String buzz & high action

[BlueAngel]

Two misconceptions about Ricks...of course they use "proper drilling jigs", and their body, neck, and fretboard work are all CNC, with superb programming and through-put, done on American-made HAAS CNC machines of very recent vintage (The old Reichenbacher has finally been retired).

Paul, if that is so how do screw holes end up in the wrong place? I'm not talking about the routing or the fit of the major components, just the screw holes for attachment of the pickups and pickguards which are very often misaligned (bridge pickups seem especially common). To be accurate I haven't seen this on any VERY recent instrument yet though - so if these holes are now being drilled by the same machines too, that's great.

I also disagree about not airing problems in public. The truth is the truth, and it doesn't help anyone to hide it under the carpet. These issues are mostly minor, and easily fixed by professionals, but often give great concern to owners who don't know how to fix them or know that they ARE minor - which can then lead to the brand getting a bad reputation. Some of the 'rumors' about Rickenbacker QC are wrong, but some are right, and I find it annoying that every time something genuine is reported, the instant reaction by many in this community is to deny that it exists or try to blame the owner.

[JohnnyMarrFan]

I have an update...I contacted Rossetti, the sole UK distributors on Rickenbacker and the ones who the warranty lies with. They got back to me right away and said that they will have the guitar sent to their workshops and have their guitar technicians look at it, even if it is just in need of a setup then at least it will be done properly in this case. I'm very impressed with their swift reply and willingness to help me, hopefully all should be well soon

Wooly: That is amazingly kind of you, I would be very grateful if you could arrange that next time you visit I'll PM you later.

[jingle_jangle]

Nice to see that Rossetti have steped up to the plate (wicket????)

Jeez, I could say that it sounds like a "wicket" solution, but I won't.

Bob and John, all things being (theoretically) equal, I'd agree with you. But have you noticed a phenom in which the disgruntled are much more likely to voice their negative viewpoints, while the satisfied often do not say anything? Try to recall how many threads have unravelled and have had to be ditched once the negatives got out of hand. With the advent of the Web, and "Instant Opinion", we also have "Instant Reputation Going South". It's human nature to remember and be fascinated by trash talk, if only to speculate whether it's true.

When I was figuring out which new Rick I would buy for my first one, back in 12/04, I read everything I could find a link to, and uncovered (it's not hard) some naaasty attitudes and folks that really had an axe to grind. My own BS detector switched on, and, taking these incidents and reading between the lines, I could see some personal vendettas being aired, and let them slide. In no way did they cause me the slightest hesitation when I purchased two TOL Rick electrics within the next two weeks.

Some of these hate posts are still online, obsolete in their statements but no less bitter in their bile, 3 1/2 years after I read them, and a full five years + since they were written.

[BlueAngel]

I completely agree, but that's another reason why it's a good thing to have an honest, rational discussion of the real issues that do exist - otherwise all you get is a mix of exaggerated 'anti' rumors on one side vs. brand enthusiasts denying that any problems exist at all on the other - which actually makes it more likely that a potential buyer will be put off, I think. And anyone who already has an instrument which they KNOW has an issue is then obviously more likely to believe the 'antis' - especially if enthusiasts post things to the effect that it must be something the owner has done.

Most of the problems and mistakes that do occur are small - although they don't always seem that way to someone who's just bought an expensive new guitar and finds it's less than perfect - and while it would be best if the company didn't make them in the first place, since they do I think it's better to help educate owners in how to deal with them, even if that means taking it to a professional but knowing that the work will be minor.

I still think that part of the problem is the belief that because RIC is a small company which uses more hand work than many of its competitors, that this somehow guarantees perfection. In fact, the vast majority (possibly all, but I can't remember for certain) of all the problems I've seen on Rickenbackers come from the parts of the assembly and set-up that are done by hand. If anything, the company should be making much more capital out of the new machine tools, but CNC seems some sort of dirty word in the world of guitars. I really don't know where this idea that machines are inferior came from - every highly-engineered product we take for granted in the modern world can only exist because of machine tooling and mass production... if hand-made was really better we'd still be in the 18th Century.

[JohnnyMarrFan]

Hey all,

Just to update: the guitar was sent to Rosetti for repair/ setup and came back with a note saying it had been repaired. All they have done is wound the bridge up to it's maximum height so the action is at it's highest but the buzz is...less so than it was but still present. I agree with someone's earlier post outlining the low- profile frets as part of the problem, but when the buzz comes through an amp loud and clear under clean settings that small problem becomes a fatal flaw to me. You shouldn't have to make a compromise between massive amounts of fret buzz vs. super high action and I think I'm going to sell the guitar now. I mentioned before that I wasn't put off buying Rickenbacker, but that was when I thought the problems could be fixed, now I know that they a fundamental part of owning a Rickenbacker I will most likely not buy one again.

This isn't a hate- filled post, I don't feel particularly upset at this, I just feel that Rickenbacker are scared of changing the design of the guitar because die- hard fans would cause an uproar. In the end, I have discovered that Rickenbacker guitars are not for me, even though I have wanted one for many years, the truth couldn't live up to legacy of the brand.

Steve.

[BlueAngel]

Hey Steve, try not to be put off the brand! They ARE still great guitars.

You've been unlucky and got one with a slight problem - it's certainly fixable by a competent repairer or luthier and probably won't cost that much. Unfortunately I pretty much guessed what would happen when it was 'repaired' under warranty, although I didn't want to prejudice you by saying so first. I've come across this sort of thing from distributors too many times - either they just don't want to know or they don't employ repairers who know or care enough, I'm not sure which. I don't know why they don't, but frankly most of the larger distributors in this country can only get away with the ****** service they provide because they are in monopoly situations courtesy of the manufacturers. This doesn't mean that the fault can't be fixed.

If you do still want to keep it, find a good independent repairer and have it done properly - it will cost you a little, although from your description I'm guessing not that much, and you will then have the guitar you've always wanted and which it should have been in the first place...