Have we become jaded?

[weemac]

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.

I'm more of a bass man than a guitar player but a Rickenbacker guitar with a Jazz bent (meaning an "F") would get me saving.....

Eden.

[electrofaro]

What I think this guarantees us is that when RIC finally does have a chance to do something experimental again

Would make more sense to experiment on one-offs instead of having something limited, which takes up lots of time and resources.

[shamustwin]

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.

Yep, the return to full inlays caused me to buy two new 360's.

[deaconblues]

Interesting thread.

Give props to Ric - they have been steadily improving the main line in recent years. Walnut headstock wings, FWIs, better finishes - especially FG, the vintage tone circuit, etc. That's been kind of cool to watch - I feel like the standard Rics are getting close to darn near perfect. And every so often there's a really cool one-off to gawk over.

However, I think the lack of any major projects and really exciting releases (for what, a decade now?) has kind of killed the fun around here. True, it's cool to see that someone new to Ricks found a great 330 or 4003, but the reason a lot of us check in here is because we like the really exotic, unique models - the stuff Rickenbacker used to be known for. Take a look sometime at the catalogs on the Ric site from the '60s until now. The variety of models, colors, and options available until about the year 2000 was staggering. Especially recently, it's been mostly discontinuation and disappointment - the COYs, the C series, etc.

Like it or not, IMO the backlog has caused some friction here, especially with new members, and - again JMO - has caused this forum to get a bit rule-heavy compared to the old days.

I'm really not trying to get down on Ric here or anyone on the forum...I know everyone's trying their best. The situation's just been frustrating for a very, very long time.

[paologregorio]

It makes for interesting Restoration and Custom Mod thread topics though.

[simer4001]

It makes for interesting Restoration and Custom Mod thread topics though.

Absolutely!!!

[wints]

It's no surprise to see all the vintage appointments come back to current RIC models, especially the 400* basses.

The arrival of a vintage market over the last decade has defined this instrument, specifically with the pre 73 appointments, and is certainly one of the factors in why and where current RIC production is today. This forum can take some credit too, where a decade of very broad, public debate and output has given RIC constant feedback on product.

The new stuff is very good, no question, but for many, old school, is still the only way to go...

[stringsncords]

Something...Anything...NEW would certainly give the Rickenbacker enthusiasts some much-needed "juice".

A new COY would be great, a domestic release of one (or all) of the recent models to the Asian market would be fantastic, and a totally new model may get everyone talking again...

Let's hope that something is brewing in Santa Ana; Although the company is obviously doing fine, status quo just isn't very exciting.

[electrofaro]

A new COY would be great

Of all options, COY would actually be the one that could least mess up with getting rid of any remaining back-log.

I'm all for Autumnglo

[robbo63]

When the 650 Dakota and Sierra were discontinued, I thought there were hints that something else was in the works. But a year passed, and then another, and I guess I misread what I thought were clues.

[JakeK]

After John Hall announced last year that there was nothing new then, I haven't really got my hopes up. Considering it's 80 years of Ric (am I right? Anyone?), I'd like to believe there'd be something new. But with the backlog, I THINK the goal for the next couple of years is to try and reduce the backlog. The only thing that would spark my interest is a 360/12C65 in mapleglo or a reissue of the 1993/12, similar to the limited production of 6 back in '87. The 1993 gets announced, you better bet your life my 360/12V64 would be up for sale (but if the chance ANY form of a 1993/12 reissue came up for sale, it's "bye-bye, V64!")

But all joking aside, I think we should respect Ric for trying to catch their backlog up. Something new comes out, great! If there's nothing, there's always the day JH decides to announce something.

And also, who remembers in April '08 when out of the blue, Ric started doing new inlays on all guitars, upgrading the modern deluxe models to full-width for the first time since '73?

[rickenbrother]

Like it or not, IMO the backlog has caused some friction here, especially with new members, and - again JMO - has caused this forum to get a bit rule-heavy compared to the old days.

I'm really not trying to get down on Ric here or anyone on the forum...I know everyone's trying their best. The situation's just been frustrating for a very, very long time.

It's not just your opinion, Dan. Rules of any function or organization are going to become more strictly enforced, the more people choose not to respect them. In the old days, Peter moderated the forum himself. This forum has become much too large for any single person to moderate themselves, so additional moderators were added.
This thread itself really rides on the edge of being disrespectful to RIC.

[libratune]

This was RIC's press release, issued almost two years ago, when they discontinued certain models:

"We will cease taking orders for the following models following the end of the NAMM 2009 tradeshow on January 18th, 2009: 325C58, 4001C64, 4001C64S

This change is due to the factory already working at 100% capacity, combined with a plan to offer some additional products which might be considered to overlap with these models."

I believe at the time there was some speculation as to what the "plan to offer some additional models" was going to be. The plan may still be in the works, who knows?

I think RIC has done a great job in improving product quality and consistency over the last few years. I'm not really concerned about new models or finish colors. There's a really good variety out there now, with the current models and the pre-owned discontinued ones, many examples of which are in nice shape. IMO there's not really a need for another new model, it's just that up through 2008 or so, we were accustomed to seeing new stuff every once in awhile.

Further, certain folks, understandably, would like to see reissues of some of the more obscure and hard-to-get models of the past (360F, Capri, 4005, etc.). I don't see those particular models being reissued, but I also don't think we've seen the end of reissues or new models. It's all a matter of what fits into RIC's business plan.

[Ric_MEL]

Like it or not, IMO the backlog has caused some friction here, especially with new members, and - again JMO - has caused this forum to get a bit rule-heavy compared to the old days.

I'm really not trying to get down on Ric here or anyone on the forum...I know everyone's trying their best. The situation's just been frustrating for a very, very long time.

It's not just your opinion, Dan. Rules of any function or organization are going to become more strictly enforced, the more people choose not to respect them. In the old days, Peter moderated the forum himself. This forum has become much too large for any single person to moderate themselves, so additional moderators were added.
This thread itself really rides on the edge of being disrespectful to RIC.

Gosh.. all I got was a RIC fan was noting not to expect NAMM to bring forward new product from RIC.. and this time of year/show is when every other manufacturer/vendor introduces new product. ( new models,.. new colors.. new versions.. new amps.. new recording devices.. etc. )
.. It's an exciting time to see/hear of new stuff..

It's a fact of life, RIC operates differently. OK.

That's disrespectful ? .. that warrants a moderator stepping in to kind of make a soft warning? .. Jeesh..

[Scastles]

Interesting. Many daily posters on this forum could very well be jaded. But it has a lot more to do with us than it does with RIC. Every grain of wood, type of tuners, ohms of pickups, bursts of colors, year of make have been hashed and rehashed, so for some long standers on this forum boredom may very well have set in without the presence of a new model or finish. We all got a little spoilt with the C series, and the COY's, so naturally I suppose the absence of something new might make things humdrum, and in turn it offers less fodder for the forum (or a new instrument to buy and inspect), but RIC isn't in the business of creating something new just for the sake of it, or fodder.
It's a small, privately owned company putting out quality and one of a kind designed guitars and basses. Can't ask for much more.