Grey wrote:DevilsHandsAreAnIdolWorkshop wrote:In discussing it over the phone, he claimed he's run across quite a few over the years which have the same problem, and it's a cheap easy fix. That's good to know. It's also indicative of bad assembly
That's a loaded question. Obviously, when you tell someone that you're having a problem, they're instantly going to remember all the bad experiences they've had and forget about the good ones.
Yes, it's a loaded question, in the sense that it's a self-selecting statistical sample. On the other hand, since it was a service/repair inquiry, it would've been kind of weird to chat about how nice Rickenbackers are (we did), then hang up without ever asking the question which was the purpose of the call. It was an appropriate question in the context, loaded or not, and the answer was equally appropriate. It was characterized as a
known issue and, if that's true, then it IS indicative of either flawed design or bad assembly practice. Bar none, as you say, and that's a fact entirely independent of my perception of it. It's a Rickenbacker problem, not an attitude problem.
Lots of people have gotten instruments from Rickenbacker with no issues what-so-ever, others have.
Again, no one said
all or even
most. Just enough to be a known problem. By implication, it appears I'm not the only one opting to have someone other than the factory address it.
I don't know why you would feel that you can't talk about it here just because your experience wasen't a positive one.
It's understandable to expect some backlash if someone feels I'm dissing a beloved name, and here the beloved name is Rickenbacker. I'm not, really, just stating my experience truthfully. I have seen on several occasions where someone mentioning their dissatisfaction with an instrument resulted in it being turned back on them. Kinda like what you've done... I mean, I'm not responsible for their QA issues - which do exist.
Sometimes things don't work out the way we want them to, you just have to take things in stride.
I am. Doesn't mean I'm pleased with the situation, nor should I be. This probably isn't the best place to vent about it, though, I don't wish to derail the thread.
If it shows up and you're unhappy with it, send it back, otherwise the responsibility for keeping a "defective" instrument falls on your shoulders and all the problems that go with it. Bar none.
I accept responsibility for my chosen course of action. The factory already affixed the QC seal and sent it out the door, meaning they consider their work done and the product within acceptable tolerances. It isn't. I think taking it to an unknown is demonstrably more rational than taking it to those who've already got one strike. In any case, I'll get it fixed one way or another.
If the cost you paid is such an important factor then you should not accept anything less than what you consider perfect and send it back.
I recently purchased a 12 string Les Paul, mostly for the novelty, and paid a comparable (slightly less) price as the Ric. Had it come needing setup in order to just sound good, I would've been upset. If the electronics fail anytime in the next few years, I'll be upset. Probably get on a Gibson forum and do this very thing. As it is, it's flawless in every way, as I'd expect, and what I expected from Rickenbacker.
I don't own 17 basses, but I have owned 11 guitars in my life: Gibson, Fender, Alvarez, Guild, Yamaha, Ibanez... probably 200 cumulative guitar-years of ownership under my belt. Included in that are two under-$200 models, and a couple have been 30+ years old. Only one has needed repair (airline damage), and I did setup on two - not because there was anything wrong, but to maximize their potential. Never had any electronics issues, not even a scratchy pot or noisy pickup selector. If one of the cheapies had come with a dead E, I wouldn't be too surprised, but I'd still be unhappy. Electronics dead after about 20 hours of kid glove handling? Forget it.
But the only brand that has done that to me so far is Rickenbacker. Believe me, that was a factor in deciding to get a Gibson 12 string instead of a Ric. Good choice. I realize this is anecdotal, but the sum total of anecdotes is a good measure of overall quality, called
reputation. Therefore, it needs to be said, if reputation is to reflect reality.
