Budget Rickenbacker

prowla

dogload said:

There used to be quite a few Japanese Rickenfakers back in the day - Ibanez, Greco and Aria spring to mind and those I've played have actually been very good. These days however because of John Hall's stringent litigious policy of stamping on anything Ric-like it's unlikely that there'll be anything of that quality getting through. There's always the Chinese ones that you can order (AliExpress?) but I've heard very er...'mixed' reviews of these.

Actually Rickenbacker did do budget 'catalogue' models back in the 60s, under the 'Electro' brand name - Trivia Ed.

Yep - I was going to mention the Electro brand.

I've had a few Japanese fakers, but am down to one at the moment (or two if you include the laughable Kay K-20B).

Most of the Japanese ones came from a couple of factories, but were sold with different branding (Ibanez, Aria, Greco, CMI, Shaftesbury, and others).

I've also got a couple of projects on the go which are based on barebones Chickenbackers (which do have the correct scale length but still have oversized bodies).

Deadman

I once owned a Tanglewood '330' and it was actually less of a disappointment than my real 330.

steer

thermionic said:

I also reported it, the seller admits he’s selling a counterfeit item. But alas, ebay love getting their fees.

I’m almost tempted to buy it, complain that I was sold a fake, get refunded, and gleefully destroy the thing on ebay’s instruction.

Wow. That's just weird. It says quite clearly that it is a copy. Why does that make you so angry?

Teyeplayer

Deadman said:

I once owned a Tanglewood '330' and it was actually less of a disappointment than my real 330.

Currently sat on my sofa playing my 330 and for the life of me can’t think why anyone would find one a disappointment.

Kittyfrisk

Deadman said:

I once owned a Tanglewood '330' and it was actually less of a disappointment than my real 330.

Genuinely curious, are you referring to the Tanglewood TW61?

Deadman

That's the one @Kittyfrisk . Bloody great guitar. Honestly!

Deadman

Teyeplayer said:

Deadman said:

I once owned a Tanglewood '330' and it was actually less of a disappointment than my real 330.

Currently sat on my sofa playing my 330 and for the life of me can’t think why anyone would find one a disappointment.

Just in relation to cost vs performance bud.

Teyeplayer

Deadman said:

Teyeplayer said:

Deadman said:

I once owned a Tanglewood '330' and it was actually less of a disappointment than my real 330.

Currently sat on my sofa playing my 330 and for the life of me can’t think why anyone would find one a disappointment.

Just in relation to cost vs performance bud.

Fair point, particularly if it’s a brand new one. 

Kittyfrisk

Deadman said:

That's the one @Kittyfrisk . Bloody great guitar. Honestly!

No shit. No argument from me 
I also have one that is fitted with genuine R******acker Hi Gain pickups, tuners & wiring harness and a TonePros bridge.
Sounds pretty damn good to me and everyone else that has ever played it when compared to the 'real deal', but I would say that, wouldn't I?
Yet according to the 'experts' that have never held, seen or heard or played it, apparently it it is an aberration that should only exist briefly on a funeral pyre.
But... I do not condone at at all faking guitars & passing them off as something that they are not.

thermionic

Msteer said:

thermionic said:

I also reported it, the seller admits he’s selling a counterfeit item. But alas, ebay love getting their fees.

I’m almost tempted to buy it, complain that I was sold a fake, get refunded, and gleefully destroy the thing on ebay’s instruction.

Wow. That's just weird. It says quite clearly that it is a copy. Why does that make you so angry?

It’s not anger, just a professional opinion. Selling counterfeit items is illegal. Would you be ok with me stealing a guitar from your house as long as I admitted it?

MartinBush

The seller also claims its "authentic" and mentions John Lennon in the title... and the main photo is the Rickenbacker logo. 

steer

MartinBush said:

The seller also claims its "authentic" and mentions John Lennon in the title... and the main photo is the Rickenbacker logo. 

"Authenitc Reproduction" are the words he uses.

If anyone buys this and then claims to have been unaware that they were not buying the real thing then they are very stupid indeed.

prowla

thermionic said:

Msteer said:

thermionic said:

I also reported it, the seller admits he’s selling a counterfeit item. But alas, ebay love getting their fees.

I’m almost tempted to buy it, complain that I was sold a fake, get refunded, and gleefully destroy the thing on ebay’s instruction.

Wow. That's just weird. It says quite clearly that it is a copy. Why does that make you so angry?

It’s not anger, just a professional opinion. Selling counterfeit items is illegal. Would you be ok with me stealing a guitar from your house as long as I admitted it?

Putting the brand name on it is where it steps over the line.

Whether the seller says it's a genuine (sorry, "authentic") fake does not make it legal to sell; it's still a counterfeit.

It's also worth pointing out that they are only £200 new (including shipping) from dhgate https://uk.dhgate.com/product/john-lennon-ric-325-short-scale-length-527mm/521120948.html (incuding a fake signature!).

thermionic

If you gave that story to ebay, they’d believe it.

guitargeek62

Direct clones aside, why aren’t there more builds in the vein of Rickenbacker?

They have a relatively unique construction, but nothing that couldn’t be applied to other body-shapes. The only ones that spring to mind are Fano, Rivolta, and Novo, and they’re all the same designer! It seems like an odd gap in the market if you’re far enough away in design from litigation threats

GavRichList

Banning too. He does a tele / Ric hybrid which I don’t hate as much as I should. 

prowla

guitargeek62 said:

Direct clones aside, why aren’t there more builds in the vein of Rickenbacker?

They have a relatively unique construction, but nothing that couldn’t be applied to other body-shapes. The only ones that spring to mind are Fano, Rivolta, and Novo, and they’re all the same designer! It seems like an odd gap in the market if you’re far enough away in design from litigation threats

There's the B&CH (BaCH) Riverboat bass, which I keep nearly tempting myself to check (or is that czech?) out.

There are a couple of quality custom makers in the UK and similarly in the US which can be commissioned to build top quality instruments.

I'm not a fan of the looks of the Harleys, which look like Chickenbackers made to appear like they are avoiding litigation (which is what they are, I suppose), but the Rivoltas are nice, in an ice-cream/diner sort of way.

mikem8634

There are the Italias

Mudcrutch

Just noticed the subject of this evenings CGS YouTube live stream at 18:30
Should be worth a look.
https://youtu.be/opnbZLBpKDQ