Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Looks like it didn't sell with his original $2,500 cost and now it's been dropped to $1,700.00. Now, if he was offering it at $500.00 or somewhere around there I might be interested if I could change the pickups...

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/msg/691770179.html

I wouldn't touch that thing with a 10-foot pole.

I'm not allowed to say the name but it rhymes with orville"Redenbacher"

It does?!

NIce Maple tho....

rickaddict wrote:

I'm not allowed to say the name but it rhymes with orville"Redenbacher"

It does?!

I'm not sure if he was trying to be funny or not, but it wasn't. This thing is like a retarded Rickenbacker, all the proportions are slightly off and the headstock is a mess. I'm not a fan of this type of custom instrument, they're almost always horribly tasteless. I don't care if it's one of a kind, I hate it.

Maybe we should contact Orville Redenbachers legal department, ha ha...

Actually, I have seen uglier, but the bottom line with custom made instruments, is that they generally aren't worth what a comparable "name brand" one would be, especially if the "builder" wants to remain private. If this thing included a certificate of authenticity stating that it had been built by a "famous" (or whatever) luthier, than it might be worth some money.

This is what's known in the biz as a "players" instrument, which basically means it's really only worth what a player might want to pay for it, and has no verifiable resale value. The bass may play like a dream and be constructed wonderfully, but it is definitely something one should only buy in person if they fall in love with it.

It's like buying parts from different guitars and making one to suit your needs(like a frankenstrat). It may play like a million bucks and look cool, but since you can't blue book it, your local shop will either pass on it, give you very little for it, or offer to consign it with a definite shelf life added into the deal, as they don't want this thing taking up valuable salesfloor space and having a birthday or two.

I would bet that is why this person is trying to sell it over the internet, and whoever buys it(if ever)may get stuck with an unplayable turd and have no recourse because it's description is accurate enough to turn the whole deal in to a big legal nightmare.

Buyers beware, especially at that price. Do not buy something like this without playing it first, as the seller could probably get a good amount of money for it consigning it in a reputable shop or a local paper, if all of the descriptions are accurate.

Wes(1965), don't sugarcoat it man, tell us how you really feel

Um...yuck...I bet that it would burn all night...

My guess would be that this bass cost the original owner a lot,(more than a 5 string RIC) as most "custom" one of a kind instruments do. If the person who originally commished this bass to be built could go down to his/her local music store, and get a new 4004CII5, it probably never would have been built. It appears to be a blatent copy of the 4004/5. Herein lies the problem IMO, cloning/building/copying a tradmarked(tm) item and stealing IP from another, if you have one built, it always seems that it ends up being put up on the open market. If you have something like this made, you should never never sell it. RIC would I'm sure agree, that because of this, that is why they are so protective of their TM's.
Personally, I rather like it. Notice the pickups. Looks like they got the coverage right. If it were possible, I would buy it just to take it OFF the market, but it would never leave my inventory. I bet it plays like a dream. Certainly retains no other "RIC" qualites though, other than the basic shape and probably sounds like an Ibanez or something. Custom basses like this, are usually very nice playing.

If a 4003 was born deformed, that's what it would look like!

I like that bass, but the headstock is deformed looking.

If I did a bass like that I would have a 3 band active amp in it with sweepable mids.

All of the sandwiched layers of wood seem to be over done.

I bet it can be played fingerstyle and I bet all 5 string get covered by those pickups.