Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hixy wrote:Doesnt anyone else find it very unusual that after spending thousands on a new Ric you have to spend more money to get it to play properly. I would have thought that it would be part of the quality control process to make sure these playable antiques of the future leave the factory in near to perfect condition.

Reading many of the threads where owners are having to spend many dollars on getting their Ric's to a playable standard makes me think there is some sort of Chinese production line going on where the bulk of the money changing hands is going to the owners and not into the product.

I hope I am wrong.

Why wouldn't you want to spend a little more money to get your guitar set up just right to your tastes? For any guitar--not just a Rick. It just makes more sense to me. I still remember when I bought my Amber Fire-glo 620 six string in 2007. It played and sounded really, really good at the guitar store. Then I took it to my local luthier (who the store I bought it from even uses) and he REALLY brought out all of the subtleties of the instrument, mainly by widening the nut slots slightly as well as the saddle slots. It was absolutely amazing--it really took a great guitar and kicked it up a notch to incredible.

And to weigh in on the 6 vs. 12-saddle bridge argument--for my 330/12 I have both a six and a twelve-saddle bridge. I swap them out depending on what strings I have on the guitar. Six-saddle for Rick strings, and twelve-saddle for D'Addario strings. Since they're already pre-intonated for a specific brand of strings, it's really easy to change types of strings if I want to and not have to worry about intonation.

I'm back! Weird, yes. I kept the Rick because it's beautiful, but I was so stressed over it I just put it in the case and put it away 'til now. Wow. Four-plus years. Now I will take a lot of the great advice given here and get it set up.

Can anyone recommend a Ric expert luthier in the Boston area?

Thanks,

jv

Jon and Jim Mouradian may be the best on the eastern seaboard. And they're only in Winchester, MA!

bdawson7 wrote:Jon and Jim Mouradian may be the best on the eastern seaboard. And they're only in Winchester, MA!

Thank you very much!

It occurs to me I should educate myself about what is possible in a great set-up, and what options I might want. A few years ago when I first started this thread a nice guy sent me an email telling me about Mark Arnquist, and what he might do. It included:

• • install a 12 string bridge, and potentially correct bridge baseplate placement (mine looks "off);"
• • cut a new nut and widen the string spacing to utilize the full fretboard;
• • unwind the pickups to the vintage 7.4Ω to 7.7Ω from the current 12Ω;
• • address tendency of tuners to come loose.

All of this in addition, of course, to getting the action and intonation correct. I played it some last night and it's a workout the way it is! And it's not a 12 string v. 6 string thing, my acoustic 12 string is easy compared to this, with heavier strings, no less.

I was told Mark's work is great, but I prefer someone local, so I can go there, meet him, and heaven forbid, personally retrieve the guitar if the business has troubles. Also, shipping and insurance are not inconsiderable, and I save that, maybe approaching $500 round trip (guess?).

So, thanks, and opinions on what I should have done are most welcome.

Thanks,

jv

jviss wrote:[*]• cut a new nut and widen the string spacing to utilize the full fretboard;

...my acoustic 12 string is easy compared to this, with heavier strings, no less...

jv

Be careful you don't go too wide to "utilize the full fretboard", you may just find yourself falling off the edges.

What is the nut width of your acoustic vs. the 360?

jps wrote: Be careful you don't go too wide to "utilize the full fretboard", you may just find yourself falling off the edges.

What is the nut width of your acoustic vs. the 360?

Acoustic (Takamine F400-S pre-lawsuit): 1 9/16"
Ric 360/12 2012: 1 5/8"

So, not a HUGE difference, to be sure. But the playability comments I made were not related to string spacing, it was the pressure required to fret strings in the 1st position.

!st fret "pressure" is down to nut height (of course, string tension plays into this, too, gauge being only a small part of this as higher gauge strings could potentially, be lower in tension, discounting plain - non-wound - strings, of course). Have you ever had the nut slots filed to the correct height on your 360?

1 9/16" nut width on a 12 string guitar?!?!? Wow, that must feel like a wall of strings.

jps wrote:!st fret "pressure" is down to nut height (of course, string tension plays into this, too, gauge being only a small part of this as higher gauge strings could potentially, be lower in tension, discounting plain - non-wound - strings, of course). Have you ever had the nut slots filed to the correct height on your 360?

1 9/16" nut width on a 12 string guitar?!?!? Wow, that must feel like a wall of strings.

Whoops, no, made a mistake. I just re-measured it, it's 1 13/16". I also re-measured the Ric and it is, indeed, 1 5/8".

That makes more sense given your earlier description.

bdawson7 wrote:Jon and Jim Mouradian may be the best on the eastern seaboard. And they're only in Winchester, MA!

Folowing up, I spoke with Jim Mouradian this morning, seems like a great guy, Rickenbacker enthusiast, and he's a bit backed up now - a good sign. Thanks again for the referral.

jv

I had a lot of fretting difficulties when I first got my 360-12. I finally got a new nut cut for it with the string pairs set closer together. Made a big difference to the playability