Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Darren nails another one!

Cheers mate!

and smiley faces

I have one DCM, a 360, and I play it quite a bit. Sometimes I even take it to band practice.

There's no question that Rickenbackers--especially instruments that are certifiably "limited production"--have morphed from being working instruments into a twofold presence as the Holy Grail for a lot of playing amateurs, and a collectible "investment".

I don't think, however, that RIC overdoes the limited edition thing like other manufacturers are wont to do. And that only adds to the investment aspect of Rick collecting.

John Hall once opined to me that 90%+ of all Rickenbackers are not owned by professional working musicians.

An interesting statement by JH, Paul

In this context, how is professional working musician defined?

Is it the local guy that does weekend gigs at the local pub or the guy under contract with a record label, or both?

IMO, Rickenbacker produces MUCH less on the Ltd Ed side than the other manufacturers. Isn't this in fact the first time they ever made an anniversary edition?

Their editions also tend to have a purpose, not because someone just sneezed on a piece of wood and called it a guitar.

I'd define it as someone who makes his or her living playing music.

I have always wondered why RIC does not have a self-declared "custom shop".

Every major guitar manufacturer of whom I am aware runs a custom shop with dedicated employees (or perhaps multiplexed from the regular line as needed) to make pricey new one-offs with full factory cachet and certifications. In every case, the "custom shop" portion of their business makes from two to six times the net return to the business per employee than any other part of the business. PRS made an average of 3.7 times per custom guitar in return (profit) on labor, plus materials and building space and tooling in their custom shop in 2006 than the average of the rest of their factory in 2006. Paul told me personally that he would be nuts, business-wise, to not run a widely-advertised custom shop.

I am sure that John Hall has his reasons, of course, and that they are good ones. But I have just always wondered why, that's all...........

becuase he doesn't need to...

While this could change years down the road, RIC already can't keep up with the demand for its stock instruments. To "open" a custom shop in factory would pull workers from the line or require additional hiring. There's probably not enough room in the factory for a dedicated custom shop, either.

I think for those of us who can afford custom finishes and optional features, there are enough talented, off-campus folks out there to individualize our instruments.

Now, if in the future, RIC gets caught up with production, finds itself with time and space to fill, and needs an additional revenue source, a custom shop could happen.

Don't you think John is interested, as is any owner of any corporation whose sole task (according to the State) is to make profit, in maximizing profit with minimal expense?

"Don't you think John is interested, as is any owner of any corporation whose sole task (according to the State) is to make profit, in maximizing profit with minimal expense?"

If RIC was interested in maximizing profit with minimal expense they could take up shop in Mexico, China, Korea, etc... They don't seem to be doing that, so I, for one, don't think that is RICs 'sole task'. I prefer to think that they want to make a quality product, which they seem to do pretty well...

any owner of any corporation whose sole task (according to the State) is to make profit, in maximizing profit with minimal expense

then why doesn't RIC sell their limit editions for more to maximize on their investment

maybe guitars isn't JH's "sole" task...

You know,,, I just caught the end of this post and havent read it all,,,,,but at the risk of pissing everybody off,, maybe you all better let John Hall worry about running Rickenbacker.

Not questioning how John Hall runs Rickenbacker. I already said I am sure he has good reasons. It's not my business, and I never said that it was. Just curious, that's all, Scott. That's all I said.