Rickenbacker 4001 v63 truss rod advice... Help!!

Vintage, Modern, V & C series, Fretless, Signature & Special Editions

Moderators: rickenbrother, ajish4

trojac
New member
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2017 12:04 pm

Rickenbacker 4001 v63 truss rod advice... Help!!

Post by trojac »

Hope I can get some advice on a 4001 v63 bass I've recently bought.

It's not been very well looked after (in my opinion), and one of the first things that needs doing is for the neck to be set up. From looking at the state on the nuts underneath the truss rod cover this has been attempted (badly) a few times before.
everything I've read says that it needs a 1/4 inch wrench/socket, (that's just under 6.5mm) but the nut looks closer to 7.5mm, I've read that Rickenbacker have two different (old and new) truss rod style.

I've removed the pickguard and there's a plate that the truss rods go from that doesn't look correct to me (i.e. it doesn't sit flush against the body)

If I post some pictures can someone point me in the right direction of a suitable tool, and also tell me if this is the old or new truss rod system, and any advice possible before I start the job.

Thank you in advance for any help

Troy
Attachments
4001 v63 truss 2.jpg
4001 v63 truss 1.jpg
4001 v63 truss 3.jpg
User avatar
Badanovski
Member
Posts: 246
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2011 7:19 pm

Re: Rickenbacker 4001 v63 truss rod advice... Help!!

Post by Badanovski »

Wow. These appear to be the new style rods. But..... Rickenbacker doesn't use brass nuts. Not to mention, at the body end, there should be acorn nuts & washers. There were some basses that had soft wood at the body end of the neck & the rods pulled towards the headstock. I'm thinking this was a fix for some problem. If this actually works I have a 4003s I might try it on.
User avatar
bassduke49
Senior Member
Posts: 6551
Joined: Wed May 14, 2003 5:00 am

Re: Rickenbacker 4001 v63 truss rod advice... Help!!

Post by bassduke49 »

Actually, it looks normal to me, except for the brass nuts. The 4001V63 isn't really a 4001 with the old style "hairpin" rods - it's a modern construction just like the latest 4003. You should be able to adjust the neck with the new rods, but you can also adjust the neck "manually" by forcing the neck in the direction you want and then tightening the nuts. Look again at the body end of the truss channels. You should see acorn nuts inside and underneath the fingerboard. For more info, check the book. :D
Author: "The Rickenbacker Electric Bass - 50 Years As Rock's Bottom"
User avatar
jps
RRF Consultant
Posts: 37132
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2003 6:00 am

Re: Rickenbacker 4001 v63 truss rod advice... Help!!

Post by jps »

So, what's with the metal plate at the heel end of the neck, then? Never seen that before on a modern truss rod assembly.
User avatar
bassduke49
Senior Member
Posts: 6551
Joined: Wed May 14, 2003 5:00 am

Re: Rickenbacker 4001 v63 truss rod advice... Help!!

Post by bassduke49 »

Oh. Hadn't notice that. Is it just laying there or are the rods threaded into it? Maybe it is a repair of some kind? Weird.
Author: "The Rickenbacker Electric Bass - 50 Years As Rock's Bottom"
User avatar
jps
RRF Consultant
Posts: 37132
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2003 6:00 am

Re: Rickenbacker 4001 v63 truss rod advice... Help!!

Post by jps »

HArd to tell for sure but my guess this is someone's own replacement rods as it looks like there are marks/evidence of the rods being attached to that plate. There looks to be depressions or something right at the locations of where the rods would attach to that plate. Definitely, a strange mod of some sort.
trojac
New member
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2017 12:04 pm

Re: Rickenbacker 4001 v63 truss rod advice... Help!!

Post by trojac »

Hi All,

thanks for your replies, it appears from your comments all is not correct at the body end, I've taken a couple more 'close up' pictures of the plate that's being talked about.
I haven't tried to force it out as I need a little more time to sit down with the bass, and also to get the correct tool to loosen it from the headstock end.

Has ANYONE ever seen this on a rickenbacker bass, the reason I ask is that even though I said the bass didn't appear well looked after the frets show almost no wear at all, it was mainly the finish that's a bit ropey as the vanish is a bit scratched up and and needs a bit of tlc.

Once again thanks for your replies, I look forward to getting to the bottom of this (even if it does mean replacing the rods :( )
Attachments
truss rod body end v63 2.jpg
truss rod body end v63 1.jpg
User avatar
jps
RRF Consultant
Posts: 37132
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2003 6:00 am

Re: Rickenbacker 4001 v63 truss rod advice... Help!!

Post by jps »

Troy, post more photos of the bass, full instrument, body, front and back, headstock front and back, etc.

