Quality Slipping??

arondeau · Post by **arondeau** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 6:16 am

Good morning,
I am about to order a new Ric MapleGlo (this will be the 5th Ric I have owned, including a Chris Squire). I am "told" that quality has been slipping. Been reading alot of reviews from the various stores ie: MF, Music123, American Musical. Can anyone set me straight?

Andy

ken_j · Post by **ken_j** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 6:33 am

Not true. Ric quality is tops.

arondeau · Post by **arondeau** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 6:45 am

...thanks Ken,
I am not trashing Rickenbacker. I love Ric's. But, they seem to always be back-ordered. So I got a little concerned maybe they were letting them go before their time. The last Ric I owned was a 1996 FireGlo. The headstock and the fretboard cracked! I was fortunate my warranty was not up, and they replaced the entire instrument free of charge (the warranty had almost expired). I am ordering a MapleGlo.

Andy

bosco64 · Post by **bosco64** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 7:56 am

Andy,

Call Russ at Classic Axe Guitar Shop (703-330-7966). He has a 4003 Mapleglo with a real nice grain to it. If you live in the US, he can ship it to without any problems. He might be able to cut you a little deal as well if you ask. Let him know that I put you up to it. Good luck!

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 8:28 am

Just got my MB 381V69, less than an hour ago, from Steve at Wildwood Guitars. IT IS PERFECT in every way! And when you think about how complex these things are, it shows amazing attention to detail on the part of Rick's team of woodworkers, painters, electronics folks, and QC. It shows the commitment to quality that dedication and investment--both in training and sheer capital investment--that JH has made since purchasing the company from his father twenty-some years ago! I still remember the 360 I played and drooled over back in '65, and if somehow we could have preserved it in a vacuum, I feel that it would not hold a candle to either of my 2004 Rickenbackers in terms of quality and attention to detail.

Because these are complex instruments (not just slab-board, assembly-line stringed sound appliances like your typical Strat or Tele) they do, through a combination of circumstances--many of which like climate changes are beyond RIC's control--sometimes fail. RIC gives them more than a reasonable amount of time, and stands behind the warranty, as we've seen in your case. GO FOR IT!

arondeau · Post by **arondeau** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 9:10 am

...thanks for all the helpful comments. Ron, thanks for the tip on Classic Axe. I just ordered from Musician's. They were the only "dealer" with any in stock (only had two). Price was right, free shipping. This will be my first MapleGlo. Do all of these turn "yellow" with time?

lowendbob · Post by **lowendbob** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 9:39 am

Hey Andy, I see you are now a member. Welcome aboard

That MG better not turn yellow with time. I want my C64 to remain the same.
Check your email.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 10:31 am

I have 2 2001's and a 2002 4003 basses ... they are all very good quality ...

tony_carey · Post by **tony_carey** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 12:09 pm

Hi Andy & welcome. I have various Rics & quite a few seem to pass through my hands at the moment. I am not a dealer, but have been experimenting with different models to supplement my 330/360s, as well as being able to help people buy Rics when they want them (which means that I get to try them). It doesn't matter if they are older models, or brand new, the quality is absolutely top notch. My experience can't support any notion that Ric quality is declining. I have 9 at the moment, most of them newer gtrs & without exception, all are superb. I have never seen a 'friday afternoon' Rickenbacker.

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 12:21 pm

I too have never had a faulty Ric or anything near it. I got my first one 11 years ago and have had six since and still in possesion of 4 of them. Only two were brand new and the others were just as fine as the new ones,considering even one 330 I had saw a lot of abuse. I suppose this is one reason a new model you may be looking for is sometimes hard to come by...they don't push 'em out like puppies.

jeff_ulmer · Post by **jeff_ulmer** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 11:01 am

I don't want to dig up old issues, but my experience with Ric quality on new instruments I have bought has been mixed. I'll just leave it at that.

bluespckr · Post by **bluespckr** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 1:49 am

Hi, Andy --- I ordered a 360/6 MG from Musicians Friend back in mid December, and it arrived just before Christmas. It was absolutley perfect. Important!!! Follow the instructions on the outer box about waiting before you open up the case, pull the guitar out and start playing it. Unless you're in some warm weather spot, the guitar will be cold from shipping and storage on the way to your house. You could check the finish if you pull it right out and expose it to a nice, toasty warm home environment, so give it some time to adjust gbradually to the temperature. But, getting back to your question, I would never own another Gibson or Fender based on quality issues I've had with both of them. But Rics are solid, well-made, and flawless. At least mine was. Good luck, enjoy your new baby (and post us a pic!!!). Welcome to the forum.

arondeau · Post by **arondeau** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 2:33 am

...thanks for all the encouragement / comments. I have NO doubt whatsoever that Ric makes a quality instrument. Otherwise, I would have looked elsewhere. I was just a little taken back with some of the comments I have read in the (online) reviews from MF,123,AMS. But I guess when you have some 17 year old, heavy metal, grunge rock, Marilyn Manson groupie, putting down his Fender Affinity bass he bought for $129.00 (with case and amp), and using his paper-route money to buy his first Ric, making such comments, you need to take them with a little humor. Who writes these reviews anyway?

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 5:23 am

A wide cross-section of people write these reviews, so you'll get all kinds of stuff up there, but the one thing they all have in common is that they exist in a VACUUM. It is impossible to ascertain the sanity or motives of the posters.

I have read literally hundreds of these reviews, and the ones of cheap thrasher equipment, besides being laughable in their musical narrowness, are sad proof of the fact that American high schools continue to turn out illiterates at a fast pace (sorry--my own pet peeves are showing...) But the high-end reviews are often by thoughtful hardcore amateurs or working pros and when you can past opinion and extreme personal bias, do occasionally have something useful to say.

I've written several reviews for Harmony Central, but in reading others', I've come across some folks with an axe to grind and have used the forum of these "reviews" to satisfy their own need for bashing, at least temporarily...

Rick in particular seems to sometimes come up with some nasty scores here, mostly it seems by a combination of grudges. My own experiences with the Company, the folks on this Forum (by far THE best place to get info and find support and advice, thanks Peter!!!) and JH indicate exactly what I would hope to find:

A traditional company, continuing to turn out awesomely designed and detailed handbuilt products in an age of appliance guitars which themselves have hit-and-miss quality.

A responsive CEO who cares about his products and who personally is so connected to the company and its products that he really cares about the guitars and its end-users, but, like me, doesn't gladly suffer fools.

(MOST of the negative posting that goes on on those "review" sites are from a******s who have had "run-ins" with Rick's fair, but straightshooting CEO, or their knowledgeable but no-b******t parts or service guys and didn't appreciate the exchange. Others are from folks who have NEVER owned or played a Rick, but who feel it as their duty to chip away at a legend which took the Halls years to build the hard way. These are the same kinds of folks who would key your new Mercedes out of envy.) Apologies to the Donnas...

A group of experienced and enthusiastic characters on this excellent Forum and a fact and picture-filled non-commercial website which is painly a labor of love.

It doesn't get any better than this, IMO!

scottpro1969 · Post by **scottpro1969** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 5:54 am

Right on, Paul. Quality control is a big issue with other companies. Especially since most guitars are manufactured overseas. The fact that Rickenbacker has not gone that route speaks volumes about their care for producing the best quality instruments. It's no secret why there's a wait for a RIC guitar. They're not mass produced and their employees actually care about getting it right. Mr. Hall would have it no other way.