Rickenbacker's botique won't let me buy spare parts :(

[gibsonlp]

Hey guys,
I need to purchase 4 new saddles for 4001, unfortunately Rickenbacker's boutique won't let me buy them as I live in Israel
Any suggestions?
Anyone from RIC willing to help?

[paologregorio]

Are the 4001 saddles the same as the saddles for the 4003?

This is the 4003 bridge saddle: http://www.rickenbacker.com/cart.asp?vi ... ry=Bridges

[gibsonlp]

Should be AFAIK, the problem is that they let only north Americans to buy from the boutique

[heinpete]

Are the 4001 saddles the same as the saddles for the 4003?

This is the 4003 bridge saddle: http://www.rickenbacker.com/cart.asp?vi ... ry=Bridges

Be aware that the 4001 saddles are slightly different to the 4003 saddles. So if you use the 4003 saddles they need some fitting below where they are sliding in the bridge.

[ilan]

Chris Clayton has bridges for $85:

http://www.pickofthericks.com/store_pot ... 84910.html

Also Mike Parks has them for $75:

http://www.the-music-connection.com/ricpart.htm#bridges

[berth]

Chris Clayton has bridges for $85:

http://www.pickofthericks.com/store_pot ... 84910.html

Also Mike Parks has them for $75:

http://www.the-music-connection.com/ricpart.htm#bridges

They both are not allowed to ship abroad also unfortunately. Or has this changed?

[rickinroma]

this is simply ridicolous, considering that the official importers do not have in catalogue any original spareparts except for the straps, strings and....probably nothing else

Gil, I may suggest you to contact the official importer in Israel, directly or through your favourite dealer, and ask if they can order the parts you need from RIC

they're probably able to fulfil additional orders for items not usually imported, like pickups, bridges, screws, etc

[ken_j]

Ship them to Milford then to Israel.

[paologregorio]

Find out exactly what you need and what/where you want to buy the saddles from, then post again; if you're not able to buy them from a source directly, someone living here in the U.S. will most likely be willing to order the part have it shipped to their place, then re-ship it to you.

[ilan]

I may suggest you to contact the official importer in Israel

There is no authorized RIC dealer in Israel in the last 10 years or so. It's mostly eBay for us.

[gibsonlp]

Thanks guys,
Peter: I didn't know that, I was told they are the same, I guess I'll just get the entire bridge then, thanks for the tip!
Ilan: Thanks, I'll buy it from Mike Parks.
Bert: AFAIK it is now allowed to sent out spare parts.
Francesco: No official importer in Israel for many years now
Ken: I can't order it, I need to ask my inlaws to do it as I can't state an international billing address as well I am not going to bother them with it...
Paul: Thanks, I just think it's a shame I can't order the parts directly from RIC and I have to harass someone in order to get spare parts for my RICs.

Thanks again.

[berth]

Bert: AFAIK it is now allowed to sent out spare parts.

Just Israel because there is no distributor, or also the rest of the world?

[gibsonlp]

http://www.rickenbacker.com/news_item.asp?news_id=27

[aceonbass]

None of the new RIC 4000 series saddles fit the bridges properly, and that includes the ones found on NEW basses. They sit above the bridge at least 1mm and wobble like Weebles. I spend considerable time making them fit my customers basses when I replace them and re-slot them for 8-string conversions. The quick fix (sort of) is to redrill the holes in the front and back of the bridge where the saddle adjustment screws go through oversize. This allows the saddles to sit a bit lower under string pressure, but not always all the way.

[ilan]

There must be a mistake here. I don't see the logic. I fully understand why RIC will not sell directly to customers in non-US countries that have authorized RIC dealers - they protect their business partners. But in a country without RIC dealers, it doesn't make sense to me why we shouldn't be able to order replacement bridge saddles.

Gil, I'm sure if you call customer service, this could be straightened out pretty easily.