The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Rickenbacker Basses => Topic started by: ilan on August 22, 2021, 04:56:58 AM
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https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2601886463289918
(https://scontent.fsdv3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/239947974_2601886469956584_574840066374646951_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=b9115d&_nc_ohc=s2_SZNRWYDcAX_rLlge&_nc_ht=scontent.fsdv3-1.fna&oh=a2da4e0acd150876e567f2050a1be9da&oe=61271866)
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You have to wonder how many Rick tailpieces have failed so spectacularly. Or are we seeing the same photos of a few like this one over and over and over again? It is well known that the blackened tailpieces were terribly weak, and it lead to the factory adding two more screws to the bottom end of the tail piece for a time. And this is also old news. This tale of troublesome tails comes from the late 1980s.
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That's extreme.
Has JH ever acknowledged the problem? He used to get irritated whenever someone at RRF would bring it up. Same with the exploding R tailpieces.
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That's extreme.
Has JH ever acknowledged the problem? He used to get irritated whenever someone at RRF would bring it up. Same with the exploding R tailpieces.
He would also get upset whenever clownglo FG's were mentioned and blamed digital photography, he refused to acknowledge that 2004 Midnight Blue bleeds into the binding past the 1-year warranty, and would get furious whenever anyone hinted that the Cii/5 was less than perfect and that the pickups' magnetic window was too narrow for the B and G strings. On the other hand, when I had a problem with my '73 4001 truss rods he did everything to help me, to a point of locating someone in Israel who can reproduce truss rod nuts with a metric tap.
I am also convinced that the move in 1974 to 1" spacing was due to recurring neck lift problems and not the explanation they stuck with.
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He’s been retired for a couple of years now . He was very helpful to me when I asked about the cap bypass on a 4001 , at the time I didn’t realize he owned the company .
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JH also helped Uwe with his 8-string truss rod problems.
He's just extra sensitive to criticism.
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Heck , I even had wonderful experience with Ric’s customer service .
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The black bridges are known for this. Somehow the process of finishing them weakens them, or perhaps they had to use a different alloy that was easier to coat?
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The black bridges are known for this. Somehow the process of finishing them weakens them, or perhaps they had to use a different alloy that was easier to coat?
Also the cause of the "exploding" R tailpieces.
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That's extreme.
Has JH ever acknowledged the problem? He used to get irritated whenever someone at RRF would bring it up. Same with the exploding R tailpieces.
They do know, with the new bridge, which has a special part to stop it from lifting.
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A bit off topic, but also a bit on: I did the social media for Höfner for a while. Long story. And you can't imagine how many people message you, know it better, etc. I think it is a big pain in the arse for smaller manufacturers to deal with customers online.
In Höfner's case, people expect you still have parts from the fifties and you can send it immidiately and if possible for free, and as warranty. From screws to whole necks.
People are disappointed if you don't know the exact price for a '60s archtop, which they wanna sell.
People know the truth about Macca's bass, tell Höfner this truth, while a guy from Höfner worked on that bass. They claim he uses certain strings, while Höfner/Pyramid supply them...
People blame a bad setup on a Chinese Höfner, ordered online. Go to a shop, buy it there and ask for a setup, I would say, but they blame the brand and ask for a new, well set up bass. Etc.
And a lot I have blocked in my mind, haha! And you always have to be polite.
So for JH I think it must have been frustrating sometimes too! So many know-it-alls. I daily deal with people who never played Thunderbirds and claim my '76 is very heavy, while they've never played one. It is one of my lighter solidbodies and I think my lightest long scale by far.
Rant over.
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John Hall has stepped back from the company for the last several years . But continues to get grief . (I have to say he was very helpful to me)
I recently tried to get a truss rod nut for a blade pickup Hofner . Finally found a dealer in Holland that managed to get one for me (thank you Ton Paulussen of Marnic Instruments)
Unfortunately the truss rod will have to be replaced .
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A bit off topic, but also a bit on: I did the social media for Höfner for a while. Long story. And you can't imagine how many people message you, know it better, etc. I think it is a big pain in the arse for smaller manufacturers to deal with customers online.
In Höfner's case, people expect you still have parts from the fifties and you can send it immidiately and if possible for free, and as warranty. From screws to whole necks.
People are disappointed if you don't know the exact price for a '60s archtop, which they wanna sell.
People know the truth about Macca's bass, tell Höfner this truth, while a guy from Höfner worked on that bass. They claim he uses certain strings, while Höfner/Pyramid supply them...
People blame a bad setup on a Chinese Höfner, ordered online. Go to a shop, buy it there and ask for a setup, I would say, but they blame the brand and ask for a new, well set up bass. Etc.
And a lot I have blocked in my mind, haha! And you always have to be polite.
So for JH I think it must have been frustrating sometimes too! So many know-it-alls. I daily deal with people who never played Thunderbirds and claim my '76 is very heavy, while they've never played one. It is one of my lighter solidbodies and I think my lightest long scale by far.
Rant over.
A very accurate rant.
And the smaller the company, the more demanding certain customers are.
We griped about Gibson during Henry's ownership, but it wasn't as if people demanded Henry to respond personally. With RIC, some people got way too up close and personal with JH.
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And the smaller the company, the more demanding certain customers are.
Another reason to buy from small family-owned businesses. Not a justification to cross lines though.
We griped about Gibson during Henry's ownership, but it wasn't as if people demanded Henry to respond personally. With RIC, some people got way too up close and personal with JH.
Did Henry J register to bass forums and reply personally? BTW I had a lot of respect for JH, and later Ben, for doing that.
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When I first got my 4001 I went to the Ric Resource forum to ask about bypassing the cap . John Hall immediately responded , at the time I didn’t realize it was “that” John Hall .
I was impressed that he’d answer a question about an older used instrument . He’s always been ok in my books .
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Another reason to buy from small family-owned businesses. Not a justification to cross lines though.
Did Henry J register to bass forums and reply personally? BTW I had a lot of respect for JH, and later Ben, for doing that.
He did have an Ask Henry subforum at the Gibson forums for a while.
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He did have an Ask Henry subforum at the Gibson forums for a while.
Kind of like Ask Bob in W&S?
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Kind of like Ask Bob in W&S?
I had to look that one up.
Uwe could tell you more about it, he posted to that subforum at least once. It was discontinued after a fairly short run but I don't know why.
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The "Ask Bob" column is actually pretty cool as Bob appears to be quite straightforward and honest in his answers, without being too slanted towards the marketing side of Taylor.
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I had to look that one up.
Uwe could tell you more about it, he posted to that subforum at least once. It was discontinued after a fairly short run but I don't know why.
I never heard from Henry J though! And I wasn't even a hater. Not his whole tenure was crap. He did resurrect a feeble Gibson Company for quite some time before he forgot to listen to others. As bass releases go, his first ten to fifteen years with Gibson were even a golden age of sorts. Basswise, we haven't had another era like that since then.