• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Why Rickenbackers are so expensive?

#301
OK...Let's do a quick semi-comparison of bass guitars:

Wal MK2 - "aprox" $4,500

Fodera - Price range from $4,500 to $24,000

Sadowsky NYC - $3,775 (will Lee Sig) - $4,325

Ritter Jupiter - $6,570

Fender CS - $2,500 - $4,000

Fender MIA - $1,500 - $1,900

Rickenbacker 4003 - $1,500 - $1,800

To the OPs question "Why are Rickenbackers so expensive"?

Look at the list (complied from individual company web sites) and decide for yourself if, indeed, Rickenbackers are THAT expensive.

"Expensive" is, as always, in the buyers eyes.

Cheers!! :D
 
  • Like
Reactions: StereoPlayer
#303
My take; if you can't afford one it's too expensive and that applies to everything under the sun.

Harping about what something costs is silly especially if you don't plan to buy it. And if you do plan to buy it do what sane people do, sell something off, save your money, etc. and buy it.

Someone who was seriously considering a purchase would be posting to ask for information on where to get the best price, while someone who just wants to spin up arguments, posts complaining about the price.

All my opinion of course but sometimes a guy's got to call it as he sees it.
 
#305
phillybass101 said:
Don't get me wrong guys. New American Fenders are overpriced too for what you get. I don't discriminate so don't think I'm just harping on RIC. Before I lay down 2k for a New American Fender, I'd buy a Lakland Skyline DJ 5 for like $1300 or so. Much nicer bass anyway. You guys just don't realize that you're getting jacked that's all.
Click to expand...

I'd rather have a Rickenbacker than a Lakland.

It's not that Laklands aren't nice basses, as they certainly are. But they don't make the specific bass that I like most.

A Rickenbacker costs what it costs. Their price is typical for a high quality bass made in the USA. As well, there are few other basses made in the US with their specific features.
 
#307
PaulBoyer said:
I guess you could say that they did. The 3001 and its short-scale brother 3000, were introduced in 1975. On the 1976 price sheet, the 3000 cost about two-thirds of the price of the flagship 4001, and the full-scale 3001 cost three-quarters of the 4001 price. Both featured only a single pickup on a simplified (but heavy) maple body, no binding, dot position markers, "bolt-on" necks (wood screws, really) and simplified controls and no "Rick-O-Sound" feature.

The 3000 was discontinued, and the 3001 morphed into the 2030/2050 line in 1984 with a passive circuit board in place of much of the wiring. These in turn evolved into the 2020/2060 line in 1992, but discontinued in 1995. Much more on these in my forthcoming book.
Click to expand...
I was also about to bring up that yes, there was a budget line.

The 3000 in a natural finish was my first bass, purchased very road-worn with a mis-matched case for $120 at GC in 1986. It was still a great and very solid bass.
 
#308
RobJ said:
Someone who was seriously considering a purchase would be posting to ask for information on where to get the best price, while someone who just wants to spin up arguments, posts complaining about the price.

All my opinion of course but sometimes a guy's got to call it as he sees it.
Click to expand...

Amen.

These threads are obviously intended to provide an opportunity for the usual cast of haters and bashers versus common sense types (some of whom don't even play Rics) wondering what the hell we're even talking about.

Dumb thread is dumb.
 
#309
birdman14 said:
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.
Click to expand...

Saw a newer one listed on ebay for $350 BIN a couple years ago right after it was listed and I have been kicking myself ever since for not jumping on it.

It had no issues, either, at least as far as I could tell. The seller had excellent feedback as well.

Damn. $350.
 
#310
phillybass101 said:
Some of you have it completely wrong. I'm not crying at all. I'm laughing at typical ugly American ignorance. You can;t see the forest for the trees.

1. I have played on RICs before (that is gigged), I even mention that I like them.
2. The original thread reads Why Rickenbackers are so expensive.????Not why are they soooo good for the money they charge.
3. I replied with my opinion
4. Then all the responses from RIC owners or lovers
5. Quality, value, business admininstration defenses.
6. For what you get they are still overpriced. I said it I meant it. I can get a custom made carvin bass with my specs for $1200/$1300.
7. I indicated how other makers offer affordable versions
and what happens, Sterling by MM expands it's line to include a new SUB version, and a CA model. All priced around $600.
Get your heads out of the sand. It's not my ball, but someone else is taking it and running away with it. Its the other makers who realize that there is a market out there for an affordable version of their more expensive models. End of my participation in this thread. Good thing I don't base my opinion of a bass by the people who play on it.

