Why Rickenbackers are so expensive?

[willsellout]

Rick basses were nice until around 73, not now though and why cant or dont they build a corrected 5 string ...........much better basses for the bread but i guess if u want to sound like the players that made them famous you'll spend the bread ...i wouldn't

I've played a few 70's Ric's and I'd take a brand new Ric over them every time. Of course I'd take a brand new Fender over any vintage Fender you could put in my hands.

My favorite era for Ric is the 90's though. I'd love the opportunity to play a 5'er though.

 

[Duke21]

Rick basses were nice until around 73, not now though and why cant or dont they build a corrected 5 string ...........much better basses for the bread but i guess if u want to sound like the players that made them famous you'll spend the bread ...i wouldn't

The newer 4003 are very good basses with better features then the old 4001, no neck bendind for relief adjustments and more tone options.

 

[beefandbones]

This is the current M.F. price for the Rick 4003. $1,949.99

They won't be in stock until 7-22-2012.

Never played one but it always comes down to whether any bass has YOUR sound. Rock on. =)

What, I'd have to wait ten days until it's in stock? This backlog is outrageous!!

Just today I got an online quote that was $439.99 less than that, including shipping, for a new 4003 that is in stock. Smokey's mama told me I better shop around, so I did. And that was just the first stop.

 

[Ric5]

Rick basses were nice until around 73, not now though and why cant or dont they build a corrected 5 string ...........much better basses for the bread but i guess if u want to sound like the players that made them famous you'll spend the bread ...i wouldn't

RIC doesn't take criticism well. They got criticized for their 5 string basses. The 4004s5 had string spacing that was too tight for most players. 2 1/16" / 2 1/8". They made the 4003s5 from 1986 to 2001. Then they did the 4004cii5. It was a proper 5 string bass with a 2 3/4" bridge spacing, but they had pickups with 2 1/4" steel rails. This meant the B and G strings were weak sounding. Also it was about 2" at the nut. So the 4004cii5 failed for lack of proper 5 string pickups. Instead of fixing the pickup problem they simply scraped the bass.

 

[DBCrocky]

Rick basses were nice until around 73, not now though and why cant or dont they build a corrected 5 string ...........much better basses for the bread but i guess if u want to sound like the players that made them famous you'll spend the bread ...i wouldn't

 

[WokenDeer]

I don't think that's exactly why we buy rics. I guess you could say the same about any other brand. People made those guitars famous too.

Maybe we like them for similar reasons you like your basses..

 

[Root 5]

(2) There is NO SUCH THING as a 1 year wait for a Ric!!!! I can find dozens right now. Any color. That is an absolute MYTH perpetuated (again probably by someone at Ric) to keep people talkling about their products.

Order a brand new Ric from an authorized dealer. You'll wait a year or longer!

 

[rollin$tone]

I have owned several 4001's. The biggest problem for me is: all but one had had the dual trussrods tightened so much that they were tilted so high you couldn't even get a trussrod wrench on them, and people had chisseled out in the headstock to gain more access. I suspect this has a lot to do with tailpiece lift. Also, using round wound strings cuts into the frets like a file! I love the look, sound and feel, but can't deal with these issues! Just my observation!

 

[audiomitch]

Order a brand new Ric from an authorized dealer. You'll wait a year or longer!

Ummm.... No. Even MusiciansFriend (the highest price around, btw) has brand new 4003s in stock. You could have it overnighted and be playing it the next day!

 

[RaiderBass]

I ordered my Ric back in November from Bass Emporium in Austin, a Jetglo. I pick it up tomorrow. They said it could take 2 years but that really isn't the case. If you shop around I am sure you can get a good price. I just got excited and pulled the trigger while I was there. Been waiting 20 years for this since I sold my original one many years ago to pay some rent. I will finally have one back.

 

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

When I bought mine from Sam Ash in early 2006, I didn't have to wait for it.

 

[Immigrant]

Mmm.

I guess certain parts of the country have problems getting new Rics.

