325C58's Going Cheap on eBay

[Ricara]

Recently the going price for 'C58's seems to have dropped off. There was a dead-mint Jetglo that went for $2025. Then a Mapleglo in great condition went for $1900 -- with only one bid!

There are still a bunch more for sale, all at higher prices that probably won't sell. There haven't been any C64's for a while. I suppose that they haven't shipped enough of them to start showing up on the used market.

Strange times....
Charlie

[Simmers08]

That Rickenbacker that went for $1900 did not appear in ebay's search when you input "Rickenbacker 325". Although that doesn't explain the jetglow one that went for $2025. It did show up in the search.

I bought the Rickenbacker 325V59 for $2,449 and it was only after that, where I actually saw the one for $1900 appear at the top. I was a little annoyed, but honestly, I am ok with it.

Here it is.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... AQ:US:1123

I paid a lot extra, but at least I don't have to deal with the Kaufmann vibrato.

I can't believe how much the price of RIC's has gone up. I bought my 350 new at a guitar store in 1999 for $1500 and that was expensive at the time.

Next up, the 325c64. I am keeping my eye on ebay. I think I may sell my 350. I never liked the long neck.

[Ricara]

Well, it looks like sanity is coming back. One of the Jetglo 'C58's with checking in the finish got a bid for $2600. Funny what a difference a week makes...

[Ricara]

I can't believe how much the price of RIC's has gone up. I bought my 350 new at a guitar store in 1999 for $1500 and that was expensive at the time.

Next up, the 325c64. I am keeping my eye on ebay.

It is pretty crazy how much the prices have gone up. But it's a double-edged sword. You probably paid $800 more for the 'V59 than it was new simply because the C series is so expensive. But when you go to sell your 350 you'll get more than you paid for it also.

I've been scouring for a 'C64 for a month and haven't seen a single one. When one pops up I hope I don't get in a bidding war with you! I've got a line on a 'V63. If that comes through then you'll have one less person to bid against on the 'C64!

[Ricara]

I bought the Rickenbacker 325V59 for $2,449

I forgot to mention that the guitar you bought was listed for $400 more the week before. So you got a pretty good deal anyway.

[Simmers08]

Here was a 325V63 with a python strap on ebay for $2,325 (with shipping). It was listed late last month. No bites. I am not sure why.
http://cgi.ebay.com/RICKENBACKER-325-JO ... 2c53371312

I was thinking of making him an offer on it, but I think I am ging to lay back and just wait for my V59 to arrive before I buy another one. Don't want to rush things. But I am keeping my eyes open and hopefully something will appear in the next month or two. We may end up in a bidding war.

I bought the Rickenbacker 325V59 for $2,449

I forgot to mention that the guitar you bought was listed for $400 more the week before. So you got a pretty good deal anyway.

Yeah, I think I paid a little much, but I don't think it rose to the level of being ripped off. I saw a guitar book that listed it between $1,900-$2,300, so it's not that bad.

I know I would turn a nice profit on the 350. It's still in great shape. I think the bottom line is that these guitars are great investments, so I am not that worried about paying a little extra for the V59.

[jingle_jangle]

I can't believe how much the price of RIC's has gone up. I bought my 350 new at a guitar store in 1999 for $1500 and that was expensive at the time.

Next up, the 325c64. I am keeping my eye on ebay.

It is pretty crazy how much the prices have gone up. But it's a double-edged sword. You probably paid $800 more for the 'V59 than it was new simply because the C series is so expensive.

Keep in mind that "expensive" is a personal opinion, and relative to what? Prices were increased a couple of years ago, behind the curve, to keep up with cost to produce.

Rickenbackers are (largely) hand-built and hand-finished, in the USA, using USA parts almost exclusively (the MADE IN USA stickers are made in China...) in a "boutique" factory, smaller than Fender's so-called "Custom Shop". Because of the pricing structure (cost + reasonable markup = dealer price), they remain the only true bargain there in a major-label American-made instrument.

[Simmers08]

I can't believe how much the price of RIC's has gone up. I bought my 350 new at a guitar store in 1999 for $1500 and that was expensive at the time.

Next up, the 325c64. I am keeping my eye on ebay.

It is pretty crazy how much the prices have gone up. But it's a double-edged sword. You probably paid $800 more for the 'V59 than it was new simply because the C series is so expensive.

Keep in mind that "expensive" is a personal opinion, and relative to what? Prices were increased a couple of years ago, behind the curve, to keep up with cost to produce.

Rickenbackers are (largely) hand-built and hand-finished, in the USA, using USA parts almost exclusively (the MADE IN USA stickers are made in China...) in a "boutique" factory, smaller than Fender's so-called "Custom Shop". Because of the pricing structure (cost + reasonable markup = dealer price), they remain the only true bargain there in a major-label American-made instrument.

