Rickenbacker crooked pick ups

[Ric5]

And look at the crooked pickup on this one ...

 

[Jaco Taco]

That is the way pretty much all of the musical instrument companies do business.

No, I'd say that must musical instrument companies actually care about Quality Control, which is a phrase that I'm sure is completely alien to Rickenbacker.

 

[Paul Boyer]

Fortunately, that one isn't a Rick!

 

[Ric5]

No, I'd say that must musical instrument companies actually care about Quality Control, which is a phrase that I'm sure is completely alien to Rickenbacker.

You know ... I wonder why we even give any credence to these troll threads.

 

[Robroy]

Putting aside whether or not my analogy implied that performance was affected, the OP bought an instrument and was disappointed by two things: the workmanship of the bass and the dealer's response to his disappointment. In my opinion, his frustration regarding the dealer's customer service is perfectly valid. The fact that an important component was installed sloppily makes his concern legitimate, regardless of whether that component is covered up with a piece of chrome. Even more so considering the anecdotal evidence that I've yet to meet a Ric player who keeps the PU cover on, and that a quick image search shows virtually every on-stage performer using a Ric with the cover removed. So to suggest that he "modded" this bass and therefore has to be happy with sloppy assembly and nonexistent customer service seems a little harsh. He removed a trim piece that a measurable (if not overwhelming) number of Ric owners also remove, a practice of which the company and dealers must surely be aware.

And I do think my analogy is reasonable. The OP removed a trim piece and found a sloppily installed part. That's not the same as saying that he doesn't like how the part was installed, just as it's not the same to buy a car and simply dislike the look of your engine with the hood removed.

Regarding the OP's observation that his bass sounds good: can you be sure it wouldn't sound even better with the pickup installed properly?

Again, I have no dog in this fight. I'm just frustrated when a company and its dealer don't do everything they can to make a customer happy with his purchase, especially when the item is expensive.

I was only addressing the analogy.

 

[Robroy]

Simple question then: If you bought a brand new Lexus luxury car (Ric bass), and the chrome bumper (Pickup ring, bridge, or pickup itself) was crooked, would you be cool with it? Some people don't care what something looks like, as long as it works, so why bother with a Lexus (Ric) when you can buy a Kia (Squier)? if you went to the Lexus dealer (Ric), and they said "there is no problem, it's just the angle you are looking at it", or, when presented with photographic evidence to the contrary, they said "fine, ship it back to Michigan at your own expense, and we will decide if we feel like fixing it, and we will also charge you to ship it back", would you be cool with that?

If it was a hidden part and doing its job within specs, and any variation in "straightness" of the alignment would not cause future issues, yes, I'd be absolutely fine with it. Even if it was a Ferrari. Parts that are not exposed only need to be installed in such a manner that they perform within specs and will not cause future problems, e.g. rubbing against a cable, etc.

And I also have been on both sides of the customer service counter in my life. Some customers are unreasonable in their expectations, and sometimes they are unreasonable in their demands. If there is nothing wrong with the car but the customer doesn't like the way the brake line isn't precisely lining up with the edge of the frame, though there is no performance or reliability impact, the Customer service person's job is to re-align the customer's expectations. If that doesn't work, their job is to either refund the money and send the customer on their way or tell them that it is within spec, and let the customer make the next move.

There is a reason that no company that produces items with moving parts has a 100% customer satisfaction rating. People are, well, different.

Not that the OP is "weird". I suspect that he is young. I say that because when I was young I expected perfection from man-made products. My standards have changed, especially regarding "B surfaces". Unless a company advertises that they take the same care with B surfaces as with A surfaces, I only care that the stuff I don't see performs reliably to spec. I care about the cosmetic quality of the items that are seen by the naked eye during normal use.

BTW, I'm not here to defen Rick. I don't own one and never will. I'm too cheap.

 

[blunderthumbs]

It's nice, but you pay the premium for the details. The pickups, the bridge pickup cover, the bridge itself, the checkerboard binding, IMO, don't look as refined. The bridge pickup's wires in particular are somewhat crude; It's a good effort, but not quite the real deal.

The real deal in this case having crooked pickups and further down the road possible neck issues. Mine cost £300 and to be honest the bridge is better than the one I had on my genuine Ric 4003.
At least the saddles don't rattle on this one and the back of the neck doesn't become sticky after half a gig.(Very annoying for an instrument that costs £1500+)
I rest my case ;-)

 

[Fishheadjoe]

I don't think I have ever read a report from anyone saying "just call Ric, they're great people and will take care of you".
When you have the kind of customer service they do, when they release an instrument that was obviously never looked at by QC and then make the customer pay for shipping both ways, you can expect threads like this to exist.
It's really to bad that they manufacture such an iconic instrument, because frankly, they don't deserve the loyalty and praise that they receive.
Their service acumen seems to be derived from mount Olympus, looking down at all the low life's from above.
Snarky owner, snarky customer service and mediocre results from the assembly line, coupled with a holier than thou attitude, blah! I'll go elsewhere.
Fishheadjoe

 

[Robroy]

I don't think I have ever read a report from anyone saying "just call Ric, they're great people and will take care of you".
When you have the kind of customer service they do, when they release an instrument that was obviously never looked at by QC and then make the customer pay for shipping both ways, you can expect threads like this to exist.
It's really to bad that they manufacture such an iconic instrument, because frankly, they don't deserve the loyalty and praise that they receive.
Their service acumen seems to be derived from mount Olympus, looking down at all the low life's from above.
Snarky owner, snarky customer service and mediocre results from the assembly line, coupled with a holier than thou attitude, blah! I'll go elsewhere.
Fishheadjoe

I'm still trying to figure out what was defective in the bass in the op. I suspect Rick is too.

