Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

epitreture wrote:I actually agree with the RIC policy on TRC's with one exception:
Someone who owns a genuine Rick should be allowed to send back their TRC and purchase one in a different color. A standard 330FG looks excellent with white guards and TRC, but it also looks excellent with gold guards and TRC such as what comes standard with a 660.

This was the policy until a couple of years ago. It simply got to be too much hassle for RIC to be swapping these. It seems to me that this would get in the way of production as well as taxing the small administrative staff. The more "special cases" that have to be dealt with, the more difficult it becomes to make progress on the production backlog.

I understand and agree with both sides of the coin here, but find it unfortunate that some kind of happy medium can't be met regarding this wholeTRC thing. I'm aware of the production backlog and other issues, but maybe the task could be outsourced to a trusted individual, like the acoustics are to Paul. If someone were to ship you an instrument, there's a really good chance they aren't looking to pull a fast one, they just want to make it right. The ones it seems who are hit hardest by this are the very folks who own numerous Ricks due to being loyal repeat customers.

And yes, I understand and agree about not having fakers cranked out by factories, or individuals.

whojamfan wrote:... maybe the task could be outsourced to a trusted individual, like the acoustics are to Paul.

Hey, I'd be great for that job. Queen of the TRCs, that's me. Just have JH send 'em all up to me and I'll sort everything for you guys.

Of course, you'll all have to do my bidding should I worm my way into such a position of power Get on my good side before I become ultimately corrupted, mwaah haaah haaaaaaah!.

kiramdear wrote: Get on my good side before I become ultimately corrupted, mwaah haaah haaaaaaah!.

Isn't it too late for that, Anakin?

May the schwartz be with you

whojamfan wrote:I understand and agree with both sides of the coin here, but find it unfortunate that some kind of happy medium can't be met regarding this wholeTRC thing. I'm aware of the production backlog and other issues, but maybe the task could be outsourced to a trusted individual, like the acoustics are to Paul. If someone were to ship you an instrument, there's a really good chance they aren't looking to pull a fast one, they just want to make it right. The ones it seems who are hit hardest by this are the very folks who own numerous Ricks due to being loyal repeat customers.

And yes, I understand and agree about not having fakers cranked out by factories, or individuals.

I agree with you 100% on this Mike.

I also have a question.
Who do you think it is that is buying the majority of the fake TRC's on the market?

1. Dodgy people that put them onto fake Rickenbacker guitars?

2. People who have sold their real TRC for big bucks and then put a fake one on their Ric in it's place?

3. Genuine Rickenbacker owners who merely want to slightly change and possibly enhance the appearance of their beloved guitars?

My money would be on option 3.

(oh and Mike, your signature, Sham 69?)

I thought you were allowed to make your own TRC for a genuine RIC guitar if you own the guitar without violating the trademark?

Greg

soundmasterg wrote:I thought you were allowed to make your own TRC for a genuine RIC guitar if you own the guitar without violating the trademark?

Greg

I hope so.
I made four of them for my 2008 360JG ( gold, silver, black and white pearloid).

Rob, I think the majority of people buying fake TRCs are folks who don't know any better, and are trying to restore an instrument, or replace a lost or broken one. I would imagine if you had the ability to make a guitar that was even a semi convincing copy of a Rick, a little bit of white plastic with some letters etched out of it and painted black would not be hard at all to make. I would believe any company overseas mass producing copies would not by trolling ebay for $200 TRCs when they're cranking the guitars out for well less than half of that.

Yes, darn it, Hurry up Harry-Sham 69. The thing I really dig about Jimmy Pursey is that he sings worse than I do Oddly enough, that abum, "That's Life", was recorded in a little studio house that John Lennon either owned or did own.

Oh well, off to steal another signature

soundmasterg wrote:I thought you were allowed to make your own TRC for a genuine RIC guitar if you own the guitar without violating the trademark?

Greg

You can paint your Ric pink with green polka dots, put a Fender decal on it, make your own TRC, or throw it in a wood chipper for all that is legal. That's called customizing your guitar.

Now....selling it with fake parts.....that's a whole 'nother story.

I agree - Rickenbacker shouldn't hand TRC's out.

Plasic injection molding TRC's costing just a few cents each would be the easy part in producing a Rickenbacker. It wouldn't be unheard of to outsource this kind of work either.

Send your TRC back to Rickenbacker for a replacement in a colour of choice should be an easy thing IMHO.