This was a pretty cool replica, and instantly made me stop to check it out.



My question: Was this authorized? It's pretty detailed, but I didn't see "Rickenbacker" anywhere on the tag or the back.

They stock tons of chotchkies made on the cheap overseas and pay their employees next to nothing (ask my grandmother)... I just about guarantee you there was no authorization for this.

I have seen similar replicas in a variety of other stores and I have to think it's not only not good to support the trademark violation, but they are also probably crafted by the same cheap offshore labor that get paid zilch to work overtime making similar products for big box retailers.

I don't recall it being made overseas. I'll look the next time I'm there.

I couldn't buy one. I'm broke.

Hobby Lobby in general gets their stock from outside of the USA. I'm pretty sure the other tiny fake Rics I've seen where Chinese in origin.

Where do you think the Rock Band Rickenbacker was made?

I didn't start this thread for a discussion on Chinese goods. It's a subject that's been covered on this board many times. Sorry.

Hmmm, a wide body RIC! Interesting.

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Four Rics and Counting!

Well you did ask if it was authorized--and frequently unauthorized Ric copies go hand in hand with overseas labor, now more than ever. Anyway, I'm not sure what Rock Band controllers have to do with it (I don't play, although I did try the drums once), but if I were to find out they're made in the USA or even North America I'd be very surprised.

The "improvements" that these clones attempt never cease to amaze me.

Wider trapeze, generally thicker (unknown) woods and fatter pickups for extra strength?

Doesn't matter who makes these -- they are not even decent copies, probably because they want their lawyers to be able to point out many innovations and differences from some of the original designs.

You don't do much gaming, huh? I've yet to have a game, system, or accessory that was made in North America. In the nineties, a lot of games were made in Japan, but within the past ten years, I have yet to see anything from Nintendo, Sony, or Microsoft made outside of China.

As I said, this thread was not started for a debate on overseas production.

Buchrob, I really hope that you're joking.

Wasn't the earlier point that the controller was made in China though? You've got me confused about what sort of point you are making. (And no I'm not a gamer.)

Anyway I'm not here to antagonize you about your original topic. So I hope that's not how it's coming across. The main reason I bring up overseas production is, for me, there is a certain irony in the thought of someone buying an unauthorized trademark-infringing piece of plastic almost assuredly made by cheap foreign labor that is supposed to resemble (however poorly) the product of a company that, unlike so many nowadays, doesn't outsource. When I first saw one a year or two ago I thought they were neat too. I guess I have a different perspective now that some time has passed.