 

[phishaholik]

I guess I can understand someone that likes a brand so much they will ignore obvious faults, I just don't get the people that decide to be giant jerks to the people that aren't wiling to ignore said faults.

You know ... I wonder why we even give any credence to these troll threads.

Dude, seriously?! The only one trolling this is you. This is a legitimate gripe by someone who purchased an expensive bass and you've done nothing but be super rude and post pointless pictures over and over again that have nothing to do with the topic at hand. You are by definition tolling the crap out of this thread.


......amazing



Michael

 

[Robroy]

This is a legitimate gripe by someone...

Here is my challenge. I have not seen evidence that it is legitimate. A hidden part, installed within spec, but not to the liking of the customer is not a legitimate gripe. It is anal retentive.

Now, if there is more to it than that I stand corrected, but the OP already said it sounded awesome, which is the function of the allegedly defective installation.

What is actually wrong with this bass?

 

[Fishheadjoe]

Here is my challenge. I have not seen evidence that it is legitimate. A hidden part, installed within spec, but not to the liking of the customer is not a legitimate gripe. It is anal retentive.

Now, if there is more to it than that I stand corrected, but the OP already said it sounded awesome, which is the function of the allegedly defective installation.

What is actually wrong with this bass?

Well, when you actually pony up the funds to buy one and find glaring errors like I have, you will understand why these threads keep coming up.
Fishheadjoe

 

[phishaholik]

Here is my challenge. I have not seen evidence that it is legitimate. A hidden part, installed within spec, but not to the liking of the customer is not a legitimate gripe. It is anal retentive.

Now, if there is more to it than that I stand corrected, but the OP already said it sounded awesome, which is the function of the allegedly defective installation.

What is actually wrong with this bass?

For you nothing, for the person that purchased it the bass has a cosmetic flaw that they feel it shouldn't have for the price they paid. There seems to be Rick fans that it doesn't bother and a bunch of other people that it does. There's no reason to try de-legitimize someone's opinion about the bass they purchased.

It sure as hell would bother me. Half of what a lot of people like about Ricks is the look, so cosmetics do matter. I just don't understand being rude as hell to the people that it does bother or having to repost over and over again in every Rick thread where someone isn't happy.


Michael

 

[lfmn16]

When you have the kind of customer service they do, when they release an instrument that was obviously never looked at by QC and then make the customer pay for shipping both ways, you can expect threads like this to exist.

What's the old joke, "insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." John Hall and Rickenbacker aren't going to change no matter how many of these threads pop up. If you don't like them, don't buy them - as long as people continue to buy them, there is no incentive to change.

I've got 3 Rics. I'm no apologist, just pragmatic.

 

[Robroy]

Well, when you actually pony up the funds to buy one and find glaring errors like I have, you will understand why these threads keep coming up.
Fishheadjoe

I'm actually a pretty black and white thinker. I'm addressing only the complaints in the OP.

I'll throw this out, too: Back around 2004 I was thinking about buying a brand new car. I hit the internet and found sites where people loved them and where people thought they should be classified as genuine lemons. I then did some more research and discovered you can select pretty much any car on the market and find sites devoted to how defective the car is and how its designers should be locked up, etc.

I now read such reviews with a bit of a grain of salt and weigh the body of evidence. It really opened my eyes and gave me the ability to determine when something really is good and when it is garbage, even when plenty love the former and hate the latter. It just happened when looking for a new zero-turn mower.

But again, I'm addressing only the concerns of the op, which seem unjustified.

 

[Robroy]

For you nothing, for the person that purchased it the bass has a cosmetic flaw...

It's not a cosmetic flaw if the part is not visible without modifying the bass. Have you ever stripped a painted bass and found a "cosmetic flaw" in the bare wood underneath? It's not a cosmetic flaw. They painted it. And they probably use bodies with those "flaws" for painted basses and the better looking wood for the natural finish basses. I would.

 

[Fishheadjoe]

Un-justified until you drop 2K on one...
Fishheadjoe

 

[phishaholik]

It's not a cosmetic flaw if the part is not visible without modifying the bass. Have you ever stripped a painted bass and found a "cosmetic flaw" in the bare wood underneath? It's not a cosmetic flaw. They painted it. And they probably use bodies with those "flaws" for painted basses and the better looking wood for the natural finish basses. I would.

Everyone understands your point, they just don't agree with you. Repeating it over and over and over and over and over and over and over adds nothing to conversation.


Michael

 

[Robroy]

I just don't understand being rude as hell to the people that it does bother or having to repost over and over again in every Rick thread where someone isn't happy.

I actually understand it.

My wife used to be a real estate agent. It survives on refurrals. One of her trainers told her she needed to categorize her customers into four groups, A, B, C and D. A meant really good customers that have reasonable expectations and will not nickel and dime you. They know you are not perfect, appreciate what you do and respect hard work. And they refer you to people like them. As you go down the list, the customers are more difficult or demanding and refer you to folks like them. The last category is those customers that are never happy no matter how well you try to please and serve them.

D stands for "delete". You will bankrupt yourself serving them and those they refer to you.

Rick may have also jumped on this, "NO, the customer is NOT always right" bandwagon.

 

[Robroy]

Everyone understands your point, they just don't agree with you. Repeating it over and over and over and over and over and over and over adds nothing to conversation.


Michael

Problem is they don't give evidence to support disagreeing with me. I've provided evidence. I've provided examples. Just saying someone is wrong and you disagree with them with no explanation or evidence for why you disagree is a waste of bandwidth.