Case not under warranty

[britinvasion]

Thats too bad you had this experience. Did you attempt to get the dealer from whom you purchased it from involved? Maybe they would do a swap or go to bat for you with the factory. I am surprised to hear the customer service person wasn't very nice. I personally have never had a reason to contact them , but was under the impression they are usually very helpful. Good luck with finding a solution!

[grazioso]

2 of the 3 cases that came with my recent string of Rick purchases have had the bottom where the feet are crack and split. The one my old bassplayer got in 2001 had a big hole punched in it when we arrived in europe. He had bought the 4003 days before we flew. I rarely take mine out, am the only one who touches them, and baby the cases. I find the quality of these cases to be less than desirable, and am left with buying expensive aftermarket flight cases if I want a well constructed case.

I'm sure many of you have had a more positive experience with these cases, and my hat is off to you. I wish I could jump on the old bandwagon here and praise these cases, but I feel that they are nowhere near worthy of the instruments they "protect".

skb are not flight cases ...they are more of a boot case so your stuff wouldn't get bumped around in the trunk. taking that skb as check in is just asking for trouble. i think that any dealer who is selling them for big $ should be punished....yes i would rather have that old black tolex as standard equipment for all ric guitars including vintage series since those new silver cases are imho about as weak as those plastic skb. g&g makes quite decent tolex cases that fit most of ric solidbodies.... the only plastic case i ever had that was really good was hiscox that came with some gibson i once had but i don't think they make them for ric.

[kiramdear]

skb are not flight cases ...they are more of a boot case so your stuff wouldn't get bumped around in the trunk. taking that skb as check in is just asking for trouble. i think that any dealer who is selling them for big $ should be punished....yes i would rather have that old black tolex as standard equipment for all ric guitars

I have one of each of those cases and I wouldn't argue with this assessment at all. The SKB seals up nicely but is not really tough. I could easily bust one up with a hammer. It stays looking nice but I would trust the black case more so in case of hammer attack or airline handling, absolutely. I would strap up either one securely before check-in, however

is there anything that will stick to that plastic material, no cement that will repair it?

[jingle_jangle]

Hi Jim.

A friend of mine is a panel beater, and plastic "welding" is commonly used in the automotive industry to repair cracked bumper bars and internal trim. He's even repaired the cracks on helicopter bodies so it must be structurally sound. Maybe you could ask a local repair shop if they can help.

Since the cases are thermoplastic (ABS, I reckon), plastic welding can be used to repair this one. As for the aesthetics of the repair, though, don't expect much. It'll rival Frankenstein's stitches for beauty.

[scoobster28]

I have frequently said that they should take the interior custom-fit foam from the SKB case and stick it in the outer wooden-tolex vintage case. Then, you would have a retro looking, durable, and custom-fit case!

[gibsonlp]

I too, have a problem with a brand new SKB case.
A year ago I have purchased a brand new 4003FL BBR.
The case is deformed, what I mean is that the metal parts that meet when the case is being closed are twisted a little bit and it looks really ******.
When I hold it and walk around - there is an annoying noise coming from the plastic area that holds the handle - it expands back and forth (It is visible) and makes a noise of a plastic under tremendous torque (I guess it will simply break eventually although no crack is visible anywhere).
Since I bought it in the UK - I was pretty much out of luck as Rickenbacker asked me to contact their importers in the UK - and they never got back to my emails so I decided to simply live with it...

I have 2 other SKB cases - 1 the came with my 660 DCM and the one that came with my 4003 over 10 years ago, they are both fine so I don't know what happened to my bass case (maybe it was at the bottom of the pile and got squashed from the pressure??

[scoobster28]

When I received my first guitar (Peavey Reactor), I ordered a molded case from Peavey for it. When they shipped me the case, the top piece was installed backwards do that the headstock was on the left for the bottom half and on the right for the top half. Made for an interesting picture. Anyways, they made quick work of getting me a new one!

[Janglyman]

It seems to me that the case cost was included in the price of the guitar. If the case was part of the sale, then Rick has an obligation to provide one that is not defective. I think they should replace the case as a gesture of good will to its customer, if for no other reason than it's good PR. Wouldn't you rather tell us all about how well you were treated, rather than about how poorly? The customer's always right, right? If you didn't get 100% of what you bargained for, I think you should complain.

Having said all that, since you've now altered the case by putting glue on it, you've made it worse. It's not in the same condition as when you received it.

Can you tell that my day job is a lawyer?

I only jangle at night.

Janglyman

[nukebass]

I can't say I'm impressed at all with the SKB Rick cases, especially since they sell for $250. Both of my 4000 series cases have issues. They aren't huge issues, but the vintage case I bought for my 4001 back in '01 has held up better and is older. The case with my DCM has the twist on the front where the metal panels don't line up, making it harder than it should be to close. The case I just got with my 4004 seems "sprung." The top doesn't come down even with the bottom and you have to force the whole lid into position to get it to close. The 650s I have sit loosely in the "form fitted" case. There was a post not too long ago about how one got a big headstock ding from the case. I also don't like the latch or metal surround design. These seem like invitations to scratch the guitar when putting it away.

The new Fender cases look really good, but I haven't seen one in person to be able to compare.

In RIC's defense, the warranty doesn't mention anything about the case. I don't buy that the case is thrown in "for free," since that would be stupid economically. The instrument includes the cost of the case, even if it isn't covered by the same warranty.

[bails]

I take it both the US and California don't have a 'fit for purpose' section in their 'Trade Practises' or 'Sale of Goods' Acts. These would outline legal obligations that all sellers must conform to, regardless of manufacturers' warranties. In Australia, under the 'Sale of Goods' Act, it is the responsibility of the seller, "whether the seller be the manufacturer or not" to abide by the Act, which in this case is the dealer, not RIC.

As far as free cases go - If you thought, or were told, you were getting a case, then it would be part of the sale. Even if the sales docket had the wording "including unwarrantied, free case", it would still be equally covered by the Act as it forms part of the 'description' of sale. It surprises me that the US does not have similar laws.

"18. Sale by description

Where there is a contract for the sale of goods by description, there is an implied condition that the goods shall correspond with the description..." [Sale of Goods Act 1923 (NSW), Sect 18]

"19. Implied condition as to quality or fitness

Subject to the provisions of this Act, and of any statute in that behalf, there is no implied warranty or condition as to the quality or fitness for any particular purpose of goods supplied under a contract of sale, except as follows:...

...(2) Where goods are bought by description from a seller who deals in goods of that description (whether the seller be the manufacturer or not), there is an implied condition that the goods shall be of merchantable quality" [Sale of Goods Act 1923 (NSW), Sect 19]

[gibsonlp]

Same here, in Israel there is no way to sell something without warranty, the minimum is 1 year (2 years for cars).

[beatlefreak]

Cars are that bad, eh?

[gibsonlp]

No Israeli made cars, this law applies for imported cars

[Janglyman]

I have one more question. Did you buy this guitar direct from Ric or from a dealer? If it's a dealer, perhaps the fault lies with the dealer you purchased from rather than Ric. I didn't know that Ric uses SKB cases now, since mine are ancient. I've never had a problem with an SKB case, though.

Janglyman