Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Does anyone else run into this?

It seems like every guitar store I go to (that can't sell new RIC's and rarely if ever get a used one) have nothing good to say about the company or the products. I just took my 2 330's in to a local store to have him swap the pickups for me (me + soldering gun=bad) and he did nothing but complain about the 'stupid tailpiece' the 'cheap Vinci strings' they sell under the RIC name, so on and so forth. Of course it comes out later that these guitar store owners ALSO attempted to become RIC dealers and were either ignored or turned down. So it seems they now have nothing better to do than bash RIC while they try to sell their Washburn's, which went out of style when Ratt & Night Ranger died.

I posted another thread about the make of RIC strings because of what this one guy said, because he was going on and on about how cheap the RIC strings were. That's why I'm curious to see where they come from.

Does anyone else come across this reaction?

I was sitting in a Mandeville Music Shop back in December with my 1997 (not the SPC that I got in March) and I showed it to a "friend" of mine named Aaron (kind of a blowhard, if you ask me). He tells me, "It's nothing special." I told him, "You have a Rickenbacker 360 (6-string) on the wall. You've never bothered to play it?" He replied, "I have, but it sounds horrible overdriven. You get a bunch of squealing feedback!" I said, "They're not made to be driven!" He said, "Rickenbacker sucks, PRS kicks [butt]!" I was rather upset about it all, and then I heard him singing GC's praises later, and I rarely go back in there today. Never put down on my favorite guitar brand!

Some edits have been made in this thread. Please do not name guitar stores or individuals that you are upset with and be careful not to use profane language. We do not condone this sort of thing on the RRF.

If you have a grievance with a certain individual or a company please contact them directly. Membership in this forum is not provided to individuals in order to create an opportunity for them to air their complaints to the world. Obviously legitimate questions about our experience in certain matters or sharing of individual experiences in general terms are fair game.

You guys want me to fix the problem? Point me in the right direction.

Well, another local music store closed here last month. I suppose I would be bitter too if I saw my livelihood going the way of the Dodo.

I gotta tell ya...if I brought my guitar into a shop to have work done on her, and the guy started bad-mouthing anything about the guitar, I'd pack her up and walk right out.

In contrast, I use a tech who works out of the local GC. I took my JG c58 into him a month or so ago, and he raved about the guitar--he'd never actually seen one before. I've also taken my self-assembled Squier/MIM Tele, and he was equally as complimentary.

Bill

It's just another facet of the "human condition", if you will.

Some people just have to put down what they don't understand. It's why I put down so-called "relics". But what's not to understand about Rickenbackers?

1. They're touchy to set up.

2. They're only good for rhythm.

3. You can't play blues on 'em.

4. The fretboards are finished, therefore they're for show, not go.

5. The necks are weak.

6. Only old farts play the 12 stringers.

7. They're an exercise in nostalgia, whose time has come and gone.

8. Rick enthusiasts are snobs who buff their nails and eat sandwiches with the crusts trimmed off the bread.

#8 is the only one that's true.

Did I leave anything out? Anyone got anymore famous myths to add?

They're made in Germany...

Ooooh... I'd love to contribute to this thread, but I only have things to say that would be deleted, so I'll refrain.

jingle_jangle wrote: Did I leave anything out? Anyone got anymore famous myths to add?

9. They're all short scaled.

10. They don't sound good with overdrive or distortion.

11. They are exorbitantly expensive.

12. The 12 strings are impossible to keep in tune.

13. RIC players are all pretty boys who will steal your girlfriend.

jdogric12aolcom wrote:Ooooh... I'd love to contribute to this thread, but I only have things to say that would be deleted, so I'll refrain.

Tell me some of your experiences when I see you Thursday!

Clint wrote:

jingle_jangle wrote: Did I leave anything out? Anyone got anymore famous myths to add?

13. RIC players are all pretty boys who will steal your girlfriend.

Ha! That one's hilarious!

I'll tell you what, living in the Heartland where nobody knows 'em because nobody plays 'em, because nobody knows 'em.....well it's a real trip. Here's what I've run into:
1. You mean they're still making them?
2. I thought they were made in the UK
3. Is anybody still playing them?
4. You bought a vintage model, right?

It's kinda nice being the only kid on the block who owns one.
JimK

I have stolen my share of girlfriends over the years. Unfortunately, karma has a way of returning the favor!

Just as long as the guitars aren't stolen....now THAT would be BAD!

jimk wrote:

Clint wrote:

jingle_jangle wrote: Did I leave anything out? Anyone got anymore famous myths to add?

13. RIC players are all pretty boys who will steal your girlfriend.

Ha! That one's hilarious!

I'll tell you what, living in the Heartland where nobody knows 'em because nobody plays 'em, because nobody knows 'em.....well it's a real trip. Here's what I've run into:
1. You mean they're still making them?
2. I thought they were made in the UK
3. Is anybody still playing them?
4. You bought a vintage model, right?

It's kinda nice being the only kid on the block who owns one.
JimK

Then there's

1.) They went out of business, didn't they?
2.) I heard Fender bought them
3.) The necks always break off on those