Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Guitar Center in my area has a Rick bass with the serial number of ZI 2404 ('86) on the Jack plate. Its like a faded lime green. Its binded on the front and is missing the bridge pickup cover(the thing that the strings go through). It also has an orangish colored fingerboard with a small fret height. They tell me that the fingerboard is a kind of maple. It kind of looks like bubinga to me. Is that true? There asking $700.00. I'm new to these Ricks and don't know what there really worth. I don't like buying used stuff, so I'm very skeptical. I love the sound though. Its got the sound I'm looking for exactly. What do you guys think? One more thing. If I were to purchase the Model 4001V63 Vintage, will that give me that sound of the '86? If its not binded, how much of the sound will be affected? Thanks guys.......

Guitar Centerwould not know maple from oak.
Most of the guys that work there are untrained about instruments and are quite lacking in genereal knowledge.
The 3 Guitar Centers in the Seattle area have staffs of new /never worked in a music store until G.C.
The managers are guys that are brought in or formerly worked in the area for a long period of time.
To keep the cost of employees down they hire newbies.

You will not get 100% straight answers from them.Nor do they have on site service.
They can only give you a personal recommendation as to a service center.

So why go there?Are you really getting a deal?
Do you know what the retail list price is ?

I have delt with them on a personal level for a long time .They are not to be trusted.

Case in point.
At the Kirkland G.C. (this is within 4 blocks of the hospital that my wife works at)I went in to kill some time...Near the parts area was a guitar case that had a sign on it HALF OFF!
inside were two Fender (in their packages)
Tele switches.I was waiting on a shippment from my supplier and they had backordered me so I was ready to go to one off the other shops in the area and pick one up.Well this "DEAL" stuck it's arm out at me and said buy!!!!!!

I pay $4.75 for these switches at wholesale prices and can usually get them any day of the week.
At half off ...G.C. Wanted $13.00 ,does this mean that they were a $26.00 switch from Fender?

NO WAY !!!!!!!

And the clerk/sales-person could not give me a better answer and the manager said that was the price -period.

NOW COME ON!!!!
I sellthese switches for anywhere from $10.00 to $15.00 with the cap.

Is this a knowledgable staff?
do they really have deals?