Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi guys,
Something that has been bothering me for quite a while.
Why do left handed ricks have everything reversed but the inlays and the R tailpiece?
Is it money saving "feature" or is there anything else?

The new inlays are indeed reversed now, just not in the past, CNC is probably the reason. As to the R tailpiece, it is most likely a matter of economics, given the relatively small number of lefties compared to the correct orientation. Having to cast lefty tailpieces is not really feasible in the overall picture, I would think.

I think that lefty Rics should have a trapeze tailpiece. The trapeze is the only tailpiece that doesn't have a fixed position. It doesn't look cool when it's on backwards, but it works. Example, my tech keeps putting my V64 tailpiece on the lefty way.

I just think lefties look wrong anyway, so a reverse R and inlays don't bother me much. But...

I must admit, if you make a lefty, you ought to reverse everything, including tailpiece and inlays!
I think is IS a money thing - the other day I had an inquiry into a lefty acoustic, which turned out to be 1000 EUR more than the regular model due to everything having to be turned around!

gibsonlp wrote:Hi guys,
Something that has been bothering me for quite a while.
Why do left handed ricks have everything reversed but the inlays and the R tailpiece?
Is it money saving "feature" or is there anything else?

As far as the 'R' tailpiece goes, JH has said that the cost to do a left-handed version is quite high---not enough left-handed instruments go out the door to offset the cost of manufacturing a proper lefty 'R'.

Do they make a lefty Accent?

Nope.

kiramdear wrote:Do they make a lefty Accent?

http://www.rickenbacker.com/cart.asp?vi ... y=Vibratos

JH will hopefully forgive me for stealing his joke - for a long time he's been saying that we should, in place of an "R" on lefty guitars, make a tailpiece that says "L." Get it?

kennyhowes wrote:

kiramdear wrote:Do they make a lefty Accent?

http://www.rickenbacker.com/cart.asp?vi ... y=Vibratos

Change that to, "Never seen one"...

Wildberry wrote:the other day I had an inquiry into a lefty acoustic, which turned out to be 1000 EUR more than the regular model due to everything having to be turned around!

If memory serves me right, there was no lefty upcharge for the one pictured below.

kennyhowes wrote:JH will hopefully forgive me for stealing his joke - for a long time he's been saying that we should, in place of an "R" on lefty guitars, make a tailpiece that says "L." Get it?

I'd probably buy one anyways!

wmthor wrote:

Wildberry wrote:the other day I had an inquiry into a lefty acoustic, which turned out to be 1000 EUR more than the regular model due to everything having to be turned around!

If memory serves me right, there was no lefty upcharge for the one pictured below.

Memory does serve you correctly, and I've got lots of lefty pickguards and TRCs for these, too...

Thanks for the answers guys.