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*Official* MF MID Rickenbacker Sale thread

How Satisfied Are You With Your New Rick?

  • Very Satisfied

    Votes: 47 45.6%

  • Satisfied

    Votes: 18 17.5%

  • Neutral

    Votes: 19 18.4%

  • Unsatisfied

    Votes: 7 6.8%

  • Very Unsatisified

    Votes: 12 11.7%
  • Total voters
    103
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#201
smaynor said:
Got mine today. UPS delivered it at 1:00 which is WAY earlier than they normally arrive. I just happened to be home for lunch when it was delivered.

I've never owned, nor hardly even played, a Ric, so here are my first observations/impressions.

March 2010 build date.

It was a full step out of tune, and the action was good. When tuned up to standard, the action is a little high for my taste. Gonna adjust the truss rod later and it should be fine. May even lower the bridge a bit. It seems a little high. No complaints there. Those things are to be expected. Might want to file the nut a touch also.

Fit and finish. Seems good to me.

Sounds...like a Ric.

Overall, I'm pleased with the bass.

"Issues":

- I played it for a while this afternoon, and this thing just seems "small" compared to my other basses. Not complaining, it just seems "little". Anyone else feel this?

- Going to change the strap buttons to match all my other basses so that I can still use just one strap.

- Is there a way to remove that stupid cover over the bridge pickup? It's RIGHT where I want to play. That's gotta go.

- It smells kinda funny.

Overall I'm very pleased. Great bass for a great price. Thanks to the OP for tipping us off on such a great deal.

Stacey
Click to expand...
Strap buttons - they are a 10-32 threading that is part of the button. In order to use other strap buttons, I've had to get the right length 10-32 screws, grind the head to fit in the recess of the desired strap button, drill out the strap button to allow the 10-32 screw through, then screwed them on. I've done this 6 times with the Dunlops.

There was a video posted (earlier in this thread??) on how to take off the treble guard. This will help you understand how the assembly is put together:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

It smells like the glue used to put the case together - Rick-O-Smell. :D
 
#202
Buster Brown said:
Internet rumor? Are you kidding me??

Invalid Link Removed

That's John Hall - President and CEO of Rickenbacker. His words - not mine.
Click to expand...

Here's what Hall said: "I'm hearing that many of these have relatively old production dates and show some signs of wear, suggesting these are returns form MF's customers. But I guess the very low price is the tradeoff."

Doesn't sound to me like he actually knows the details of what MF is doing, which makes sense, since this is MF's deal, not Rickenbacker's.

I might be wrong.
 
#203
Spectrum said:
Here's what Hall said: "I'm hearing that many of these have relatively old production dates and show some signs of wear, suggesting these are returns form MF's customers. But I guess the very low price is the tradeoff."

Doesn't sound to me like he actually knows the details of what MF is doing, which makes sense, since this is MF's deal, not Rickenbacker's.

I might be wrong.
Click to expand...

And that is EXACTLY what I posted. Nothing more, nothing less. So where exactly, do you get "rumor" from? No one said, or even implied that this was the case.
 
#204
Buster Brown said:
Internet rumor? Are you kidding me??

Invalid Link Removed

That's John Hall - President and CEO of Rickenbacker. His words - not mine.
Click to expand...

"I'm hearing that many of these have relatively old production dates and show some signs of wear, suggesting these are returns form MF's customers. But I guess the very low price is the tradeoff." --John Hall

It sounds like Mr. Hall is speculating a bit himself, and nothing more (who has a MF sale MB 4003 with "signs of wear"?).

MF does not normally re-sell items with obvious signs of use or wear as "new." They mark them "used" and sell them accordingly.

My personal speculation is the Midnight Blue was not selling as well as other finishes, MF had a glut of them, and decided before they sit another year on the warehouse shelf they had better unload.

Mangled bass that obviously fell from a great height and normally yellowed binding aside, I see alot of TB'ers on this thread getting alot of great deals on some very nice basses, and new ones at that.
 
#206
Buster Brown said:
Noticed this over on the Rick Resource forum today:

Re: Obscene Musicians Friend Sale
by (johnhall) » Fri Aug 05, 2011 1:39 pm

I'm hearing that many of these have relatively old production dates and show some signs of wear, suggesting these are returns form MF's customers. But I guess the very low price is the tradeoff.

(johnhall)
RIC

Posts: 2842
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2000 12:17 pm

Now I don't know if he has some sort of "inside knowledge" about this, but if, in fact, they are selling returns as new, that might explain the condition of some of these instruments, cases, etc etc....
Click to expand...

Mine was flawless and brand spankin' new looking.
 
#209
GeezerDeacon69 said:
Mine too. Obviously completely new and untouched.
Click to expand...

