NOTICE FOR OWNERS OF RICKENBACKER COPIES

[karlfer]

Wish I hadn't sold mine, gonna be worth a fortune in a years time

[BB3000S]

Epic bad PR move on Rickenbackers part.

[Mr. Foxen]

It is sort of super harsh to the Rick owners, but the only way to be safe is to ban all sales of anything that looks like a Rickenbacker for sale from BC, including Rickenbackers. Should probably set the autofilter for the term 'Rickenbacker' too.

[Beedster]

I came on this evening to list for sale my lovely Ghersen faker and saw this thread. Damn, really need the cash as well having, ironically, just bought a v63. Can I list it somehow or am I going to be economic with information (and pics)?

C

[Happy Jack]

List it ... but don't include any photos of the headstock.

[Gust0o]

Happy to chip into any fighting fund.

Pretty sure we have some in-house legal types. In any case, it's not gone that far - it's just bluster. He'll make threats in the hope of having his way; and, as in all other walks of life when someone threatens you out of the blue, we can make our own judgements about the character of John Hall.

I've seen CEOs intervene personally to make a difference, from firms far larger than Rickenbacker - but I've never seen one quite do cack-handed. They normally dive in to so brands; not f*** them.

Ah well, perhaps we'll have some Ratner-esque gaffe for further amusement.

[Johngh]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1334150821' post='1611630']
A mate of mine loves Ricks, has a few guitars all fairly new, and a 4001. He's had to send a couple of the guitars back to be replaced because of QC issues and poor finishing, he has a (360?) 12 string that has a tuning peg route that was totally messed up at the factory, and his 4001 had to have a new nut and full set up at the Gallery to stop the G falling off the side of the neck when played. The string mute adjuster keeps falling off too, awful bridge design. [b]He still loves them but readily admits he's more often than not disappointed with the quality and quality control.[/b] He has to work had to get a good one, because they make so few of them. He's taken five years to get four that he's happy with, and even two of those needed work at his own expense

I love the look of the 4001 basses, but I can't buy stuff from someone who behaves so pathetically, even if I wanted to, which I don't because they play so badly and are so poorly designed.
[/quote]


So what they need, as well as a sane CEO, is a decent Quality Engineer, which is where I come in, so Mr Hall, fire your Quality Manager and Quality Engineer, cause' they are clearly crap, and apoint me instead.

Go on I dare you.

Seriously I have just recently aquired Ricky GAS and was looking for a black one. Needless to say Mr Hall, can now stick it. I've always thought the build quality was crap, but I just fancied one.

When you have to spend extra dosh to get a brand new bass put right something is clearly very wrong. Congratulations Mr Hall for shooting yourself in the foot big style.

I'm friggin' disgusted.

[Marvin]

[quote name='Johngh' timestamp='1334169122' post='1612016']
So what they need, as well as a sane CEO, is a decent Quality Engineer, which is where I come in, so Mr Hall, fire your Quality Manager and Quality Engineer, cause' they are clearly crap, and apoint me instead.

Go on I dare you.

[b]Seriously I have just recently aquired Ricky GAS and was looking for a black one. Needless to say Mr Hall, can now stick it. I've always thought the build quality was crap, but I just fancied one.[/b]

When you have to spend extra dosh to get a brand new bass put right something is clearly very wrong. Congratulations Mr Hall for shooting yourself in the foot big style.
[/quote]

If you want to save yourself a few quid you're in luck mate. Possibly not the real thing though, WoT's got one for sale and it's black!!! [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/173256-for-sale-rockinbetter-copy/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/173256-for-sale-rockinbetter-copy/[/url]

[Johngh]

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1334169292' post='1612019']
If you want to save yourself a few quid you're in luck mate. Possibly not the real thing though, WoT's got one for sale and it's black!!! [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/173256-for-sale-rockinbetter-copy/"]http://basschat.co.u...kinbetter-copy/[/url]
[/quote]

Nah, too expensive, and the wrong shade of black.

[Musky]

I'll be happy to chip in for any legal opinion, should it be needed.

