Group Therapy for Ric Owners-In-Waiting

[berth]

4003 BBR. Dealer ordered it 28 october 2005. I put a downpayment on it 06/06/06. I'm not complaining. I sold one Rick ('99 4003JG) and bought two (4001c64JG and 4003 MID/BT) in the meantime. It will probably be the 4003 BBR with the most new features. (Full width, new neck, vintage switch). By the time RIC is going to make this bass they have CB, VP and 1/2 inch neck spacing also I guess.

[beatlefreak]

Placed a deposit on a 360/12C63 in June, 2006. This was a guitar NCM already had on order. I'm currently #2 on the list.

[vito]

My dealer ordered my 4004L BBR in January 2005. I have heard of a possible November delivery date. But I don't believe it.

[bassduke49]

One of the problems consumers face in such long waits is that by the time it finally arrives, the consumer may not want it any longer. I was all lathered about the Blueboy Cheyenne when I ordered it, but now, eh. It's been about two years since I've played my Cheyenne I or Laredo at a gig, playing mostly my '72 "Mink," the Sea Green 4003, and the White refin V63. I know, that's a crime; I should be more aggressive and rotate through the collection and let each get their chance at getting some Boyer dermal DNA caught in the strings.

[alanz]

I do honestly feel bad for you guys. Actually I think it is unconscionable to wait this long for a guitar. I have question for you, especially Paul. If you had known then that nearly 3 years later you still wouldn't have it, would you have ordered it? What were you told for a wait time when you placed the order? One more; are you sure they haven't lost your order or that it was in fact placed by the dealer?

I can see the appeal of owning a brand-new instrument but I am always perfectly happy with a used guitar; I have 4 RICs and not one was bought new. Even the one I won last year at the SoCal wasn't new if I understood the story correctly. I won't wait for a guitar or a bass; I have to play it before I buy it (exception: the SnotGlo was bought on eBay simply because I wanted a white on white '77 4001. I got lucky with that one as the neck is super-slim and fast.). Imagine the disappointment (as a minimum) if you finally receive a long-awaited guitar only to find that the neck isn't comfortable or they've changed a feature to something you don't like or... I would be severely bummed.

[nukebass]

I do honestly feel bad for you guys. Actually I think it is unconscionable to wait this long for a guitar. I have question for you, especially Paul. If you had known then that nearly 3 years later you still wouldn't have it, would you have ordered it? What were you told for a wait time when you placed the order? One more; are you sure they haven't lost your order or that it was in fact placed by the dealer?

I honestly don't know at this point if I would have ordered it knowing I wouldn't see it for nearly (or maybe even over) three years. I probably would have gone G&L or Fender. My dealer only told me it would be a long time (and he emphasized long...). I had no idea how long long was, but I do now. The dealer I ordered from has a list on his page with the orders and the initials of those who ordered next to the instrument, so I am pretty confident it's placed. In fact, I'm next on his list. Mine was ordered in March of 05.

The one I don't understand is the 4003 BBR still outstanding. Unless the dealer has a credit problem or something, I don't see how a BBR could be left with all the AFGs that have gone out. This pretty much destroys the First In First Out philosophy we've read.

Another frustration is all the different dates we hear from the factory. I know why, as a general rule, they avoid saying anything about production. We tend to get frustrated when they give a date (even something general, like "next year") and, for some reason or another, it doesn't get made. I've heard at least three different production dates for the CIIs and I still don't have one.

[jimk]

I can see the appeal of owning a brand-new instrument but I am always perfectly happy with a used guitar; I have 4 RICs and not one was bought new. Even the one I won last year at the SoCal wasn't new if I understood the story correctly. I won't wait for a guitar or a bass; I have to play it before I buy it (exception: the SnotGlo was bought on eBay simply because I wanted a white on white '77 4001. I got lucky with that one as the neck is super-slim and fast.). Imagine the disappointment (as a minimum) if you finally receive a long-awaited guitar only to find that the neck isn't comfortable or they've changed a feature to something you don't like or... I would be severely bummed.

New, or used, it wouldn't have made any difference in my case. I would still have had to save up the money for the same length of time. So the thought of me buying a Rickenbacker on the spur of the moment is just a pipe dream. Either that, or the stars would have to aligned in some never seen before configuration.

And I have no worries about some cosmetic detail not being exactly to my liking. For $2K I can learn to like a lot of things and get used to any guitar neck!

And while we're on the subject: I'm not at all worried about skinny neck guitars. I play skinny neck fiddles, skinny neck mandolins, skinny neck banjos, and fat neck acoustic guitars, sometimes one right after another in the same show. I can adjust.

JimK

[bassduke49]

At the time, I had waited about six months for a Montezuma Brown 4003, and expected about the same for the BBr Cii. What I hadn't counted on was that the 4004 series apparently is produced in such small numbers, in small batches, and with a lot of time in-between. I say "apparently" because that appears to be the practice over the last couple of years gauged on the RIC website "recently shipped" feature which I've watched fairly regularly looking for "my" shipment to show up. RIC is not likely to tell us production numbers on anything, but the backlog reduction effort goes mostly to the 330/360/4003 staples, the biggest piece of the pie.

Would I do it again? Well, I did order the 75th Anniversary DCM bass from the same dealer, and it came roughly seven months later. I'm sure the dealer made the order for the BBr, and I trust him. So, I wait . . . .

[jimk]

472 days, and still no sign of any 360 12 strings shipped

JimK

[ryan.jones]

i admire you folks' patience

[jimk]

Not much choice, Ryan. I'm committed........eh, maybe that's should be committed.

JimK

[stringsncords]

Jim, I feel for you, brother. It seems like every RIC dealer on the planet has gotten 360/6FG's lately, and the online distributor that I ordered mine from HASN'T!!! Sorry for screaming, but I can't HELP IT!!! It's time for my medication...

[jimk]

If you have any of those meds to spare, send some over to me, because I THINK I NEED 'EM!

JimK

[JakeK]

I'm currently saving up for a 1998 PT. It's my dream Ric, and I know it'll be a long shot to find one for just about or under $4k. I DO know that it'll be worth it in the end!

[stringsncords]

MY NEW GUITAR

I Wonder if My New Guitar

Is still a block of wood

Those Rickenbacker guys are cool

I know they'll make it good

John and Kenny, Eric, Ben

As Craftsmen, they're just fine

I hope I get My New Guitar

Before Two Thousand Nine