Recent comment about neck size by JH

[elysrand]

John Hall has, to my knowledge, never criticized or commented upon MY neck size, which is a 17 and 1/2 in a dress shirt button-down open-collar, or sometimes an 18 1/2 buttoned up with a relatively-thick silk tie. I am ready for him, though, if he ever does, double-dog dare him in fact!!

Until then, I will play the gentlemen to the hilt and never criticize any of his neck sizes either....... We should instead just let him shave his neck as much or as little as he wants. It's his neck, not ours...

[ajish4]

JH is in a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" position.

While it seems like the "thin necked" group miss the days of old with the pencil thin necks, the guys with the huge hands would prefer a 2x6 for a neck. What is that old saying? "You can please some of the people some of the time"....there is even a post on the company forum about the thin necks not being well received. I don't get it. There is no short supply of thick necks out there. What more can you ask? YEARS of producing thick necks JUST NOW came to an end....look around guys, they are out there. I had to order FOUR Monty's before I found the "sweet one".

The older I get (and the more health related issues I develop) I am VERY GRATEFUL the necks thinned out. For me, it just isn't a matter of preference, it is necessity. The GIFT of a thin neck enables me the ability to play a nice, new RIC instrument for years to come. Yeah I know, but you young fellas just wait until arthritis starts to set in (and with the cost of a "vintage RIC" going off the charts) you'll be happy you can still order a new one. I HAD to sell off all of my Alembic's due to their weight. I loved them dearly, but just couldn't play a 2 hour set with a 14 pound guitar around my neck anymore. That is another reason I ordered a 4004, I've heard they are much lighter.

While it may not make sense to us that they aren't making a 5 string, I'm SURE there is a very good reason for the delay. While I'm sure the additional income provided from a 5 string in the lineup would be a welcome thing, RIC will not sacrifice quality for that income. I don't know EXACTLY why they stopped making the 4004 5er, but I'm sure they will be back soon. I do know the SUREST way to DELAY that outcome, is to keep breaking John's chops about it.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I am not a very eloquent man, but I feel it is a GOOD thing to have a back order. While I personally don't like the wait, I think it shows the company is thriving and that a quality made product is still in demand. I like the durability and improvements on the newer RIC's, I have 3 2007 guitars, a 2006 and my 4004cii is a 2005 back order. RIC doesn't make any money when they don't sell new guitars. I'm SURE operating a company in the US today isn't an easy task. Insurance, regulations, EPA, immigration laws, taxes, utility bills, and the fact they are in CA and have to deal with all the local regulations, I don't know how they do it.

RIC has done things in the past that have me questioning "why they hell did they do that" or "what the hell were they thinking, they could make a fortune if they would (fill in the blank)" the list goes on and on....But the bottom line is, it's not our call. There may be a very good reason WHY, it is all a matter of prospective. Remember the TAIL LIFT issue? People complained about the tail lift issue, so in the mid 80's, RIC added two screws to the tail piece. I read somewhere John stated that people bitched that the two screws broke up the smooth LOOK of the tailpiece! I don't know about you, but THAT would **** me off beyond belief! NOW, go and try to find one! They sell for a hefty buck WHEN you can find one on Ebay.

I realize this RANT sounds like a "fan boy" post, it wasn't supposed to, but if it does, so be it. JH & I have had a go around or two in the past but I guess in the end, I just respect and appreciate what he is trying to do. Personally, I don't want to tie him up responding to the same complaint over and over. I'd rather him tend to the business of making guitars.

I came to the conclusion, RIC can do the building, I'll do the playing....as for those other things we want, to quote that movie "If you build it, they will come". If RIC feels it is feasible to make the changes we want, we'll see them, if not....there is always the option of having them customized to our liking.

OK, end of rant.

[ram]

Hey Tony “fan boy”, I agree – while it might be nice to have a shorter wait (backlog) what can you say – you get what you wait for…. I have always loved the thing profile of my ’74 4001… then discovered the most closely guarded secret in all of Ric-dom. The 4004L… thin neck (like in ’74 4001 thin) and light weight…. !

