Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Did anyone here end up with Howie Epstein's black hollow body bass that owed a huge nod to Rickenbacker?

http://topshelfguitarshop.com/EpsteinWeb%20folder/RicBass.html

Or one of the 2 Ric guitars?

Just wondering...

Ask Russ Rubman.

I\\'m surprised they were allowed to sell it.

Whoa, did Russ get it?!

Amazing guitar. Wonderful detail. Possibly better quality and attention to detail than any RIC production-line product. BUT: Russ (and any of us too) must always acknowledge (publicly at all times) that the guitar was a non-commercial "gift" transaction, in which there was no commerce either contemplated or executed. He purchased a box, not a guitar. The guitar inside was a gift, not contingent on the sale of the box. No "value received" or "value exchanged". Otherwise it could serve to dilute the RIC trademark(s)and place John Hall into the icky area of having to do cease and desist letters to protect his mark in US commerce.

If Russ got it then congrats!!! I was thinking that one of the Mikes would have been gunning for it.

I even bid on it myself because I liked it so much!

Thankfully, I did end up with the Wal MK1. So it looks like two from that collection have gone to forumites! Any more?

Dave! I was drooling for the MK1! With all the buzz with the latest high re-sales of these I hope you got it within reason. Have you got it yet! Can't wait to hear....

John - don't know if Russ got it but I will email him.

Thanks Mike, no I haven't seen it yet. In fact my payment is due to arrive there tomorrow so I'm hoping it will be here in Toronto by the end of next week. I am so pumped, I can't wait!!! And, it'll make a nice sibling for my ProIIe too!

Since it's an estate sale I'm not comfortable revealing the price but I have to say that it was reasonable.

I'll definitely post pics and a review in "the others" section here and in the Wal section at the Dudepit once it arrives. If there's anything in particular you'd like to know just send me a note!

Mike,

If I recall correctly I was chastised by the auction house rep over this bass. I have a vague memory of us talking about estate issues. He accused me of starting rumors. I found ironic that he accused me of starting rumors when he was guilty of trying to pass off a fake Rickenbacker. Now I know he corrected himself, but being in that business of sorts, don't you think some homework would have been done first?

Sure is a lovely bass though.

Something tells me that the "Buy a box and get a free bass" scam wont fly. One way or another, the box would not have sold without Howie's Fakenbacker inside. Then again, maybe some legal requirement was met so that JH can move on to more important things without risk to his trademarks.

"Something tells me that the "Buy a box and get a free bass" scam wont fly."

I think someone tried to pull that on ebay once but the auction got shut down just the same. They didn't even mention the word rickenbacker...all it said was "buy a case and get a free bass."

It is a rather interesting faker though, although the tailpeice is pretty damn ugly.It would be kind of neat if ric made something like this...I would definitely buy one.

Dane, the latter is what I meant to accomplish, that's all!

Though I put a low bid on that bizarro Rickesque bass it was actually the 1993 Reissue 12 string that I went hard for (they were calling it a 1998 mistakenly). I bid over $5K and I still believe that I was torpedoed by someone out there.

There's always a bigger fish somewhere, right?

This bass was discussed on another forum's Rickenbacker section. JH said:

"If it's made with genuine parts, how could we or why should we complain?"

Link, Bob?