Rickenbacker Binding Issues

[smcfarland1337]

This makes me sad.
Rickenbackers are my dream basses, but now I hear the bindings are all whacky?
My $250 Danelectro I've had for 4 years still has perfect binding, but Rickenbacker lets me down?

Sad day.

 

[TheMightyWoot1]

We see a lot of older guitars with binding issues, where it is coming off of areas like the waist. Most of the time it is due to shrinking. The plastic for binding has changed over the years, and some formulas were just more prone to shrinking. Could be that maybe?

 

[msb]

Danos have binding ? Mine just has a piece of tape going around it .

 

[kcole4001]

I must note that I found the finish on my 2010 4003 is much softer than my older basses, which run from 1976-1981 in manufacture date.

It may be a factor in this case.
Judgement should be reserved to those who know the subject thoroughly and have also seen the problems first hand.

Internet speculation is just that.

 

[Toastfuzz]

It could be that that load of basses MF sent out was ripe full of crap. I had one for a weekend, had to send it back to MF for a replacement and then was backlisted until Jan 2013. Most of us who bought one had to return it immediately due to amateur-hour QC issues.

 

[SurferJoe46]

<snippity-snip> I had one for a weekend, had to send it back to MF for a replacement and then was backlisted until Jan 2013.

Is that a typo?

Either you got 'blacklisted" by MF or the basses are 'backordered' at MF. The first version could be a Freudian slip.

The syntax isn't concise enough to figure it out.

 

[A-Step-Towards]

Yes, I've made a couple of calls (waiting to be called back) and sent two emails to customer service, and posted the question on two RIC forums. No response to any of the above.

I had a MID ric with finish issues , i called and the guy was pretty rude, I was not expecting ass kissing but this guy that answered was having a bad day.

 

[A-Step-Towards]

Is that a typo?

Either you got 'blacklisted" by MF or the basses are 'backordered' at MF. The first version could be a Freudian slip.

The syntax isn't concise enough to figure it out.

Nope , not a typo-thats what happened with these. They cranked out some before then tho.

 

[A-Step-Towards]

I must note that I found the finish on my 2010 4003 is much softer than my older basses, which run from 1976-1981 in manufacture date.

It may be a factor in this case.
Judgement should be reserved to those who know the subject thoroughly and have also seen the problems first hand.

Internet speculation is just that.

I am not speculating with my advice, I had a 2010 MID ric and a 2011 both MID ric-both bought during the blow out.

The 2010 was horrible , chip by the nut , yellowed around the horns , tail lift , bridge imperfections in finish etc.

The 2011 was the replacement after I sent the 2010 back-I kept this one tell November.It had a tad bit of tail lift , but clean white binding and overall a way nicer beast, but not perfect.

Then in decemeber I called MF , explain the sale and asked them to cut me a deal on one. I got a mapleglo made in october 2011 for 1,080$. Its fantastic.


I am many others have had some issues with summer 2010 to mid to late 2011 Rics in MID. Since they build them in batches I am guessing the curing time on that batch got rush, that is speculation the rest is fact.

 

[kcole4001]

I am not speculating with my advice, I had a 2010 MID ric and a 2011 both MID ric-both bought during the blow out.

The 2010 was horrible , chip by the nut , yellowed around the horns , tail lift , bridge imperfections in finish etc.

The 2011 was the replacement after I sent the 2010 back-I kept this one tell November.It had a tad bit of tail lift , but clean white binding and overall a way nicer beast, but not perfect.

Then in decemeber I called MF , explain the sale and asked them to cut me a deal on one. I got a mapleglo made in october 2011 for 1,080$. Its fantastic.


I am many others have had some issues with summer 2010 to mid to late 2011 Rics in MID. Since they build them in batches I am guessing the curing time on that batch got rush, that is speculation the rest is fact.

Sorry, I didn't intend any offense.
My comment wasn't directed at you, I saw the problems when the sale thread was current, and there were very obvious and glaring issues.
There did seem to be a serious lapse in QC when those MIDs were built.

I was just trying to say that in general there haven't been a lot of issues brought up outside of that batch of sale basses for whatever reason, and one shouldn't tar them all with the same brush (IE: all Ricks are bad).

 

[smur89]

My bass is a 1992 4003 and has yellowed and cracked binding. but as far as i remember, the wood around the binding isnt cracked, just the binding itself.

 

[A-Step-Towards]

Sorry, I didn't intend any offense.
My comment wasn't directed at you, I saw the problems when the sale thread was current, and there were very obvious and glaring issues.
There did seem to be a serious lapse in QC when those MIDs were built.

I was just trying to say that in general there haven't been a lot of issues brought up outside of that batch of sale basses for whatever reason, and one shouldn't tar them all with the same brush (IE: all Ricks are bad).

Sorry to come off as defensive, I was not offended by what you said.

It does get old hearing people say oh my so and so bass doesnt have binding issues , like because a bass is 2k doesnt mean every single one is perfect I totally agree with you. Just like it also gets old when some ric fan boy thinks ric makes no mistakes.

It sounds like I am actually on the same page as you , all rics are not bad thats for sure , far from it and i doubt they have any more quality control issues then fender. As i said my 2011 ric in mapleglo is fantastic it will go to the grave with me and my 2011 MID was not to shabby , just had one that sucked and it came from a batch of sucky ones so its understandable.It seems some people get the lemon first like i did but dont give them another shot and just bad mouth them.

There customer service needs a re tooling though, they can look towards EBMM for a great example of that.

