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Why Rickenbackers are so expensive?

supremo

supremo

Oct 20, 2008
151
53
#1
What is this that makes these basses so expensive?
Are their materials so much better than Fenders or Musicmans?
I know that it's little hard to find one in the market but not impossible to find one.
But I can't understand the price!
And finally, does it worth it do pay so much for a Ric?
 
#2
I LOVE the look of Ricks, and LOVE the sound of Ricks, but I do not love the build quality.

A major manufacturer like they are should have been able to get the dead spots out of the neck, and fix the damn bridge so that it doesn't lift up by this time in their history.

They are only as expensive as they are because of the Beatles. In fact, the Beatles pretty much saved that company, though from my point of view, they are digging themselves a pretty big hole right now. People want it, but can't get it. One day people will notice how Fender and others are building AWESOME guitars, charging less, and you can get them right now.
 
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#3
rickenbackers cost so much because they are made in the US,and have superior components craftsmanship and quality control,but the main reason they cost so much is that there are a lot of basses that sound like precisions and jazzes,but for the most part only a rick sounds like a rick.that midrange punchy awesome is why a rick costs so much.
 
#4
I think they're in the same price range as USA made Fender & Musicman basses (with similar appointments)...

Weather they are worth the price is up to each individual - I wanted one (seemingly forever) so I saved up & got one...
 
#5
They are similarly priced to American Factory Made Fenders or Music Man basses. I don't see them as very expensive.

They are a little more because they are neck through construction, that adds some cost. Maple and rosewood, they use the same wood as other manufacturers. Drying may be better, who knows?

I prefer the sound of a Fender so it would not be worth it to me regardless of the price difference. Everyone has their own opinion, that is how Rickenbacker stays in business; plenty of people think they are wonderful.
 
#6
four words…Handmade in the US. Besides, when your wait list is two years for a non-custom shop business, you are able to charge what you like. Also, it is basically the only bass that sounds like it. As for the prices on used rics, If you are patient, you can get a good deal. Just recently, there was that guy that got a 1973 Ric for 900, which is a pretty good price.
 
#8
I've been playing a Rickenbacker since the early 80s and I think they're absolutely fantastic and are well worth the money. In my experience, their workmanship and materials are first-class and the sound continues to thrill me.

A Rickenbacker is a premium-grade, American built instrument with neck-through construction. It is going to be more expensive than an instrument with a bolt-on neck - but I believe that it makes a big difference in tone and sustain.

Give me a Rick any time!
 
#9
New Rics aren't as hard to come by as people think. Musician's Friend has em (though they are sometimes out of certain colors) and there's a non-BigBox in Portland, Or that has at least a dozen all the time.

For a real bad case of Ric-induced GAS, search YouTube for "Tour of the Rickenbacker Factory". I've seen it twice and nearly bought one after each viewing... And I personally can't stand the way they play.
 
#12
supremo said:
What is this that makes these basses so expensive?
Are their materials so much better than Fenders or Musicmans?
I know that it's little hard to find one in the market but not impossible to find one.
But I can't understand the price!
And finally, does it worth it do pay so much for a Ric?
Click to expand...

Where do people get their information!?!?!

A brand new Ric can be had for a little LESS than a Music Man. I can find them all day and all night for $1,500 - $1,800 (and never break a sweat).

Is it worth the price? Apparently not to you. But to me, and countless thousands of other bass players, they are worth the money.
 
#13
I have seen them in the same price range as MIA Fenders and MM. I don't own one but I got to say there is nothing like a Ric and to me that is why they are cool!!!

One question though, did they ever make an import line like so many bass manufacturers and builders are today? I have not seen one but wondered if they ever had in the past.
 
#14
bassguitarthund said:
I have seen them in the same price range as MIA Fenders and MM. I don't own one but I got to say there is nothing like a Ric and to me that is why they are cool!!!

One question though, did they ever make an import line like so many bass manufacturers and builders are today? I have not seen one but wondered if they ever had in the past.
Click to expand...

Nope, Ric has always been a strictly made in USA company.
 
#15
Most of the reasons for the retail pricing of Rickenbackers have been touched upon in this thread. From a build quality standpoint and the fact that these instruments are made in the United States, those are among the main reasons for the pricing.

And then there's availability on the market. Simply stated, Rickenbacker does not churn out the number of instruments that US companies like Fender puts on the market. Rick's are not as commonly available in stores. And that availability, or lack thereof, leads to increased demand. Increase the demand, and you'll see prices go up.
 
#16
I have had my '73 JetGlo since 1976. It's nearly midnight here and I just got home from a four hour rehearsal. Even after owning it for 36 years, it's sound still gave me goosebumps tonight and it's versatility (yes, versatility) had the whole band commenting on how good the bass sounded across a whole range of covers.

To me, Rics are worth every penny and I'm currently saving for a new 4003 to replaced my '73 4001 as my main bass - there is nothing wrong with my 73 but it is priceless to me and I don't want it to get stolen or damaged in some of the less savoury places we play in.
 
#17
Dbassmon said:
They are similarly priced to American Factory Made Fenders or Music Man basses. I don't see them as very expensive.

They are a little more because they are neck through construction, that adds some cost. Maple and rosewood, they use the same wood as other manufacturers. Drying may be better, who knows?

I prefer the sound of a Fender so it would not be worth it to me regardless of the price difference. Everyone has their own opinion, that is how Rickenbacker stays in business; plenty of people think they are wonderful.
Click to expand...

Yep. They're not that much more expensive than other basses made in the USA with similar features.

People just tend to think of them as being expensive because they do not have a budget line. There is no MIM 4003 you can buy for much less money, there's just the 4003, which is made in the US. There's not a spinoff brand making 4004's in China for a much cheaper price, there's just the 4004, which is made in the US.
 
#18
supremo said:
What is this that makes these basses so expensive?
Click to expand...

There not expensive.

I paid 1,080$ for my mapleglo new in december, they can be had for 1600$ new pretty easy, thats how much a fender deluxe is and a ric is through body construction , has full width inlays , binding , headstock wings and a 2 piece neck, this all adds up to MORE cost.

So i ask you why are fenders so expensive?
 

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