kay rick-a-like

[timmy]

hi there,they say imitation is the sincerest form....blah blah...but i found these pics and thought u may like to see em...what a ugly bugger....what u all think? cheers Timmy

[paologregorio]

I've seen uglier, but that's pretty bad.

[timmy]

aye....even my first ever bass,a Grant 4001 copy was a looker compared to this un....anybody got any other horror pics of pseudo rics? thanks for reply as well,ur my first...did the earth move.....sure did .....

[timmy]

i got this one,a 330 bass copy...Shaftesbury...not bad tho

[bassassin]

aye....even my first ever bass,a Grant 4001 copy was a looker compared to this un....anybody got any other horror pics of pseudo rics? thanks for reply as well,ur my first...did the earth move.....sure did .....

I wouldn't really dignify the Kay thing by calling it a Rick copy - these were early 70s plywood, made-in-Taiwan mum's catalogue trash, and barely playable.

I've never seen a Grant 4001 copy but (assuming you're in the UK) Grant & Grantson were the 70s house brands of Grants music shop in Glasgow, sourced from several Japanese manufacturers & right across the board quality-wise. My first bass (in 1978!) was a Grant medium-scale Jazz-ish horror, but others were better. I have a bit of an interest in 70s Japcrap, and it's fair to say I've never seen a truly poor MIJ 4001 copy, so chances are your Grant was a good 'un!

Shaftesbury "360" basses (you've shown a guitar pic! ) were both from Japan, and Eko in Italy - it should be on the back of the headstock if yours is Italian.

BTW be aware a lot of folk on this board are a bit touchy on the subject of copies - the whole copyright/trademark thing is a massive thorn in the side for RIC.

Jon.

[timmy]

hi there bassasssin...yeah that one is a 6 string,yet shaftesbury did a 330 bass copy....i agree bout the thought of touchy/sensitive feeling toward copys...im not that fussed....i like weird/bizarre guitars....and if u know ur stuff copys are only that....a pale imitation...RICKENBACKER is the best...always.... same kind of feelin exists here in UK re vinyl/cd...ive seen people get real ruffled if theyve travelled a distance to a venue,only for the dj to play cd instead of scratchy vinyl.....u cant please all the people all the time....SO LONG AS ITS THERE i feel....maybe we could start a feature dedicated to copys of our beloved marque.....but then some may object.........thanks for reply,,call anytime cheers Tim

[jingle_jangle]

With all due respect, Tim, the comparison between the Rick/knockoff issue and the vinyl/CD issue is not really valid, one being a serious intellectual property situation, and the other one being a snobbery/personal preference situation with no legal aspects.], unless a venue is advertised as playing vinyl and ends up playing CDs.

[timmy]

hi there jinglejangle thanks 4 ur reply.....ur right of course...the two situations are not the same....i consider the matter closed...no more pics of ****** guitars then...... i have always wanted a real RICKENBACKER since i was a kid...having seen The Beatles/The Who with them....due to lack of money the only option was copys......untill 4 years ago i had the oppertunity to get my beloved 4001......i guess lots of guys here have plus 1 RICKENBACKERS,well ive only the one ....and i love her....[to quote a famous song]....thanks for your insight,and call again anytime.....BTW Liverpool is dull and overcast today....boo....bet the weathers better in CA.......Cheers Tim

[kiramdear]

Timmy, stick around and you'll see plenty of pix of the real McCoy, which are so much more appealing Doesn't matter how many ricks you have; all you need is love. Some folks like to post Particularly Horrendous Fake pix in "The Others" forum for everyone to have a giggle. And we play "Spot the Fakes on EBay" frequently for fun. The subject is squeamish but we get a little comic relief there. Yeah CA is having a hot one today, 100 F (34 C?) Cheers!

[leftyguitars]

100f = slightly under 38c.

[timmy]

awwwwwh man u make me jealous....the home of the beatles is still,muggy,and overcast....i know were id rather be...thanks for the com..its nice to know there are brothers the world over united by the lovesof there life....cool cheers stay in touch

[beatlefreak]

BTW be aware a lot of folk on this board are a bit touchy on the subject of copies - the whole copyright/trademark thing is a massive thorn in the side for RIC..

The reason so many are touchy, and the main reason it's a thorn in the side for RIC is bacause there's too many people out there taking Rick copies, slapping a RIC truss rod cover and tailpiece on them, then passing them off to unsuspecting buyers as the real thing - at high prices.

[bassassin]

BTW be aware a lot of folk on this board are a bit touchy on the subject of copies - the whole copyright/trademark thing is a massive thorn in the side for RIC..

The reason so many are touchy, and the main reason it's a thorn in the side for RIC is bacause there's too many people out there taking Rick copies, slapping a RIC truss rod cover and tailpiece on them, then passing them off to unsuspecting buyers as the real thing - at high prices.

This is a problem, but more for the unsuspecting & un-knowledgeable buyer than for RIC.

Rickenbacker's issue is the legal protection of their trademark, US trademark legislation requiring that RIC take visible action to protect their registered designs - if they do not, the designs pass into the public domain and RIC's exclusvie use of their trademarks is lost. This is both why there are comparatively few Rick copies being currently sold, but also why they have to take action to prevent the sale of second-hand vintage copies from the 1970s.

Fortunately from the Rick enthusiast's perspective, even the best copies are quite easy to tell from the real deal if you know your way around a Rick. The 70s Japanese factories weren't trying to make counterfeits, just affordable copies, so there are many ways of telling them apart.

J.

[timmy]

Aye......coupla years ago i tried to buy an aquaintences 4001....he wouldnt sell,so i eventually got my current 4001....jump forward a few years and we both using the same rehearsal room.one night i pull his 4001 out for a closer inspection....guess what,a wolf in sheeps clothing.....not a RICKENBACKER,but with nameplate.......u could tell straight away though,if u didnt then i take your point.....his 330 however was genuine.......cheers for comments,keep em coming....regards Tim

[johnallg]

Also a concern for RIC with the real TRC and Tailpieces on fakers is the unsuspecting thinking this is representative of the true RIC product. Not a favorable thing to have out there influencing people about your product when in fact it is NOT your product, but an inferior copy.