That's funny that the USA stickers are made in China.

But I agree.

[Ricara]

the MADE IN USA stickers are made in China...)

How goofy is that? What did they save, $0.03 per guitar? It's not like a US-made sticker would have cost enough to affect the price of the guitar....

We're in a business manufacturing home stereo equipment. Some of our competitors end up getting expensive things like transformers, chassis, and circuit boards from Taiwan or China. Then they try to keep it secret. You can kind of understand that because it allows them to sell products for lower prices than their competitors.

But a $0.05 sticker? What were they thinking? Especially a "Made in USA" sticker...

Well I'm glad the rest of the guitars are made in the USA!

[jingle_jangle]

Easy, Charlie. I mean, I understand your point, but the irony is worth it, don'tcha think???

[admin]

Charles: I agree with Paul sentiments. The "sticker price" hardly seems worth the discussion here. Many companies that produce products choose to outsource and in this case it is about a piece of paper and with some adhesive on it. Don't you think that it is a bit of a stretch to consider a sticker as part of the instrument?

[Ricara]

I'm kind of a hard-*** on the "made in US" issue. As I said, I work for a company that makes home stereo equipment. It's very easy to save money by purchasing Chinese parts. But we go out of our way to hold the line. We're just a tiny company with a dozen-and-a-half employees. But we pay them all a livable wage, plus benefits that include health insurance. And whenever we can, we buy US-made parts. Luckily, it's not too hard to get the big (expensive) parts in the US. But there are a few parts that we have to get from overseas because they simply aren't available from US suppliers. Ever try to get a US-made remote control handset? Not possible. For our top line stuff, we make our own remote control from scratch in an extruded case (actually the case comes from Canada...). But for our less expensive stuff we buy remote controls through a small US company that buys from Korea and, lately, China.

I believe that manufacturing is the backbone of a country's economy. It's taking raw materials with low value, and turning them into a finished product of high value. There used to be thousands of workers in the Northeast that made footwear. There used to be thousands of workers in the Southeast that made clothing. It's all gone now. There probably used to be a sticker company somewhere with two dozen employees that is gone now too, because people are buying their stickers from China. Even the "Made in the USA" stickers. To me it's sad. I do what I can, which isn't much. I make sure that our company uses as much US content as possible. I try to buy US goods whenever I can. And I shed a tear whenever a company goes out of business because they were undercut by the Chinese.

China has an official policy of gaining power through domination of manufacturing. One blatant example of this was with neodymium magnets. Those are the super-powerful, super small magnets you may have seen:

http://www.rare-earth-magnets.com/

They were invented by GM and an Ohio university in the '80s and protected by patent. It quickly became a strategic asset, as they were the only magnets suitable for the guidance systems in "smart bombs". They are also used in high-end loudspeakers. Not so much for guitars, but a lot of PA systems use them as you can replace a 30 pound woofer with an 8 pound one. This helps tremendously for "flying arrays". Anyway, the technology and manufacturing was never supposed to leave the US. Then a "US" firm bought the patent. It turned out to be a front for a Chinese firm.

Soon China dominated the manufacturing of neodymium magnets. But they didn't stop there. There are only three places in the world that have neodymium mines -- California, Australia, and China. China started selling neodymium for below cost, and within a few years, the US and Australian mines were forced to close. Now that they have a monopoly, the prices have tripled and they have placed export restrictions on neodymium. The bottom line is that the Chinese government has a plan. They want to become the world's number one superpower -- and they are well on their way. At this rate, the US will end up as one of China's biggest customers -- and that is about it.

[jingle_jangle]

OK.

[jingle_jangle]

I'm sorry. Your well-thought-out comments deserve more than an answer than that.

Personally I find longish rants on the issue of a half-cent label with great humorous irony, to be sort of like killing a mosquito with a nuclear device.

The day that RIC, proudly American in their commitment, sources any major part of their manufacturing capacity to China, is when this sort of response deserved.

IMO, of course!

[Ricara]

You're right, of course. The main thing is that Ric keep buying their wood from US lumber mills, keeps building the guitars in-house, keeps using in-house spray booths (where the workers have protective equipment and the hazardous waste is disposed of properly). A cheap sticker is nothing. But honest to God, I would personally donate $100 to Ric to buy some US stickers, just to avoid any creeping tendency toward outsourcing. Heck, for $100 they could probably buy a five year supply.

I know, I'm nuts. Feel free to ignore this post.... (But I'm also trying to get up to 30 so that I can participate in the "Marketplace! )