My R Tailpiece Broke

[jdogric12]

Good call Bob.

[teb]

What has always amazed me is how poorly made the R tailpieces are. I was a sculpture major in college, and we did some metal casting - bronze, aluminum, etc. We would have been laughed out of the lab if we had come up with a casting as sloppy on the back side as the typical R tailpiece. I don't know who does them for RIC, but they need to be fired and replaced with someone competent. Most of the problem is not the casting itself, it is in the original that they made the mold from or the mold they made the wax piece to invest and cast in. Then to go ahead and chrome plate something so crude on the back side is a joke. I switched one of my twelves from black trim to chrome trim at one point, and this is what they sent me for my $100. It immediately went back and the replacement is not a hell of a lot better.

[drumbob]

OMG, that's awful. How could they send something that ****** to you? I'm glad I got the Winfield tailpiece. I plan on replacing all the R tailpieces I have at some point.

It's just another issue with Rickenbacker that they should fix. My hope is that John Hall's son will make positive changes at some point soon.

[aceonbass]

I've had a few Rick 12's over the years, and none of the tailpieces ever failed. I know people with dozens of them that have never had one break. When one does fail, the owner often goes on public forums looking for a free one, then complains when they don't get one claiming they all break. Like anything else, the person complaining loudest gets heard the most.

[Colnago]

You can now get a new “R” tailpiece from AliExpress. It’s made way better than the original and I have faith that it’ll hold up forever because of this.
Seriously, no joke, it’s awesome and cheaper. Comes to about $80USD.
Here’s the link.
I just found this on AliExpress: C$124.10 | New Ricken Electric Guitar Pull Plate, Bridge 6-String, 12 String, For Electric Guitar Accessory Replacement, Chrome Color
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mPeAIFh

[collin]

You can now get a new “R” tailpiece from AliExpress. It’s made way better than the original and I have faith that it’ll hold up forever because of this.
Seriously, no joke, it’s awesome and cheaper. Comes to about $80USD.
Here’s the link.
I just found this on AliExpress: C$124.10 | New Ricken Electric Guitar Pull Plate, Bridge 6-String, 12 String, For Electric Guitar Accessory Replacement, Chrome Color
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mPeAIFh

LOL.



I'd rather have a broken tailpiece.

[Colnago]

You can now get a new “R” tailpiece from AliExpress. It’s made way better than the original and I have faith that it’ll hold up forever because of this.
Seriously, no joke, it’s awesome and cheaper. Comes to about $80USD.
Here’s the link.
I just found this on AliExpress: C$124.10 | New Ricken Electric Guitar Pull Plate, Bridge 6-String, 12 String, For Electric Guitar Accessory Replacement, Chrome Color
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mPeAIFh

LOL.



I'd rather have a broken tailpiece.

That’s what I thought until I took a chance and ordered one. It’s made way better than the American piece of **** that my 12 string came with. The forging is super smooth, as is the chrome. It’s much nicer and has no stress risers like the OEM one.
Seriously, no joke. I see if holding up better than the “designed to fail” **** that the guitar came with.

[collin]

You can now get a new “R” tailpiece from AliExpress. It’s made way better than the original and I have faith that it’ll hold up forever because of this.
Seriously, no joke, it’s awesome and cheaper. Comes to about $80USD.
Here’s the link.
I just found this on AliExpress: C$124.10 | New Ricken Electric Guitar Pull Plate, Bridge 6-String, 12 String, For Electric Guitar Accessory Replacement, Chrome Color
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mPeAIFh

LOL.



I'd rather have a broken tailpiece.

That’s what I thought until I took a chance and ordered one. It’s made way better than the American piece of **** that my 12 string came with. The forging is super smooth, as is the chrome. It’s much nicer and has no stress risers like the OEM one.
Seriously, no joke. I see if holding up better than the “designed to fail” **** that the guitar came with.

Yeah I’d rather have a broken guitar, hard pass.

[Colnago]

What has always amazed me is how poorly made the R tailpieces are. I was a sculpture major in college, and we did some metal casting - bronze, aluminum, etc. We would have been laughed out of the lab if we had come up with a casting as sloppy on the back side as the typical R tailpiece. I don't know who does them for RIC, but they need to be fired and replaced with someone competent. Most of the problem is not the casting itself, it is in the original that they made the mold from or the mold they made the wax piece to invest and cast in. Then to go ahead and chrome plate something so crude on the back side is a joke. I switched one of my twelves from black trim to chrome trim at one point, and this is what they sent me for my $100. It immediately went back and the replacement is not a hell of a lot better.

There is a new one out there and it’s much better. Not made by Rickenbacker though.

[Colnago]

What has always amazed me is how poorly made the R tailpieces are. I was a sculpture major in college, and we did some metal casting - bronze, aluminum, etc. We would have been laughed out of the lab if we had come up with a casting as sloppy on the back side as the typical R tailpiece. I don't know who does them for RIC, but they need to be fired and replaced with someone competent. Most of the problem is not the casting itself, it is in the original that they made the mold from or the mold they made the wax piece to invest and cast in. Then to go ahead and chrome plate something so crude on the back side is a joke. I switched one of my twelves from black trim to chrome trim at one point, and this is what they sent me for my $100. It immediately went back and the replacement is not a hell of a lot better.

There is a new one out there and it’s much better. Not made by Rickenbacker though.IMG_0882.jpeg

Purple more pics showing the “real” one beside the “fake” but improved one.