 

[SurferJoe46]

Sorry to come off as defensive, I was not offended by what you said.

It does get old hearing people say oh my so and so bass doesnt have binding issues , like because a bass is 2k doesnt mean every single one is perfect I totally agree with you. Just like it also gets old when some ric fan boy thinks ric makes no mistakes.

It sounds like I am actually on the same page as you , all rics are not bad thats for sure , far from it and i doubt they have any more quality control issues then fender. As i said my 2011 ric in mapleglo is fantastic it will go to the grave with me and my 2011 MID was not to shabby , just had one that sucked and it came from a batch of sucky ones so its understandable.It seems some people get the lemon first like i did but dont give them another shot and just bad mouth them.

There customer service needs a re tooling though, they can look towards EBMM for a great example of that.

As far as an 'all Rics --- this and that' - well that's obviously a Ric anti-fanboi shallow comment.

Since you made it perfectly clear that this is/was a limited run on their stuff, you aren't using that brush at all. And I know that you know what you're saying.

Mostly any Ric dislike - in my case anyway - is the aesthetics and ergonomics, which I find poor - but I love the way they sound.

I CAN however appreciate the owners saying things about their devotion to them. Makes sense when one finds something they like a lot to tell others about it. That's not fanboi'ing at that point.

There's nothing like a Ric voice in either their guitars or basses. Play one in a crowd and I can pick it out.

Pleasant to play - not so much but nice to hear.

I still feel a product from such a mighty-named company should be covered for life since it seems to be documented that they had this binding problem in this particular run.

Defects in material or workmanship should have no limits.

Worn out - OK - that's not covered.
Crushed in a soft gig bag - obviously not covered.
Tossed off a roof - not covered.
Knobs falling off - maybe some free replacements would be nice.
Binding falling off - should very much so be covered.

That's a flaw in execution of the installation or inferior parts.

 

[A-Step-Towards]

Well the thing that really is an issues is the finish has a warranty from 1 year since date of manufacture. Meaning if you buy a bass 6 months old the finish only has 6 more months covered, lots of places do that and the HP laptop I am on was 6 months old in a factory sealed box when I got it but the warranty expires next month, scary as I already had them replace the hard drive and speakers. The same with these rics , I think some stuff is covered longer , but the paint is 1 year. They went as far as to repaint a few members rics that were not a year old yet , but they had to pay all the shipping back.

I personally think ric has shot themselves in the foot with poor customer service.

As for rics I really enjoy mine and the neck is great put the bridge and body is hard to get use to , I strapped on a jazz the other day and it made me realize how much more at home I am on a jazz.

 

[Ivan R]

The binding issue is probably covered by the factory warranty. Just do not mention you made any mods to the bass, INCLUDING CHANGING THE FACTORY STRINGS, for this will void the warranty. Before the flaming, no, I do not agree with this - I am just telling what their interpretation of "modifications" is.

Hope that helps.

 

[Spectrum]

To the OP: I also have one of the MF sale MIDs, and mine had some slight yellowing of the binding out of the box. No problems with cracking so far (crosses fingers).

Note: That whole sale thing was a bad experience for TalkBass. Those of us who bought those Rics and were honest about what was wrong with them were basically called liars by the fanbois, and called idiots by the Ric haters. Even more bizarre were the jerks who criticized our decision to buy because "nobody likes blue basses".

Honestly I don't understand what's wrong with some of these people.

Can we discuss these basses like adults this time?

 

[A-Step-Towards]

To the OP: I also have one of the MF sale MIDs, and mine had some slight yellowing of the binding out of the box. No problems with cracking so far (crosses fingers).

Note: That whole sale thing was a bad experience for TalkBass. Those of us who bought those Rics and were honest about what was wrong with them were basically called liars by the fanbois, and called idiots by the Ric haters. Even more bizarre were the jerks who criticized our decision to buy because "nobody likes blue basses".

Honestly I don't understand what's wrong with some of these people.

Can we discuss these basses like adults this time?

Yep it was sad, there were problems some were ignorant of.

and yes please

 

[Dwight]

I bought six Ric guitars and spent a few years on the RIC forums. My impression is warranty repairs are not common. If they aren't answering the phone they're probably busy. If you're having a problem with your bass it must be something you did wrong. You shouldn't really be bothering them in customer service or complaining on a forum.

 

[A-Step-Towards]

I bought six Ric guitars and spent a few years on the RIC forums. My impression is warranty repairs are not common. If they aren't answering the phone they're probably busy. If you're having a problem with your bass it must be something you did wrong. You shouldn't really be bothering them in customer service or complaining on a forum.

Wow .

If there is a problem with a new bass its OUR fault? and customer service is bothering the company? really?Isnt that WHY they have customer service so the CUSTOMER can get service?

Your whole post is backwards, I am hoping that was all sarcasm.

The rickenwaffen have arrived.

 

[FaithNoMan]

I bought six Ric guitars and spent a few years on the RIC forums. My impression is warranty repairs are not common. If they aren't answering the phone they're probably busy. If you're having a problem with your bass it must be something you did wrong. You shouldn't really be bothering them in customer service or complaining on a forum.

Yikes, I love Rics...but.. hahahahahahaahahahaha.

My '03 4003 has a bit of yellowing to the binding. Usually stays in its' case, but that was the years before they had the finishes that didn't eventually yellow. The bass looks great and the neck is one of the most stable I've owned, living in FL and all...

But your post is ludicrous.