Ric 4003 NBD Letdown

[johnson79]

There is no excuse why a $1500 American made instrument should arrive in less than perfect condition. Action is one thing, but a misaligned bridge and crappy nuts on multiple instruments is not cool at all.

Hopefully the third bass is in good shape.

 

[FunkHead]

I'm sure my MG from Musicians Friend isn't perfect. But...It plays beautifully. I was more worried about even volume and tone up and down the finger board. But the OP has every right to be picky. We are a bit hard on him because we love Ric's so much and really a nut kind of falls into the Setup category especially on a Ric because they need to be lowered just a bit anyway. My Fender Jaguar really needed a fret file because they are a tiny bit sharp along the fretboard edge. It just doesn't bother me as my hands and fingers are just about pure callus. Plus I bought it as NOS but 7 years old.
My point is that there are varying degrees of pickiness but Maybe Ric does actually need do step it up a bit in the QC department. Or stop selling them through the Mass Market Online stores. There was a time when you had to wait for a Ric from a Brick & Mortar store and I almost wish it was still that way.. Either Way Pbass4003, We love you man!

 

[electracoyote]

I just went round and round with another internet big box retailer (and one that gets a lot of props and respect here on TB) on a Gibson Les Paul. I received and returned three of the identical model, all of which had issues far worse than OP's Ric.

I've resigned myself never to spend over a certain dollar amount on sight-unseen purchases.

Personally, I feel the pole piece alignment is an issue that very critical people get upset about, yet it is highly debatable as to whether it makes a real difference in anything. Still, everyone has a right to their own standards, and if your standards are that high, you should not be buying on-line.

I also feel that if a bass comes to me and it only needs a setup and minor tweak of the nut, yet it looks and plays good in every other respect, I'll do the work rather than play bass roulette hoping and praying for one that is already set up to my high standards. Everyone has a right to their own standards, and people whose standards are that high and expect a bass to come perfect right out of the box should not be buying on-line.

Of course, POTR and Wildwood might be two exceptions to the rule. Fortunately, I'm a stone's throw from Wildwood, which is where I ended up buying my Les Paul, for a few bucks more, but well worth it.

FWIW, I thought the first MG Ric OP received was the better of the two and the nut issue minor enough to deal with and end up with a great bass. This is what happens when we start playing bass roulette. But that string alignment issue on Ric #2 is a major concern for me. Adjustments at the nut and bridge might get the strings back to centered on the fretboard, but I'd have to have it in my hands to know for sure.

My opinion, of course.

 

[Pbass4003]

Thanks, guys. Like I said, pending no huge issues—NOT talking about setup pickiness, or mis-matched grains—the next one will be a keeper. By Zzounds giving me a $100 credit, they have created a margin where I can get a full-service setup and nut-work if needed.

 

[Fishheadjoe]

To the OP... My 2011 RIC had the same issue with the p/u miss-alligned on it's mounting block. Darn thing is off by quite a few degress.
I called RIC customer service only to get some very grumpy individual on the phone who told me it is "just cosmetic" and has no affect on sound. Then, I had a number of folks here tell me that I could easily rectify the problem myself by removing the p/u and centering it and re-installing. I appreciated the advice as I know that it was put out there as just that, but in my mind, after dumping good coin into the bass, I shouldn't have to do anything, but a personalized set up.
(I won't even get into the fact that it was the 2nd bass sent to me or the issues I had with the first one.)
Reading your post is like re-living my experience in buying a RIC last year... and the same comments are coming out in this thread as they were in my thread last year.
The RIC lovers told me to suck it up, that's what you get with a RIC and the haters suggested that RIC has QC issues!
I really do hope that your next bass meets your expectations... a word of advice if I may... lower your expectations and they will be met.
Fishheadjoe

 

[thiocyclist]

Mis-matched grains???

 

[Dave W]

Mis-matched grains???

I was wondering the same thing

It honestly sounds like you're just trying to come up with new things to nit pick.

 

[Pbass4003]

Mis-matched grains???

You know, where you can tell 1/2 of the bass comes from a different piece of wood from the other 1/2... just a random example of something WON'T care about as long as the next one plays and sounds good.

I was wondering the same thing

It honestly sounds like you're just trying to come up with new things to nit pick.

You also misread my post. I was implying that would be a stupid this to fuss about. I also like to abuse em dashes. Sorry for any confusion.

