So Cal 2008

[mrs_brown]

So sorry to hear you cannot make it John. I won't be the same without you there. Maybe you could say there is an important "family" intervention that you must attend to ensure the safety and well being of a "family" member..

[alanz]

So will there be a guitar for me to win?

Alan, good news and bad news. Good news: you will win a guitar. Bad news: it's this one:

Insert photo of the El Ka-bong guitar here

Looks like that was routed for a Badass.

[rickenbrother]

Marc and John, so sorry to hear that. You'll be missed.

Yeah, they sure will be missed!

[johnallg]

Aww gee, guys and gal. Your the best bunch of friends. Tammy, everyone is like family, so it wouldn't be stretching the truth any!

[ben_brown]

That's too bad John. You surely will be missed.

[dodecagon]

Hi Folks,

New to the Forum -- bought my first Rickenbacker in 1968 (a used 420 12-string FG) and have owned a couple since then. I have always wanted to visit the Rickenbacker factory. One time about 20 years ago I called the factory when I was passing through Santa Ana only to be told "no tours". Since I missed the previous factory event (doh!) I'm naturally wondering if there might be the potential for a factory visit with this get-together--or if anything is planned for some future date. Any thoughts?

dodecagon
Eugene, OR

[paologregorio]

Aww gee, guys and gal. Your the best bunch of friends. Tammy, everyone is like family, so it wouldn't be stretching the truth any!

Same here. You'll be missed. Sorry you won't be able to make it.

[paologregorio]

Hi Folks,

New to the Forum -- bought my first Rickenbacker in 1968 (a used 420 12-string FG) and have owned a couple since then. I have always wanted to visit the Rickenbacker factory. One time about 20 years ago I called the factory when I was passing through Santa Ana only to be told "no tours". Since I missed the previous factory event (doh!) I'm naturally wondering if there might be the potential for a factory visit with this get-together--or if anything is planned for some future date. Any thoughts?

dodecagon
Eugene, OR

It would be nice, but a tour is completely out of our hands. I wasn't at the factory tour for the 75th Anniv. event either.

[johnallg]

Here is the Yahoo Group Paul W. started as a repository of everyone's 75th experiences, which include pictures of the tour.
http://launch.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/ricpics/photos

[wmthor]

Does anyone ever remember receiving a offer for free lodging at a resort in return for listening to a time-share sales presentation?

Well, I just received one from the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa. I'm wondering if should take them up on their offer for the first weekend in August.

[paologregorio]

Does anyone ever remember receiving a offer for free lodging at a resort in return for listening to a time-share sales presentation?

Well, I just received one from the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa. I'm wondering if should take them up on their offer for the first weekend in August.

Yeah, they'll keep you locked in the place for the whole weekend until you sign the papers for a time share.

[ajish4]

Any east-coasters going to this? No, you don't count Joey.

Eh, whaddya mean by that!! Actually, I'm bi-coastal!!

As far as east coasters are concerned, Tammy and Steve might come. Haven't heard anything from Jdog yet, but if he does come, maybe he could swing by Tony's on the way to the airport (yeah, I know it's far out of the way) bop him over the head and drag him onto the airplane!!

LOL, well....that COULD work.....OR massive amounts of alcohol & Valium might do it too!

It's cool Tammy, I'd love to make the trip. BUT, the Mrs. has me booked for the fall in DISNEYWORLD. Only a nice, comfortable 1.5 hour drive away. MY KIND OF TRIP! NO AIRPLANES!

I STILL have my fingers crossed for a TAMPA confluence.

[rickenbrother]

LOL, well....that COULD work.....OR massive amounts of alcohol & Valium might do it too!

It's cool Tammy, I'd love to make the trip. BUT, the Mrs. has me booked for the fall in DISNEYWORLD. Only a nice, comfortable 1.5 hour drive away. MY KIND OF TRIP! NO AIRPLANES!

Hey, what ever it takes to get you here!!

You and Janey could have come here and had only a nice comfortable 10 minute drive to DisneyLAND! DIane and I would have gone with you.

[dodecagon]

It would be nice, but a tour is completely out of our hands. I wasn't at the factory tour for the 75th Anniv. event either.

I understand, Paolo. I looks to me like JH reads the threads here, so I'll make a pitch.

Lots of companies have enthusiast boards like the RickResource Forum. Two others that I am active on are the Moulton Bicycle Club and The Klipsch (Speaker) Forum. In both cases, once a year the board puts together a gathering close to the factory, and the company cooperates by hosting a tour. This is arranged year-to-year and the tour is not something taken for granted by the forum members. It is however, something the factory makes a decision on in advance and lets the Forum know on a given year. Neither get-together started as an annual event, but both have happened for a number of consecutive years now and have become annual events due to their popularity.

Noting the backlog, Rickenbacker obviously doesn't need more business and doesn't need to do anything that would slow down production and possibly create more work for them--if only for an hour. But events of this type are all about goodwill to the most enthusiastic supporters of your product. I noticed that PRS had an event last year and is doing another one this year. There are many ways something like this can be run--advance registration with fees to help cover added expenses, volunteer organizers, all sorts of things that can reduce stress and cost on the company and still make it possible to host a tour for your fans.

It doesn't have to be every year. It could be another one-time thing announced a year or two in advance so people could plan around it. Rickenbacker fans from all over the world would certainly attend, but the numbers would be small enough to be manageable, because there are a limited number of people who can afford the time and travel expense for this type of event.

If this has all been discussed before on the Forum--sorry for beating a dead horse. I'm a new member of the Forum but not new to Rickenbacker. I bought my first Rick (a used 420-12) in 1968, a new 360-12 in 1970 (a big purchase for a high school senior), a new double-neck in 1980. All those are gone now, so I just purchased a new 660-12 from Wildwood. I love Rickenbackers and I would love to tour the factory some day. End of diatribe.

[johnallg]

.... It could be another one-time thing announced a year or two in advance so people could plan around it. Rickenbacker fans from all over the world would certainly attend, but the numbers would be small enough to be manageable, because there are a limited number of people who can afford the time and travel expense for this type of event.

Exactly what RIC did two summers ago at the SoCal 2006/RIC 75th Anniversary bash.

http://www.rickenbacker.com/75th.asp