Model 5002V58 Mandolin

[admin]

This is a question for John Hall. There has been little if any discussion regarding the Rickenbacker Model 5002V58 mandolin on this Forum. I am wondering if the production of this instrument presents any unique challenges for RIC seeing as it is so different from the guitar tooling.

Is it necessary to do a special run of these instruments or can they be produced side by side with other instruments on the line as they are ordered?

[admin]

The 5002V58 from the RIC site.

[johnhall]

In the wood shop these are limited production items as compared to guitars, so they are slotted into production as small, special runs. These are not currently produced on CNC machinery.

From the finish shop on, they run alongside standard production as otherwise everything is quite conventional.

These are surprisingly popular, much more than I ever anticipated. I brought these back as a specialty item as bluegrass seemed to becoming a bit more progressive, and mandolins were turning up in rock and New Age music. Anyway, we've sold about 10 times as many as I would have guessed the market would bear and they continue to increase.

[toneman]

John; Congrats on bring this back and to your un-expected boom in their sales!! That's GREAT!

[admin]

And here is on in Desert Gold from Mike Parks' fine site. My question is, is the back of this instrument still walnut?

[wmthor]

Here's a link to Elderly's site, which shows the back of a 5002v58 Mapleglo.

http://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/items/RK5002V58-MG.htm

[admin]

Thanks Richard. I understand that Mapleglo would have a walnut back, I was wondering, however, if the same would be the case for other finishes, such as Desert Gold. I would think that the back of Desert Gold would be Desert Gold, for example, rather than Walnut.

[redamber]

As part of a somewhat obsessed campaign to try and own at least one example of most of the Rickenbacker models, I recently acquired a 2009 5002V58 mando. There was much soul-searching beforehand, but I eventually plumped for Mapleglo - largely because the combination of walnut and figured maple works so well visually. I looked at a few options in the US, but eventually sourced a mint example in France. It is unlikely that I will make any serious attempt to play my 5002V58 (my fingers are a bit too large for the fretboard), but I am very pleased to have it in my collection. The build quality is stunning. Somewhat surprisingly, it tends to generate as much attention from friends/relatives as any of my Ric guitars - the usual comment being that it looks incredibly 'cute'.

Cute it may be, but inexpensive it is not, even second-hand (sorry, 'preowned'). The amount which I had to pay for my 5002V58 was almost as much as what I had paid to acquire both a 1989 350BT in Mapleglo and a 2001 620BT in Desert Gold. Let's hope the future values hold up as well.

[kiramdear]

Cute they are indeed! And I'll be happy to give it a shakedown for you, anytime. Congrats!

Looking forward to family pics if you can manage it. One of each is an ambitious goal.

[jingle_jangle]

Thanks Richard. I understand that Mapleglo would have a walnut back, I was wondering, however, if they same would be the case for other finishes, such as Desert Gold. I would think that the back of Desert Gold would be Desert Gold, for example, rather than Walnut.

I have two 5002V58s; JG and FG. The JG has a painted back; the FG has a see-through burst over the walnut back. I would conclude from this that the mandolins are simply painted either solid color or burst. The Desert Gold one should therefore have a Desert Gold back.

IMO, the most beautiful 5002 I ever saw was a Montezuma Brown one at the factory in '07. I found out where the MBs were shipped and called the dealers as soon as they were shippped, but they were already spoken for.

So, if anybody knows of a MB 5002V58 that's available, I'm interested!

[redamber]

And if anyone knows of a Desert Gold 5002V58, I would certainly have an interest.

[rickyfricky]

Recently acquired one in MG from a fellow forumite.

Beautifully made instrument - we are using it on a few songs in our retro rock band.

Definitely a head-turner and conversation starter.

[libratune]

These have become relatively "inexpensive" in the US compared to prices a year or two ago. A Mapleglo 5002V58 went unsold on ebay recently with a minimum bid of $1150. http://cgi.ebay.com/Rickenbacker-electr ... 255f44b001

There is one in Jetglo currently on ebay (one day left) with a minimum bid of $1150 and no bids yet.

[sloop_john_b]

I have never seen one in Blue Boy. Anybody?

[krick]

No, but I do know of a Blueburst one.