 

[Yogi Bear]

Wildwood guitars has maple glo and fireglo in stock right now. I think myself and another TB user snagged their last two Ruby's. They've been a pleasure to deal with thus far.

I'm lucky enough to be local to Wildwood. I can't say enough good things about the guys there - and the setup they do on all guitars/basses that leave their inventory is top notch.


On another note.. So it was YOU who snatched one of their last Ruby Rics....

 

[electracoyote]

The RIC lovers told me to suck it up, that's what you get with a RIC and the haters suggested that RIC has QC issues!

I don't consider myself a fanboi or a hater, but somewhere in between...a Ric enthusiast and tolerater, if you will. I have three 4003's at the moment, and none were perfect, but they are close enough to perfect for me after a little TLC.

But that string misalignment issue on OP's Ric #2 is most definitely a QC slip. Strings not aligning in the center of the fretboard, with equal margins between the outer strings and fretboard edges, is a huge distraction in my mind, both cosmetically and functionally. It's one of my biggest pet peeves. The guy at the end of the production line only has to take one look to see it. That they let it leave like that is a QC issue. And you don't have to be a Ric hater to make that observation. Stuff like this happens with every production line bass brand, at every price point.

And, of course, the warehouse guys at Zzounds (and the other warehouse online retailers) aren't going to catch or do anything about it. They simply pull and ship.

It may only need a simple adjustment; I've easily corrected this issue many times on various brands. But it would have been nice if this had been done at the factory.

 

[willsellout]

I'm lucky enough to be local to Wildwood. I can't say enough good things about the guys there - and the setup they do on all guitars/basses that leave their inventory is top notch.


On another note.. So it was YOU who snatched one of their last Ruby Rics....

Guilty as charged. I'm only human, and their prices are hard to beat

 

[Ric5]

You're right, I don't like Rics. I lurv them.

In my previous posts I mentioned that I was all about them based on my playing experiences from the many, many shops I've played them in ($2000 top $$ pricing and sales tax kept me from pulling the trigger).


Love the tone. Love the feel. Love the look. But I happen to hate instruments that show up in my hands less in worse condition than the CV Squier I keep at me music school for kids to play.

I've seen and played good Rics. I would have just bought the perfect JG I played at Sam Ash if it weren't for the sales tax, the fact that I was already in bed with Zzounds, or the fact that the finish is not my first choice.... or PotR for the last 2 reasons.

OK maybe I'm wrong ...

 

[Mastermold]

Guilty as charged. I'm only human, and their prices are hard to beat

I was eyeing those too--unfortunately no coin to spend or I'd have grabbed one!

 

[Addison]

FWIW, the same recent crappy QC problems exist with us lefties too... two of us that I know of just bought Rics from the same store, and both of us received basses with bad necks... among other issues.

More info here, if anyone is interested:

http://www.leftybassist.com/viewtopic.php?p=29008#p29008

I have ALWAYS wanted a Ric... when they discontinued production on lefties and prices shot through the roof I was heartbroken. The day I heard they were going to make them again, I promised myself I would get one.

I love the tone, the look, the vibe, the legacy... but, sorry... I'm not playing the mail-order exchange game. :scowl:

 

[Matt R.]

Yep. I'm the other lefty Addison is referring to. I sent mine back to the factory on a warranty claim. Will be interesting to see how it pans out. Ric has been very cool and accommodating so far.

 

[armybass]

I don't consider myself a fanboi or a hater, but somewhere in between...a Ric enthusiast and tolerater, if you will. I have three 4003's at the moment, and none were perfect, but they are close enough to perfect for me after a little TLC.

But that string misalignment issue on OP's Ric #2 is most definitely a QC slip. Strings not aligning in the center of the fretboard, with equal margins between the outer strings and fretboard edges, is a huge distraction in my mind, both cosmetically and functionally. It's one of my biggest pet peeves. The guy at the end of the production line only has to take one look to see it. That they let it leave like that is a QC issue. And you don't have to be a Ric hater to make that observation. Stuff like this happens with every production line bass brand, at every price point.

And, of course, the warehouse guys at Zzounds (and the other warehouse online retailers) aren't going to catch or do anything about it. They simply pull and ship.

It may only need a simple adjustment; I've easily corrected this issue many times on various brands. But it would have been nice if this had been done at the factory.

