That tail piece is remarkably similar to... umm, what's that rogue guitar company name????
YIKES
[edited....]
As a curious note, doing a little domain checking. the apparent domain name owner of "cooldiscountinstruments" uses an @cirruscirrus.com address. www.cirruscirrus.com .... yeah ,, check the left menu ....
Does anything say "cheap" more blatantly that one of those speghetti style tailpieces these days? It used to be an elegant tailpiece found on high end archtops, but no more.
The real problems doesn't necessarily have to be in dealing with "knock off guitars." Any person who chooses to purchase any copy guitar will usually learn to love it...drive and desire does that to one's senses. After extensive reading upon first admission into this post topic, I discovered the real problem is with the online site "ioffer.com." It is apparently ripe with difficulty and dissatisfaction. It's not just the spider's visible web that is dangerous, it's the spiders pounce and sting that harms you. Ioffer.com may be that sting. If I've interpreted my findings incorrectly, and ioffer is a valid site, I will gladly stand corrected.
it's like a knock off is a knock off. there are plenty of knock offs of every other guitar, so i guess why not Rics. heck it would probably increase the popularity. But it isn't the real thing and we all know that. having said that, does anyone remember the Guilds solid bodies that looked Exactly like Gibson SG's. I saw one Saturday and would much rather have the Guild myself
wooly wrote:How is the truss rod cover fake in the first picture?
How is the Schechter a knock-off?
I could tell you in detail re: the TRC, but it would give counterfeiters a list of everything that's wrong with it (I've got one here, and it's not real close once you look at it carefully).
Schecter and a couple of dozen others in the last decade or two have taken Rick styling cues--which you've got to admit are unique and quite recognizable--and tacked them onto their otherwise pedestrian designs to evoke Rick's style and possibly pry sales away from RIC. Deusenberg is another that comes to mind that's currently in production, though it could be argued that their "slash" soundhole is derived from earlier German arch top instruments.
Some of these visual cues had been used before Rick incorporated them, others are unique to Rick and thus trademark-protected.
be cool if Ric could make a cheaper priced US made solid body for the Po folks. Not saying completely devalue the product, but some decent axes around 550 or 650 bucks couldn't hurt. Maybe a solid boby 350 lookin thing with a bolt on neck and dots with an old school 50's head stock? couldn't the profit margins be kept around the same?
The Rick bolt necks were never big sellers, and any new products right now are probably not in the cards because of the backlog. But I personally don't see any "budget" Ricks happening anytime soon.
Mr. Jones,
I have two Italias, actually four, but two of the Riminis, pre-2008. They are shaped almost identical to the Ric 360, but weigh much less. Mine are equipped with P90s, not the newer mini-buckers, and I can tell you from experience, these guitars are of high quality for budget guitars. In fact, they don't produce music like budget guitars at all. The chime and gorgeous song is in the Trev Wilkinson pickups. The man knows how to produce...
Mr. Fitz,
Your sentiments are welcome in my book, but I don't agree. How could I? I've spent hard-earned cash several times. Obviously, these axes charmed me off my high-horse. You my friend, might change your mind if you ever played one...but who knows. Good stuff brothers...the natives have spoken!
Addendum: Reiterating from a previous post, photos coming...photos, that is, of my '88 Goldenglo 330!
The chinese company Musoland makes the most awfull copies you can get, they even call them rickenbacker!
Unfortunately RIC is not the only brand they copy, also Gretsch, Gibson, Fender, Epiphone and even Tokai! http://www.musoland.com.cn/classbrand.asp?LarCode=23
The UK Indie brand guitars are actually pretty good, well crafted guitars. They just don't play or sound like a real RIC.
There's a very convincing looking Rick 330 copy under the Greco name up on Ebay right now. If you weren't highly educated on real Ricks like we are here, you might be fooled.
