BREAKING UP NICE OLD RICKS FOR PROFIT...

[nukebass]

What this seller does to guitars doesn't bother me at all since he bought them. His customer service seems to be severely lacking (though I didn't have the same experience with the one part I bought) and that could get him in trouble if it is habitual. If people quit buying his parts he'd probably quit selling them, so, as long as there is demand, there will be a supplier.

[gareth]

There's always people that will do illegal activity, both buying and selling. I understand the incentive that our situation provides but in the end, it's the buyer of the illegal parts that gets what they deserve.

Something tells me that about 50% of the TRC's you get back for replacement are probably fake, so in a way, you're doing your bit to rid the world of them and restore instruments to a higher degree of quality.

[guitar-murph]

This thread started out with a discussion of a 65' 950JG which I sold on ebay. I want to make clear that I had no control over what the buyer did to the guitar, and had I known this would happen I likely would not have sold it to him. Several months before I put the guitar up for sale I had someone offer me $500.00 each just for the pickups. I declined because I did not want to break this piece up. Even though an owner has the right to do what they wish with their property, I find this kind of thing unsettling.....given the rather minor profit they are making by parting the guitar out. The result is one more vintage piece which is forever gone.

Yes, this guitar came from David M. In fact, I bought a total of 4 950's from David; a 64' NT, a 65' JG a 67; FG and a 59' brown...... which I still have. I wish that I still had them all, but as David himself could tell you, medical bills can cause a reshuffling of priorities.

As to the buyer himself, the kind of actions described in the initial posting will eventually put an end to this kind of thing.......at least for Mr 'dependable.' Word will get around and at some point no one would want to sell to him.

[epitreture]

What this seller does to guitars doesn't bother me at all since he bought them. His customer service seems to be severely lacking (though I didn't have the same experience with the one part I bought) and that could get him in trouble if it is habitual. If people quit buying his parts he'd probably quit selling them, so, as long as there is demand, there will be a supplier.

+1

While I personally don't like to see vintage guitars parted out, business is business.

[leftybass]

What this seller does to guitars doesn't bother me at all since he bought them. His customer service seems to be severely lacking (though I didn't have the same experience with the one part I bought) and that could get him in trouble if it is habitual. If people quit buying his parts he'd probably quit selling them, so, as long as there is demand, there will be a supplier.

+1

While I personally don't like to see vintage guitars parted out, business is business.

Maybe. If people knew what was going on about the bidding (he's using a different ID so no one will suspect) then they'd probably block him from bidding.

If people knowingly sell perfectly good, original and rare vintage guitars to this guy (so he can destroy them) then they aren't really into the vintage thing.....there is an obvious certain attatchement for vintage instruments vs. new stuff or there wouldn't be a market for vintage gear.

[artisan4]

Some businesspeople have no morals at all. I'm sure if they could, someone would dismantle the Mona Lisa and sell parts of the frame as well as cut up the picture into squares and sell them on EBAY.

[jps]

Some businesspeople have no morals at all. I'm sure if they could, someone would dismantle the Mona Lisa and sell parts of the frame as well as cut up the picture into squares and sell them on EBAY.

Here's my piece!

[Grey]

business is business.

There's business, and then there's shady business. What this guy does is circumvent the wishes of the seller by using a second account to hide his intent.

Maybe he has a right to run a business, make a profit, and provide a service, but these people also have a right not to sell to him, and are being cheated out of that right by his shady actions.

[gareth]

Let's just say that there's a happy ending to this one. I held it in my hands and played it yesterday. It's back, and better than before

I'll let Paul W post details where he's ready.....

[jingle_jangle]

What this seller does to guitars doesn't bother me at all since he bought them. His customer service seems to be severely lacking (though I didn't have the same experience with the one part I bought) and that could get him in trouble if it is habitual. If people quit buying his parts he'd probably quit selling them, so, as long as there is demand, there will be a supplier.

+1

While I personally don't like to see vintage guitars parted out, business is business.

No doubt. And what exactly constitutes "business" will remain open for discussion and comment. It seems to all come down to how important absolute originality is to the buyer and seller.

Incidentally, the JG Combo that Gareth refers to is the ex-John Simmons 950 that I recently resurrected with Gareth's help, not the "guitar murph" instrument that was the impetus for my original post in this thread...

The ex-John Simmons 950 that I have was brought back to life with a fresh JG refinish, a set of original (though not to this guitar) Kluson double-line plastic-keyed tuners and an original '67 wiring harness and pickups from my parts stock. Again, these are period-correct, though not from this guitar originally. The bridge, body, pickguard, and some small bits and bobs were original and purchased together with the mint original case. So, the result is a lovely guitar to look at and play, faithful to its origins, but unfortunately for some not 100% ex-factory.

[leftybass]

What this seller does to guitars doesn't bother me at all since he bought them. His customer service seems to be severely lacking (though I didn't have the same experience with the one part I bought) and that could get him in trouble if it is habitual. If people quit buying his parts he'd probably quit selling them, so, as long as there is demand, there will be a supplier.

+1

While I personally don't like to see vintage guitars parted out, business is business.

No doubt. And what exactly constitutes "business" will remain open for discussion and comment. It seems to all come down to how important absolute originality is to the buyer and seller.

Incidentally, the JG Combo that Gareth refers to is the ex-John Simmons 950 that I recently resurrected with Gareth's help, not the "guitar murph" instrument that was the impetus for my original post in this thread...

The ex-John Simmons 950 that I have was brought back to life with a fresh JG refinish, a set of original (though not to this guitar) Kluson double-line plastic-keyed tuners and an original '67 wiring harness and pickups from my parts stock. Again, these are period-correct, though not from this guitar originally. The bridge, body, pickguard, and some small bits and bobs were original and purchased together with the mint original case. So, the result is a lovely guitar to look at and play, faithful to its origins, but unfortunately for some not 100% ex-factory.

I look forward to seeing it..!

[remstar]

I'm looking at getting this body and doing a somewhat faithfull restoration. Will it be worth the trouble from the seller??? I've always wanted a 3/4 scale.



That aside does this seem real to you?

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Used-golden-trus ... 43b27a3db0

[jingle_jangle]

Truss rod cover is a fake.

It's always worth resurrecting a Rickenbacker bitsa. Go for it, and if you need help or advice, this is the place, along with the RIC factory Forum!

[jingle_jangle]

Here are some quick photos I took this AM of the Combo 900 reconstructed. Fresh paint and TRC, otherwise all original 1967 parts including case and pickguard.

[cjj]

Nice!