RickenFakers

[dangerboy]

Having problems buying a 'Faker from eBay?

Come and buy mine from the For Sale section! Guaranteed not be pulled randomly or get bid up to £380.

[Bassassin]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='63728' date='Sep 21 2007, 06:09 PM']How long till this gets pulled? He even says 'NOT Rickenbacker' in the title. Now that is a quick way for the Rik Police to get on your case!

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/IBANEZ-NOT-RICKENBACKER_W0QQitemZ250167630686QQihZ015QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/IBANEZ-NOT-RICKENBAC...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url][/quote]

Last time I noticed this listing it had about an hour and a half left to run & had reached £450. Now it's pulled.

The same thing happened to one last week - looks like a new tactic to rub the seller's nose in it. What lovely people.

J.

[Bassassin]

[quote name='dangerboy' post='65407' date='Sep 25 2007, 04:01 PM']Guaranteed not be pulled[/quote]

Sadly not true, Dangerboy - if Rickenbacker became aware of it, BC would get threats of legal action. I [i]think[/i] they might ask you nicely to take it away.

J.

[Bassassin]

Here's a bolt neck Ibby 2388 with an interesting Badass mod, over in the Land Of The Free:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230175149727"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=230175149727[/url]

J.

[Bassassin]

Like buses, these things - here's the Ibby 2388DX (DX designates a through-neck) from earlier in the week, back for another shot:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=250170267288"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=250170267288[/url]

And, a real rarity, from the same seller, a Jolana D, made in Czechoslovakia in about 1984/85:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Jolana-D-Bass_W0QQitemZ250170264692QQ"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Jolana-D-Bass_W0QQitemZ250170264692QQ[/url]

If I had the readies right now, I'd bite his arm off for that.

J.

[nick]

[i]And, a real rarity, from the same seller, a Jolana D, made in Czechoslovakia in about 1984/85:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Jolana-D-Bass_W0QQitemZ250170264692QQ"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Jolana-D-Bass_W0QQitemZ250170264692QQ[/url]

If I had the readies right now, I'd bite his arm off for that.

J.
[/quote][/i]

Me too!
That's a nice bass

Edited September 29, 2007 by nick

[beerdragon]

I don't know if it looks alright or not, i nearly fell off my chair trying to look at it, i've said it before and i'll say it again why do people post pictures upside down!, i'ts my pet hate sorry.

[Bassassin]

[quote name='nick' post='67305' date='Sep 29 2007, 11:05 AM'][i]And, a real rarity, from the same seller, a Jolana D, made in Czechoslovakia in about 1984/85:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Jolana-D-Bass_W0QQitemZ250170264692QQ"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Jolana-D-Bass_W0QQitemZ250170264692QQ[/url]

If I had the readies right now, I'd bite his arm off for that.

J.
[/i]

Me too!
That's a nice bass[/quote]

Sold for £170, delivered.

I am crying inside.

J.

[Bassassin]

And look (or in Ebayspeak, "L@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@K!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"):

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=270173494161"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=270173494161[/url]

A Hondo. Which, if we remove the "d", becomes an anagram of "OH NO".


And one of those freaky Italian-made Shaftesbury 4005/360 hybrids:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=110176352228"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=110176352228[/url]

And that is all.

J.

[beerdragon]

I don't think i would have the cheek to show someone els'es picture. you don't rate it then?

[Bassassin]

Hondos are OK if you pick them up cheap, I suppose. They look the part but are generally a bit cheap & nasty compared to most other 70s copies. Made from plywood in Korea, at a time when the Korean industry was about 10 years behind the Japanese in terms of quality.

No idea what his reserve is, but considering how cheaply Rick copies are going at the moment, it might be worth a look - although trying to sell it by showing a picture of a real Rick is a [b]seriously[/b] bad idea!

J.

[nick]

[quote name='Bassassin' post='70555' date='Oct 7 2007, 11:13 AM']And look (or in Ebayspeak, "L@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@K!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"):

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=270173494161"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=270173494161[/url]

A Hondo. Which, if we remove the "d", becomes an anagram of "OH NO".
And one of those freaky Italian-made Shaftesbury 4005/360 hybrids:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=110176352228"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=110176352228[/url]

And that is all.

J.[/quote]

I like the look of those Shaftesbury '360'ish basses. They seem to crop up now & again.

Has anybody had any experience of these, or played one?
Was wondering what they're like.

Cheers

[Bassassin]

Surprised you eagle-eyed bunch missed this one:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=280161865126"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=280161865126[/url]

Nice & original-looking FujiGen 4001-alike, TRC missing so can't say what brand, but likely Ibanez, which would make it a 2388DX. No SN makes it '75 or earlier. A bit beat-up, but nothing a bit of glueing & clamping couldn't sort.

Through neck, checked binding, full-width sparkly inlays, big Gibbo-type mudbuckers - plus a nice anonymous listing, meaning it hasn't gone too mental yet.

Another "I would if I had the dosh" moment for me...


J.

Edited October 19, 2007 by Bassassin

[Happy Jack]

When you say "a bit beat up", Jon, I think maybe you're indulging in a touch of [i]litotes[/i] - which is the way my old English teacher used to describe dramatic understatement.

The repair to the neck is as ugly and worrying as anything I've seen on a bass in the last few years ... and I collect old Hofners!

What the hell were they fixing?

[Bassassin]

It's messy, yes (assuming you're talking about the neck/body bodge) but separation of the body wings at the neck is actually not uncommon on real vintage Ricks, and I'm guessing this is the same. It looks like someone's slapped a couple of fistfuls of plastic wood, or some similar oily filler into the cracks. You can see how the oil's soaked under the lacquer around the "repair". Apart from that, I'd be surprised if it didn't clean up acceptably.

