Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Would you like to see Rickenbacker offer a line of import budget models, such as Fender's Squier line? It sounds like a good way for them to increase their market share, and a potentially good repurposing of the old Electro name.

What do you think? (I, for one, would buy a budget-priced 325 import if the quality was decent.)

No offense but absolutely not.

Personally? NEVER! RIC seems do to well enough. They can barely fill the orders they have. Thank goodness this is a family-owned business (50 years +!) instead of a public held company!

Absolutely. Dunno 'bout other people, but I _like_
inexpensive guitars. I'm a whole lot more willing to
experiment on a $500 guitar that I am with a $900 to
who knows how much one.

But not like the Squier line. That's the low end. Something like the Mexican or Japanese Fenders.

No. RIC is one of the few things that has been a constant in my musical world and I like it as is thank you very much. I see no point in it really, as John said, RIC appears to be in fine shape. Besides that, what's wrong with having something special that you aspire to own one day? I suspect most of us here waited and worked for a time before finally being able to purchase our first Rickenbacker.

That's an interesting question. It's the old battle between Ric being resolutely this great brand which is only made in one place and if it's a Ric, "it's a Ric" if you know what I mean. That kind of vibe is very cool.

But I'm hearing you on the flipside of the coin too. I don't know anything about Electro, but if they have rights to a nice classic name, I can't see huge issues.

Perhaps a happy ground would lie in Electro offering "new" models that are similar to Rics, but not Rics. So, unlike being able to buy a semi-decent telecaster under the Squier brand, you wouldn't be able to buy a standard Ric model as an Electro. What you WOULD be able to buy, however, is an interesting-looking retro guitar.

If they had limited models, no options, and basic colours, this might be do-able?

No way Jose! RIC has a very deserved reputation for quality instruments. Just because other manufacturers feel they have to dilute their comapany's name with inexpensive, "beginner" instrument lines, doesn't mean RIC must also. I agree, if someone wants a RIC they should aspire to it and save up so that they can be truly proud of what they have.

Maybe RIC could use the Electro name for ultra high end custom instruments instead, ha ha?

Jeffrey, what about the POV that an Electro wouldn't have the Ric name on it - nor be in any known Ric shape? It would be, to all intents and purposes, it's own thing. You'd still aspire to owning a Ric because it would still have no competition. Meanwhile, its licensing would be an excellent revenue stream for a company which still can't seem to find a wood carver for its Lemmy basses three years on... (?!?)

What would be the purpose of an import budget model?

Like I suggested: an additional - and useful - revenue stream for Ric, via licensing - and they wouldn't even have to "prostitute" their name in the process.

No way.... People who love Rics will save their pennies to buy one, and know that in the end it was worth the wait, and worth their money. The thing that I like about Rics is that they are "Made in the USA", and they are not cheap mass-produced junky guitars--they are handmade instruments crafted with attention to detail and quality. You get what you pay for.

BTW, Adam, my first electric was a Danelectro, and compared to my Rics it is a cheap toy (it's even plastic!), although with its single-coil pickups it does have a sort of Rickish sound, but not quite there..... It lacks the sustain of a Ric. It just doesn't even come close to a Ric in terms of playability.

The only real benefit I would see to this would be to get a feeder line of customers for graduation to the real deal. Make the rick neck dimensions, for example, more common to the low end of the market to dispel all the BS myths about them.

But my gut is opposed to this idea. Of course, I just got a real rick; maybe if that had not happened I;d feel differently.

I waited a d@mned long time to get a real 6-string electric, and while it would have been nice to have a "rickalike" in the meantime, the wait was definitely worth it.

John Hall has said "No way, we need the jobs here" to this very question. Not that import stuff can't be good(my wife's 50th aniverary Japanese Tele comes to mind)But how many more jobs do we need to export? There are about five billion other people in the world who are willing to do your job for less money. Eventually Americans won't actually make anything(even though we invented so much)leaving us a nation of service providers. Ya I know I'm veering off the subject but like Rickenbacker, it's one that's near and dear to my heart.

Melissa,

I was alluding to Rob's vision of "an interesting-looking retro guitar". IMHO, that sounds like Danelectro's (now failed) business plan. Like Rob, I think such guitars are kind of cool. But then, so did Danelectro - and look how far they got with that idea.

Adam, I'm exactly the same way. A good guitar is a good guitar. Every one of my guitars and basses, with the exception of the Ric is an import.

Don't get me wrong, guys, the Danelectro reisssue really is a cool-looking guitar, and was fine for me as an entry-level instrument.... But after getting my first Rickenbacker the difference was like night and day to me. Sure, it can make some cool sounds, but compared to the Ric it is definitely lacking in a lot of ways. The only reason I'm holding on to it is because it might make a good starter guitar for my son when he feels he is ready to start learning....