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Rickenbacker Pricing - Justified, Or Plain Obscene?

#23
Indiana Mike said:
I gassed for a Ric ever since playing one for 15 minutes when I was 16. I have bought two in the last three years ,one pre neck change , one after , and sadly I don't like them anymore. love the styling , love the tone , disliked the feel.
Lots of people love them and to them the price may be justified , if you want one bad enough you will pay it

If you think a 4003 is obscene price a 4001C64S C , just for SAG I had MF email my price ...$3459.99:eek:

For that price I would by a CS Fender or USA lakland.
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I experience the same thing with 2 Rickenbacker guitars. Love the style, love the tone, disliked the feel of the neck... and yes Rick pricing and wait time ARE obscene in 2009. They do business like if we still in 1965.
 
#25
Musician's Friend emailed me the price of around $1,900 U.S. dollars for a new 4003, which roughly transfers to around 1,275 Euros. (I can usually talk them down from their prices over the phone as well, but I'm guessing Ric prices aren't negotiable.)

So, from what I've seen it's not as bad in the U.S. according to the information on your post. I'm also not in the market for a Ric, I just checked last month out of curiosity.
 
#26
One man's obscenity is another man's art. Rickenbacker is charging what the market is willing to pay apparently. I own five Rickenbackers, four of which I bought new, and feel each is well worth what I paid. But that's just me and everyone of course will decide whether a given bass at a given price is worth it or not. Like many things it's a matter of personal choice.
 
#27
GC wants $1700 for a used Jetglo 4003. They want $2200 for a new one.

I bought my 1975 4001 there for $1300 about 9 months before, next to a Fireglo 4003, brand new for $1600.

I bought my 360 for $1400 two and a half years ago. Now it's up to $2249.

Crazy.

TB Classifieds price: $1300-$1900. WIN
 
#28
I'll bet they are making no obscene profits when you factor in the amount of hand crafting and finishing. Ric is nearly alone among the majors in not subsidizing their product with Asian client brands, clothing lines, or plain old cost-cutting.

If you want a Ric, you pay the price, the same as with any quality product.

Or would you rather buy an "assembled in USA" Ric made of Indonesian basswood, Chinese hardware, and no-name pickups? If that's your taste, there is plenty of junk to choose from. Personally, although I'm not a Ric player, I'm glad that there is a guitar/bass manufacturer that has the integrity to concentrate on what they do well, and if they have to charge accordingly, so be it.
 
#29
lpdeluxe said:
I'll bet they are making no obscene profits when you factor in the amount of hand crafting and finishing. Ric is nearly alone among the majors in not subsidizing their product with Asian client brands, clothing lines, or plain old cost-cutting.

If you want a Ric, you pay the price, the same as with any quality product.

Or would you rather buy an "assembled in USA" Ric made of Indonesian basswood, Chinese hardware, and no-name pickups? If that's your taste, there is plenty of junk to choose from. Personally, although I'm not a Ric player, I'm glad that there is a guitar/bass manufacturer that has the integrity to concentrate on what they do well, and if they have to charge accordingly, so be it.
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My indonesian made ESP B-305 gets as much playing time as my bongo does, there is some good stuff that comes from overseas, not all of it is the crap that people make it out to be.
 
#30
I have no problem with the price. It's the purposely low supply that Ric seems intent on having that I can't stand. I will never wait 6 months for a company to produce a popular item especially when they don't have a gigantic product line.
 
#31
debassr said:
I have no problem with the price. It's the purposely low supply that Ric seems intent on having that I can't stand. I will never wait 6 months for a company to produce a popular item especially when they don't have a gigantic product line.
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Bingo. This is probably the biggest issue I have with rickenbacker, thank you for putting it so succinctly.
 
#35
Rickenbacker makes damned fine basses for which people will wait in line and will pay top dollar. They are made in limited quantities because they are largely hand made in a single factory and they are careful about quality control. There is no evil plan or market manipulation.

As for the prices in Europe - I suggest to use the same money for a trip to the US to buy the bass online - the money you save on the bass would pay for the trip. You won't pay much less in total, but you'd get both a trip and a bass for the same price.
 
#38
Crazyeelboy said:
Rickenbacker makes damned fine basses for which people will wait in line and will pay top dollar. They are made in limited quantities because they are largely hand made in a single factory and they are careful about quality control. There is no evil plan or market manipulation.

As for the prices in Europe - I suggest to use the same money for a trip to the US to buy the bass online - the money you save on the bass would pay for the trip. You won't pay much less in total, but you'd get both a trip and a bass for the same price.
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+1.

To make the change to a business model based on smaller margins but higher output would not necessarily make anyone happy.

Would they be able to maintain their consistency of quality?

Imagine the prices of 'Pre-Mass-Production' used Rics if they ever made the change...
 
#39
Crazyeelboy said:
They are made in limited quantities because they are largely hand made in a single factory and they are careful about quality control..
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I have no issues with their price. People seem to have no problem paying it and they are manufacturing largely by hand in the US so I can accept it.

I do NOT agree about the QC. I have seen some real sloppy stuff that comes out of that factory and people accept it because it is "hand made" I think they should be MORE careful about QC. Of course I am not the one buying them so my opinion is moot in the matter. :)
 
#40
sure wish I had my 1969 and 1971 Ric's back. Grinds my teeth thinking how I let'em go all those years ago----and now I'll probably never get another unless I find a miracle deal at the same moment I actually have the money to be able to get it. #$&^#$& !!!:bawl: :bawl: :bawl: :bawl: :bawl: :bawl:
 

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