1997 VB

jaybyrd · Post by **jaybyrd** » Mon Sep 03, 2001 3:09 pm

Are these Ricks with the vibrato attached hard to keep in tune? If so, will removing the vibrato arm help? I am considering getting one of these and am curious. Any comments would be appreciated.

jaybyrd · Post by **jaybyrd** » Sat Sep 15, 2001 11:17 am

OK. Maybe not.

axel · Post by **axel** » Sat Sep 15, 2001 12:15 pm

Jaybyrd,
the only experience I've had was putting one on a 320 and it was hell - impossible to keep in tune... even without using the accent. (strings were .12-.52) I kept it for a week and played it quite a lot - it seemed like the strings would never settle down...

Maybe it was the shortscale, maybe the accent, maybe both ; but I will never put one of these on any of my ricks.
The same lad who asked me to do the 320 mod. left me his v59 (bigsby) for a week - by far better : it does stay in tune (but don't go reach for the octave) and nicer feel also.

jaybyrd · Post by **jaybyrd** » Sun Sep 16, 2001 12:56 pm

Thanks, Axel.

That is what I was afraid of. I saw a used 1997VB and was considering buying it, but it seemed that I remembered some time ago someone saying the same sort of thing that you did. I think I will just continue to search for a 1997 without the VB. I appreciate your help.

chucksimms · Post by **chucksimms** » Sun Sep 16, 2001 2:36 pm

I have a '66 335 with the accent vibrato. It stays in tune just fine; if you're just doing little Ventures type twangy stuff no problem. You won't be playing any Van Halen stuff though. The only bump I've hit is I have to use a light gauge of strings for the arm to clear the volume knobs. Now, my mid 80's 325 was a different story...

rkbsound · Post by **rkbsound** » Sun Sep 16, 2001 3:54 pm

Funny, because I have the same guitar as Chuck. I use heavy strings to KEEP it in tune. It was terrible with lighter strings. I have no arm on the Accent, so it's not an issue for me.

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Mon Sep 17, 2001 5:58 am

The Accent still exists, of course, only for historical reasons, certainly not for its good operation. However, I think it's fair to say the same about a Bigsby as well.

In the case of a 3/4 scale guitar like a 325, string choice is quite critical with the Accent. The standard 12-16-24W-32-42-54 (equivalent to light strings on a full scale) is really the minimum weight set that should be used if tuning is to be maintained.

On a full scale guitar, it's nowhere near as critical and the 10-13-17-26-34-42 is a good starting point. One notch heavier and there should be no tuning problems. Just bend the arm to clear the knobs.

Let's just not lose sight of the fact that the Accent is a 1950's design and elegant for the era at that. But it can't begin to be considered in the same terms of modern vibrato units, such as our Hi Tech. It's a trade-off between looks and simplicity vs. performance.

axel · Post by **axel** » Mon Sep 17, 2001 11:41 am

On which model(s) is the 'HiTech' available? I just scouted the RIC site again and found no notice of its existence..
Would it be a soon-to-appear novelty, ready to be unveiled with a redesigned 650 series ?

a

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Mon Sep 17, 2001 6:40 pm

Try this:

650 Overview

justonwo · Post by **justonwo** » Mon Sep 17, 2001 7:00 pm

This page actually shows a nice close-up of the 650 vibrato unit. Looks like an EXCELLENT bridge to me . . .

http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/mccorp/feature650D.html

sir_andrew_of_left_coast · Tue Sep 18, 2001 6:11 am

Hey! That's MY guitar, Juston!

sir_andrew_of_left_coast · Tue Sep 18, 2001 6:19 am

Regarding the "name" of this vibrato...

On the Special Order Options page:

http://www.rickenbacker.com/us/options.htm

...it is called a "High performance vibrato system."

From the Component and Assembly Diagrams section:

http://www.rickenbacker.com/pdf/vibratos.pdf

...(scroll down to bottom) it is called a "Hi-Tek Vibrato Assembly."

Above, JH called it "Hi Tech."

Hi Tech, High Performance, Hi-Tek... take your pick. It's a good unit!

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Tue Sep 18, 2001 12:04 pm

It's the "Not-an-Accent, Not-a-Bigsy" vibrato. But Hi-Tek is actually the correct name, no matter what I called it before.