Why no Rickenbacker import line?

[brianrost]

Who's got the time to deal with an import line? Hey, Ric is so small that they don't even make amps anymore.

Here's Jimmy Page with his....

 

[rocmonster]

Ricks are not overly expensive, they just have one price point. Even the difference between the 4003 and 4003s is about the same between a standard Precision and standard Jazz. To me, it's the mystique. Like that mysterious hot young lady you see briefly at a bar that you can't get out of your mind. And if the stars align, you may get to be with her, and being with her is good but always the same. At some time you get bored and move on, realizing that the mystique of wanting but not having is greater than having...

Full disclosure, I've owned a few and sold them all. I still would like to own one, but when I play one in a store I'm like "I remember this" and then put it down and pick up a Jazz (which is all I play now).

 

[Jeff Scott]

...Ampegs were complete pieces of moose $h*t. ..... Big giant stupid looking chrome "a" on the front should stand for "ass"...

How about this?

Better?

Why not MIC Foderas, Alembics or Ritters?

I thought they were already being made in China, not necessarily authorized ones, though.

Most of the whiners are only parroting what they read on the internet, most of the never even played a Ric.

This is quite true, and has been revealed in many similar threads over the years.

wasn't the 3001 a reduced price "student" model?.

Rickenbacker's student models were called Ryder, maybe the Electro models too, I don't remember, for sure, on that latter series.

probably the same reason rolex does not offer a Chinese made budget line of watches...

What? Aren't those Rollex watches authorized MIC products?

Well Squiers are good. Fenders are just better.

From what I have learned from lots of TB threads, Squiers are much better than real Fenders.

Who's got the time to deal with an import line? Hey, Ric is so small that they don't even make amps anymore.

View attachment 3599693

Here's Jimmy Page with his....

View attachment 3599694

IIRC, the Transonic amps were only on loan as backline when LZ was touring the US back then. I don't think they were owned by those guys.

And it is pretty common knowledge whY RIC no longer makes amps. Never was part of their core product lines, and decided not to continue them for a couple of reasons.

 

[mattj1stc]

Ric seems to be even more tradition oriented than the other manufacturers, even more than Fender. As such, it's not surprising that they haven't sought out import models. For example, Ric has always been willing to make some color, materials and feature variations over the years, but the basic design of a 4003 has arguably changed a lot less than a Precision or Jazz has over the same timeframe.

Sourcing quality products from outside your home factory requires a different mindset and skillset. You have to be able to pick the right partners (contract manufacturing) or be able to operate at a significant volume (owned operations) to make the additional complexity worthwhile.

 

[Charlzm]

Dingwall is a fine example of a company that has its hand-made, top of the line instruments made at their headquarters and their still-excellent "budget" line made in China. Rickenbacker could do worse than to take note of that business model. They could move production of their moneymakers (4003's) overseas then make only limited runs and custom orders in the USA, hopefully ensuring that quality would be more consistent across the board.

Or keep doing what they're doing.

They seem to be doing okay.

 

[BAG]

Even though Rick's quality control, paintjobs, and customer service are horrendous, they shouldn't dilute their brand with an import line. The most astute reasoning being that the import line would almost by all accounts be of much better quality than the John Hall produced stuff.

I've only played a few Rics but in every case my main thought was "what's the big deal?".
Once you then take into account Ric's reputation for QC, dodgy bridge etc and warranty repair, purchasing one especially downunder would be madness.

All of Godin's stuff is made in Canada, and they don't exactly pay poverty wages there (nor do they charge a premium price).

And this is what I don't get..... I had a Godin Shifter Classic 4 and in every way it was an excellently built bass but only costs $1400 (Aud) compared to $3800 (Aud) for a Ric. They also had excellent customer service gladly sending me a full wiring diagram well out ood warranty period.

 

[sondich]

Part of the Innovations I was speaking about earlier. I think they will always have a fan-boy cult following, but it's things like this that will hurt them when times get tough.

You'd think so but...

Disclaimer #1 - I am probably fabricating this. Anyone can say anything on the Internet, doesn't mean it's true.

That being said...

Rickenbacker is unlike any other company I've ever worked with, inside or outside the guitar industry.

The Halls are very successful people and don't need anything from anyone. They're not impressed by fame, money, press, etc. It's an enviable position that not many people can say they're in.

If RIC completely fell off the map tomorrow, it may affect them emotionally but probably not otherwise.

Most companies in their situation do some/all of the following:

- go public
- licensed their name to cheap products
- developed a cheaper line of imports
- private sale
- court investment banks
- buy smaller companies
- sell to larger companies
- take on debt

To the best of my knowledge, they've never seriously entertained any of those options, despite being courted by just about everyone on the planet.

They have a hugely successful global privately held family company where they have jobs and show up for work regularly. I honestly think that's all they want.

Disclosure #2 : I may have supplied lumber to them before, but likely I didn't.

 

[Coolhandjjl]

They are satisfied with the amount of money they are making, happy having total control over production, and content being beholden to no bank, investors, or board.

When a company makes the choice to expand, whether it’s via bigger domestic facilities and/or overseas production, it’s not that hard to loose control and everything one has worked tirelessly to build can be put at risk by extending oneself too far. Many a company has had their doom caused by ‘expansion’. Even when it goes successfully financially, it’s not that uncommon for owners to be forced out, with the company taking a different direction that what the owners had envisioned.

 

[Mike Whitfield]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it this very reason why Fender started the Nippon facility in the first place? Their knock offs were just as good, if not better, than the real thing.

