Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I did a quick search, and couldn't find out...........

WHY did Rick stop making the Rick-O-Sound boxes?

I actually play my 4003s through two Markbass units and, OH! What a sound! I really appreciate the time and engineering that Rick spent to make Rick-O-Sound available! I am currently using a stero splitter, and yes, it does work, and yes, I'd rather have a 'real' Ric-O-Sound box. I have even been susccessful at using two AKG bass 'bugs' on different frequencies through wireless to the two Markbass amps!

But the question is, WHY did Rick stop making the real deal? Any plans to re-start, ever?

Thanks for any insight.

Chuck L.

Low sales.

As a stereo to two monos splitter cable is a fraction of the cost of one of the Rck-o-sound boxes, this really seems to be a non-issue.

Ok, I get the low sales concept. When I look on the internet, the real-deal boxes are going for near about $200! Now, Rick never has been an assembly line mass producer. And, some folks like to have a gen-u-ine Rick product to go with their gen-u-ine sweet baby. Seems that if they're still making the stereo out, couldn't they make a box for, say, every other stereo-equiped product? If they're tooled for it, how hard can that be? Last box I saw on eBay had 20 + bidders......

I know, I know, the more out there, then the price would go (back) down, but that's kinda where I'm heading!!

Geez, can I get the rights to maufacture the things?

Chuck L.

Skinner wrote: Geez, can I get the rights to maufacture the things?

Chuck L.

I believe John Hall mentioned

a. Low sales
b. Any stereo splitter will do, no one will miss the Rick-O-Sound box.

If you've got a soldering iron and some time, make as many as you want, There was one on eBay a while ago made out of an Altoids tin packaging.

If you don't like soldering, Butch Ammons at Bayou Cables makes a nice box.

http://www.bayoucables.com/bayouosound-box-p-222.html

Skinner wrote:Seems that if they're still making the stereo out, couldn't they make a box for, say, every other stereo-equiped product?

Should they make guitar cords also for all their momo output guitars? John Hall has stated many times that a stereo Y cord, which is made by several different companies, does the same thing as the box at a lower price.

Let RIC concentrate on making guitars. That's what they're excellent at.

I think it would be a great move if RIC would officially license the production of them to some small builder. That way everyone wins - RIC doesn't use production time on something they really have no desire to make, Rickenbacker fans can still buy the 'real thing' with the company logo on it, and customers can get something of assured quality... of course any stereo-to-two-mono splitter will work, but some are much better engineered than others, and not every buyer has the knowledge to tell the difference.

By the way, I am not volunteering to be the builder! I imagine it would be fairly tedious work hand-assembling hundreds of identical and extremely simple cable/box assemblies, even at a fairly slow rate of production.

Skinner wrote:Ok, I get the low sales concept. When I look on the internet, the real-deal boxes are going for near about $200! Now, Rick never has been an assembly line mass producer. And, some folks like to have a gen-u-ine Rick product to go with their gen-u-ine sweet baby. Seems that if they're still making the stereo out, couldn't they make a box for, say, every other stereo-equiped product? If they're tooled for it, how hard can that be? Last box I saw on eBay had 20 + bidders......

I know, I know, the more out there, then the price would go (back) down, but that's kinda where I'm heading!!

Geez, can I get the rights to maufacture the things?

Chuck L.

$200.00?

I have seen one RECENTLY go over $400.00, and a good 2 or 3 into the high $300.00 range.

Some people just want the REAL DEAL Ric-O-Sound to go with their guitars....thankfully

And I thought I did well when I sold mine on eBay a few weeks ago for $160! I should have held out for more!

check out as many stores you can..I found mine in the U.K.. you can find links here www.rickbeat.com and I think it was at ricRus I got mine. Good luck!!

OK, you guys. I just wrote to John Hall asking him for a minute of his time to discuss a licensing arrangement whereby I can manufacture Rick-O-Sound boxes.
Rick's specs, quality, look and feel, and an affordable price. My facility, investment, risk. And, beatlefreak, they get to concentrate on instrument production.

Let's see if I get any response........

Chuck L.

I feel almost prescient for buying one of the last ones from RIC for $75 a couple of years back. If I'd know people were going to pay $400 for them, I'd have bought two

Only two of them went for that high -- they stabilized again right around $200, where they have been for a while. I watched the market pretty closely in preparation of selling two of them, and of course just missed out. I have a knack of selling an item immediately after someone else gets peak value.

And the funny thing is...You should have read all the whining around here a few years back about having to pay $75 bucks for a RIC O SOUND box (that included a nice 25-foot Mogami cable as well). People just relentlessly slammed JH about the damn thing. Its no wonder RIC stopped selling them.

And the result? Now you'll pay $2-400 bucks for one instead.