If I wasn't busy, I'd go to Apple Music Row in Portland (THIS ISN'T AN AD) and pick one of the dozen or so they have on the wall. Brand new.

MF usually has Jetglos in stock and if they don't, it only takes a week or two to get one.

I think Ric bashers are frustrated because they either can't afford one or maybe had a bad experience with one. That's OK. I've had bad experiences with other brands and I figured a lemon slips through on occasion. Get over it.

 

[WokenDeer]

When I bought mine from Sam Ash in early 2006, I didn't have to wait for it.

I bought mine around 07 or 08. Can't really remember but one of those years, only took a month. I did kind of over pay though. Musiciansfriend.

 

[armybass]

I have purchased 3 in the past six months used. I paid $1500 for a 2011 4003 and $1450 for a 2010 4003 right here off of our very own TB Classifieds and last week got a one month old 2012 4003 that I gave $1800 for because it was as new and the color I wanted and played awesome. Compared to what others are paying for basses (and still paying in this crappy economy)....I do not think they are expensive. At all!

 

[phillybass101]

I didn't know this was the Ric lovers thread. I thought it was a discussion about why they cost so much. There is a Ric club I do believe. That's why I no longer want to contrbute to the discussion. I know, no one cares anyway and I'll get slammed by RIC lovers but this issue is not isolated to RICs but all of the new production higer end basses are too expensive and no longer affordable. To me affordable is not something you have to save up over months or years to get. And you don't use credit. For example a Fender Squire VM Jazz bass 4 is affordable and is a decent bass. To stretch would be to say that Sterlings by MM are affordable. To me this is an excellent idea by a company making it's signature sound available to the masses. For $600-$700 you can really nail the MM sound and it's a value purchase and an official product. Ric should do the same and stop gouging it's customers. The Sterlings by Music Man are made overseas and then sent to the EB factory where they get USA guts etc and QC. Lakland does something similar although it's products are slightly higher. Even Kevin Brubaker makes a quality overseas product available to his fans that want a Brubaker but can't afford a custom USA made one. His model model throws out the argument about having to pay all these folks and taxes. and overhead etc as Ric is a much bigger (wealthier) well known organziation wprldwide than Brubaker. I suggest that RIC needs some forward thinking in it's mgmt. There would be nothing wrong with offering an overseas model with American electronics, and final QC and that signature RIC sound for lets say $600-$800. And they could stop worrying and trolling the internet about license infringement and illegal copies being made.

 

[phillybass101]

What's your Master's in? Obviously not Business Administration.

I run a small business. The raw material costs for one of the standard parts I make is $6. I end up charging $140 for that part. I always thought labor, health care insurance, federal state and local taxes, utilities, and workmans comp/liability insurance costs were the reason. Now I know it's greed. Thanks Mr. Masters Degree!

I think I'm going to go to Wendy's for lunch and pick up a couple of those 99¢ sammiches those greedy rats sell. There's only 31¢ worth of ingredients in there. Greedy scoundrels! Why aren't they selling me that sammich for 32¢!!??

This thread is about why RICS are so expensive and you took this and made it personal. You my friend missed the boat. None of these threads are to be personal. I know nothing of you or your business. I only suggested that RIC is gouging it's customers and keeping its sound strictly proprietary. My favorite Luthier Kevin Brubaker sells very nice, very expensive boutique electric basses and guitars. He is a small businessman and he even offers an affordable overseas model of his boutique high end basses and they sound good. I own two of them. If Kevin can do this RIC can too. They could offer the signature RIC sound at an affordable price to the masses. But they won't and there has to be a reason for it and it's being made under the guise (spelling)? of good business administration? Even EB has come to grips and offers its Sterling by Music Man offerings. The Sterlings really nail the EB MM SR sound and for an affordable price. Lakland offers the skyline line of instruments. Fender has a whole cast of offerings to include the very affordable, decent Squire VM line and CL series of basses. Do you need other examples. Instead of trolling the internet for illegal copies and license infringement they need to offer their signature sound at an affordable price and get their heads out of the sand. or there is another explanation for this, You call it busniess administration. I call it something else. AND between you and I it's business, it's not personal. I commend you for being a small business owner and providing for the livelihoods of folks other than just yourself. This is not about intelligence, or self worth, or down playing anyone. And I would agree that yuou nknow more about business than I do. This forum is here so we can discuss things and we all have opinions. Am I to walk in fear because I might be wrong or you or others may disagrrwe with my opinion? i think not. I spoke about RICs being expensive and gave my opinion and you attcaked me because I may be ignorant about runninf a small business. That may be true but It's also true that RICs are not affordable to the masses and for a production base thay are expensive. I could buy a custom made Carvin ICON 5 on sale for $1299. I'm not talking about an entry level bass either.

