Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience

Setup, repair and restoration of Rickenbacker Instruments

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loopy reed
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Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience

Post by loopy reed »

Hey y'all.

I've been struggling with this stupid thing since I've owned it. It's a '91 or something. I've had it for maybe 5 years?

Image

Nevermind the Sunn. That's the best photo I could find of it without trying too hard.

Anyway, so, the problem is this: We all know how truss rods (dual or single or triple or whatever) are supposed to work. Their range of adjustment typically goes...

Image

These are exaggerated drawings but we get the idea, right? Forward bow, back bow. That's it.

But mine...

(you guys know where this is going)

Image

I've tried everything. Played with different string gauges, brands, tunings, and setting the guitar up appropriately for each one. Same thing happens. I've tried getting used to it and just accepting it the way it is. Well, that just means I don't play it because it's impossible.

I even took the strings off, loosened the truss rods completely, let it sit overnight, clamped it to the straightest, stiffest piece of metal I could find (overnight as well), slowly snugged up the truss rod nuts, restrung with just a six-string set of 9's only to see how the neck will respond, and it's the same problem.

See, look

Image


It can be set up with either 1) wayyyyyy too much forward bow in the neck and miserably high action or 2) low-ish action as long as I don't play past the 5th fret or 3) lower action as long as I never play below the 5th fret or past the 12th and am ok with being horribly out of tune.

Of course, I can't intonate the thing, even with a 12 saddle bridge. Gotta have a straight neck to accurately do that.

What else is there to do, other than sell it as a project guitar for 40% of what they go for, at best? What causes this? I know it's not the most unusual thing.

I'm tempted to do that anyway, but I'll accept any insight before making that decision.

What do y'all think?
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sloop_john_b
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Re: Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience

Post by sloop_john_b »

Heat treatment perhaps?
loopy reed
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Re: Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience

Post by loopy reed »

sloop_john_b wrote:Heat treatment perhaps?
Heat it while clamped straight? Am I understanding this correctly? I'm curious how that would help, what problem that would correct. Have you had that done to one of yours?
loopy reed
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Re: Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience

Post by loopy reed »

kennyhowes wrote:Maybe possibly new rods?

http://boutique.rickenbacker.com/TRUSS- ... p_546.html
Those are a LOT cheaper than I would've imagined.
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8mileshigher
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Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience

Post by 8mileshigher »

I think there were some heat-treatment mentions in a thread of a restoration that Mark Walker was working on before...
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kennyhowes
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Re: Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience

Post by kennyhowes »

...or, I'll offer 40% of the going rate. ;)
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kennyhowes
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Re: Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience

Post by kennyhowes »

Did you try replacing the rods?
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lumgimfong
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Re: Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience

Post by lumgimfong »

So whatever happened? Fixed?
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jdogric12
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Re: Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience

Post by jdogric12 »

that's one heck of a zombie thread bump... are you having a similar issue? S-curves are very bad news!!!
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lumgimfong
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Re: Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience

Post by lumgimfong »

No but once I saw a Mapleglo at a shop that had it. So I'm curious how the fix is done.
Maybe remove strings and rods. Hang on a guitar hanger for a month or so and then put new rods in and see what happens.
Disclaimer:
I am not a luthier or repairman. Have no idea how to fix.
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wim
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Re: Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience

Post by wim »

I can't imagine what new rods could do that the old ones didn't, unless there's an issue with the threads.
S-neck is indeed very bad news.
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jdogric12
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Re: Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience

Post by jdogric12 »

I used to have a 4002 with an S curve. Pick of the Ricks got it out... I think he used a combination of new rods and steam or pressure or something. Or maybe a heavier E string. I can't remember. I was so happy he fixed it!
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lumgimfong
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Re: Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience

Post by lumgimfong »

What causes the neck to "s"?
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jdogric12
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Re: Goofy neck on my 360/12...out of ideas/patience

Post by jdogric12 »

Don't know. Wood's a such strange, inconsistent thing, even within one tree, or one neck!
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