acoustic.

[wints]

Sufferin' Southpaw sadness...

[jwr2]

a left handed Ric is as hard to find as a 5 string Ric ...

[phlemmy]

Here's one, been sitting there for a while too:

http://www.pickofthericks.com/1982_4003lh_burgundy_vb_316.htm

[sloop_john_b]

Wish that one was a righty!

[lyle_from_minneapolis]

When I play a lefty it feels like someone else.

[leftybass]

I played that one the last time I was at Chris's, it has a great feeling smallish neck. I liked it very much.

[mgrendel2]

Us lefties didnt get a nod when the DCM's were produced. We just got LEFT out in the cold. I tried to talk John H into producing some left handed DCMs, but no luck.I sure would have purchased one. LOL

[nukebass]

Any new word on your LH, Grendel?

[beatlefreak]

Ohh - Don't get Grendel started. I've been worried I'm going to read in the news one day that he's gone postal down in south Georgia after seeing some of his posts over in the RIC forum. LOL

[mgrendel2]

LOL- some good news. In a thread over at RIC, Ben stated Ric was getting ready to run some 4003mgs. I asked Ben if there might be a 4003lhmgrh in the run. Ben stated that there just might be one in this run. It should be ready by the end of July or middle of August. If Ben is pulling my leg, Kris will hear me going postal here in s.ga. lol

[johnallg]

We're all pulling for ya, Mitch! If it isn't to be so, I will no doubt hear the slow mournful wail way up here in Michigan.

[mgrendel2]

Thanks John