 

[ShiftyShift]

Rickenbacker uses artificial scarcity to keep prices up, to keep their overhead ridiculous, even without retail markups.

 

[msb]

I have owned several 4001's. The biggest problem for me is: all but one had had the dual trussrods tightened so much that they were tilted so high you couldn't even get a trussrod wrench on them, and people had chisseled out in the headstock to gain more access. I suspect this has a lot to do with tailpiece lift. Also, using round wound strings cuts into the frets like a file! I love the look, sound and feel, but can't deal with these issues! Just my observation!

Sounds like someone tightened the rods without first putting tension on the neck , has nothing to do with tailpiece lift . If the rods had been properly adjusted there would have been no reason to chisel things out ...

 

[A-Step-Towards]

As I said I paid 1,080$ for my ric new in december, that was worth it to me. I wouldnt pay more then 1200$ for a current 4003.

 

[armybass]

I didn't know this was the Ric lovers thread. I thought it was a discussion about why they cost so much. There is a Ric club I do believe. That's why I no longer want to contrbute to the discussion. I know, no one cares anyway and I'll get slammed by RIC lovers but this issue is not isolated to RICs but all of the new production higer end basses are too expensive and no longer affordable. To me affordable is not something you have to save up over months or years to get. And you don't use credit. For example a Fender Squire VM Jazz bass 4 is affordable and is a decent bass. To stretch would be to say that Sterlings by MM are affordable. To me this is an excellent idea by a company making it's signature sound available to the masses. For $600-$700 you can really nail the MM sound and it's a value purchase and an official product. Ric should do the same and stop gouging it's customers. The Sterlings by Music Man are made overseas and then sent to the EB factory where they get USA guts etc and QC. Lakland does something similar although it's products are slightly higher. Even Kevin Brubaker makes a quality overseas product available to his fans that want a Brubaker but can't afford a custom USA made one. His model model throws out the argument about having to pay all these folks and taxes. and overhead etc as Ric is a much bigger (wealthier) well known organziation wprldwide than Brubaker. I suggest that RIC needs some forward thinking in it's mgmt. There would be nothing wrong with offering an overseas model with American electronics, and final QC and that signature RIC sound for lets say $600-$800. And they could stop worrying and trolling the internet about license infringement and illegal copies being made.

In this country (as of this writing) a private company has the right to sell what they want at the price they want. If there is a customer base for what they sell (which there obviously is) then they will probably do well (which they are). You sir have pointed out several examples of manufacturers who do business the way you like...and they are all damn fine companies offering a damn fine product. So you and folks who think as you do have multiple options to purchase gear that you think is fairly priced.

To suggest that it is wrong for Rickenbacker to do business in their own way because you don't think it is right is just sour grapes. Are you going to slam Mercedes for not selling an $8000.00 dollar car? Do you think it is price gouging of Pizza Hut not to have a $.99 menu? There is a very strange wind blowing in this country that likes to demonize people who are sucessful under the cover of "looking out for the little man" (the constitution nor the Bill of Rights grant any of us the right to own whatever we WANT)..most of the time there is just an axe to grind, not saying that is the case here.... but Rickenbacker has THE RIGHT to do business the way they do...they are breaking no laws nor is it even unethical.....and you have the right not to like their business practices and you can vote with your wallet.

And I don't work for Ric...wish I did!