is this pickup complete? correct?

[rick_ovic]

That price was absolutely more than fair. I saw it, pondered upon it for about 30 seconds, when Dave nabbed it (we're now even for the RI Horsie I pulled out from under your nose, Pascoe!).

The very fact that four or more of us would have bought that pick up at that price clearly supports the "fairness" of Tony's price.

[chefothefuture]

I hate to point fingers, but I'm fed up with this.
The person who said Greed also makes many other
derogatory comments and then wonders(whines) why Ricks might
be the wrong brand. If you don't have anything positive to say; don't go around
whining about it when it hits you back!
It's not greed to ask fair market value for anything, and to accuse one
who is beyond reproach of this is offensive and rude.

There.
I've said my peace. Kick me off the forum!
I've about had it!

[rickenbrother]

I hate to point fingers, but I'm fed up with this.
The person who said Greed also makes many other
derogatory comments and then wonders(whines) why Ricks might
be the wrong brand. If you don't have anything positive to say; don't go around
whining about it when it hits you back!
It's not greed to ask fair market value for anything, and to accuse one
who is beyond reproach of this is offensive and rude.

There.
I've said my peace. Kick me off the forum!
I've about had it!

+1

[jwr2]

That price was absolutely more than fair. I saw it, pondered upon it for about 30 seconds, when Dave nabbed it (we're now even for the RI Horsie I pulled out from under your nose, Pascoe!).

The very fact that four or more of us would have bought that pick up at that price clearly supports the "fairness" of Tony's price.

with all due respect to everyone on this forum both sellers and buyers ...

$500 for a high gain pickup?

are you just a little crazy?

[wints]

The relative rarity of such a pick up, is always going to produce a higher price. It's simply the old supply and demand.
Jeff's view, comes from that of a player, and he'll look at that and may think he was possibly a little harsh in his delivery there.

After all, a few years ago, a certain, beautiful, 68 4001 bass was sold for much more than the going rate at the time, and everyone was happy. The seller was simply fulfilling the demand for such a wonderful instrument and the buyer was prepared to pay that amount.

Now, back to your scheduled programme....

[rickcrazy]

Hahaha! This is better than going to the movies, as we say in my part of the world.

I'll do some of you a favor by not speaking freely. I won't even try and make you look bad - you do that pretty well yourselves, gentlemen.

You have a nice Sunday.

Sorry about the mess, Jeff.

[dswp]

For the record, I would have paid twice what I did (Tony, you did ship it already right?).

Chances are I will NEVER see another for sale.

I am also restoring a 1962 Strat. When I am looking at $3000.00 to $6000.00 for a correct trio of pickups. This was a no brain-er.

Also I do have some of Sergio's home grown pick ups in his famed (Star) 4080 az blue. I have no intention on restoring that situation.

[walker]

I'll do some of you a favor by not speaking freely. I won't even try and make you look bad - you do that pretty well yourselves, gentlemen. You have a nice Sunday. Sorry about the mess, Jeff.

(sound of jets soaring very high overhead)

I think your favor comes a little late, Serg. Maybe you should have started with the tact before dishing out the "Greed" label along with Jeff. And apologizing to Jeff after you both slandered Tony? That's just plain baffling. You want to hang onto your stance? That's great. Cling to it for all it gets you.

[ajish4]

I'm not a VINTAGE guy, but I thought that price was very fair just do to the fact it's obvious scarcity in the market. Not to mention, as Dave proves out, IF someone needed it for an early 70's RIC, it is worth every penny and more!

I don't even NEED one and I thought of nailing it just to have for future trade possibilities!

I feel if something is posted at what seems to be a ridiculous price, it simply doesn't sell. IF it does, it was OBVIOUSLY worth it to someone and/or they simply don't care! Look at that Ebay dealer who keeps selling "new" 4003's for $2600.00, they keep selling. Look at Olivia's, it takes a few times, but THEY KEEP SELLING. The perfect example was that 4004Cii Monty. I said "NO WAY" but sure enough, it sold anyway.

I think it is a well know fact that I LOVE RI HS pickups. To the point, I've endured a TWO YEAR WAIT and spent over $500.00 to have one put together. To me, IF I see one posted (and I have the funds available at the time) I'm just going to nail the damn thing!