As has been said however, it's a case of who blinks first and it can be very, very expensive to discover who that will be.

From what I remember of reading a trademark lawyers website (perhaps 8 years ago) the US and UK treat the definition of trade differently, and unless things have changed in the intervening years the private sale of personal goods doesn't fall within trademark law in the UK. It does in the US, so JH may well believe he is right. However RIC is likely to have deeper pockets than us and the merest hint of of this going to court could quite easily empty our collective pockets.

In other words, in true Maxwell bully-boy style, he may well be able afford to just to bluff it out with the confidence he'll drain our coffers first.

As for why JH doesn't license mass produced Far Eastern copies, it's because he doesn't have the inclination. He believes in the quality of his instruments, they're tied up with his personal history and he grew up knowing his family were closely involved with an iconic design. Why would he want to cheapen the family brand?

[Lenny B]

It's not really my area, but I think the key (recent) case is L'Oreal v Ebay, where counterfeits were being listed and sold. Will try and dig it out and see how applicable it is.

[Stacker]

[quote name='Johnston' timestamp='1334162643' post='1611888']
Amazing what people trademark these days


[/quote]

Lovin' this even more!

[Stacker]

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1334165004' post='1611930']
I came on this evening to list for sale my lovely Ghersen faker and saw this thread. Damn, really need the cash as well having, ironically, just bought a v63. Can I list it somehow or am I going to be economic with information (and pics)?

C
[/quote]

Publish it, Chris!!

[Sibob]

Oh he's not gonna sue, even if he reads this and thinks 'Oh well now I'm gonna make an example of the site', it's still a ridiculous move to make.
At best you're going to see a massive dive in UK sales, at worst there'll be a massive sale of 2nd hand Rics, which could affect global sales (shipping to other countries etc).
I know they're the extremes, but the online backlash from legal action on something so petty (It's not even like we're building copies in a garage) would not be worth the action. They'd need to spend so much in legal fee's maintaining the precedence, they might as well sell up now.

Si

[Beedster]

[quote name='Stacker' timestamp='1334171893' post='1612093']
Publish it, Chris!!
[/quote]

Done mate, [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/173293-late-70searly-80s-gherson-copy-of-a-famous-brand-bass-for-sale/page__fromsearch__1"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/173293-late-70searly-80s-gherson-copy-of-a-famous-brand-bass-for-sale/page__fromsearch__1[/url] (pics to follow).

OK, I've been a little discrete, but mostly 'cos I don't want Kiwi and Ped waking up to a summons following JH's communication!

C

[3below]

What a way to generate business, good feeling and customer care. What a pity that many bass players (on this forum) might have been selling their 'copy' basses to move on to the real thing. Oh, now they can't because the CEO of 'real thing' does not want their money. I had the real thing, for about 10 years 1980 - 1990. Have not bought another, and now, will never. Do ask me about long term build quality by the way at any time.

[ped]

Maybe we should ass 'Rickenbacker' to the swear filter

[Clarky]

Did you mean to type ass, ped

[Stacker]

The guys with the RIC account at Rosetti won't like this............

[alyctes]

[quote name='ped' timestamp='1334172751' post='1612114']
Maybe we should add 'Rickenbacker' to the swear filter
[/quote]

That's really elegant

[Machines]

Alas a 4003 is on my 'will have one day list' but things like this aren't encouraging me that Rickenbacker are customer orientated and thus are undeserving of my money.

[karlfer]

[quote name='Stacker' timestamp='1334172993' post='1612121']
The guys with the RIC account at Rosetti won't like this............
[/quote]

Neither will RIC, but it really does take some doing to alienate so many possible customers, in one niche market, in one day.
Wish there was an applause emoticon

[Clarky]

Having once been a member of the Ric forum, many of whose hugely partisan members positively revel in ratting out Rickenfaker sales, I can only imagine they are planning an invasion of our small island waving their (dual) truss rods in righteous indignation

[LukeFRC]

hmmm anyone here living on the isle of man got the ability to host servers and a forum in their house?

[GregHughes]

I had gas for a ric but changed my mind now.