I also have three Ric 4003's (all recent models) none of mine are perfect either but they are all great. But I must say, and I am not making excuses, that there is another great bass maker that had a very similar problem aligning the strings on their 5 string models. It happens....no bass or guitar maker is free from hits and misses in production issues.

 

[Biggbass]

I had five Rics (not basses) and bought all of them but one from Pick of the Ricks. After a few dozen gigs with it you'll forget all about things like binding nicks. It will take on a character of it's own.
I bought a Ric 12 Tuxedo a few years ago from one of the guys that used to play in The Animals. That old Ric had seen a hundred thousand miles of touring and looked like it...hardly any laquor left on it anywhere. Very cool guitar. I ended up selling to a friend who drooled endlessly over it. that brought me down to 4 which I still have. But I can understand not wanting nicks and bruises on a brand new guitar. Tough call whether to send it back or live with it. They might offer a partial refund to motivate you to keep it if you call them and let them know you're considering sending it back.

 

[phishaholik]

You know, what a lot of people fail to understand is the type of place they buy from.

I hesitate to use a car analogy but in this instance, I think it's warranted.

Someone bought a car from a dealer, the dealer let the car get to the buyer without being tuned up and looked over. The dealer hoped the buyer wouldn't notice and just pay for it as is.

In that parallel instance, the dealer said to send it back to the manufacturer for repair since it didn't want any part of the problem that it let slip by its own process.

The real difference here is that car dealers have a warranty program through the manufacturer so you don't have to send the car directly back to the dealer.

A good guitar dealer will do a once-over of their sale. They will do a setup (whether it's to your specs is left to each individual dealer).

A large conglomerate dealer is just hoping beyond hope that the guitar that was returned 3 times can be repackaged and shipped back out to another buyer that doesn't raise too much hell over it. Eventually, the dealer either caves and tells the buyer to go to the manufacturer or they take it back again and the process starts all over. In those big conglomerates, it wouldn't surprise me that 10-20% of their inventory is ages old bad QC'd stuff that people want to cry about online (rightfully so, mind you). That 10-20% crap inventory is just waiting for the next "less picky" buyer to take it out of their inventory.

This inventory churn does happen. Maybe to a different percentage than I state because I honestly don't know the recidivism numbers. But it is a real thing that really does happen.

So, you get to choose: do you want to risk it with a mass sales house that shovels loads of items out their door or do you want an individual and customized sales experience? After all, you are the buyer right?

But... it's your money to spend how you want. Bon chance!

I understand all of this, but you didn't read the post that I was quoting. I quoted it again below. He bought his Ric from POTR, which is the small independent dealer that everyone is saying to buy from and has great customer service. He didn't go through the big dealers with no customer service.

If you purchase a brand new instrument and it needs repairs, it should be returned at the dealers expense and a full refund given. It should not have to be sent in for a warranty repair the day it's received.


Michael

Unfortunately, my circumstances are similar to yours. I ordered a Ruby 4003 from POTR in May. Was delivered to my house in late October. I inspected it and immediately found an issue with the binding. Called Chris at POTR and he advised me to contact RIC about a warranty repair. I filled out the warranty card, waited and got an RA #. Sent it to RIC and got it back about 3 weeks later after the repair and it is still not right. I sent it back again. Hopefully they will fix it right this time.

It sucks. I've been patiently waiting for this bass since May and still no joy. Just bad luck, I guess. I have 3 other RICs that are awesome basses, the oldest being a 1977 4001, which I've owned since 1979.

Hang in there. Hoping for the best for both of us.

--jack

 

[thiocyclist]

Weird you lefties are getting bum necks, I don't see why it'd be any harder or even different to make a lefty neck than a right-handed one. And all of my Rics have had fine necks. Doesn't make sense. Maybe they sourced more wood than they usually do and lowered the quality bar in order to get some lefties out the door finally.

 

[gwangi]

Thanks, guys. Like I said, pending no huge issues—NOT talking about setup pickiness, or mis-matched grains—the next one will be a keeper. By Zzounds giving me a $100 credit, they have created a margin where I can get a full-service setup and nut-work if needed.

You shouldn't even have to get a full-service and nut-work done, the bass should be perfect aside from if it might need the neck adjusted after being settled in.
Seriously Zzounds sounds like they are LAME as hell, Link Removed or Link Removed definitely have there act together and would never send out an instrument with problems.