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-Ritter Owners Club-

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#182
oversoul said:
amazing bass Brian, that top proves that Jens imagination for finishes is endless.



Me I'm out of this club, I have to thank my ritter for providing me with well needed cash in hard times. :)
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I don't know that your every out of the club once you have owned a Ritter. I think your always part of the group and can always give feedback to anyone that is interested in having questions Positive or Negative about how the instruments might work for other musicians in certain situations.

I think you deserve to hold your member # for that reason alone.
 
#185
Thunderitter said:
From my experience of living in Oz basses are dearer than here in the US - the exchange rate would need to be down around 50c to make it a cheaper deal once you add in shipping and import duties, etc.
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Overseas sales are not subject to Aussie GST - so combined with the collapse in the Aussie $, Australia is probably the cheapeast place in the world to buy an in stock Ritter.

The following are based on current exchange rates - add approx US$300; Euro 240 for shipping.

Roya 4 string: flame maple top and back, captain silver colour, frosted transparent finish. US$5100 Euro 4100

Seal 5 string: futura finish US$5200 Euro 4200
 
#186
Nobody like a smart fart but, looking at your Ritter Roya 5 minus GST, I get a on-line price of A$9990 add A$500 for shipping gets us to $10490.

At today's US exchange (0.65) that's $6818.50. Now my credit card company is going to give me an exchange of something more like 0.69, so in reality my purchase at point of sale becomes US$7238.10. Not bad! (Just out of interest what exchange rate are you using?)

Now the part that screws us up!

US Customs Duty on guitars runs at 8.7% and add to that state sales tax (5% for me) to that and we get a final 'door to door' price of $8261.21. Most '07 Ritter's here are listed around $8 - $8.5k mark, so in reality a $7-7.5k guitar. I've got a mate who works in customs and they are always on the look out for guitar cases! You could get lucky, but you never know.

The magic number is around the 55-60c mark and who know we may be there sooner or later!

Now granted, most natural Ritters are one-offs, so your aussie dollars prices are certainly getting down to a level where if I really fell in love with one it might be worth the little bit extra!

Unfortunately Australia is still a slightly more expensive place to buy guitars, which is better than where it was at 90c!

I wish I was still living in Sydney! Next time I'm down - hopefully at 55c - I'll be in to Bass People for a visit!
 
#187
Thunderitter said:
Nobody like a smart fart but, looking at your Ritter Roya 5 minus GST, I get a on-line price of A$9990 add A$500 for shipping gets us to $10490.
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Joel's post actually referred to the Roya 4 which is A$8590 - ex GST is A$7809. At 0.65 that's US$5076 - say US$5100

Now we have US$ bank and Paypal accounts - so that's the amount of US$ you'd pay us.

Air freight would most likely be US$300 to US$400, depending where in the world you are.

Every country will be subject to its own local customs duty.

Regarding US state sales tax - I assume the situation is the same as if you purchased mail order from another state. The vendor doesn't charge sales tax but you may or may not be subject to a state "use tax" depending how effective your state collection regime is.
 
#188
dnburgess said:
Joel's post actually referred to the Roya 4 which is A$8590 - ex GST is A$7809. At 0.65 that's US$5076 - say US$5100

Now we have US$ bank and Paypal accounts - so that's the amount of US$ you'd pay us.

Air freight would most likely be US$300 to US$400, depending where in the world you are.

Every country will be subject to its own local customs duty.

Regarding US state sales tax - I assume the situation is the same as if you purchased mail order from another state. The vendor doesn't charge sales tax but you may or may not be subject to a state "use tax" depending how effective your state collection regime is.
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I was using the Ritter Roya 5 string that is currently on his web-site as my example. Pay-pal hits sellers up for fees - that's going to raise the cost a little I'd have thought not many shops are going to aborb that.

From my experience my CC, which is my preferred way to buy things always adds 3-4% onto the exchange rate in their favour and then adds a foreign currency transaction fee. Granted if the Aussie company has a US bank account that helps.

Anything coming in to the US from overseas is subject to custom's duty on top of the possible state sales tax. It is different to the state to state sales tax, which is up to the buyer to declare and most folks don't. You can get lucky and get it through, but I know for a fact guitars (as a competitive good) attract customs attention.

It all comes back to the fact exchange rate is not quite at the bargain rate just yet!
 
#189
I just took delivery of a Roya 5 from the helpful guys at Bass People, Sydney. The top is curly flame redwood. The colour is Late Lounge. The tiger stripe effect is amazing. It was even more beautiful than I expected - sounds great too!

The service was A1 all the way.

With the current exchange rates the Roya 4 and Seal 5 they have must be the cheapest in the world!!

I'm sorely tempted by the Seal...
 
#190
Hey, you guys downunda will be telling us that Aussie wine is pretty good buy too! :D



(and just in case IMHO Aussie Reds (particularly Coonawarra) are the best drops out there!)
 
#192
Here's a piccy - click for a larger version.
 

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#194
Hey folks,

Can any of you tell me the minimum distance the bridge will allow for string spacing on a 4 string? I'm selling mine and someone interested asked if it can do 19mm from the center of the strings. Jens measures from the outside and doesn't talk about the ability to adjust them on his website. Thanks!

And just for fun, here are some pics of my Ritter 4 String Classic:

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Jordan
 
#196
All Ritter basses that I've come across have '3-D' bridges and you can open up or close the spacing as required to a degree. If you try re-notching one of these you are likely to do irreparable damage!

Answering the original question, the minimum spacing that is possible is going to be less than 19mm; the bridge is designed to enable variable spacing between the strings although having not looked at a classic 4 in detail I am not sure for certain you can set up 19mm across all the strings.

I think I'd be tempted to answer "It's a Ritter, the spacing is perfect and it plays like a dream!".:D
 
#199
onyonks: That looks like a Raptor but in other ways it doesn't!

Individual bridges don't look right, EMGs, through neck, etc.

Looks beautifully made though so that's right. Is it an early model: serial #?

So if it is a Ritter then tell us more please and shine some light?

Your second posting I'd guess isn't a Ritter Roya but the lesser known Ripoff Roya!
 
#200
onyonks said:
My Ritter
- Neckthrough ebony
- ebony top, merbau mid, and ash back body

(pics of Ritter-inspired bass)
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Ritter...?? :eyebrow:

I remember seeing a thread on this bass a week or two ago, it is definitely not a Ritter, but it may be a nice bass in itself, of course.

I'd prefer if we could keep the Ritter owners club thread free of pictures of copies and/or "inspired" designs - OK? :)

EDIT: Ehh, the posts regarding that bass were in THIS thread one page back...! :hmm:
 
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