Here is my story....it's sad but true... Reader's Digest version:

Someone here on the forum offered up a set of BRAND NEW shoes (and shoes only) from a C64 for $200.00. AT THE TIME, I thought it was a little steep, but they were BRAND NEW and I had to have them! I didn't THINK that finding a bobbin would be such a big deal.....That purchase began a TWO YEAR SEARCH and multiple failed projects, DELAYS, LOTS of aggravation, frustration and expense. From people not retuning calls, to luthiers charging $180.00 for a bobbin that sounded like a Jazz pickup, to bad magnets, shipping, waiting, faulty parts, you name it.

Sergio managed to get me a bobbin put together and the story has a happy ending. It LOOKS fantastic, it kicks a@@ and thankfully, ended all the time, money & frustration spent on trying to get an original. I've heard many instances where Sergio has saved lots of vintage RICS from sitting idle.

To me, if RIC was to offer these pickups at $500.00 a piece, it would be worth not having to deal with all the BS trying to get one put together. WHY? Because to me, it IS WORTH IT. We're not talking kidneys here guys, IF we want it, we pay the price, if not.... we don't. PERIOD.

[rickenbrother]

I'm not a VINTAGE guy,

Really? I thought you were quite vintage!

*ducks Tony's thrown shoe*

[ajish4]

I'm not a VINTAGE guy,

Really? I thought you were quite vintage!

*ducks Tony's thrown shoe*

LOL!

Dammit, I really have to be on my toes around you guys, don't I?

But, that was a good one Joey! I'd go back and edit it, but then the thread wouldn't make sense! LOL!

[chefothefuture]

Hope that wasn't a horse shoe....

[ajish4]

Hope that wasn't a horse shoe....

HELL NO, I'm not THAT generous!

[rickenbrother]

Hope that wasn't a horse shoe....

I wish it was!!

[whojamfan]

It just proves to me more and more why I beleive RIC should make available everything that they still manufacture. I believe their reasoning is somehow having the parts available would somehow devalue their vintage instruments, and negatively affect the sales of the vintage/classic models that these few items are used for. I really don't think someone looking for a sixties reissue McCartney bass won't all of the sudden go "hooray, I can just stick a horshoe on my 4003 and/or now I can sell it for a mint!"

What it will do, is allow those that own vintage instruments a way to keep them original when they need replacement parts, instead of having to either modify them, or pay prices that have caused some fire here on this topic. The player that is just interested in having the instrument playable doesn't care whether or not what year it was made, only that it is the correct part they need to make it function and keep it original. Simple as that.

Fender makes handmade 62 pickups for strats still with period correct components, but aren't worth the plastic they're made of to someone restoring a 62 Strat, who is willing to pay 3,000-6,000 dollars to get an actual set. This does not hurt Fenders vintage reissue series, custom shop, or anything else. What it does do, is allow someone who is unable or unwilling, the opportunity to replace pickups in an old guitar they have, or throw them in a new one, which will more than likely lead them down the road to getting either a custom shop guitar, or shell out for the real thing. Anyway you look at it, Fender wins, the customer wins, and nobody is hurting their vintage market or using these parts to fool people who pay the big money the originals bring.

Now, those of you who want to get the exact thing you want down to the month it was made, or whatever, understand the used vintage market and will pay the cost to have the "perfect" part. Whether they are collectors, players, or both, they want it exactly that way and may have to wait years to find the part. It's all part of that aspect of ownership, and deserves to be respected for what it is.

If I may,guys like Sergio offer a great service to help folks out in getting their broken pickups up and running again, and/or modify existing working ones to a customers preference. He also makes his own stuff, and deserves respect in that aspect as well. Pickups are not expensive, rare material, or such hard to make items, that one who does actually make them can't get a good laugh out the prices the market will pay for something they can do for so much less. Can Sergio make you a 1971 high gain pickup? Without a time machine, no. But, what he can do, is either fix your broken one, mod a different one,or offer you other options to get you as close to where you wanna be short of the "actual" item. I have never met, or spoken to him, but I know of his reputation and respect that and his abilities.

I agree the vintage market can be nuts, but more nuts is the supermarket, and the gas pump. $4.00+ for a gallon of gas is GREED, and that's what infuriates me. We don't need to fight over the price of parts, you can buy or pass, your choice. It would just be better for all of us loyal owners and players if we had more options. I mean no offense to John Hall, or any of the other folks at RIC IMHOs expressed in this posting, or any other ,for that matter. I love my Rickenbacker instruments, as we obviously all do, and am not trying to tell anybody how to run their business.