OK so we wait… and there are thin and thick necks out there … and they don’t make 5 strings right now…. Man, for a few dollars more you can make your own. String pitch too close was a lament I heard ant the 4003s5… change it. There are no rules – you buy it it’s yours. And there is plenty of help in the forum to make any change you might want.

JH does, IMHO, a fine job at the helm of his company. He and I have this agreement (he doesn’t know about it) – he doesn’t tell me what to play and I don’t tell him how to run his company. It has been working well for decades.

[ajish4]

Tom,

I too own a 74 4001, are you saying the new 4004L neck is like your 74?

Wow, that is better than I could have hoped for!

I opted for the 4004Cii Blueburst because I L O V E walnut, and from what little I've seen of them, they really like sweet!

Ah, 'tis been a good Ricken Year!

[ram]

Yes Tony, my '93 4004L neck seems to be about the same in thickness/profile to my '74 4001 (nice and thin!). The finger board is a tad wider. It is not here right now (out getting some work done) or I would measure both for you. When I first picked it up I was amazed as to how light it was and how much the neck felt like my 4001. I don't know about the Cii's neck but I know what you mean about the wood. The Walnut is supposed to make them have a tad richer in sound as well as being so nice to look at.

[jps]

It is not here right now (out getting some work done)

Is it raking the leaves or something?

[red_rob]

I'm constantly frustrated by how it's deemed almost criminal to say anything remotely critcal about RIC on this forum. What on earth is wrong with adult, constructive critisism and complaints which are often seemingly very justified. I'd like to say more but I think that might make me a criminal.

Should I mention at this point that rickenbackers are my absolute favourite guitars and I'm absolutely in love with them? Nope, too late...

[tennis_nick]

I'm constantly frustrated by how it's deemed almost criminal to say anything remotely critcal about RIC on this forum. I'd like to say more but I think that might make me a criminal.

Constructive criticism is accepted, however the more often seen criticism is.

"the necks are too skinny, I don't like it. Rick should change them. It'd be stupid not too".

Have you ever gone on the http://www.everythingsg.com forum and tell them that SG's have inherently bad designs?
You won't get a good reaction at all.

Rickenbackers play the way Rickenbackers play. They have a good strong market for people who want to buy Rickenbacker guitars that play like Rickenbackers.

What on earth is wrong with adult, constructive critisism and complaints which are often seemingly very justified.

The problem with the complaints is that they've been said over and over for the past 40+ years. Everyone knows Ricks have skinny fingerboard, and nobody who loves em this much cares! And on a forum dedicated to them, you won't find anything but people who love them so much.

And yes, your love of Rickenbackers has been noted, and added to the archives!

[rickenbrother]

I'm constantly frustrated by how it's deemed almost criminal to say anything remotely critcal about RIC on this forum. What on earth is wrong with adult, constructive critisism and complaints which are often seemingly very justified. I'd like to say more but I think that might make me a criminal.

There is a big difference between expressing an opinion on things one wishes RIC would or could do and just flat out disrespectfully insulting JH and how RIC is operated.
I would expect some of the worst remarks by someone who is younger and new to Ricks and really doesn't have a clue, but hopefully that person has at least half a brain and will read the forum, learn and take on a better view. It would be even better if that person would read and learn first, then have something to say. I wouldn't expect inappropriate remarks from people who should know better.
If I was JH, I would think and hope the regular contributors to this forum would be a community of people that would support and try to understand and appreciate the operation of RIC and why it has to be run the way it is, as much as they claim to love Rickenbacker instruments. Most of the people here do, but there are a couple of boneheads that just don't get it, even after years of posting here.

[red_rob]

There was no suggestion of endorsing "flat out disrespectfully insulting" anyone in my post. That was precisely what I was not suggesting.

I ADORE RICKENBACKERS