4000 series bridge/tailpiece piracy

espidog · Post by **espidog** » Thu May 21, 2009 10:52 am

When I first saw this on eBay, I thought it was a genuine RIC 4000 series tailpiece, but the shiny chrome saddles give it away. This has got to be piracy, hasn't it?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BASS-BRIDGE-TAILP ... 0204115542

There's an eBay dealer in the UK doing them as well:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tailpiece-to-fit- ... 0200857397

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Fri May 22, 2009 12:36 am

Ken - Allparts:

http://www.allparts.com/store/bass-brid ... roduct.asp

espidog · Post by **espidog** » Fri May 22, 2009 2:03 am

Ta, John. Interesting: I'm just getting up to speed on this. Does this mean that these dealers are selling an officially licensed RIC 'copy' part? I mean, I know we've been able to get replica pickguards for ages, but let's face it: they're just flat bits of plastic that have no effect on the intrument's tone or structural integrity. I'd have thought that the 4000 series bridge was a unique and distinctive piece of RIC hardware, and thus knocking off fake copies must be lawsuit-worthy.

Just wond'rin...

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Fri May 22, 2009 2:21 am

You can bet these are unlicensed; if they were, we'd see 'em crowing about it, and they wouldn't have to give away polishing cloths just to be able to get "Rickenbacker" into the listing title.

Also note that, although one dealer is in the USA, both listings are in the UK, where it's tougher for RIC legal to end the listing.

Scams like this really toast my Wheaties...

flying junk · Post by **flying junk** » Fri May 22, 2009 2:34 am

Ric legal are quite hot on stopping the auctions for bass & guitar copies, and they even objected to the Hipshot bridges that shared only the footprint of the original, so I wonder why they let these be? I foolishly tried to sell a Ric copy on eBay UK once (it was a few years ago, I didn't know, etc etc) and they stopped THAT quickly enough!

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Fri May 22, 2009 3:01 am

Steve, refer to my second paragraph (above)...

espidog · Post by **espidog** » Fri May 22, 2009 3:54 am

Paul, I'm afraid to say that the first one I listed is for sale on US ebay as well:

http://cgi.ebay.com/BASS-BRIDGE-TAILPIE ... 0204958469

rickinroma · Post by **rickinroma** » Fri May 22, 2009 6:53 am

it would be interesting to find out if they produce/sell the vintage style bridge/tailpiece as well...

Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

4000 series bridge/tailpiece piracy

4000 series bridge/tailpiece piracy

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