Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Geddy and the sound.

For me, like many, it began with a love for REM and The Smiths around eighth grade. I was into those dudes 20 years before I ever actually owned a Rick. Later, I branched out and began listening to more diverse music (while still staying true to my first loves), resulting in my buying many non-Rick guitars over the years.

Something, though, kept drawing me back to Ricks. I love that they're still handmade in the US, I love that they're such high-quality, I love that they're such precision instruments (very adjustable from pole pieces to dual truss rods), I love that they're unique, I love that the company doesn't kowtow to big dealers, I love that there are no dime-a-dozen budget models, and I love that they're rare (at least around here, they are).

And that was before I owned one. Now I love that they're so well made, that they play so well, that they're gorgeous, and that they're so diverse (mine does so much more tone-wise than I ever thought possible on one).

Gotta be the rarity factor, don't see too many of 'em on the street...

Just full on classic vibe.

I love that they're still handmade in the US

Now they are CNC...still exceptionally nice instruments with more consistency.

IvanMunoz wrote:

I love that they're still handmade in the US

Now they are CNC...

So what? Power tools have been used since the start of the century for main body parts rough milling (or whatever it's called in english).

intruements??? You really need to look at what you have written before you post Ivan. Quality over quantity.

yeah, sorry - i knew they weren't truly handmade - I was kind of mindlessly typing I guess when I wrote that. I mainly meant that I'm glad they're all still from one U.S. factory.

Wildberry wrote:

IvanMunoz wrote:

I love that they're still handmade in the US

Now they are CNC...

So what? Power tools have been used since the start of the century for main body parts rough milling (or whatever it's called in english).

I don't have a problem with CNC, In fact, it seems like a great thing...customers get there products faster. I'd say it was a good call to do so as well, now the shapes are more consistent.

winston wrote:intruements??? You really need to look at what you have written before you post Ivan. Quality over quantity.

Fixed it!

Rickissippi wrote:yeah, sorry - i knew they weren't truly handmade

If it were a car it would be advertised as hand-made. Humans put them together out of rough materials and parts and deliver a final product by working on it with their hands. Rics are not put together by robots, neither sprayed by robots. I would say it counts as handmade - it's only less labour intensive because modern power tools are used - which as Ivan put it cuts time, but which are also safer and cleaner and therefore better for the employees!

IvanMunoz wrote:

winston wrote:intruements??? You really need to look at what you have written before you post Ivan. Quality over quantity.

Fixed it!

Is this a quality reply post, Mr Munoz?

Wildberry wrote:

Rickissippi wrote:yeah, sorry - i knew they weren't truly handmade

If it were a car it would be advertised as hand-made. Humans put them together out of rough materials and parts and deliver a final product by working on it with their hands. Rics are not put together by robots, neither sprayed by robots. I would say it counts as handmade - it's only less labour intensive because modern power tools are used - which as Ivan put it cuts time, but which are also safer and cleaner and therefore better for the employees!

Yes indeed. The CNC part only gets the basic shape done. There's a whole lot of hand work done after that, so I think they really can be considered hand made...

IvanMunoz wrote:

I love that they're still handmade in the US

Now they are CNC...still exceptionally nice instruments with more consistency.

CNC is just the basic cuts, and CNC and hand made are not exclusive categories; the guitar is still essentially handmade; the machine makes the basic cuts, but the gluing, fine shaping, sanding, finishing, buffing, et cetera are all done by people. . . by hand. I've been to RIC and seen the process myself.

Wildberry wrote:

IvanMunoz wrote:

winston wrote:intruements??? You really need to look at what you have written before you post Ivan. Quality over quantity.

Fixed it!

Is this a quality reply post, Mr Munoz?

Why yes, Certainly.

paologregorio wrote:

IvanMunoz wrote:

I love that they're still handmade in the US

Now they are CNC...still exceptionally nice instruments with more consistency.

CNC is just the basic cuts, and CNC and hand made are not exclusive categories; the guitar is still essentially handmade; the machine makes the basic cuts, but the gluing, fine shaping, sanding, finishing, buffing, et cetera are all done by people. . . by hand. I've been to RIC and seen the process myself.

I thought they didn't offer tours...thats what it says on the website.