'new' ric is slightly broken..

[mr.mow]

Whats the best thing to do here guys..
So I picked up an Level 3 'used' Ric 4003 from Musicians Friend (It was really well priced and Ric won't supply them to Australia new.. this appears to be brand new however).

Turns out quite a few 2011 4003's had issues with paint flaking off.. this is one of them, there is as you can see a hefty chunk missing out of the inside of the lower horn, that i'm not so concerned about, its done, it is what it is, if I'm feeling frisky I'll get it repaired.

But what I'm more interested in is the upper edge, its cracked but not peeled off yet (but it has pulled away at the edges), its salvageable.. But how?

In my mind i'm thinking light superglue to hold it down, then a gentle sand to level it?

 

[curbowkid]

Depending on the finish, super glue may make it wrinkle up and do all minds of wacky stuff. But im not an expert on rics.

There is black superglue out there if someone with more knowledge than i on rics says superglue is okay

 

[Doctor J]

It might be easier to keep going and strip it and get it refinished as mapleglo.

 

[mr.mow]

It might be easier to keep going and strip it and get it refinished as mapleglo.

Or keep it red!! Theres a part of me that just wants to keep peeling!!
I wonder if its fireglo underneath?!

 

[zhollywood]

I'm curious to see what exactly is under that jetglo paint!

 

[iandmcelroy]

I wouldn't use superglue on it. The glue could get into the wood and make it harder to refinish later on.

 

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Holy crap, that's some serious QC issue.
Why is it that the industry leaders (F, G, R) continuously get away with that.



Another DO NOT for using super glue, problems will arise sooner or later.

I'd do a refin as well, unless red is Your thing.

Regards
Sam

 

[hairyhaw]

Turns out quite a few 2011 4003's had issues with paint flaking off..

Is this common knowledge and is there any more information on this?

I was aware of the issues with paint running into the binding on Midnight Blues and the Blueboys that turned Surf Green, but I can't believe RIC would be daft enough to put a batch of 4003's out with a dodgy finish again!

 

[Immigrant]

This is undoubtably part of the same batch that MF was blowing out for a little over a grand new. Grocery stores do it with sub-standard breakfast cereal, MF does it with instruments.

Let it keep chipping and don't refinish it.

 

[AdamR]

keep it as is, call it a road worn and sell it for a profit.

 

[mr.mow]

This is undoubtably part of the same batch that MF was blowing out for a little over a grand new. Grocery stores do it with sub-standard breakfast cereal, MF does it with instruments.

Let it keep chipping and don't refinish it.

Well that's probably what it was..
It plays and sounds absolutely killer out of the box.. I'm going to gig the be-jeebus out if this thing!

 

[thisSNsucks]

The red underneath actually looks really cool with the black on top IMO.

I like my basses with a little character so if it were me, I'd probably just leave it and play the heck out of it.

 

[RickenBoogie]

Leave it alone, or strip it all off, but don't try to repair it. If you got a good deal, just play it.

 

[Ric5]

Black sharpie marker

 

[georgestrings]

Leave it alone, or strip it all off, but don't try to repair it. If you got a good deal, just play it.

Agreed...


- georgestrings

 

[Webtroll]

I wouldn't do any half-ass repair. Either play it as is and enjoy the accelerated relicing, do a proper refin, sell it or send it back. I think sharpies and superglue will look bad in the long run and make a proper refin in the future more difficult.

 

[smcd]

Let it keep chipping and don't refinish it.

+1


Superglue-ing the chip back on will look like hell. A re-fin will cost a fortune on a Ric. Leave it alone.

 

[theevilplankton]

I had a 2011 JG that I bought in December that year.

Sold it about 6 months later - paint didn't get to flaking off, but the whole of the back of the bass' lacquer was cracking up really badly.

I'm not anti-Ric, but there always seems to be new QC issues on a design they've made for years!

 

[AltGrendel]

Let it keep chipping and don't refinish it.

+2

 

[iiipopes]

Another vote for play it as it is. It's too bad you got it "level 3" instead of new, because RIC does honor warranties well. Simply put, this instrument and this particular retail transaction are defined as not subject to warranty. It has nothing to do with RIC QC or CS. Since you got a significant discount, there's your answer.