Rickenbacker Factory in France

[Rockin' James]

Limited Edition Guitars being built in France? Looks pretty nice for a small custom shop. I didn't know John Hall was spreading out to other countries.
http://williamyoungguitars.com/guitarsivemade.htm

[johnhall]

Our IP lawyers were in Europe last week, working with their European colleagues over there to arrange a little surprise for this guy and a few others in the U.K. and Germany.

[rickinroma]

they seem to be pretty accurate and well made...
for those who are after a (not likely) reissue of the 4005 by RIC, a good idea would be to contact them LOL

however, I could not really imagine somebody being so stupid to recreate exact copies, including TRC with the trademark name written on it, and naively publish everything well illustrated and documented into a webpage without expecting any action by RIC...

[Rockin' James]

Our IP lawyers were in Europe last week, working with their European colleagues over there to arrange a little surprise for this guy and a few others in the U.K. and Germany.

Thank you for your reply. I really couldn't believe that RIC would allow a small shop like this in France. But what I don't understand is why this person advertizes, builds and sells these copies, which look incredibly nice, to the general public.
I'm a lefty and I would love to own a lefty 4005, which none to my knowledge were ever built, so this leaves me dreaming about having one built. Of course I'd appreciate having the USA factory make one but I don't know if that will ever happen.
Until then I'll keep om dreaming.

[jingle_jangle]

There is at least one lefty 4005...but it's a six-string, so I don't suppose you'd be interested...



This luthier is pretty talented, and also amazingly ignorant. That he could expend so much time and effort on so many instruments, and never once consider that there would be IP issues, boggles the mind. If the story on his home page is true, however, he has a history of impulsive behavior:

"I'm an American who used to live in this 9th century castle among the rolling vineyards in the southwest of France. I was recently booted out for having the place remodeled to resemble a '50s diner while the owners were away. I'm in need of proper housing, so any work you could give me would be greatly appreciated. "

He did WHAAAT?

[scotty]

The 360F is quite sexy i have to say....

[wim]

I've always thought the checkerboard binding offered on some Ricks looked great. I called RIC and was told they wouldn't sell that binding material to the public. I found a few online sites that sold similar material but I didn't like the idea of having a seam atop the checkerboard where a second layer of white binding would be applied. I wanted a single, thick run all the way around the body with the checkerboard against the guitar. The only way to do that would be to cut every slot myself and insert black binding by hand. I took a deep breath and then went at it. After exhaling, I had cut and inserted over 400 tiny squares of black plastic binding into the white.

Patience he has.
He's quite good at what he does, although he'd better spend his time building other stuff.
I can understand he copies a rare fifties model, but a 620???

[jingle_jangle]

That whole checkerboard thing just makes little sense, except to a masochist. All this to avoid a nearly-invisible seam between the CB and outer binding?

The end result gives up a lot of accuracy and the visual regularity of precision-made checkerboard binding, for a disturbing irregularity that makes me squint at my computer screen. It would have taken him a lot less time to investigate sources and write a check for a few bucks' worth of CB.

[ozover50]

Mon Dieu!!

[xpitt]

Maybe he should move to Orange County to help reduce the backlog there

[jingle_jangle]

Maybe he should move to Orange County to help reduce the backlog there

I dunno--hand-fabricating CB binding would probably have the opposite effect...

[Danotron]

Well, I clicked on the link to have a look............................................... page not available

[weemac]

Well, I clicked on the link to have a look............................................... page not available

It looks like JH's lawers went in there with guns blazing!

Eden.

[johnnysain]

To have that much skill to go with zero creativity/imagination boggles my mind.......

[bartyclue]

It is heartwarming to know that RIC is so protective, and diligent in their protection of their product. Not only are they protecting their brand but they are also protecting the legitimacy of our axes, on which I have spent considerable sums of money. I think it behooves everyone on this forum to report any counterfeits wherever they may find them. I feel the same way about any email spoofs that ususally try to represent legitimate financial institutions. I always forward them to spoof@ebay,paypal,insertyourbanknamehere.com etc.