Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I know this topic has been touched on in other threads, but I couldn't find a definitive official answer.
A relative of mine has a 360/12 Tuxedo, but the R tailpiece has just broke, so he's asked me to look into this for him.
So....
If one is in posession of a broken black R tailpiece, what is the deal with getting a replacement?
I saw it mentioned somewhere that you have to send back the broken one (fair enough) but that you also need to send $165.
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but as I understand it isn't it down to part of the manufacturing process that causes a weakness in the tailpiece? If so, then I think its unfair and mean to charge the customer so much money to replace something that obviously isn't fit for the purpose it was made.
Also, is the replacement R-tailpiece chrome?
If so then isn't that just going to make your lovely White Rickenbacker Tuxedo with all black hardware look wrong?

Many thanks in advance.

My suggestion is that you have your relative contact Rickenbacker customer service. They will have the definitive answer.

winston wrote:My suggestion is that you have your relative contact Rickenbacker customer service. They will have the definitive answer.

And after that, I would suggest one of these: http://winfieldvintage.com/parts/trapeze.html

I second sloop John B's advice. I replaced a chrome R with a winfield harp...glad I did. great to deal with too.

OK I will contact Rickenbacker direct and find out what their official line is on this, and then post it on here for future reference.
With this being such a common problem it would be good to let people know where they stand.

The "R" tailpiece looks very lovely, but is not the best tailpiece to string up. The Harp from Winfield Vintage is a dream to string, fits right in, is well designed and looks good on, plus very practical. Additionally, I got piece of mind with the stainless steel integrity eventhough I have read that RIC have improved the material of the 'new' "R" tailpiece.

It takes a bit of a learning curve to string up an "R" tailpiece, but it's no big deal. I do a few every week, on average, and find them to be much easier than trapezes to string up. There are a number of threads on this and other forums giving tips and procedures for getting an "R" strung up without getting yourself strung out. Two hints: masking tape on the bracket and a scrap of cloth underneath
the "R", and string up both "E"s first to hold the tailpiece in balanced tension away from the guitars surface finish.

When my black 12-string "R" broke a few months back, I exchanged it for a chrome, and prepped and painted the chrome tailpiece as a spare, and located a stock black 12 string tailpiece as well. I put the original replacement back on the guitar, and kept the newly-painted "R" as a spare. I vote for originality; to me the harp thingy looks cheap, although his early 400 and 4000 tailpieces look nice.