Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'm not aware of any misuse to date either.

However:
I recall that some folks were swapping SN's of the 75th anniversary's and it was mentioned that that was a bad idea, I think by JH?

I'm certain that we'll see the fraud that impacts vintage Fenders & Gibsons cross over to Rickenbackers sooner or later. It seems inevitable...

Maybe there's a way to mask SNs on the registration page of the future, but still allow the model/color/year info to be analyzed?

I'd really like to see all of the Rickenbackers plotted on one of those google maps - with the tacks on the states!

How can serial numbers be used to commit fraud?

I've never seen a Rickenfaker post, where the serial number is the clue to authenticity, because JH is the only person who has access to the original production records, and he has more important things to do.

Without serial numbers, the database loses a hell of lot of its value, and I'm still not sure how the inclusion of them can be used for 'evil'. As far as I can see, using a real serial number from a database is no more effective than fabricating a serial number for any fake guitar. If anything, a detailed database makes it harder to fake because all the guitar's stats have to match.

I can think of several occasions where a guitar/bass has been on eBay, with the serial number listed and that was used to validate it. The most recent example that I recall was the 360/12 with the banjo tuners (I don't recall if the SN was listed, but it was used to validate it).

Here's some 'evil' uses for SNs:
- Take a FG 1997SPC, swap some parts, reproduce a guard, and restamp a SN and you have a Townshend limited edition.
- Take a JG/FG 660/12 and with the right SN you have a 660/12TP
- Take a 4004, get the right person to carve and bind it, and you have a LK
- Take the SN from RM's bantar, but it on a FG bantar, and you've got RM's old bantar!
- get someone to refinish a 4003 in DCM and with the right SN you have a $4000 bass...
- etc.

Here's the original comments about SNs from JH:
../5/152085.html"#FFEECC">

"...get someone to refinish a 4003 in DCM and with the right SN you have a $4000 bass..."

Provided you can also make the guards and TRC close enough to fool...then there's that pickguard color, too.

Good point John. I wasn't actually expecting such a convincing argument!

I can now see that Limited Editions should not have their serial numbers revealed, however, I don't think the same logic applies to regular models, where a fake number makes no difference if it can't, or more accurately won't, be cross referenced by JH. Thoughts?

I don't think its just of value for the limited editions.

Follow this link and look at the photo:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Rogers

If that had a SN from a '60 MG 360F it would be hard(er) to tell that it wasn't one...

From a positive perspective, a "public" registration database including S/Ns could help if the instrument is stolen or lost.

...Dean

I'm not sure how different a 360F Fakenbacker is with a fake serial compared to a Fakenbacker with a genuine one. Who could tell the difference apart from JH, perhaps, and he generally doesn't have the time to look these things up?

If a fake builder was trying to pass off a guitar to a forumite, then he obviously couldn't use a number from the database, in case the forum could trace the whereabouts of the genuine article. The builder would therefore have to resort to a fake number. With JH on such a case, this could in fact make it easier to determine authenticity, and without JH, it wouldn't matter whether the number was real or fake anyway.

Hmmm...no link to Crockenbacker Guitars.

Here's a question: I'd like to register my basses, because I think it's a good idea. However, I can't seem to use the form on the site because my email is webmail, I don't get it on the computer. Am I missing something?

Robert: You can fill out the form and then copy and paste that information into your webmail text window.

Then title it Rickenbacker Registration address it to [email protected]

My only question is that if we sell one, will the database refect that we no longer own it?

Yes Sean, once we get this organized, we will ask that the new owner provide a general location and the data will be amended accordingly.

Muchas gracias.