What's the future hold for the Rickenbacker company?

[RicukStu]

Sorry to hijack the thread somewhat but as a left handed Ric player, I've heard/read various conflicting statements regarding the current manufacture of left handed Rickenbackers. If John is still here and willing to give a us leftys a definitive answer to the question, are you still taking orders or manufacturing left handed Rickenbackers?

[cjj]

Well, Ben Hall, the production Manager at RIC said that they have Lefty 4003's scheduled for the first half of next year and plan on running other left hand models during 2011...

[rickenbrother]

Heaven's Complaint Department: My cloud's not fluffy enough. Is gold the only finish these harps come in? Can't I get one in jetglo? Where's all the cool people....?

I have no doubt that there are people who would find faults in Paradise!

If they don't have JetGlo then it ain't Paradise.

You got that right!

[cjj]

[nukebass]

The original poster mentioned something about innovation. This is probably something for a separate topic, but I wonder how much true innovation is left in guitar design. How much more can be done to the instrument itself that would be new and unique? There are always ways to improve production and efficiency (like the new UV coating RIC is using), but that doesn't change the basic instrument design. I figure most innovation is left in playing the instrument. In that light, I think it is unfair to criticize any guitar manufacturer for lack of innovation, especially when the manufacturer has a formula that works and the customer likes.

[Grey]

Honestly, I find it hilarious that people could complain about a lack of ingenuity or innovation, of all things, about Rickenbacker. Rick's are one of the few guitars that are completely and wholly distinct from other brands. A Rick dosen't look like anything else, it's just a Rick. They're no stranger to innovation either, like the converter models or slanted frets. Rather than being a gimmick they actaully tried to provide useful features a guitarist would want, even if they wern't terribly successful.

[johnallg]

FYI, in case it was buried in the noise, my dad's name was Francis. Unfortunately, many people got it confused with Frances which, quite naturally, wrankled him, hence the almost universal use of "F.C." since he was a child. Only a very few people called him Frank and he thought they were total idiots. Most everyone, including me in public called him "F.C.". Only my mom and his very best 85 year-long friend called him "Francis".

I caught that John, even before you pointed out the op's mistakes, your father's name being one of them.

[johnhall]

Of course, maybe that's a bit unfair since Rickenbacker is privately owned, though that just futhers the idea that the 'status quo' at Rickenbacker is making guitars, not making press confrences.

Gibson is privately owned as well but Henry has many more irons in the fire and other important matters to attend to.

[Grey]

Gibson is privately owned as well but Henry has many more irons in the fire and other important matters to attend to.

Shows what I know.

[jimk]

Of course, maybe that's a bit unfair since Rickenbacker is privately owned, though that just futhers the idea that the 'status quo' at Rickenbacker is making guitars, not making press confrences.

Gibson is privately owned as well but Henry has many more irons in the fire and other important matters to attend to.

Well now...........
JimK

[paologregorio]

"Continuous refinements and improvements."

.. . . .and more purchases from me as soon as I'm out of law school. I'm planning on a JG 360/12 C 63, and perhaps a JG 4003 bass to match.

[ram]

Although he doesn’t have to, I appreciate Mr. Hall’s participation here and his clarifications to some of the misbegotten notions expressed. I for one enjoy both web sites (I comment more here because it is a little chattier than the corporate site). I am looking forward to the corporate upgrades! If you don’t like the corp. site don’t go there or start your own (it’s real easy, ask Peter, hahahaha). If you don’t like the way the company is doing things start your own. Otherwise my credo is – I don’t tell Mr. Hall how to run his company and he doesn’t tell me how to play my basses… this has worked well for me since ’74.

[harley]

Although he doesn’t have to, I appreciate Mr. Hall’s participation here and his clarifications to some of the misbegotten notions expressed. I for one enjoy both web sites (I comment more here because it is a little chattier than the corporate site). I am looking forward to the corporate upgrades! If you don’t like the corp. site don’t go there or start your own (it’s real easy, ask Peter, hahahaha). If you don’t like the way the company is doing things start your own. Otherwise my credo is – I don’t tell Mr. Hall how to run his company and he doesn’t tell me how to play my basses… this has worked well for me since ’74.

Acknowledging the hi-jack, does John Hall play bass? If I owned the company, I'd have one of everything (two or more if I was going for specific colors) and I'd play it all, even if I couldn't play a lick.

My guess is, just from being around it all his life, John and the fellow Halls can probably play pretty well. Anyone know for sure (aside from the Hall family members)?

[cjj]

Yes, John Hall plays bass, and perhaps other instruments too. There are pictures on the RIC website of him in his band a long time ago, and still more with his current band, Hautewerk, here:

http://www.hautewerk.com/

Edit: Here's the older pic from the RIC site:
http://www.rickenbacker.com/gallery_ima ... _year=1960

[gareth]

There's a reason I've stuck with Rickenbackers through thick and thin over the last 30 years. It's precisely because they don't change much. It's vitally important to me that I can rely on the build, quality, construction and above all else, the sound.

You've only got to look at Gibson with their bewildering array of Les Paul models, 75% of which don't play or sound like Les Pauls to see where the madness of chasing the market leads. Actually, it leads to Guitar Center now that I think about it. One of the best decisions RIC ever made was to walk away from that crapfest.

RIC has been clever enough to make the market come to it either by accident or design. In return the players learn to put up with the idiosyncrasies in the company. Of course I'd like John to produce basses personally tailored to my taste, but I'm quite happy with the selection his family have produced in the last 75 years.