Cool Rics on eBay / Reverb / Craigslist

[Highlander]

Seriously pining for the fjords... such a beautiful bass...

Paul... had, and not have... presume fretless is just not your thing...?

[Paul Boyer]

I could get by with a fretless, but had no need for it. I bought it when I was gathering up several "different" Ricks that came up for sale, but kept it only for about a year. I'm not a real musician, so my feelings on fretless or fretted don't really count. I've been more of a collector, and by way of osmosis, kind of an authority. All of my knowledge of Rick basses is translated into the book, but there is still more to learn.

[Highlander]

Understood... sometimes you just fall into stuff, as you say, by osmosis... Fretless, for me, started in the late 60's, so for me it's something special...

[Alanko]

One of those Chris Squire Glueglo basses on Kijiji:


http://www.kijiji.ca/v-guitar/edmonton/rickenbacker-bass-1of-6-painted-by-paulkarslake-for-chris-squire/1121138612

[ilan]

One-off FIVE STRING mint C64 (4001C64/5) from Ric Outlet. Starting bid $3,699.

The headstock is unlike S5's - it's an upside-down version of Jeff Rath's mod. RIC is adopting Jeff Rath's solution to converting a 4- to 5-string.

With the added pull of the 5th string, and a neck pickup rout at the half-inch location, this could be risky.

The righty TRC and narrow pickguard are also unlike other C64's.

[nofi]

i guess i should have posted my thread here first. phuch it.

[ilan]

Fire Alarm Red w/checkerboard binding and maple fretboard -

[Alanko]

IIRC those were made exclusively for a German distributer?

[ilan]

Yep.

[Alanko]

I do find it slightly ironic that Rickenbacker will do anything from reintroducing chequerboard binding through to building an all-out RM1999 reissue for the Japanese market, and create special editions for European distributers (including at least one that sells Rickenfakers on the side), but won't sell any of this stuff to their loyal US fanbase.  I've seen the argument that there isn't the demand in the US, but surely Musicians Friend et al could drum up pre-sales interest in something like the red 4003 above?

[Paul Boyer]

I do find it slightly ironic that Rickenbacker will do anything from reintroducing chequerboard binding through to building an all-out RM1999 reissue for the Japanese market, and create special editions for European distributers (including at least one that sells Rickenfakers on the side), but won't sell any of this stuff to their loyal US fanbase.  I've seen the argument that there isn't the demand in the US, but surely Musicians Friend et al could drum up pre-sales interest in something like the red 4003 above?

I think I've said this before here, so forgive me for repetition: RIC will make basses (or guitars) with special features, colors, equipment for ANY distributor (not any individual) with a certain minimum order. Now if you can convince MF (good luck with that) to order 50 or so of the SAME Rick bass the way you want it, with the SAME color and SAME features and SAME equipment, RIC will make 'em for MF. Or Wildwood. Or Northcoast. Or Pick of the Ricks. That's what is happening with these special orders from Japan and Germany - and Guitar Center with their 4001S GC (or whatever they called it) a couple of years back. But any successful dealer/distributor that is going to shell out 50 grand or so for this special order is bound to want a substantial part of the order paid in advance. So, if you (and 50 or so others) got the bucks for a special order of 50 basses with checker binding, Toaster pickups in the ½" position, and deep burgundy ("Eggplantglo"), get organized and talk to your dealer and get it done.

[Alanko]

Add crushed pearl inlays and you're on! 

I am a tad surprised that there are enough interested parties in either Japan or Germany that a big distributer can commission these special editions and, conversely, no distributer in the US can drum up the same support. This seems especially true in the current climate of Kickstarter campaigns, where people are quite happy to invest money in relatively flaky projects that may never pay off. Surely with enough publicity Musician's Friend could get 50 backers into some sort of 'dead on '71' 4001 reissue?

My other thought is simply does the full shipment of special instruments only go to one retailer? Fender came up with some seafoam active PJ basses that were Guitar Centre exclusive in North America, but showed up all over the place here. I know because a small local retailer still has one on the hanger a few years later. For further example, I've seen it mentioned that the relatively small retailer 'Tip Top Musik' in Stockholm was selling special edition Ricks. I presume that these were part of a bigger North Europe consignment at some stage, though I could be wrong.

[Dave W]

There may be too many dealers in the US for one to take a chance, or their cash position may not allow a big prepaid order. Most of the big retailers sell more Gibsons and Fenders in that price range.

[Paul Boyer]

I think that the special order batches all go to a distributor who has a number of stores that he distributes to. GC or MF (the same overall company, I believe) would be a good example here in the US. Maybe Sam Ash. But like I said, GC did get a special run from RIC. I don't know what the minimum would be for RIC. I've read that the Fire Alarm Red 4003 with the maple fingerboard and checker binding was 30, but don't know that for sure. Conceivably, a big dealer like Wildwood or POR could do something like that, but they would have to be convinced ($$$) that they could find buyers for 30 or 50 of the same thing.

[Dave W]

I think that the special order batches all go to a distributor who has a number of stores that he distributes to. GC or MF (the same overall company, I believe) would be a good example here in the US. Maybe Sam Ash. But like I said, GC did get a special run from RIC. I don't know what the minimum would be for RIC. I've read that the Fire Alarm Red 4003 with the maple fingerboard and checker binding was 30, but don't know that for sure. Conceivably, a big dealer like Wildwood or POR could do something like that, but they would have to be convinced ($$$) that they could find buyers for 30 or 50 of the same thing.

Right. A dealer like Wildwood might be able to, but I'm guessing they would rather sell custom shop Gibsons and Fenders in that price range and above.