prowla

Aha - I sensed we were talking about different things there!

OK - it looks like it from the pictures... A HB RB-414CS (hmmm - what is "RB"?): An AliExpress Chickenbacker bass. Now I would hazard a guess that the bridge, pickups, neck pickup, treble pickup surround, pickguard, and knobs are sourced from the same supplier... Here's another, a "Chris Squire" model, with dot position markers, treble pickup located differently, the same strap buttons, and I would hazard a guess the same treble pickup(?): That is the basis for my assertion that the HB is indeed a Chickenbacker with a different headstock and a tweaked body shape; on top of that, they designate it an "RB" model (they use "MM" for their Music Man copies, "TB" for their Thunderbirds, JB for their Jazz Basses, and so-on). There's no getting away from the fact that it is still a remarkable price for the instrument, but it is what it is and the styling tweaks are a case of putting lipstick on a chicken(backer).

The HB hardware is the same as other Chickenbackers. The Ric bridge is just a tune-o-matic, which sits on the tailpiece; I like the styling of the tailpiece, but it has always been a weak point (though I like light strings, so I've not had issues) and Ric have now released a new 4003 bridge/tailpiece which eliminates tail-lift. In fairness to RIC, they did try updating the design before, with a Schaller 3D, but people just kept buying the 4003 regardless.

Definitely the gift of the gab!

There's someone on the FB 'fakers group who has/is considering getting one of these and is debating whether to replace the pickups. I recall that I bought a set of those pickups to try out, but they were really cheap and nasty and I've not used them. They're looking at the Retrovibe pickups.

Hell no - old Rickenbackers are darned good. There is a huge difference with tech, where progress is genuine and quantifiable versus instruments and things like furniture and so-on, where newer does not equate to better. I think it is fair to say, however, that the entry level instruments of today can typically be better than those of a few decades ago.

Well, it's all down to preference. As I say, there is some good Chinese stuff and it may be as good as that produced in any other country in the world.. But there is also cheap toot. The mistake is in thinking that calling out the cheap stuff is inherently having a pop at the entire output of one of the largest economies and exporters in the world. The Chickenbackers (basses) are poor counterfeit copies of Rickenbackers; there's no getting away from it. They are easily identifiable with the pickups, hardware, and other features, and those components pervade across all of the offerings. Now, nobody in their right mind would expect a £140 instrument to be the finest man produced, would they? My most recent acquisition is a Chinese doubleneck which someone else gave up trying to get to work. I've got it going now and it's really quite nice, or would be but for some of the hardware and the bass pickups. It was made to a price point and the places where they cut corners are glaringly obvious.

I’ve got a rather nice MIC Ovation and an Aria Pro PE. My iPhone is MIC, plus a selection of other kit. However I’ve also bought things recently which have been wrong, faulty, or poor quality.

I don't think that everything made in China is ropey; there is no way that is possible and the country produces loads of high-quality goods. It's just the bottom-end of the market, where things are made to a low price with little quality control; no different to anywhere else, really. In addition to that, there are the cheap counterfeits, as exemplified by the guitars with fake brands.

The problem with Jaydees (for me) is that they are rather large.

Hahaha!!!! It started with Chinese counterfeit Gibsons being called Chibsons, and went from there...

Yep - for £150 new it's difficult to find just complaints about it. I frequent some other fora and every once in a while someone buys a Chickenbacker and then sets out their plans to put a Ric bridge and pickups on it, and/or says it's as good or better than a real Ric, and/or someone is selling one at a hugely inflated price. So I now get the collywobbles whenever I see those bridges. What this is is a Chickenbacker with a different body shape and headstock, and a bit of fun; can't say fairer than that! 🙂

See - I knew it would all go to pot!

Yep - the issue is that the dimensions of the Chickenbackers (of which the HB is one!) are different to the Ric and so the bridge position is in a different place; they made a base plate in a similar shape, but it is not really the same.

Zat's wot I sed!

Well, Rics are supposed to have a low action and a hint of fret buzz (or at least that's how I like them!).

The brexit bill was that existing EU legislation is adopted into UK law; presumably it will remain so until it is specifically changed. Yes, I think the body shapes, pickups, etc. aren't covered this side of the pond.

Ah yes - the US ones too...

Here's one of the EU registered trademarks. https://euipo.europa.eu/eSearch/#details/trademarks/010177038 HB (and Rocktile) have decided to avoid that by just plonking a different headstock on their copies. I don't have it to hand, but RIC also registered the distinctive upper edge curve of the body.

Also, Rickenbackers aren't cheap!

You've expressed my thoughts perfectly! 🙂

He'd need more than the usual half bottle of JD if you gave him that to work on!

Can you imagine trying to adjust the truss rod and neck relief on that!?