Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

johnhall wrote:Rickenbacker at Music China, Shanghai, October 2011, along with Parson's and Shinseido's leaders.

Wow, thanks John.

Wouldn't you know it - this was the first year I missed Music China. Well, congrats to Parsons! I just had one of my staff call both the Beijing and Shanghai stores (this is really exciting for me!). Alas, nobody knew anything about Rickenbacker (Shanghai asked if it was a piano brand). It is likely because it is still so new.

Best wishes on your success! You're in a "different" market now!

By the way, I have some pics somewhere of my midnight blue 2005 660/12 (probably the first in China back then) resting on my (matching) sonic blue 2005 Victory Kingpin motorcycle (definitely the first in China), in various venues around town (Great Wall, Tiananmen, etc). I'll post them when I find them.

Cheers

johnhall wrote:Rickenbacker at Music China, Shanghai, October 2011, along with Parson's and Shinseido's leaders.

Thats the bigget TRC I have ever seen

Latest report from Beijing (I feel like a tattle-taler!)

Went into a Parsons yesterday, hoping to finally track down a Ric ... nada. The sales manager thought I was making up the name "Rickenbacker" as a joke (she knows my nickname is "Rick"). I had her phone a couple of other Parsons outlets in Beijing - nope, no one has heard of them. Sigh.

If they are here, they are very well hidden.

I keep chatting up my Chinese friends about how great Rics are, but people are starting to think I am talking about some imaginary friend.

Heaven help Ric if someone like Avril used one on stage in China (she is the hottest artist in China these days).

Rick wrote:Heaven help Ric if someone like Avril used one on stage in China (she is the hottest artist in China these days).

A local artist or Avril Lavine?

Yup - Avril Lavigne. She is, hands down, number one in China these days.

Personally, I am not her biggest fan (despite also being Canadian), but I think she has done some really great things in the music scene's development here. She's got my support.

Her songs target a cohort (girls in their teens & twenties) that I am not a member of (I am more the early boomer cohort - aka "old fart"). But her music is kinda catchy.

I had the opportunity to jam with some Chinese bands in a little "Battle of the Bands", and the crowd was shouting "play Sk8tr Boi" ... "play it again" ... "one more time!" The fact that I am a male, an at least twice Avril's age, height & weight, didn't matter - I am a Canadian with blonde hair & blue eyes. Good enough for the crowd.

Parson's have made a significant commitment to Rickenbacker in the form of orders but not too much merchandise has yet been delivered; that's our fault, not theirs. This relationship was confirmed at the Shanghai Music Fair at the end of last year and further during their factory and NAMM visits here in January. They currently have 29 stores in the special territories (Hong Kong, et al) and a growing number of stores in China proper, with a goal of something like 200 stores within the next few years.

Add to this the large new Ishibashi Store in Shanghai, which will be open in the next few months (near a Parson's store ironically). I have reviewed the plans for the Rickenbacker department personally and our section has been greatly expanded to meet the perceived market at the expense of one of our competitors that appears to be foundering.

Maybe there's not a lot of instruments actually in China right now today but they're on their way. With a little patience you'll finally see us there in force and the demand has already been well demonstrated.

johnhall wrote:the Rickenbacker department

A Rickenbacker DEPARTMENT??? *faints* We're lucky if we find a store with just one Rickie in stock here in Holland!

johnhall wrote:Maybe there's not a lot of instruments actually in China right now today but they're on their way. With a little patience you'll finally see us there in force and the demand has already been well demonstrated.

Thanks for the update John. Parsons has a good reputation in China, albeit primarily in the keys, strings & traditional Chinese instruments.

We are all really eager to see Ric here. The Made in the USA will be a huge selling feature, in addition to the guitars already being stellar instruments.

Heh heh ... do a special "dragon edition" (Year of the Dragon) to celebrate the launch ... I claim dibs on serial number 001 for the idea!!! I guess you saw the Fender dragons at NAMM? Whoa Nelly - pricy, but I know a few people who would be interested.

Yes, 200 stores in a few years is not unheard of.

Best wishes from Beijing.

While traveling, I stop in at Parson's in HK when I have time and it is a good name with a nice selection of cool-looking traditional stringed instruments I dare not attempt to play. Will be cool to see RICs in there soon. I'll alert my diving buddies in Beijing to be on the lookout too!