Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

HaHaHa the tailpiece looks like it was made from an industrial fly swatter.

Thanks Paul. I can always count on you for the laugh of the day.

Is that a take off on a hockey mask for the tail piece? And how about where the strap pin is placed on the underside of the neck: road bump.

Nothing about it is right. Have a look at the layout of the tuning pegs and the alignment of the pickups in relation to the neck and bridge!

Load of garbage.........

Never design a guitar while drunk or stoned
Also: never build a guitar while drunk or stoned!

...or clueless...

I particularly like how the tuners are spaced on the headstock. Precise measurements like, "it looks close enough to me."

Because of Paul's posts here about this guy I went to the Gretsch site to see what this was all about. It seems very odd to me that people would publically support the guy unless those supporters are troll handles. I mean, this is the sort of stuff that you praise a grade schooler for just to keep him happy and occupied.

Are people just terminally nice and polite and therefore stupid there? I don't get it.

I vote for troll handles and modified troll handles.

I've had at least six frequent posters on that site, e-mail me in private to tell me that they agreed with me, when I posted a critique of one of his latest achievements a couple of months ago. Why don't they stand up in public? Because of the strange vibe of the site.

I think that Forums (Fora?) acquire, over time, their own sort of "corporate culture", accompanied by its own "groupthink". Gretschpages is a weird mix of over-polite (as if afraid to cause or contribute to controversy among members), and those who do not hesitate to call me an "a**hole" for critiquing mvp's stuff in adult terms from both an aesthetic and commercial standpoint. The moderator considers me rude and called my polite, teeth-gritted but bitchy critique, quite rude. I guess that personal attacks with playground language are preferable to adult analysis.

I visit for the few friends I have there, and of course for the guitars. But the place, for as slick as it pretends to be (they have never sorted their Java for Apple users, FWIW), can also be pretty clueless itself. Many of the comments on technical topics are off base, and they seem to worship Brian Setzer, who admittedly is a Great Talent, a Nice Guy, and Gretsch's Savior.

Of course, they don't have Dale, Charlie, Sergio, Roy, and especially Peter to keep things humming along!

I've hung around Gretschpages quite a bit, and I have to say that Paul's analysis of the vibe is pretty on the mark. I watched the back-and-forth about MVP's efforts -- and I have to admit that at first I thought, "Aw, leave the guy alone." But with time and experience (and going back and rereading the specific thread in question) comes wisdom, and I am now of the opinion, "What was I thinking -- MVP is a ranking banana." (I think his latest "Eagle" effort was the straw that did it.)

I give him credit -- he's doing his thing and letting (apparently) the criticism roll off his back. But MVP, buddy, pal, could you please do it in private?

And as for the Gretschpages itself, there are some great folks there, and I still get some good info. I still wander over there once in a while, but something's changed in the last 6-9 months. I used to enjoy their posts quite a bit, but now I spend far more time here. Not sure what it is -- a Setzer-Rockabilly attitude, perhaps. Not that there's anything wrong with Setzer or rockabilly. But there seems to be more diversity in tastes here.

Plus, what other forum has the owner of the company participating with us unwashed masses? Over at GDP, I haven't even seen a post from Mike Lewis (Fender/Gretsch rep, the GDP's version of John Hall) in months.

Mike used to post quite regularly, but not in awhile, and it is due (I think) to a corporate mandate to distance himself from the individual customer. Fender is growing bigger and less responsive to their customer base, while literally packing away the money. Meantime the quality of Gretsch guitars is getting better to the point that I believe these current guitars will be considered Gretsch's Second Golden Age.

Over at GDP, I haven't even seen a post from Mike Lewis (Fender/Gretsch rep, the GDP's version of John Hall) in months

Don't you mean Fred or Dinah Gretsch, whoever's the CEO these days? Otherwise, I could just have Kenny Howes post on our behalf instead!

I read through Jerry's post above and meant to correct the obvious faux pas and somehow got distracted. When I came back to finish the post, I'd forgotten.

Mike Lewis is responsible for the Fender/Gretsch liaison; beyond that I'm not sure of his bailiwick.

John, on the other hand, is CEO of RIC, which would put him on a level with Fred or Dinah, but in "title" only. I don't think Fred (or Dinah) do much these days except lend their surname to the guitars.

John Hall would not be posting here or anywhere else if he was not as totally involved and as hands-on and heart and soul involved as he is in RIC. For that we can be very thankful!

The point that is more important to me, is that we hear from you John on a regular basis. Over there it is apparent that they do not hear from the CEO responsible for the company any more.

In my short time here on this forum I have noticed that your actions and words are congruent with the quality we have come to expect in your instruments. Your passion for your craft is obvious and we benefit from that.

Bill Schultz is the CEO of Fender/Gretsch. Fred is the president (probably one of a hundred). Doubt if you've had a post from Schultz, but then again maybe you have. Somehow it doesn't seem likely he would get up close and personal.

Fred turns up once in awhile to dust off his smile, show off his sartorial eleghance, and recharge his necktie.

But right now there's nobody I know involved with his customers to John's degree. May RIC never go public!