RICKENBACKER COVER FEATURE


years. The appeal of guitarists such as Noel Gallagher, especially in the Britpop days of the 1990s when Rosetti first clinched the deal, needs no explanation and when a figure such as Gallagher is shown wielding a new axe, people take notice.


WAITING IN LINE Usually, when musicians like Gallagher and Lennon show an interest in your product, you make sure that you get them a model as soon as possible. But the stock levels made is so tightly controlled that even legends such as these would have had to wait a fair while for their Ric to arrive. For the Average Joes out there, seeing a Rickenbacker is like finding a tenner in your back pocket – it doesn’t happen as often as you’d like. This, if anything, enhances their magnetism even further, but from the perspective of Rosetti and its dealership, it can be somewhat troublesome. “It can be frustrating at times as


it’s very difficult to estimate a reliable delivery date on new orders, which also makes it difficult to keep both the dealers and the end consumer happy at times,” admits Gladwell.


“But on the plus side the limited


availability also adds to the desirability and prestige of the brand. Not even famous artists get to jump the queue – they have to wait like everyone else!” From the Rosetti retailer’s perspective,


the rarity and price of these guitars has understandably led to the larger, specialist stores taking the lion’s share of Rickenbackers, despite always being available to all the supplier’s dealers. This may have caused a lower dealer network in comparison to the distributor’s other brands, but this can’t be helped and there are still regular one-off, special orders from those stores who usually declare themselves out of the clamour for these prize specimens.


As you would expect, Gladwell can report


that currently the most popular models on this side of the pond are the 330, 360 and 4003 and the reasons for this have again been attributed to them being seen in the hands of some inspirational musicians. Interestingly, this American firm no longer officially endorses artists, which proves that any big name now seen possessing a Ric does so solely out of choice, and not because of an endorsement agreement. With the manufacturer


itself revealing recent success and record sales last year in the United States, can this good news be compared to the present situation on this side of the Atlantic? “Yes, over the last


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THE DISTINCTIVE look of the 300 series guitars is partly down to the unique construction process. When building the neck, two strips of


American farmed maple are attached to a centre strip of mahogany, resulting in the unique three piece neck. For the 12-string models, two extra


channels are added to the headstock, which creates the added room needed for the extra strings and tuning pegs. The size of the headstock area is smaller than with most 12-string models on the market, due the placing of the machine heads on the side of the headstock. This also makes for a more common-sense tuning procedure. A pair of truss rods, which can be removed completely if damaged, are then placed into


year or so we have seen improved sales,” Gladwell points out. “This has been helped greatly due to more regular shipments from Rickenbacker, as they have been steadily improving their factory output. But I have noticed Rickenbacker in the hands of more and more UK bands, which helps to add to the demand.” It certainly does, and the point made about the increased output shows that soon we will hopefully find that spotting a Ric, either in a store or on stage, won’t be such an irregularity as it is now. And so, for its 80th birthday,


surely a celebration is in order? “We had a big blow-out for the 75th and there are no immediate plans at the moment. But this is an important anniversary, as it also


the neck, allowing for more precision with the neck set up process. The fingerboard, usually lacquered and made from rosewood is then glued on.


THE BODY To start with, a large plank of American farmed maple maple is carefully selected and cut in half. For added strength, the two halves are placed side by side and switched 180-degrees. The rotated plank is then turned upside


down, creating two opposite grains, and therefore the greatest possible strength and they are then glued together. Once dried, the pickups, control and


wiring cavities are routed and the back of the body is attached.


shows the longevity of the electric guitar, as well as our company,” Hall offers. Whether or not Hall and the team do throw a big bash to commemorate their octogenarian status, they will certainly be immensely satisfied that, after all this time, they have set up a business that Adolph Rickenbacker himself would have been very proud of. Plus, with finances looking healthier than ever and improvements in stock levels worldwide, we could start seeing more Rics hanging on shop walls in the near future. John Hall’s honesty towards the company’s


low productivity also shows that there is still plenty of ambition towards taking the company forward. On the other hand, many other manufacturers would give anything to have a business whereby the only real concern is supplying enough product to meet demand. ROSETTI: 01376 550033


miPRO JANUARY 2011 25 BUILT TO ORDER


Rickenbacker has become just as known for its 12-strings as it is for its standard electric and bass models


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