Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Is because its a small shop?? You hardley ever see anyone playing a Rick out in a club. If so, Its def a rare sighting. You hardley see any Celeb artists playing them. So Who is buying all these instruments and where are they. Just curious. Being a lefty Rick player you feel the pain more. Price will always be higher because production is slow.

Again?

there are more musicians playing basses all over the world than celebs. check with all the high end companies...they don't have high output either. RIC has a smaller facility than the everyday sandwich companies and a smaller work force. they produce basically a high quality custom instrument everytime,unlike the others . you want Mcdonalds, thats what you get. you want a rickenbacker, it takes time to make you a quality sandwich.

I want the bass in your avatar!

Alot of celebrities play what they are endorsed to play. I see plenty of working class musicians with Rickenbacker guitars and basses.

wings012345 wrote:Is because its a small shop??

I'm not going to bite on the rest of this (if only for the tortuous reading) but I'll address the size issue a bit.

Size is pretty relative.

Yes, as far as electric guitars go, we're smaller than Fender, Gibson, Peavey, and PRS. Everyone is probably smaller than the Asian cartels. On the other hand, we're bigger than, say, G & L, Charvel, Jackson, Gretsch, Vox or Washburn, or Danelectro, never mind the myriad boutique makers.

But that's not saying much, when you consider that the world's entire sales for electric guitars is smaller than that of M & M's. It's a cottage industry.

cheyenne wrote:Again?

Yep, every few months...along with the "why don't they make anything new" threads, which often devolve into a nice little flamewar.

I actually enjoy those...

badeggs wrote:

cheyenne wrote:Again?

Yep, every few months...along with the "why don't they make anything new" threads, which often devolve into a nice little flamewar.

I actually enjoy those...

Glad somebody does!
JimK

I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that a significant percentage of new RIC product is being bought by collectors as investments. If that is so, you're likely to never see them in public.

IMHO, RIC is exactly the right size for what they do. Big enough to be able to pass on economies of scale, but still small enough to be able to ensure excellent quality in every instrument produced.

Of course, making people wait for them doesn't exactly decrease the value of mine either

I feel like Rics are way easier to find and play today than they were 3-4 years ago, but maybe I've just been really lucky in that department since moving to Colorado. Ric basses are hardly uncommon in Denver. I see those six-string thingies sometimes as well.

Clearly they are working on it... one thing I believe I heard Ben or John say is that more instruments are going overseas now, which doesn't benefit us in the US but I'm sure is highly welcome to the rest of us who enjoy Rickenbackers.

Yes, location definitely has something to do with it. I have to go 2 states away and more than 500 miles to even find a dealer, so they're pretty uncommon in these parts...

...unlike prairie grass and frozen toes...

jingle_jangle wrote:...unlike prairie grass and frozen toes...

badeggs wrote:

cheyenne wrote:Again?

Yep, every few months...along with the "why don't they make anything new" threads, which often devolve into a nice little flamewar.

I actually enjoy those...

The absurdity of some the boneheaded remarks that have be posted by some people over the years can be comical, but often insulting to RIC or who ever else the flames might be aimed at, in my opinion. In my role here those flamewar threads are an absolute pain where the sun doesn't shine.

As far as production being slow. I have visited the factory quite a few times. Every time I've been there, the place is hopping, making guitars. Many rows of Ricks here and there in various stages of being built and finished. They are doing the best they can. In my mind, that's kind of what heaven looks like, only I get to have all the ones I want! All of them!

cjj wrote:Yes, location definitely has something to do with it. I have to go 2 states away and more than 500 miles to even find a dealer, so they're pretty uncommon in these parts...

that's what happens when you live where no man has lived before !!!