RRF activity

[Kiddwad57]

I don't know much about Facebook. I don't have an account, not something I am proud of or otherwise. I do know that in many ways I am out of the loop on things going on around me, but in the end it doesn't really seem to matter, I get brought up to speed pretty quickly. I don't own a cell phone or wear a watch either, but somebody else usually has one of those if its real important.

I stumbled into RRF while surfing for info on one thing or another, just like I continue to stumble into other sites. The RRF has interesting things going on. I've been enjoying the Beatles pics and links lately. With Rickenbacker being the center of interest, the peripheral areas take on substance and commonality that are missing on the other sites I visit.

I do appreciate the minimal political content. Even though it pops up occasionally, it never gets in your face. I like that there is no pressure, and only gentle guidance as to what is appropriate content. Pretty welcoming environment to share the common interests of music and some of The Coolest Guitars On The Planet.

Thanks to whomever and however this all came about!

[rickboy88]

The activity has really fallen off since I first joined - I think about ten years ago. A lot of forumites at the time were in heavy acquisition mode at the time as well, which would include me. It gave us all something to talk about, as usually things had to be done after getting the new toy. Of course it was also a used guitar price market peak as well. I've had the 4001S in the avatar since 1984, but acquired three more from ebay within the first couple of years of joining the forum.
To explain why he didn't post much any longer, one of the very regular posters for quite a while (whom you long time regulars would all know) told me that he'd retired and was doing other things rather than being a bit bored at work checking RRF to keep busy.
I am quite busy at work and I am also more involved with a local community orchestra now, so I've tended to check and post on the weekends when the stars align - and the alignment needs to be more critical now as I go longer periods without checking.
I have a Facebook page, but I rarely post there. I noticed aspects of Facebook creeping onto this forum with lots of birthday wishes for a bit, but those are fairly rare as well now. Not that there is anything wrong with that to quote Jerry Seinfeld...

With all of the changes in life and scary things going on throughout the world RRF provides a bit of stability and continuity if that makes sense, sort of like getting in that car you've had for a while. I have been on other forums that have gone away (all of the time spent on old posts and images gone as well), so hopefully FB and other services won't dent this forum too much more. This forum is such a great resource, a resource of information that FB can't match. There is usually no need to post a new question, as it has likely already been answered. One just needs to search.

[cjj]

Yeah, I have to admit I'm a lot less active on this forum too. A move to the other side of the world, settling in to a new country, new job and all, I just don't seem to have time to check into the RRF as much. Also, my last job, where I had been for 25 years, the last 10 of which had been telecommuting and working from home, afforded me a bit more time to spend on "the net." I'd kick off some simulations and didn't really have anything to do for a half hour or more so switching over to my personal computer was no big deal. Now that I'm back in an office, and the new job doesn't have those periods of waiting, I really can't justify checking in to the RRF.

Ah well, I'm glad there's still a few folks left here to keep the place running...

[berklee6]

I've stuck my neck out a few times on RRF. I remember one thread where people were complaining that truss rod wrenches supplied by RIC were too fat to properly seat on the nuts of some new basses as there wasn't enough side-to-side clearance. People were advised to grind down their own tools to use for this purpose. My suggestion was for RIC to sell or supply a tool that fit as people shouldn't have to be adjusting their $2000 instruments using homemade tools. I was summarily "educated", by a corporate official via private message, as to why my point of view was "incorrect". The scolding may have been private but still made me hesitant to supply further posts, especially if they could be construed as contrarian.

[opticnerve]

I'm sure that Ric's "customer service" has put off more than a few people...and has put them off to the brand.

My interest lies purely in the pre-modern era. I have zero interest in whatever is being currently produced.

I'm gravitating more towards Fender myself. SORRY! lol!

Good post Michael.

[thx1955]

This has been, and remains my number one resource to look to for anything Rickenbacker.

