Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

The question is: Given the cost of materials, labor etc....if Fender was able to make a guitar that had the workmanship and intrinsic value of a Rickenbacker..how much would it sell for?

Would this require USA labor? What goes into your estimation of "intrinsic value"?

I'm thinking of starting a 'Union Made' guitar...

Given the price gouging on many of Fender's models, I would guess the guitar as described by George would cost $3.5K.

Possibly more when you think of the cost of their custom shop slab models...

Yep, USA made....everything on a par to Rickenbacker. Intrinsic value of the higher cost parts that Rickenbacker uses... Given the production time I imagine would have to be a custom shop issue. Now also to factor in..Fender is getting big bucks for their "artist models" Rickenbacker had released models that are spot on to what George/John etc had ..how much is Fender getting for that Beck relic again?

It's pineapples and elephants, George, IMO.

Like asking what Samsung what charge to build a Rolls-Royce.

Oh, wait, I remember JH coming up with a better analogy: Morgans.

It's like asking what Samsung would charge if they built Morgans.

The business models are so far apart as to make comparisons impossible and meaningless.

See your point Paul but I think the comparison in price/value can still be made. Drawing a line between Samsung and Rolls would be tough but how about Ford-Volvo..wait a minute Ford owns Volvo...ok, I'll start again...the point I'm after here is there is ,,,,there's a time factor involved in the manufacture of a Rickenbacker that Fender could not deal with. The cost of raw materials are higher for Ricks as well. Marketing is another issue. Rick and Fender both make some fine guitars but I would estimate that a $2200 Rickenbacker would cost $7,000 if it had a Fender logo..there's a scary thought...

Ford has Volvo on the block as we speak.

I should upgrade my position that ALL politicians above dogcatcher should be vetted, pre-election by an impartial committee of qualified mental health professionals, to sort out those with disorders.

I'll upgrade it to include ANY CEO of a company of $50 million sales and above.

Ford, flush with grandiosity over the massive success of the original Taurus, purchased Volvo, Range Rover, Aston Martin, and a bunch of other smaller manufacturers.

Immediately after, the Explorer rollover suits started happening. Ford lost its way in a grand GM way, and has never come back.

OK, back to topic. I'm ensconced at my desk now and can spend a few minutes qualifying my claim that it's impossible to draw a valid conclusion, and here's why...

Fender has a huge factory in the USA, and a so-called "custom shop", both of which turn out large quantities of factory-made goods, the design(and, indeed the entire corporate manufacturing culture) of which was locked in over 50 years ago as instruments bolted together out of interchangeable parts. Their factory and business plan, quotas, marketing, pricing, etc., are all fixed by that one fact--modularity, interchangeability, mass production.

For Fender to manufacture--in the USA--boutique-built instruments to Rickenbacker methods and standards, it would have to build a plant that would be a replica of Rickenbacker's, and hire people who were skilled in building and finishing guitars the RIC way, or train same. RIC's employees have long-term experience at RIC, in most cases. Then, similar CNC machines would have to be purchased, programmed, debugged, etc.

Because of the variables involved in all this, (how much would it cost? What is the burden per unit?) and the questions that are impossible to understand, much less answer with any meaning, I made the comments above.

It's really an exercise in futile speculation. Hence my stance.

OK, it would cost $6,500.00. For which model? How about $8,000.00? It's all speculation and arbitrary figures.

We know what Ford charges for Volvos, and it's not nearly enough to help their bottom line. I do know one thing--Volvo, out of all the brands Ford owns (which include Mazda, BTW), is the most independent of Ford's interference.

I agree with everything you say, Doc...

Except: how come you give dogcatchers a 'pass'?

Should have said, "dogcatcher and above"...I love my animals, too.

"Nowhere Man" Fender uses CNC machines in their Custom Shop and have so for years. They also build hand made Guitars from scratch. Ask John Page for a tour, tell him I sent you. They charge what they do because just like Rickenbackers they are quality made, just to different standards, that is why so many people play them. If you can't figure out why Fender charges more for their instruments, then please don't ask me, cause the reason is very simple.

I've owned about a dozen Fender CS guitars and one Master Built. The CS varied in quality greatly. For the most part very good guitars...ten of the 12 were done very well. Two of them a closet classic the other, one of the several Dick Dale models I've owned had necks so twisted that there was no way to make them right. The Masterbuilt Built John English Tele I had was very special..one of three that he built great sounding and looking guitar save for the back of the body which was starting to orange peal I believe the term is..like maybe the clearcoat was applied too soon ...no expert here on finishes..leave that to you guys..sadly Mr English passed away last June at only 57...

You'll have better luck finding John Page here than at Fender. Don't think he's been there for quite awhile now.

Hold on Paul...

I'm interested in this pineapple and elephant guitar. Ivory nut and saddle?



Having a look at John Page's guitar. Sort of a '72 Custom Tele Danelectro Godin with a vintage Rickenbacker scratchplate. Nice looking amalgamation -but quite pricey!

If you don't like his guitar prices, you could buy one of his art tables instead.