RICs are good basses and overpriced, HAHAHAHAH!!!
Click to expand...

Ummmm, hey troll, didn't you say you were outta here about ten posts ago? If you're too poor to afford a RIC, you shouldn't hate on those of us that aren't...Just get a better job, it will help your bottom line and boost your self esteem, then you won't have to hang around displaying your raging case of bass envy!
 
#313
DasBassDude said:
Easy there, Adolf...

And whoever said there is a two year wait for a 4003 obviously hasn't invested the 30 seconds to Google it or else they would see tons of them all ready to ship now.
Click to expand...

Let's try to clarify that statement once and for all:

The reason you are seeing immediate availability on Ric 4000 series basses is because the retailer has inventory acquired some time ago.

For the sake of understanding, if you were a new Ric dealer, you would have a long wait for your initial inventory. I'm not positive it's two years, but it is many months down the road before your store sees its first Ric. Once you get in the cycle of stocking, selling, and re-ordering Rics, you will most likely always have a supply in stock.

But as a rhetorical device for implying the average consumer has to wait two years to purchase a new Rickenbacker bass...that is simply untrue.
 
#314
New member here, my first post. Interesting thread - interesting to see what the opinions here are, and who's posting them, and how they're handling it.

My simplistic take: "expensive" is as subjective as "good/better/best", and so not really worth arguing about. Value is a personal and subjective judgment, and really can't be disputed. Some will pay lots for a bass or amp, and some will not pay the same (or even less) for the same item, simply because they don't value it the same way. And it will vary for the same person by time and/or circumstances. The 4003 I bought new from American Music Supply for a bit over $900 in the mid-90s was a deal, but if they offered it at that price again right now I couldn't afford it - the insurance settlement money has run out. Wasn't expensive then, but seems to be now, at the same price.

Supply and demand do eventually, inevitably, balance out. Harley Davidson used to have a 2-year waiting list, and the very existence of such a waiting list made the prices go up and the bikes all the more desirable (for the people that like them, that is - as a Ducati owner I wouldn't want to be found dead on a Harley). But when the supply caught up, the demand was satisfied and the prices went back down to MSRP. And in the meantime, some potential Harley owners made their own value judgments and bought other similar cruiser bikes - Hondas, Yamahas, Kawis, even Victories - which reduced demand. And so it goes - capitalism works, if somewhat unevenly, especially for specific people desiring specific items. I'd love a real '59 Les Paul, and a Veyron, and a 40' Rinker, but they're too "expensive" for me, but to someone else, maybe not so much. (Come on Powerball!)

I paid $380 for a new 4001 (with case) at Mannie's Music in 1974; about the same for a MusicMan Stingray in 1976. Stupidly sold them both, wish I had them back. Paid about $900 for my current 4003 (new, with case), and about the same (used, mint, with case, via eBay) for my current Stingray 4. Expensive? Not expensive? I don't know, and I'm not worried about it - what matters was that it was worth it to me at the time, and I'm still enjoying playing them both.
 
#319
Yep, this is a way old thread, but I need so Rickenbacker opinion. I am thinking of trading my Ritter Okon 5 (I know I'm crazy but just looking for something different) for a brand new Rickenbacker 4003 Automnglo with checkerboard binding. I did some research and those that I found that sold in the last 2 months have sold for about $1,000 less that the sellers asking price. The seller tells me she is skeptical about the trade because in a couple years the price of these will be appriciate to a very high value. I am skeptical because I see the Ric as being about $2,000 less in value now then my Ritter. I believe the higher prices for Ricks now are do to the supply chain and covid issues not appriciation which bulsters Ric supply and demand strategy. Even though I haven't seen Ritters really appriciate in value. If anything I have seen Ritters depreciate. I don't see this particular Ric as appriciating like the seller thinks. My question, is this trade worth it for me in the long run? Your opinions a valuable and appriciated!

Thanks in advance!!
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back