Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Steve, your pictures of the factory are terrific. The entire process is pretty fascinating. And the original Carl Wilson is a revelation.

Many thanks.

Me too..... waiting for approval..

as am I and I'm already a Yahoo member!

This sucks. Im sorry. but oh well. Guess I dont need any pics anyway.

The factory pics are great, Steve. Thanks!

A few questions:

1) Template for the Lemmy? I thought they were all different and hand carved? The few I've seem pix of in this forum have looked different to me.

2) Any comments on how many guitars (electric. acoustic, basses) they push out of there a year?

3) Impressions on the Anniversary Edition when you see it in person?

4) Any comments on how many of the Anniversary Editions they've already built?

5) In the "John & Ted Check Out the Basses" photo, what's the 2nd from the right bass, to the right of the Macca bass? It's also called the "Dumpster bass" later. I like it!

The early LK carving was based on this template, but some of the later basses definitely deviated from this design. No idea of yearly production (RIC probably doesn't release these figures), but the factory was a busy place! The 75th anniversary bass looked terrific in person. It was the only 75th instrument on display. The "Dumpster" bass is so name because I believe it was going to be trashed due to a serious wood flaw until it was rescued with a carved bubinga top. Really a spectacular bass!

Thanks Steve. What's everybody up to tonight?

There was an hours-long jam session last night.

Sure wish I could see the pics....sniff sniff...

Me too JC

Thanks Steve and everyone else for posting on the forum.

From everyone that couldn't make it to Santa Ana!

cheers

My own photo server is down right now, darn it and I have not gotten into the Yahoo board yet, either...

Squirefan01 if I may interject even though you weren't asking me...

1) I saw some "unfinished" Lemmy parts in the Acoustic department - a couple of completed necks, and some body wings which were sadly covered in dust. From the ones I've seen, they're all different due to the hand-carving process. There were lots of acoustic parts and some nearly-complete/broken acoustics there. They are absolutely gorgeous instruments.

The whole department was blanketed in fine wood dust. It was very, very sad.

2) Ben Hall said he wasn't at liberty to release their production totals. That was the first question I asked him.

3 & 4) Nicer than in the pictures. I especially liked the TRC - it is very similar to Paul W.'s custom TRC that ended up on his MB Ricks. Lovely! There is only the one Anniversary model in existence (a 4003) right now, according to Ben.

I got a couple of great pictures of the dumpster bass. It's also way prettier in person.

On another note - I really, really liked the AFG models we saw. There were a handful of 1996s in the works and I came across a 660/6 AFG as well. There is a significant difference between FG and AFG which I was not able to really appreciate from the photos I've seen. There were TONS of 4003 FG basses in the works. Very cool tour.

PICS PICS PICS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Lemmy bodies you saw in the acoustics area were merely practice blanks for carving. All Lemmy body wings are completed and are in storage in our woodshop. We need only to make the necks for them.

Yes, more pictures, please.