Howie Epstein's Hollow Body "Ricken*aker"???

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 7:17 am

http://www.vintagebass.com/thedudepit/showthread.php?t=24254

John wasn't talking about the bass, but responding to Brian's question.

dluxe · Post by **dluxe** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 7:25 am

If he was not talking about this bass then why was the sale permitted?

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 7:39 am

Thanks, JB, for pointing this out. That's how it read to me--a response to Chrisman's sort-of-hypothetical Q.

simer4001 · Post by **simer4001** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 8:34 am

So what you are saying Russ is that they called a 1993 a 1998 and a bass that wasn't manufactured by Rickenbacker a Rickenbacker prototype? Not that I would normally comment on this but again, this guy busted my chops because he thought I was posting inaccurate information. Has anyone seen a post from this Jeff guy since this auction?

dluxe · Post by **dluxe** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 10:13 am

I think it could have been read both ways. Why else would they have been permitted to sell the bass? It used genuine parts.

basse · Post by **basse** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 5:32 pm

Hey guys, actually they never referred to the bass as a prototype, they referred to it as "Rickenbacker style" and the description was very clear in that it wasn't a Ric. In fact it read as:

"This bass is an extremely well made model of a Rickenbacker bass that never existed. We haven't confirmed the name of the builder, but it has a 350 style body with checkerboard binding, 360 style fingerboard inlays, and 3 toaster style pickups. Rick Turner has confirmed that he custom wired the bass for Howie and possibly designed the pickups. This guitar is truly amazing in every detail, down to the gold pickguards and custom made bridge and tail piece. This bass was NOT built by Rickenbacker... but maybe it will inspire them. Howie is seen playing it in the TPHB video Walls."

So it doesn't look like it used Ric parts either...

But I still like it! In fact I'd be happy to own it! And if Ric decided to make it, I'd buy a copy!

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 6:56 pm

David, I'm going from memory here, but the bass DID have Rick pickups, knobs, keywinds, tailpiece, and no doubt other parts.

But the point of contention here was that it sported a Rickenbacker nameplate.

I believe the early listings of the auction did, in fact, list it as a "Rickenbacker Prototype".

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 7:08 pm

How about calling it a prototype 4006?

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 6:14 am

This was not the original description used but rather the revised one, following complaints. It was originally listed a a Rickenbacker product.

elysrand · Post by **elysrand** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 12:11 pm

If the builder had actually started with a real 100% Rickenbacker bass or guitar, could he or she have then modified it to their heart's content, by adding pickups, or changing the shape of the body by adding or cutting away wood, etc., and then sold it on eBay?

Since it started out a 100% RIC product, and was purchased from you, it would not infringe on your trademark, would it, because it had only been customized?

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 2:27 pm

That would have been the best way to approach this, yes. Or he could have asked us to do this which we probably would have. Howie's family incorrectly stated that we had been asked to do this but declined.

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 3:28 pm

"If the builder had actually started with a real 100% Rickenbacker bass or guitar, could he or she have then modified it to their heart's content, by adding pickups, or changing the shape of the body by adding or cutting away wood, etc., and then sold it on eBay?"

I've actually done this twice and it worked out pretty well.

basse · Post by **basse** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 4:26 pm

So John, if I asked you to make a 350 style bass like this one for me and promised to play it exclusively with my band could I order one from you? And forget the endorsement agreement, I'd pay you for it and thank Rickenbacker everywhere I could! On our website, on our CDs, from stage, etc.!

*smile* (and praying too!)

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 5:11 pm

Get me a 2000 series bass and I can get it done...at considerable expense. Hey, custom work has it's price.

teb · Post by **teb** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 7:45 pm

...but it also has it's rewards.

http://webpages.charter.net/tbradshaw/R ... 202005.mp3