Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi, Guys. I have a 1968 4001 I am about to send to Dale Fortune to have restored. I have the original case for it, but it is in sorry shape. Since it wasn't fitted, the bass just rattled around in there and the back end of the case is worn through and is being held together by duct tape. My question is this: Since Dale does such a great job on the instruments, is there anyone who does that type of work with the cases? I want to keep the original silver, but I think I'd rather have the interior fitted to the bass. I'd appreciate any suggestions. Thanks!

buy one of the new vintage style Silver Ric cases

Does Ric sell them apart from the guitars? How much do they run?

Thanks. I just looked that up. I wonder if anyone else has a better price?

Check with Chris Clayton at Pic O'the Rics, and also Mike Parks.

My brand new mapleglo 4003 came very badly damaged in one of those silver vintage cases, They are very flimsy !! I was as sick as a parrot ! The bridge pickup cover was smashed as was the pickup selector switch and the scratchplate, it wasnt good. As you can imagine, I arent a fan of them... they dont do their intended job

Keith, this does, with all due respect, seem like an exceptional circumstance. How was it shipped? Had the outer box been opened? Sounds like there should have been visible damage to the carton, which should have been a clue.

Rick ships hundreds of these to their dealers every month via FedEx, and there are very few incidents like this.

Total protection means a road case. Anything less and you're always taking chances shipping your precious cargo.

JH mentioned a little while back that the new style cases protect much better than the vintage style.

As far as your bass not moving around in the case, I think the RIC SKB cases are better, but as far as crush resistance goes, I think the vintage style are better. For that 4003 to have been damaged like that, someone would have had to put something heavy on it.

Paul/Dane, the bass was shipped double boxed and wrapped in that heavy foam sheeting around the case. The guy who shipped it was quite thorough, however the shipping handlers were obviously neanderthal ! I opted for a much more sturdy polyprop Ric case when the guy sorted the problem out for me. I was really disappointed with the quality of the vintage but think the poly cases are excellent. My older 4003 is in the old style case that is black vinyl covered and that has much studier sides than the silver vintage type. Maybe mine was a poor one or from a bad batch but it was definitely not up to it !

The new cases from RIC are very strong. Much more robust than the vintage cases which look great, but do not offer the same protection.

For real peace of mind, this is the answer...

My first CS was damaged in shipping in its vintage case; the horseshoe was snapped off at both ends so it was just rattling around in the pickup route. I was especially horrified as it was being returned following finish repair work. There was no obvious damage to the case or carton, so I imagine something very heavy was put on it.

We have learned our lesson eh Shaun ? its a shocker alright when it happens. All I can advise is never send a Ric somewhere with a carrier with a silver vintage case. A Fender would survive but the proud pickup cover and the switch on a Ric are just ready to be smashed in one of those cases !!

I suppose that would be good advice, but you're guilty of the fallacy of sampling, Keith. Two instances can predict the nature of failure, but not the frequency, so sweeping conclusions are to be avoided.

I ship and receive Rickenbacker instruments in silver vintage cases, both new and 40 years old, several times a month. I have yet to see a case fail. It is more a problem with idiot shipping service employees than with the cases.

RIC marks all of their outer cartons with two legends: FRAGILE and GLASS. I would bet that their damage rates due to crushed cases are less than 1/2 of 1%...