If memory serves, Fender turned to Hoshino (who had Fuji Gen Gakki build them, who in turn subbed the wood work to Matsumoku) after Gibson threatened Hoshino with a lawsuit for copies that were indeed often better than the originals. And from the late sixties through the mid eighties, Matsumoku made some damned fine neck-through basses for Arai/Aria and Greco, among others. Even their bolt-necks were (roughly simultaneously with Peavey) built with CNCs and hand-finished, typically laminated and as consistent even as Peavey. Of course, today that same quality can be obtained from South Korea, Indonesia and Red China. Ric clearly made a marketing (or possibly patriotic) decision rather than a quality vs price decision.

 

[Gringo Basso]

The fact that the bridge still hasn't changed suggests he doesn't listen that much. Also, starting the warranty period from the date of manufacture rather than the date of sale is absurd penny-pinching.

Before making claims, at least take a minute to check out the facts - there's a lot of info on this site - so read the Rickenbacker Club thread for more detailed info.

 

[sondich]

They are satisfied with the amount of money they are making, happy having total control over production, and content being beholden to no bank, investors, or board.

Even when it goes successfully financially, it’s not that uncommon for owners to be forced out, with the company taking a different direction that what the owners had envisioned.

Exactly. Many people I know who sold their brand or were acquired have mixed feelings about the experience, at best.

 

[Mike Whitfield]

If you go to Germany, you will see a lot more car models with the Mercedes badge on them than we have in the USA - a lot of them are smaller, obviously less expensive models. Mercedes is not just a high end car maker, but their USA subsidiary chooses to only sell the high end ones here - it costs as much to import a cheap car as it does to import an expensive one, so competing with local manufacturers means they won't make much (if any) money on the cheap ones, so.... They adopted a "high end " strategy in the USA, Just like Apple, they let everyone else slog it out for the meager profits from the bottom of the market, while they go home with healthy profits and only selling a few cars. That fact that most Americans think Mercedes is only a high end manufacturer means their strategy is working.

+1 In the mid eighties, one of our road warrior reps wanted a station wagon that would go 300k miles between rebuilds. He combined a vacation to Germany because having been raised in Germany he knew that Mercedes there is more or less Ford here. He bought a mid-sized wagon with no A/C, straight shift, manual door locks and windows, pretty much a stripper. This was circa ‘85 to ‘87 and price, German taxes, import duties, and shipping he was out about $19k - about half the lowest available American market Mercedes at the time. Zero amenities but he got a car that could haul what he needed with easy access, great mileage, and the ability to easily run 300k highway miles.

 

[logdrum]

Will they still be playable?

Maybe the opposite. It will be more playable.

Kudos to them for keeping it here. No difference with MIA Fender really in price. Maybe just a tad more

 

[GIBrat51]

Why? Simple;
1. John Hall doesn't want to.
2. John Hall doesn't think he needs to.
And, his balance sheet at the end of the year, along with the fact that there's pretty much nothing left unshipped lying around the factory, says he's right...
If you want an imported Rick? Buy a Chickenbacker...

 

[LoTone]

Not since 2007.

Daimler-Benz owned Chrysler not the other way around.

 

[Mike Whitfield]

Why? Simple;
1. John Hall doesn't want to.
2. John Hall doesn't think he needs to.
And, his balance sheet at the end of the year, along with the fact that there's pretty much nothing left unshipped lying around the factory, says he's right...
If you want an imported Rick? Buy a Chickenbacker...

Honestly I'm glad they don't have an import line, but I have to admit I'd be all for it if they promised to badge them "Chickenbacker". And remember, your Chickenbacker may be seized in Customs for trademark infringement with no refund. Methinks $1,400 for something with roughly equal used value is a way better deal than $400 for nothing.

I very seriously doubt that I will ever own a Rickenbacker due strictly to price, and I'm perfectly fine with that. No GAS, no sour grapes, nothing bad to say at all, and nothing good to say only because I've never played one. I consider them an elite American brand and I'm proud we have them.

 

[Mike Whitfield]

Daimler-Benz owned Chrysler not the other way around.

Didn't they merge? Seems like I remember them saying they incorporated in Germany only because they saved $25 million in annual taxes. Although considering the rapidity with which Daimler-Benz spit them back out, practically speaking I suspect you're correct.

 

[AcridSaint]

I usually get excited when I see someone play a Rick on stage...but if I spot the USA sticker on the pickguard or worse yet the push/pull sticker by the knobs my doooooshcanoooo meter goes off and I can't take them seriously.

At least an import line would keep people from leaving stupid stickers on their basses.

Why would it bother anyone at all if someone left their stickers on their bass? Are people who add stickers also "doooooshes"?

 

[LoTone]

Didn't they merge? Seems like I remember them saying they incorporated in Germany only because they saved $25 million in annual taxes. Although considering the rapidity with which Daimler-Benz spit them back out, practically speaking I suspect you're correct.

They merged but the Daimler-Benz side of the company decided everything which, in hindsight, was not such a bad thing.
Daimler AG - Wikipedia

 

[Kukulkan61]

Rickenbackers aren't expensive for what they are.

Considering that Fender's mexican crap used to sell for $399 and now sells for $999 (with no increase in quality), if Rick would do such a thing it would just push their USA stuff price-wise into the stratosphere (the fact that USA P-basses are now almost $2000 is just stupid ridiculous for such an easily built simple bass).

Even though Rick's quality control, paintjobs, and customer service are horrendous, they shouldn't dilute their brand with an import line. The most astute reasoning being that the import line would almost by all accounts be of much better quality than the John Hall produced stuff.

All this nonsense about Fender but it’s still more popular than Rickenbacker, let the facts speak for themselves...