After market parts?

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jrichview
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After market parts?

Post by jrichview »

Hi, all. New to the site, just got my first Rick a couple weeks ago. It's a 360/12. Always wanted to get "that sound" and at last I can. Love how it sounds ...when I can keep it in tune.

Two initial impressions I'd like your opinion on.

First, the tuners seem good but not great to me. I recently played a Reverend Airwave 12 and while it wasn't quite "that sound", it was a damned fine instrument. The locking tuners seemed to keep it in tune very well. When I tried to play the 360 at an outdoor gig, it went out of tune as fast as I could try to tune it. Ok granted, outdoor gig in Florida in June, high heat high humidity, etc. But I feel like some upgraded tuners might at least improve that situation. Anyone had experience upgrading?

Side note: I have learned that tuning with an electronic tuner will get you close but in the end you have to use your ear to make sure that pairs are as in-tune as possible.

Second, the R tailpiece makes it a nightmare to restring. I restrung as soon as I bought it and it was the worst experience I've ever had stringing a guitar. I saw some advice online where a guy will (1) remove all strings and remove the tailpiece, (2) lay all 12 new strings into the tailpiece and use masking tape to hold them in temporarily, (3) put tailpiece back on with strings in it (4) string the main 6 first and (5) string the additional 6. I will probably try this next time, but I'm very tempted to look for some sort of after market tailpiece replacement that uses good old fashioned holes to put strings through. Any experience with this good or bad?
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jps
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Re: After market parts?

Post by jps »

A trapeze tailpiece would be an excellent substitute, as used on the 660/12.
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jdogric12
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Re: After market parts?

Post by jdogric12 »

I lived in Florida for 30 years with hundreds of guitars - many of them Ricks. Trust me, the Rick's tuners are not your problem. :lol:

I was able to come up with a solution that has worked great and I can guarantee will work for you too.

I left Florida! :lol:

Seriously a Rick 360/12 should be fine. You're exposing it to a ridiculous environment. If you're keeping it in a low-humidity home (A/C cranked) and taking it out a lot in the humidity, that ain't gonna be friendly to any guitar.

This last line is not directed at you, just a fun related quote:

"It's not the heat, it's the stupidity" 8)
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jps
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Re: After market parts?

Post by jps »

jdogric12 wrote:I lived in Florida for 30 years........

I left Florida! :lol:
Floridians thank you for that! :mrgreen:
Rickissippi
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Re: After market parts?

Post by Rickissippi »

Welcome. This is a great resource for those of us who like to talk about Ricks.

Personally, I love the stock tuners on my 360-6, and in fact it stays in tune so well, I sometimes don't even need to adjust it after it's been in the case for weeks or longer. Almost equally as good as my electrics with true locking tuners. (I've had 2.). Remember not to leave too much slack in the string wrapped around your tuning posts too many times.
jrichview wrote:Side note: I have learned that tuning with an electronic tuner will get you close but in the end you have to use your ear to make sure that pairs are as in-tune as possible.
Depends on the tuner. Try a Peterson StroboStomp II or StroboFlip.
jrichview wrote:Second, the R tailpiece makes it a nightmare to restring. I restrung as soon as I bought it and it was the worst experience I've ever had stringing a guitar. I saw some advice online where a guy will (1) remove all strings and remove the tailpiece, (2) lay all 12 new strings into the tailpiece and use masking tape to hold them in temporarily, (3) put tailpiece back on with strings in it (4) string the main 6 first and (5) string the additional 6. I will probably try this next time, but I'm very tempted to look for some sort of after market tailpiece replacement that uses good old fashioned holes to put strings through. Any experience with this good or bad?
This sounds like a bad idea to me - just unnecessarily over-complicating something that is actually pretty simple. Just change them one at a time, so that the tailpiece never falls off, and once you put the ball-end of the string through the string slot in the tailpiece, keep just enough tension on the string (so that it doesn't fall out) with one hand, while the other hand winds the key head. Admittedly, mine is only a 6-string, but the same theory still applies. It may mean you begin winding on the headstock a bit first, before you put the other ball-end in the tailpiece. If so, I would measure out how much length of string I'll need, then start the winding, maybe just 1/2 or 1 full wind around, getting the slack to where I can hold the string about an inch or so off they fingerboard (after both ends are anchored), then slot the ball-end, then wind the rest of the way while holding the string tight for a few seconds.
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jdogric12
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Re: After market parts?

Post by jdogric12 »

OP, sorry I never addressed the restringing issue:
jdogric12 wrote:1 is the low E, 12 is the outer high E.

12 off/on
10 off
11 off/on
10 on
8 off
9 off/on
8 on
7 off/on
Halfway done!
6 off/on
5 off
4 off/on
5 on
3 off
2 off/on
3 on
1 off/on
No need for that amateur hour masking tape foolishness. And despite its holes, I don't find the trapeze easier, since it requires you to change both strings in each pair together. My order mixes them up in order to cleanly navigate the headstock slots. I'm guessing the hardest part you have (like everyone) is keeping the ball-end in the tailpiece before it's up to tension. It can be done without taping. Remove the bridge cover if you haven't already done so. Then, after you seat the ball-end, hold the string as close to the tailpiece as you can with your right hand, and as you're monkeying with the string end and the tuner with your left hand, keep tugging ever so slowly with your right hand toward the headstock so that ball-end stays seated. Let your right hand slide on the string even, to ensure you're keeping enough tension on the string to prevent it from slipping out of the tailpiece. As you get comfortable with this, you can even swap hands for final crimping or whatever you do on the tuner end. Hang in there!
jrichview
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Re: After market parts?

Post by jrichview »

jdogric12 wrote:I was able to come up with a solution that has worked great and I can guarantee will work for you too.

I left Florida! :lol:
I'm actually not opposed to that, but my wife loves it where we live. Depending on job situation that could still happen, but for today I'm looking for a way to make it better here.

And actually, I've found that even in air conditioned indoor gigs the tuning keeps changing. It's a lot more work to play anything close to "in tune" on this axe, but I love that sound so much that I'm willing to do it.
jrichview
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Re: After market parts?

Post by jrichview »

Rickissippi wrote:Welcome. This is a great resource for those of us who like to talk about Ricks.
Thanks! Appreciate it.
Rickissippi wrote:Personally, I love the stock tuners on my 360-6, and in fact it stays in tune so well, I sometimes don't even need to adjust it after it's been in the case for weeks or longer. Almost equally as good as my electrics with true locking tuners. (I've had 2.). Remember not to leave too much slack in the string wrapped around your tuning posts too many times.

Depends on the tuner. Try a Peterson StroboStomp II or StroboFlip.

Just change them one at a time, so that the tailpiece never falls off, and once you put the ball-end of the string through the string slot in the tailpiece, keep just enough tension on the string (so that it doesn't fall out) with one hand, while the other hand winds the key head. Admittedly, mine is only a 6-string, but the same theory still applies. It may mean you begin winding on the headstock a bit first, before you put the other ball-end in the tailpiece. If so, I would measure out how much length of string I'll need, then start the winding, maybe just 1/2 or 1 full wind around, getting the slack to where I can hold the string about an inch or so off they fingerboard (after both ends are anchored), then slot the ball-end, then wind the rest of the way while holding the string tight for a few seconds.
Will give that a try.
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