Have we become jaded?

[melibreits]

For the record, I know I would buy a "F" series guitar, so they would for sure sell at least 1.

I would be sorely tempted too.

Me, three. Right now I have more Rics than I need, but if Ric reissued an "F" series guitar, I would simply have to have one.... Those old "F"s are amazing.

[cassius987]

If RIC does unveil something new at NAMM I hope it really is something different (but I'm not saying that it would make the most business sense for RIC to do that, I'm saying it for my sake as a potential customer). What gets me are the vintage reissue models that are basically the same as the flagship models with minute differences, so that players could even mod a flagship model and get halfway to the novelty RI model. I hope the RI stuff goes by the wayside entirely, at least for a while. But maybe RIC is making a lot of money off of it--I have no idea. In that case it's likely to stick around.

What I absolutely love is how everything has gradually been streamlined and improved upon, including the way the instruments are produced en masse (check out the semi-recent Rickenbacker factory videos on YouTube if you haven't, they're fairly informative). What I think this guarantees us is that when RIC finally does have a chance to do something experimental again, they will have mastered how to do so with much more efficiently than in the past, using automation and other new techniques in the factory to ease the burden of doing something different.

I am quite convinced the backlog is smaller than it was two to three years ago, when it seemed to be its worst. Average prices have fallen by a few hundred bucks. Dealer inventory is way up at most of the dealers I follow (now typically 5-20 instruments in stock at most places as opposted to 0-1), and notably the big box franchises seem to have stuff in stock. RIC employed a number of people to automate many of the steps in the guitar-making process, and to expedite the finishing process with a superior finishing material. All this and the instruments are said to be getting better each year--you guys should see the "uninitiated" people on TalkBass brag about new 4003s when they try and even buy them (because they found them displayed in a store, see what this says about availability). I see many more positive reports on the build quality of new Rics lately too. I am very pleased to see this trend.

[Grey]

I don't think that RIC should come out with something new, just for the sake of having something new to present. Personally, i'm happy that they stick with a specific line and don't just re-release the same gear with minor changes over and over again and call it 'new'.

[fireglo67]

For me, the real magic of a Rickenbacker guitar is in playing it.

When I was in my teens, I used to wish that the "£5 charity shop" guitar that I was learning to play was a Rickenbacker, as all my musical heroes played them. I loved the sound, and in looks, no other guitar came even close to being so cool.

I never thought in a million years that I would ever be able to afford a real Rickenbacker, and I still remember the magic of the day I got my first one. I'd decided it was time to get something decent to play, so I'd saved up £300 to buy an Epiphone Casino. I went to the shop (with Claire, my future wife) and tried out the Epiphone they had. It was nice, certainly better than my first "charity shop" guitar, but I wasn't blown away by it. And it had taken me so long to save up the £300 that I really wasn't sure that I wanted to spend it on the Epiphone.
Claire said, "look they've got a Rickenbacker". Of course I'd already noticed the fireglo 330 hanging on the guitar shop wall, but I didn't even dare look at it, never mind play it. Claire said "why don't you try it?" The shop manager said "yes, we have a special deal on Rickenbackers, that one is only £695". I must have looked like I was about to cry, no way could I ever afford a £700 guitar, then Claire said, "if you want it, I'll buy it for you."
I tried it, loved it, bought it, took it home, opened the case, and just sat and looked at it for ages, I couldn't believe it was mine.

I now feel extremely fortunate in the fact that I now have 4 Rickenbacker guitars, and I still grin like an idiot whenever I open the case to play one, so the magic is definitely still there for me.
Yes, a re run of the F series, a factory produced acoustic, some new models or even just colours would be great, and would surely have this forum buzzing like a bee hive with Winnie the Poo outside, but at the moment I'm very happy and grateful for what I've got.

[jps]

Winnie the Poo

Winnie the Pooh, please! I'm not going to post a photo of poo!

[fireglo67]

Winnie the Poo

Winnie the Pooh, please! I'm not going to post a photo of poo!

Of all the mistakes to make.....

[winston]

This is my Winnie the Pooh. That's his knickname at least.

Winston (2010).

[jimk]

....The magic seems to be gone around here.

....except not for me. I've never lasted 3 years on an internet forum before. As far as my playing goes, had not been for the discovery that Rickenbacker guitars even exist, I wouldn't have plugged in at all. And I'm dreaming of the time when I can replace that Chinese Tele with a 330. Not that it's a bad, or inferior guitar, but it's no Rickenbacker.
Mostly it's the ring of that 12 string that just makes all the music I play on it sparkle.
JimK

[ajish4]

I bought my first Rickenbacker in 1966. It was a 1961 FG 375 OS. I bought my second one later that year. It was a 1964 FG 360/12 NS. .

Wow...I was like, 5 years old at that time.

[elreydlp]

....The magic seems to be gone around here.

....except not for me. I've never lasted 3 years on an internet forum before. As far as my playing goes, had not been for the discovery that Rickenbacker guitars even exist, I wouldn't have plugged in at all. And I'm dreaming of the time when I can replace that Chinese Tele with a 330. Not that it's a bad, or inferior guitar, but it's no Rickenbacker.
Mostly it's the ring of that 12 string that just makes all the music I play on it sparkle.
JimK

Oh Wow! this was "our song" at my wedding!

[cjj]

I bought my first Rickenbacker in 1966. It was a 1961 FG 375 OS. I bought my second one later that year. It was a 1964 FG 360/12 NS. .

Wow...I was like, 5 years old at that time.

Kids...

[jimk]

I bought my first Rickenbacker in 1966. It was a 1961 FG 375 OS. I bought my second one later that year. It was a 1964 FG 360/12 NS. .

Wow...I was like, 5 years old at that time.

Kids...

eh-yuh.
JimK

[s4001]

I'm pretty happy with the return to older features in the basses. Neck profile, FWI, etc. Close 'nuff to a 68 for me - oh, with superior finishing material.

[cassius987]

oh, with superior finishing material.

Sorry if I struck a nerve with you or something. But I'm really happy they switched from CV to poly-whatever-it-is.

[simer4001]

They do surprise us from time to time.

I remember the return to full width inlays. That seemed to come out of nowhere. The first few pictures posted here were very exciting (at least to me) and I remember the first time I saw them in person. I couldn't take my eyes off of them. Same with the thinner, more vintage style headstocks.

Excellent post. You are absolutely correct. Thanks for the reminder.