On reflection, I'm a little more concerned about the neck split - if it's a clean crack and the picture's showing the full extent of it, then glueing & clamping would sort it, however, if someone's already tried to fix it (the same have-a-go who stuck putty on the neck) then it might be a very different story.

J.

[stewblack]

I suppose you've all seen [url="http://i10.ebayimg.com/04/i/08/5b/99/d6_10.JPG"]this[/url] one before. Does it really count?

[Bassassin]

[quote name='stewblack' post='79052' date='Oct 24 2007, 07:29 PM']I suppose you've all seen [url="http://i10.ebayimg.com/04/i/08/5b/99/d6_10.JPG"]this[/url] one before. Does it really count?[/quote]
Fraid not - 'cos it's a copy of a:



Which, in my probably controversial opinion, is the only remotely attractive bass Warwick have ever made! :ph34r:

J.

[stewblack]

[quote name='Bassassin' post='79061' date='Oct 24 2007, 07:51 PM']Fraid not - 'cos it's a copy of a:



Which, in my probably controversial opinion, is the only remotely attractive bass Warwick have ever made! :ph34r:

J.[/quote]
Didn't think it counted! +1 on your controversial Warwick baiting.

[Bassassin]

[quote name='nick' post='70698' date='Oct 7 2007, 05:26 PM']I like the look of those Shaftesbury '360'ish basses. They seem to crop up now & again.

Has anybody had any experience of these, or played one?
Was wondering what they're like.

Cheers[/quote]

Not played one myself - although i seem to remember someone on the old BW board picked one up for cheapness, don't remember who & no idea if he made it across, though.

Anyway, they come along from time to time:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Shaftesbury-Lawsuit-Bass-Guitar-1970s_W0QQitemZ280166604994"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Shaftesbury-Lawsuit-...emZ280166604994[/url]

And sometimes the auctions even run to completion!

J.

[Buzz]

Someone's REALLY hopeful with this one:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180154984590"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=180154984590[/url]

[Musky]

[quote name='Buzz' post='80244' date='Oct 27 2007, 09:40 PM']Someone's REALLY hopeful with this one:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180154984590"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=180154984590[/url][/quote]

Ahh, our old friend in Germany. He seems to be hopeful about everything he has.

Well it's not a Rickenfaker, but I think even a Hondo would be preferable to that piece of junk.

[Buzz]

[quote name='Musky' post='80249' date='Oct 27 2007, 09:56 PM']Ahh, our old friend in Germany. He seems to be hopeful about everything he has.

Well it's not a Rickenfaker, but I think even a Hondo would be preferable to that piece of junk. [/quote]

True, it's NOT a rickenfaker, but I thought it warranted a mention considering the price.

[Bassassin]

Bit quiet down here, isn't it?

Anyway, after what seems like[i] weeks[/i] of fruitless waiting - here's a peculiarity with an identity crisis which goes well beyond the schizophrenic item title:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=300169558939"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=300169558939[/url]

Replacement neck? Where on Urf does one source a bolt-on replacement neck for a Rick copy?

Wish his pictures were a little better/more comprehensive - but I can say with absolute certainty that in no way, shape or form is any part of that bass an Ibanez.

J.

[Buzz]

Daft question, but what "brands" are the best for Rick copies, ie, the most authentic and sturdy?

I hear: shaftesbury, hondo, aria, kay and ibanez bounded around alot.

I'm possibly looking into possibly getting some jap-crap ricalike, so I'm trying to get clued up.

[Bassassin]

[quote name='Buzz' post='86282' date='Nov 9 2007, 09:41 PM']Daft question, but what "brands" are the best for Rick copies, ie, the most authentic and sturdy?

I hear: shaftesbury, hondo, aria, kay and ibanez bounded around alot.

I'm possibly looking into possibly getting some jap-crap ricalike, so I'm trying to get clued up.[/quote]
Really, these things are so scarce & often so overpriced when you do find them, it's not very realistic to be specific about what brand you want.

The brands you listed are the same ones in the title of the last Ebay listing on this thread - out of them, Kay didn't make a Rick copy per se - it was a trashy Taiwanese plywood medium-scale catalogue bass, and not worth considering as a serious instrument.

Ibanez copies are for the most part, very unauthentic - they have EB-0 type mudbuckers, and could never sound like a Rick in a million years. Nonetheless, they're beautiful instruments, but the brand does mean they're very expensive.

Hondos were mostly made in Korea in the 70s - and the quality was some way behind the better Japanese instruments. Plywood body & cheaper hardware means they're a bit cheap & cheerful - some would say cheap & nasty. The upside is they're not quite as overpriced.

Shaftesbury was a UK importer brand, and as a result are a bit more readily available. Quality seems to be OK, and build & components quite authentic. They are neck-through, as are some of the Ibanezes, and unfortunately, both brands have a tendency to be constructed with an unadjustable high action, because of the neck set.

Arias are generally good quality - and generally pretty much absent from the UK market, because of the predominance of importers' own brands in the UK in the 70s. However, basses from the same factory (Matsumoku) were sold under a variety of other names here, including Arbiter & CMI.

Very few of the well-known brands - including Ibanez - actually produced their own instruments - production was tendered out to various factories. Matsumoku, Fujigen Gakki, Kasuga, Rokkoman & various others all made Rickenbacker bass copies which were sold worldwide under hundreds of different brands. Additionally, Rick copies were made in Italy, Brazil, the former Czechoslovakia, and right here in the UK.

It's worth considering that Rick copies, because of their scarcity, can sometimes fetch insanely high prices for what they are. Ebay listings usually get removed, but if they go through, prices exceeding £500 are far from unheard of. This is patently ludicrous, when you consider that a genuine Rickenbacker can sell for around £600 outside of Ebay.

Jon.