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RICKENFAKER ALERT! To Report or Not to Report?

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OPBASSMAN1994

Jul 30, 2010
2,177
43
#1
Hey, check out this Fake Ric, that looks really close to the real deal (minus the headstock, tuners, and maybe the bridge) except with SD pickups. Should I report it to RIC? Will they even send me a thank you email? I hear that they are nazis about counterfiets, and also that they don't offer very great rewards for people who turn in infringers. (is that even a word?) So, any opinions? anyone...anyone...anyone...Bueler?
 
#6
They have a team of lawyers hunting that stuff down already. If it's being sold in the US, they've done what they can. If it's being sold outside the US, there's nothing they can do.

Plus, unless it actually has "Rickenbacker" written on it, or the seller is claiming it's a real Ric, then there's nothing to report. It's not a Ric and not sold as a Ric. Plus, lots of us happen to like the Ibanez and Electra clones of the Ric better than the real thing.
 
#10
OPBASSMAN1994 said:
Hey, check out this Fake Ric, that looks really close to the real deal (minus the headstock, tuners, and maybe the bridge) except with SD pickups. Should I report it to RIC? Will they even send me a thank you email? I hear that they are nazis about counterfiets, and also that they don't offer very great rewards for people who turn in infringers. (is that even a word?) So, any opinions? anyone...anyone...anyone...Bueler?
Click to expand...

I think if you're looking for a pat on the back, or some other kind of "reward" , you are most likely barking up the wrong tree..

EDIT TO ADD: I see you're talking about the Shine. Are these even imported into the U.S.?

If not, then then there isn't anything Ric could do about it.
 
#13
Disco Batman said:
Or anyone of the many Boutique builders that blatantly copy Fenders.
Click to expand...


The difference is that Fender has not successfully protected their designs and as such they are now (for all intents and purposes) public domain designs. Rickenbacker has done a better job so their designs are still protected.

That's the key thing. Even if you don't want to go after a small copier, you kind of have to if you are a big company because once too many people have knocked you off without challenge, you lose the protection, just like Fender did.

Yeah I actually know what I'm talking about on this one. I don't work in music but I deal with this same issue every day with my work.
 
#15
DRafalske said:
Oh dear. Here we go again....:hyper:
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Not really sure what the here is that's about to go again but... I guess I'll find out!
popcorn.gif
 
#19
cassius987 said:
Ethics is not legality although the two influence each other. Fender copies may or may not be ethical, but they are legal. Rickenbacker copies may or may not be ethical, but they are illegal. That is the situation.
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This.

Fender lost it's intellectual property because they made no effort to protect it for years. Rickenbacker didn't make this mistake and for that they get called Nazis. Whatever. If they see copyright violations - they'll take action within law and reason. That's their job, not yours, but a nice gesture on your behalf.
 
#20
Hmmm ... Rickenbacker won't let anybody copy their design. Fender does. A young player can't afford a real Ric and can't find a Ric copy, so he gets a fender copy and later on moves up to a real Fender because of brand loyality he developed by owning the entry level copy. The result Fender is makes more profit than Rickenbacker.

So who benefits from Rickenbacker shutting down copies?
 

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