Great News!! I am glad to see that more and more are being delivered like that. I admit that after the reports of yellowing binding, nicks here and there, basses literally destroyed in the cases, I was beginning to wonder myself.

But even at that, MF would more than stand by their products (they always have).

Enjoy yours!! I promise you, I enjoy mine!!! :D
 
#210
Buster Brown said:
Noticed this over on the Rick Resource forum today:

Re: Obscene Musicians Friend Sale
by (johnhall) » Fri Aug 05, 2011 1:39 pm
I'm hearing that many of these have relatively old production dates and show some signs of wear, suggesting these are returns form MF's customers. But I guess the very low price is the tradeoff.
(johnhall)
RIC
Posts: 2842
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2000 12:17 pm

Now I don't know if he has some sort of "inside knowledge"
Click to expand...

Sounds more like a conspiracy theory. Could it be Midnight Blue is least popular color and they maybe they were overstocked thus pointing to marketing error more than anything.
 
#211
Midnightblue seems to be the most popular, you dont have to look further than this thread. Most people aren't going to pay the $1,900 new sticker price that MF was asking for, they weren't pushing much stock, which it looks like they had a **** ton of. If i read it right on the rick forum, over 600 guitars.
 
#213
Mine made it. 'June '10 model, perfect finish, just needs the expected neck and bridge adjustment. Perfect as I expected. The blue is gorgeous in sunshine.
 

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#215
Pickup cover = off. Wow that was a pain in the ass. Also, I had to adjust the pole heights on the pickups, E and G strings were visually much lower on both, and plugged in volume sounded as such. Brought up the E and G poles and downed the A and D poles, perfect string to string volume balance.

My only disappointment is how sharp the treble pickup enclosure is with the cover removed... Seemed odd but that's how they've been made for how many decades now? Oh well I'm giving this girl a proper breakin tomorrow so full review n picks comin up.
 
#216
Mine was delivered Friday afternoon. I was really nervous when I saw the single thin box that others have described - it was pretty beat, with some big dents in the corners. The box was still factory stapled; the packing skip was just slid under the flap. Thankfully, everything was fine, no damage to the case or bass. It's a 2010, brand new. The finish is beautiful, I like it much better than expected. It plays perfectly, but I'm sure it will need some adjustment after a few days. Right now the neck has some relief, less than .012" according to my gauge. Frets are perfect and the sound is fantastic.

There are 3 minor flaws I've found. Sadly, it has the same amount of tail lift as the Mapleglo 4003 that I returned. For the price, I can live with this and may replace the bridge in the near future. It also has some excess glue or something where the fingerboard and neck join near the headstock - oddly, there was a small piece of masking tape stuck over this. Again, nothing major. I also noticed that on the back, I can see and feel the joints where the body wings are glued to the neck-through body. Very slight, but noticeable. I don't remember seeing this on the Mapleglo 4003 I tried. Maybe they use a heavier undercoat or sealant on the clear finishes? Has anyone else noticed this and is it something I should be concerned about?

I voted "satisfied" and I think this one's a keeper unless those body joints turn out to be a problem. I would definitely exchange for another MB 4003 if I had to return it. Beautiful bass with a unique sound and feel, and a steal for the price.
 
#217
Toastfuzz said:
Pickup cover = off. Wow that was a pain in the ass. Also, I had to adjust the pole heights on the pickups, E and G strings were visually much lower on both, and plugged in volume sounded as such. Brought up the E and G poles and downed the A and D poles, perfect string to string volume balance.

My only disappointment is how sharp the treble pickup enclosure is with the cover removed... Seemed odd but that's how they've been made for how many decades now? Oh well I'm giving this girl a proper breakin tomorrow so full review n picks comin up.
Click to expand...

See my post on page 10 for solutions to the enclosure after the cover has been removed. ;)
 
#220
Buster Brown said:
Re: Obscene Musicians Friend Sale
by (johnhall) » Fri Aug 05, 2011 1:39 pm

I'm hearing that many of these have relatively old production dates and show some signs of wear, suggesting these are returns form MF's customers. But I guess the very low price is the tradeoff.

(johnhall)
RIC
Click to expand...

I can see how people on the RIC forum and John Hall, might not be too happy to see such a sale price for a large quantity of basses.

Someone here in TB has a blue bass theory, that eventually blue basses of any make or model will drop in price because less people buy them. Could well be that RIC (and any other brands) makes MF/GC eat the same number of each colour, and some colours just sell less than others.

Myself, I was loving the blue to begin with, although buying a Ric was nowhere near my priority, but it is at a price I could not refuse. Hopefully it all works out for me.
 
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