Why no Rickenbacker import line?

[Mike Whitfield]

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

Considering that Chrysler was broke . . .

 

[Axstar]

Same whining every thread. I can't afford a Rickenbacker therefore Rickenbacker need to make a budget line. They are stupid not to. Because I can't have one the next best thing is hating them in a weird, oedipal way.

Rinse. Repeat.

 

[Mike Whitfield]

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

Bigginess is the most visible criterion of success, but not the only one.

 

[Diamond_Dave]

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.

I have a Seagull acoustic, I've read a little about the company and I've e-mailed with their customer service. My take is that their assembly is highly automated, and the company isn't public. It's still owned by the Godin family, and they don't have to worry about quarterly shareholder earnings reports. They're very hands-on.

Here's a recent article: Invalid Link Removed

 

[TexasEdition]

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

They also:

- Improve their current offerings
- Update and modernize workflow process
- Update and modernize tooling and automation
- Improve customer service offerings
- Improve QC

There are many more examples of a company doing it right and prospering than getting it wrong. This "Ain't broke don't fix it" mentality is not sustainable. Henry Ford nearly lost everything because he would not change the Model T. There is a lot they can do to improve a lot of things without sacrificing whatever nostalgia they are holding on to and actually IMPROVE the situation for their customers and loyal employees.

In a way, they are like the Harley Davidson of guitars... But at least Harley came out with the V-Rod.

 

[ThudThudThud]

Now cheap series from Wal???? I feel hard done by.

 

[lfmn16]

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

It's true. I bought a Squier, then I upgraded the hardware, wiring and pickups with parts from an MIA. Then I swapped in an MIA body and neck. Now it sounds and plays as good as any MIA I've ever owned!

 

[MtManiac]

Considering that Fender's mexican crap used to sell for $399 and now sells for $999 (with no increase in quality)...

Contrary to everything everyone else who's owned a MIM made after 2006 says.

 

[Volker Kirstein]

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

If it's gonna be a case queen "investment", by all means, keep the factory stickers on. They'll add beaucoup to the resale value.

If it's a player, IMO they look kinda "amateurish" still plastered on.

Other stickers... I've seen sticker basses that look cool. I've seen many more that look like crap (to me). I've never seen a Ric sticker bass. It's usually a P, sometimes a J, once in a decade it's a "Beatle Bass"... but never a Ric.

I use inlay stickers on many of my basses.

 

[Ric5]

my cheap Rickenbacker parts bass

 

[monsterthompson]

Rickenbacker is to basses what Grado is to headphones, for better or worse.

I own products from each company and can’t argue

 

[leegreenman]

My thoughts on it are that an import line that is deliberately “inferior” to the USA models, (bolt on or set neck, dot inlays, cheaper woods etc), at $700 would generate such in increase in sales and thus market share. I understand that part of the Ric appeal and prestige is the scarcity, but I doubt the company executives would complain if they became more popular.

I have to assume they’ve done the research and crunched the numbers and determined this would be a losing enterprise for them.

 

[AcridSaint]

If it's gonna be a case queen "investment", by all means, keep the factory stickers on. They'll add beaucoup to the resale value.

If it's a player, IMO they look kinda "amateurish" still plastered on.

Other stickers... I've seen sticker basses that look cool. I've seen many more that look like crap (to me). I've never seen a Ric sticker bass. It's usually a P, sometimes a J, once in a decade it's a "Beatle Bass"... but never a Ric.

I use inlay stickers on many of my basses.

But does any of that negatively reflect on the owner as a person? Because that's what was implied.

 

[Volker Kirstein]

But does any of that negatively reflect on the owner as a person? Because that's what was implied.

No.

 

[Relayer71]

Rickenbacker is to basses what Grado is to headphones, for better or worse.

Very trebly and lacking a meaty low end?

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

Seems pretty odd, considering almost every other major manufacturer has some sort of budget minded import line/series. I see plenty of posts here about how people would love to own one, but never will due to cost. YouTube is filled with videos reviewing Chickenbackers and DIY Kits. There’s definitely a viable market, and leaving it to the imitators to fill this need is only doing Ric harm in the end.

The boss at Rick seems to be obsessed by cheap fat-east copies of Rick’s basses .. figure that he threatened the UK site BassChat of possible legal actions against the site should BassChat continue to contain ads concerning the sale of Rick’s basses, irrespective of them being true Rickenbacker instruments or copies .. this is weird (not to say foolish) in my opinion ..

 

[gln1955]

They also:

- Improve their current offerings
- Update and modernize workflow process
- Update and modernize tooling and automation
- Improve customer service offerings
- Improve QC

There are many more examples of a company doing it right and prospering than getting it wrong. This "Ain't broke don't fix it" mentality is not sustainable. Henry Ford nearly lost everything because he would not change the Model T. There is a lot they can do to improve a lot of things without sacrificing whatever nostalgia they are holding on to and actually IMPROVE the situation for their customers and loyal employees.

In a way, they are like the Harley Davidson of guitars... But at least Harley came out with the V-Rod.

You keep predicting their imminent demise if they don't do what you think they should.

I predict you will be disappointed.

 

[TexasEdition]

You keep predicting their imminent demise if they don't do what you think they should.

I predict you will be disappointed.

Didn't mean to get sand in your underpants, and I'm not predicting anything, but doing nothing with your company is pretty risky.

 

[GIBrat51]

They also:

- Improve their current offerings
- Update and modernize workflow process
- Update and modernize tooling and automation
- Improve customer service offerings
- Improve QC

There are many more examples of a company doing it right and prospering than getting it wrong. This "Ain't broke don't fix it" mentality is not sustainable. Henry Ford nearly lost everything because he would not change the Model T. There is a lot they can do to improve a lot of things without sacrificing whatever nostalgia they are holding on to and actually IMPROVE the situation for their customers and loyal employees.

In a way, they are like the Harley Davidson of guitars... But at least Harley came out with the V-Rod.

Yeah, they did. And after years and years of making them - and not selling any - Harley finally had to give up on them. I'll agree that it's a shame, 'cause the engine was a marvel, but.. If you really want one? Any decent sized HD dealer has several of them - still in their shipping boxes. Trust me; they'll be deliriously happy to sell you one... The dealer I do most of my business with, had 8 of them stacked up in the back of the shop the last time I asked about them. Rickenbacker has no such problem with their current basses. Government and environmental pressure is forcing HD to "modernize" their bikes, but - RIC is not under those pressures. IMO, only lack of sales will make them "modernize" - and, so far, that ain't happening...

 

[mdogs]

The boss at Rick seems to be obsessed by cheap fat-east copies of Rick’s basses .. figure that he threatened the UK site BassChat of possible legal actions against the site should BassChat continue to contain ads concerning the sale of Rick’s basses, irrespective of them being true Rickenbacker instruments or copies .. this is weird (not to say foolish) in my opinion ..

Except for the fact that part of keeping a trademark valid is vigorous defense of that trademark, which John Hall has learned well how to do and I say good for him.