Forrest White and Rickenbacker

mrmstrd · Post by **mrmstrd** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 10:51 am

Does anybody know why John Hall fired Forrest White after his father (F.C. Hall) gave him (John) control of the company? Maybe JH can answer this himself. I mean no disrespect to any of the involved, but I can't seem to find an answer to this.

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 12:17 pm

There were many things leading up to my decision to terminate Forrest but the final straw was when he initiated a fist fight with shop supervisor Richard Burke. This was not appropriate behavior for a manager under any circumstance and something I could not tolerate. Beyond that, Richard Burke was the longest term and most knowledgeable employee in the company and should have been treated with the appropriate respect.

Forrest was always a complex man and I liked him greatly. Unfortunately, following his Music Man bankruptcy and some harrowing medical experiences, his personality became temperamental, for lack of a better word, and his complexity increased greatly.

Let's also clear up one other point once and for all: my dad did not give me this company. My wife and I used our life savings to purchase it from him in 1984. That isn't to say he didn't give me a good price and fair terms but I assure you the financial pain and the investment risk was absolutely genuine. It took almost ten years to pay it all off with interest.

wormdiet · Post by **wormdiet** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 12:27 pm

Good to hear from you John

jps · Post by **jps** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 4:13 pm

Welcome back from the Far East.

aristeas · Post by **aristeas** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 1:38 am

Boy, And I thought my old man was tough!

marty · Post by **marty** » Sat Jan 15, 2005 7:48 am

I read somewher that while at Rickenbacker that Forrest White proposed a tuner arrangement for Ric basses similar to Musicman basses with a 3/1 arrangement but John Hall rejected the proposal as it took away the distinguished features of a Ric bass.

Any truth in this John?

I did a bit of messing around and came up with this....

If this is anything what it would have looked like then I can only agree with the proposal being rejected....doesn't look at all attractive!

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sat Jan 15, 2005 8:12 am

Looks like a Jeff Rath project with one hole plugged.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sat Jan 15, 2005 8:15 am

Your G-string is sagging...

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Sat Jan 15, 2005 8:32 am

Forrest did propose the 3/1 design, although it didn't have the Rickenbacker wave head but something more like a Fender. Actually, it's the Musicman head and the RIC prototype is generally considered to be the first Musicman.

We didn't care for it, chose not to produce it, and he took the design with him when he left us the first time.

It's in the museum- someone must have a photo of it floating around, otherwise I'll take one when I have a chance.

marty · Post by **marty** » Sat Jan 15, 2005 8:42 am

Thanks for the info John....you learn something new everyday!

Personally I love the Musicman head, but I have to agree with you.....it wouldn't look right on a Ric.

I'd love to see that photo if you do get a chance to post it.

Thanks.

jps · Post by **jps** » Sat Jan 15, 2005 2:48 pm

There is a photo of it in a Bass Player article from a few years ago on Rickenbacker.

Another photo I would like to see is the shape of the new horseshoes for the C series, if that is possible?

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Sat Jan 15, 2005 3:17 pm

On page 10 of the April 98 issue of Bassist magazine there's a pic of 'Rickenbacker's 1970 Music Man prototype'. 21 frets, dot fretboard markers, single toaster pickup, mute-less bridge assembly, golden pickguard, two controls, 'guard-mounted jack socket, one selector switch (I wonder what it did). Quite interesting and unique.

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Sat Jan 15, 2005 11:38 pm

Wow, I was surprised to know that, at a senior age, Forrest White was ill-tempered enough to use violence against the honorable Dick Burke who re-introduced (upon request by Rose-Morris, England) the f-hole to the 1996, 97,98 RM series RIC guitars and who also designed the genius 12-string headstock!

As much as I respect Forrest White (RIP) as a veteran guitar industry man and Music Man bass fans, that prototype bass proposed is a pathetic (though "interesting" and "unique", like Sérgio said) joke, especially in the aesthetic department, IMHO. Thank God the late great Mr. Francis C. Hall and crew rejected it, saying "That's no Rickenbacker!"

By the way, hey welcome back, Mr. Hall!

jps · Post by **jps** » Sun Jan 16, 2005 4:49 am

I bet Jeff Rath will like the bridge on that prototype! Can anyone guess why?

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Sun Jan 16, 2005 4:56 am

No prizes for guessing.