Shark teeth instead of shark fins !!

[epitreture]

I was delighted this past summer when I noticed that left handed Rick guitars and basses were being shipped with full length inlays that were also mirror image to right handed Ricks instead of being upside down as has always been the case. I'm happy to say I've managed to buy a new 360/6 from Chris at POTR and it should be here early next week. I guess I'm just wondering what brought about the change ? There's been a hold on left handed orders for a couple of years now due to the backorder situation and I realize that the guitars and basses being produced now were ordered some time ago. Still, I see this as a hopeful sign that RIC does plan to resume taking orders for left handers someday, otherwise why bother to start making left handed shark teeth instead of fins ? Opinions ?

[dustymurphy]

My sister's a southpaw and would like to get a 360/12 but the upside down inlays really turned her off, so I know of another Rickenbacker sale that's coming up if they keep up the new inlay style.

[beatlefreak]

I believe that public opinion has swayed RIC to produce the mirror image details on left handed instruments. The only thing not mirrored now is the R tailpiece. It has always been (AFAIK) RIC's intention to resume left handed production once the backorder situation is under control. The LH production is on hiatus rather than discontinued.

[jps]

I guess I'm just wondering what brought about the change ?

The method RIC uses now to make the inlays allows for the mirror imaging.

[Ric O'Sound]

The only thing not mirrored now is the R tailpiece.

I've often wondered what the actual costs would be to tool a proper lefthanded "R" tailpiece. When you consider the amount of lefthanded instruments that have been sold over the years, I'm sure the costs could be recouped within a reasonable amount of time. At least the lefty inlays are a start.

It has always been (AFAIK) RIC's intention to resume left handed production once the backorder situation is under control. The LH production is on hiatus rather than discontinued.

If there's anything good that could come out of the current economic crisis (and there isn't much good), it could be that the backlog at RIC starts to diminish. I think the used market will heat up due to people needing cash and the orders for new instruments may decrease. This might give RIC some breathing room to once again start producing the models that have been put on hold as well as left handed guitars. I'd like to see that happen for the sake of our southpaw friends.

[epitreture]

I think I read where JH said it would cost $20,000 to retool to produce left handed "R" tailpieces and so decided against it. BTW Daniel, that is the coolest avatar I have ever seen !

[Ric O'Sound]

I think I read where JH said it would cost $20,000 to retool to produce left handed "R" tailpieces and so decided against it.

Wow. That is kind of steep. I would have guessed maybe around half of that or a little more.

BTW Daniel, that is the coolest avatar I have ever seen !

Thanks It was sort of slow that day so I goofed around a bit in Photoshop. Glad you like it.

[johnhall]

I would guess that a new tool of this type would cost $50,000 today. Somehow I don't think most lefties would want to pay to amortize that!

Beyond that, I'm not sure how you could make it look right, as the R really doesn't lend itself to flipping or reorienting.

I'm not even going to touch the economic supposition.

[Memphis Blue]

I'm definately looking into trying to find a leftie trapeze type tailpiece for my 330LH and 360/12LH.
The ONLY complaint I have against Rics is when I go to change strings...I actually INVENT new cuss words and would rather chew glass with a rubbing alcohol chaser than change strings on the 12.

[deaconblues]

I'm definately looking into trying to find a leftie trapeze type tailpiece for my 330LH and 360/12LH.
The ONLY complaint I have against Rics is when I go to change strings...I actually INVENT new cuss words and would rather chew glass with a rubbing alcohol chaser than change strings on the 12.

It's not so bad if you change one at a time and use a capo or hold the string taut to keep tension.

[Ric O'Sound]

I would guess that a new tool of this type would cost $50,000 today. Somehow I don't think most lefties would want to pay to amortize that!
Beyond that, I'm not sure how you could make it look right, as the R really doesn't lend itself to flipping or reorienting.

I'd thought about the orientation, too. I was experimenting one day and tried to come up with a viable lefty "R" design. I think it turned out pretty good. I can show it to you if you're interested in seeing it...but then of course, the figure you quoted does seem rather prohibitive.

I'm not even going to touch the economic supposition.

Well, after going back and reading what I wrote, I see that it came out sounding a bit awkward. It's not like I'm wishing a pox on the company or anything. Heaven forbid. I was just thinking out loud...thinking that with your order books filled for the next 2 years or so, there'd be enough work at the factory to ride this thing out and keep everyone there in Santa Ana busy and employed until the upturn kicks in, at which point you might have caught up enough on orders to be able to reintroduce certain models.

I understand your reasons for suspending certain models and not doing lefty guitars right now and I'd like to think that at some point you'd want to start doing them all again. The "when" and "if" is obviously your decision. But I do, of course, hope that sales continue to be strong in spite of what all of us are going through right now.

[epitreture]

I'm definately looking into trying to find a leftie trapeze type tailpiece for my 330LH and 360/12LH.
The ONLY complaint I have against Rics is when I go to change strings...I actually INVENT new cuss words and would rather chew glass with a rubbing alcohol chaser than change strings on the 12.

I was lucky enough to get one from the boutique section of the RIC website a couple of years ago and put it on my 330. It really gives it that vintage vibe. Perhaps all left handed Ricks could come standard with trapeze tailpieces ? All that would have to be done would be to chrome the other side of the tailpiece. That shouldn't add any production costs. Just a thought.


http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd23 ... 222019.jpg

[jingle_jangle]

The whole trap IS chromed (not easy to selectively chrome plate only one side in a chemical bath...). It's just that the back isn't polished, it's raw metal.

[epitreture]

The whole trap IS chromed (not easy to selectively chrome plate only one side in a chemical bath...). It's just that the back isn't polished, it's raw metal.

I see. Well then, couldn't the other side be polished instead ? Again, that woudn't raise any production costs, would it ?

[jingle_jangle]

Based upon my limited knowledge of the RIC operation, it seems there would be three options. This would be to polish both sides of the trapeze, which would make 'em reversible, and raise costs somewhat, or polish them as rights/lefts, and stock two SKUs.

Stamping them out of stainless and polishing both sides is also a possibility.

The first seems plausible to me, and the second seems like a total PIA for a number of reasons. The third is also possible.