I don't want this to come off as fan-boyish, because that's not my intention. Just offering mt perspective. I know they're kind of a wacky organization, but... I've owned, played, and held many Ric basses since 1978. With the exception of 2 bubbles that developed in the finish of one of mine, I never had a problem with any of them. And the bubble got me a complete refinish on a 2 year old instrument, completely free of charge. I have, however, heard a number of legitimate stories of issues ranging from bowed necks to exploding tailpieces. The vast majority of truss rod nightmares you hear about are do to "luthiers" who don't know how to adjust the old style rods. And I do know that customer service can be very hit or miss. JH seems like a somewhat eccentric character, but I like the fact that they've been a family owned company since the early 50s. I also admire the fact that they produce in low quantities rather than just cranking stuff out non-stop and relying on marketing to sell it. And I like that you always know what you're getting with a Ric - Made in USA! There's no "is it a Mexican/Korean/Chinese, etc, etc" model. There's no "faded finish" or "this one gets better QC than that one" nonsense.
Reading some of this stuff about trademarks and patents has me thinking that Hall's insistence that the horseshoes on the current re-issues actually affect the sound has something to do with protecting whatever right they have to the design. If it were me, I'd either make what the people want, or do a licensing deal with Lollar.