Rics R Us

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 12:50 pm

...and as long as the distribution of glaucoma remedy in the US remains as weak as it is, my 'unauthorized' dealer's excellent service will continue to be more than appreciated by honest, buzz-loving me.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 12:51 pm

I am not meaning to impugn anybody here; my post was merely to define terms a bit better.

Dane, I am probably nearly a decade more cynical than you about American business, but I believe that RIC operates within a rare ethical construct. As to other businesses, after 35 years of working within the "American business community", dealing with manufacturers and brokers, I have little respect for most and still less for how they practice their religion (money).

tony_carey · Post by **tony_carey** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 12:53 pm

Nice one Dane...

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 1:00 pm

Paul...let's not have a cynical contest...we'll burn a 'Bonanza'-style hole in the pages of the Forum...

I do agree with your points, and understand JH's side of this completely as well. It's just that people will get what they want...out under the street light, where things are nice and clear...or back in the alley where it's a little muddy.

Remember Pynchon's vision of post-war Europe in Gravity's Rainbow? That's what I'm talkin about. (Psst...hey buddy, wanna buy a gen-yoo-ine Zoot suit?)

simer4001 · Post by **simer4001** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 1:05 pm

Graham, Howard is correct. I was referring to Northcoast Music in WI. Gary has been great to deal with.

Randy, I also have had dealings with "TME". He was terrific as well. What a great Beatles collection he has...or had. I know he was looking for buyers.

Thanks again for all your comments.

randyz · Post by **randyz** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 2:24 pm

Brian: Back in 1988, I ordered a new 1997VB FG from 'TME', paying $750 in advance. Later after receiving and inspecting my guitar, he called and offered me a 200% refund to forget the deal. I told him, "Nope, send me the guitar!" I was afraid that RIC was discontinuing the model, and I decided I couldn't live without it.

simer4001 · Post by **simer4001** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 2:49 pm

Do you still have the guitar Randy? I purchased a Hofner from him a few years back.

britye · Post by **britye** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 5:28 pm

The 82nd has not been dropped on anybodys a**s in combat since WWII. They have been known to help out with hurricane relief efforts though. wink, wink, nudge, nudge
oh yea by the way Gary at NCM is an upstanding fine businessman to deal with.

godber · Post by **godber** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 2:10 am

I've only bought a few bits and bobs from RRU, but I very much like their style. I'm on a budget and have been lucky enough to pick up some excellent bargains from Peter Cooks Guitar World (MB 330 for £799). I'm also lucky that the local Sound Control manager is an enthusiast who rarely has less than five Rickenbackers in stock. I’ve spent many a lunchtime ogling (the stock).

leftyguitars · Post by **leftyguitars** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 2:56 am

It is (relatively) easy for forum members in the USA to pick up their dream Rickenbacker (or at least have a choice of different models/colours/etc.) from one of many dealers and stockists in the USA, it is equally easy for some of them to wonder what all the fuss is about here in the UK. Our choice varies from an odd dealer who may have something in stock (at his price which is often more that twice the equivalent USA price) to "not a chance mate". My choices (being a lefty) are absolutely zero. Therefore if I ever find a lefty on my travels (usually in the USA, occasionally Europe but never (as yet) in the UK) I buy it if I have the funds - regardless of whether I want or need it - as I know I won't find one back home. I do not know Mike personally but have traded with him in the past, he is a great and trustworthy Rickenbacker fanatic and the world could do with more like him who are actually on the "punters" side.

bassduke49 · Post by **bassduke49** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 4:01 am

Peter, you have e-mail.

randyz · Post by **randyz** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 4:23 am

Brian: Yep, I've still got the 1997VB FG. Recently I also picked up a 1997 JG and a 1997 FG. You can never have too many! I really like those reissues (and the 360V64 and 360/12V64 guitars). The late 80's and early 90's were a great time to buy those guitars new for $750-950.

I got to meet 'TME' at a guitar show in Dallas around 1990. He brought me an early 80's Vox AC30 with chrome stand for $400 and helped me to lug it out to the car. I've still got it too. It was cheap because it looks perfect but doesn't work. It's still on my list of future projects. As I understand it, he was career military medical officer. He moved around a lot. I first heard about him around 1983 in a 'Vox Advocates' newsletter, when he advertised his Lennon-modded 325's for sale. I remember dealing with him at addresses including Illinois, Louisiana, and Hawaii. He mainly dealt in Ricks, Hofners, and Vox amps. I don't know what he's doing these days.

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 7:12 am

"The 82nd has not been dropped on anybodys a**s in combat since WWII."

I beg to differ, Brian...remember that teeny island called Grenada? The 82nd was part of a force of 16,000 that was dropped on the a**es of 600 ill-equipped and poorly trained Cubans. I know this because a good friend of mine was a sergeant in the 82nd at the time...His platoon parachuted in and advanced on a small village. The main road was being guarded by two guys in shorts and rubber sandals manning a WWI machine gun which kept jamming on them as they fired. On orders from the Lt., my buddy and another guy moved down the rows of houses until they found themselves directly behind the two Cubans, at which point they opened up with their M16's...he said it was less effort than watering the lawn. For back-shooting these poor b*stards, he was awarded the Bronze Star. It made him so ill he refused to wear it in formations, and was browbeaten by superiors to the point of leaving the Army after putting in 8 years. He swears to this day that one of the main reasons for the entire Grenada 'exercise' was that an entire generation of NCO's was missing their CIB's (Combat Infantry Badges). These were given out like lollipops after our heroic 'victory'.

(Sorry for the interruption...just wanting to keep the record straight...)

8mileshigh · Post by **8mileshigh** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 12:34 pm

This thread has clearly opened up a whole can of worms. I'm not sure of Brian's location, but as my fellow UK forumites have said, Rics R US is a big part of the UK scene. Quite simply IMHO Mike provides an outstanding service and a superb range of Rickenbackers, simply not provided by any other supplier in the UK, authorised or not. I have been collecting Rickenbackers for 25 years. My first electric was a Rickenbacker and I have grown up with them. I am a passionate advocate of their superb product and like many other forumites, I would gladly offer my time and energy to promote Rickenbacker in any way I can. When I attended the London Guitar show a couple of years ago, I did so mainly because Rosetti did not take a stand. I felt Rickenbacker should be represented and took 18 Ricks from my collection to the show, not to sell, but as a showcase for Rickenbacker. From that experience, talking to many other Rickenbacker enthusiasts, we all felt let down by Rosetti's lack of interest in our own first National guitar show for many years. I am only an individual with a limited knowledge of international corporate affairs, and obviously Rosetti provide a great service for Rickenbacker as a company, but from a buyer’s perspective, without exception Mike is the only person in the last twenty years that has provided the range of product and the level of passion, in the UK, that I think Rickenbacker deserves.

tony_carey · Post by **tony_carey** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 1:33 pm

A great post Graham, which I think sums up the feelings of all of us from the UK. Rosetti might do a great corporate job for Rickenbacker, (can't remember the last Ric ad I saw though & we get a photocopied parts list with 'Gibson' written on the top of it, supplied with new Rickenbackers...but apart from that!) but Mike is a human face that is well respected for his honesty, knowledge & love of the product by all Rickenbacker devotees in the UK.