The levels of expertise, knowledge and long term ownership experience freely available to Forum members is truly humbling.
I've found, bought and sold some fantastic Rickenbacker basses as a direct result of the Forum, a few I regret parting with, my V-63, my C-64 come to mind.
I did get my 75th Anniversary 4003 as a result of a PM tip from a fellow Forumite, I found my "Dark Fireglo" Fretless which a fellow member shipped safely from Australia
I missed by seconds a brand new 4003 Lemster in Hawaii, again another Forumite tipoff, I've one of Sergio Silva's earliest hand wound bass bobbins, again freely given.

Although the site is not as active as it once was and I do miss some of my old friends, it's still got a few die hards like myself, and there are new members as well.
I don't care if anyone asks a question that's been asked a 100 times before, for them it's a new and genuine request for information and / or assistance, sharing of information is the foundation of the Forum.

My thanks to all who've offered opinions, guidance and advise to me anytime I've asked, and Paul, thanks for the book, I remember when you were researching it, and the amount of information support you found here.

As long as there's an RRF I'll be here.

[admin]

Jim: I continue to read and enjoy your posts. Thanks so much for your contribution.

[girllennon76]

I'm here and on Facebook. I haven't been as active since selling my 325 last November mainly because it's hard to see other Rics when you don't have one anymore to enjoy. I do plan on getting another one come second Christmas, aka tax refund season. If I can't get back the guitar that I sold originally, then I'm certainly posting ISO listing here. Can't go wrong with RFF member-owned instruments.

[Dom]

A forum is always a repository of information on a specific subject, no matter how active it is. Waves of activity flow in and out. Forums are usually fairly detailed. Ability to search your way around any forum is internet 101. Facebook is for the newsfeed crawls and instant feedback crowd rather than searchable subjects. You see a lot more redundant questions or fluff there than on any forum. I'm on both & I resisted Facebook but it keeps you in touch real time...it's like when I had to finally switch to a smartphone just to keep in contact with some people. This is the most sincerely polite forums I know of. I like that, no grandstanding.

For me no $ for Rics until I have a place to play & work on them. We need to survive the holidays first. Hope to get working on the garage in January.

[Kopfjaeger]

I check this forum several times a day. When I have off from work, much more often. I love this forum, I really do. This was the first forum i joined when I got back into playing a Rickenbacker and everything I've learned about the brand, i owe to this forum. For the most part, I have lots of friends here and I feel comfortable posting here. Maybe sometimes a little too comfortable. . Over the course of my membership, I've given myself time outs for my indiscretions. I do agree that the leadership at RIC has a direct tie in with the discord found here on the forum. As we all know, JH no longer posts here but he does PM behind the scenes with bits of information and sometimes bits of dis-information.

I am also a member of a few of the Rickenbacker Facebook forums. i don't post there too often. Mostly I glance at what is going on and move on. Mostly because the majority of the posters there are morons that don't know **** about their instruments and really don't want to know. The most recent thread that really chaffed my a$$ was this guy posting fotos with just about every Rickenbacker instrument RIC makes, both guitar and bass. he then bitches about the new 12 string he purchased and how the neck has bowed and how he's returning it to the dealer. I and a few others ask if he has attempted to adjust the truss rods to which he replies, he knows nothing about truss rods and he should not have to adjust a 3k instrument and how there are no good tech shops in Queens, NY, WHAT?!?!?!?!?! To make matters worse, a ton of people are telling him to return it since it may be defective. Seriously??? Hey, I'm all about sharing knowledge since so many of you here were gracious enough to teach me but the overwhelming attitude on FB is they don't want to learn, they want to complain.

I too dislike Facebook. if I ever meet Zuckerberg, I'm going to ***** slap him for contributing to the downfall of humanity!!

Sepp

[arbiter]

I've always been more of an active reader than poster here, but I will say my visits to the site have dropped off considerably in the past 4 years. Not sure, what it is, but there just isn't the same allure. It's definitely the first place I would go if I had any technical questions, and I have met some great people here.