It looks, to me, that the fingerboard has been removed/replaced and some surgery done to the neck and truss rod channels. The fingerboard wood does not look like bubinga (your fingerboard looks like EIR), nor should there be those two wood strips (walnut) between the truss rods and the underside of the fingerboard, along with the other anomalies already mentioned (incorrect truss rod adjustment nuts, metal plate at the heel, etc.
User avatar
aceonbass
Veteran RRF member
Posts: 6650
Joined: Tue Jul 09, 2002 5:00 am
Contact:

Re: Rickenbacker 4001 v63 truss rod advice... Help!!

Post by aceonbass »

It looks like the rods were threaded into that metal plate, then the surface and protruding rods were ground flat. This is actually a good idea, since the rod nuts have been known to recede into the wood over time, rendering them useless or nearly so as the nuts sink into the wood with subsequent adjustments.
User avatar
Badanovski
Member
Posts: 246
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2011 7:19 pm

Re: Rickenbacker 4001 v63 truss rod advice... Help!!

Post by Badanovski »

It almost appears like the rods were either threaded or inserted into the plate, welded to the plate, then ground down. Would that be necessary? Do the rods spin in normal adjustment? If the rods were simply threaded into the plate would they eventually spin out of it? One of the rods on my bass is receding into the neck. If welding is not required, this would be an easy fix. :mrgreen:
User avatar
aceonbass
Veteran RRF member
Posts: 6650
Joined: Tue Jul 09, 2002 5:00 am
Contact:

Re: Rickenbacker 4001 v63 truss rod advice... Help!!

Post by aceonbass »

The rods do spin in their channels over time, and this is why they sometimes become ineffective, requiring removal and reinsertion after straightening them a bit.
Gilmourisgod
Member
Posts: 327
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2014 9:26 am

Re: Rickenbacker 4001 v63 truss rod advice... Help!!

Post by Gilmourisgod »

As Ric Trussrod nuts go, those actually look pretty good. We have all seen much worse damage done by people who screw it up. I think Dane has the right of it, this is what looks like a pretty well done repair job, with potential improvement on the original design. If you can adjust the neck to your liking, it's all good, roll with it. Never hurts to give the neck a little "assist" in the desired direction instead of relying on the rods to apply all the force.
trojac
New member
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2017 12:04 pm

Re: Rickenbacker 4001 v63 truss rod advice... Help!!

Post by trojac »

Ok, thanks again for all your comments, I have to say from looking really closely to the bass it does look like somethings been done to it, I knew when I went to buy it the vanish was bad, and for some reason (maybe preference) someone had stripped the varnish from the face of the fretboard, (but not the sides), if i can find someone in the UK who knows about Rickenbackers this is the first thing I would like made good, as I love the varnished fretboard.

It does look as if the fretboard may have lifted but I'm not sure, if it has I would say not all the way along as the Varnish doesn't look broken, I wish I had another fireglo v63 to compare it to, if anyone has 10 minutes spare can you post some close ups of the side of the fretboard, which can be hard to get in focus (as I found out)

I've taken some more pictures so you can see what I mean about the varnish and the fretboard

as for the truss rods, I'm trying to get hold of a set of thin walled sockets so i can try and make some adjustments

thanks
Troy
Attachments
IMG_1542 resize.jpg
IMG_1544 resize.jpg
IMG_1537 resize.jpg
IMG_1540 resize.jpg
IMG_1538 resize.jpg
IMG_1532 resize.jpg
User avatar
jps
RRF Consultant
Posts: 37132
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2003 6:00 am

Re: Rickenbacker 4001 v63 truss rod advice... Help!!

Post by jps »

It looks like the whole bass has a matte/satin finish to it.
trojac
New member
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2017 12:04 pm

Re: Rickenbacker 4001 v63 truss rod advice... Help!!

Post by trojac »

jps wrote:It looks like the whole bass has a matte/satin finish to it.
It's not a satin finish (I almost wish it was), what the previous owner seems to have done is, remove the varnish from the top of the fretboard, and rub the body down with a brillo pad, it's beyond belief that such a sought after model could be treated like this, to my frustration I used to own an almost immaculate 4001v63 about 15 years ago and sold it when I needed cash, 15 years later it's rough and ready replacement cost me considerably more :?

I have found that the truss rod nuts are 5/16 inch so today a friend of mine ground down a ring spanner so it would fit over the nuts. I now have a playable bass, I'll let it settle overnight and do another small tweak in the morning.

I have to accept that the bass has a couple of floors (finish and truss rod), I would like to get the finish redone, but the moment at least it's still the factory finish (if a little rough) I don't know who's good at paintwork in the UK (preferably with good Rickenbacker knowledge), but I'd be interested to hear of someone
Attachments
a couple of minutes on a grinder and I now have my very own truss rod tool
a couple of minutes on a grinder and I now have my very own truss rod tool
Post Reply

Return to “Rickenbacker Basses: by Joey Vasco & Tony Cabibe”