Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'll bet the reason Ledbye was breaking strings is that the string notches in the original saddles weren't done properly, resulting in sharp edges that dug into the strings till they broke.
This is what I thought and I why I think I was breaking strings originally. So I bought the Ric replacement ...

I know this is an old thread, but I had to post my mod! I was having strings break right, left and centre on my 360...it was getting me down! I had the bridge replaced with new a Ric bridge and it was all good for 6 months, then the strings started breaking again. I dunno what it is, but put it down ...

Well, two gigs and no string breaks = good. Still not convinced though!! I bought the two lowest grade sandpapers (wet and dry papers) from local hardware store and I carefully sanded each saddle down again - maybe this did the trick...

Hi Gary


It is in fact the low e, a and d that I break the most! a and d mostly. It is quite odd. I got the files out yet again earlier and went over them again. I have a gig tonight so I hope it all holds up!

Hi Gary

Thanks for your help with this. I have taken some pics of the bridge and nut (for good measure!).

http://www.ledbyexample.com/aggh/r1.jpg

http://www.ledbyexample.com/aggh/r2.jpg

http://www.ledbyexample.com/aggh/r3.jpg

http://www.ledbyexample.com/aggh/r4.jpg

http://www ...

OK, back onto string break topic....it's happening again and there are definitely no burrs on the saddles. I am getting pretty desperate here! I can't trust it at a gig and it is costing me a fortune in strings!

D'you think I should buy a new bridge and have it fitted? Does anyone know if you can ...

Sure did

Glad I thought about this some more: took everything apart yet again, but used some electrical contact cleaner and a piece of fine grade sandpaper and cleaned the thing up. Put it back together and there are NO MORE CRACKLES! Woo!

Thinking about it though, if it were a problem regarding leads, surely all Ric players would be in the same boat, which makes me think, maybe I have a duff input jack...anyone know where you can buy them?

I thought that I may have a 'dry' solder joint in my jack somehow. I gently reheated each soldered point until it became shiney again. This seems to have helped a little, but not fully. I did dig out another lead (forth tried!) and it has a 'Ream' branded jack on it that was slightly (like 2mm ...

Awesome, I too love threads like this. This one actually reminds me of the J-Bass restoration Tym guitars did...

http://www.tymguitars.com.au/Repairs_64_Jbass.htm

Maybe the bass player was from the band that this guy was in with his Ric!!

I'm gonna go over the jack with a fine tooth tonight I have tried heaps of different leads (and I do use good quality ones) so I don't think it's that.

Yeah, I'm pretty happy to say the least

Now I just need to fix my popping, scratching input jack!! And that, I just don't see the answer too!!! All leads appear to be solder on correctly...could it be the 'dry solder' joints I hear about??

Ok, after a good test an hammering the strings at practice, everything seems to be fine again So after som fine sanding, clean and check over everything I got joy!

Cheers all

OK, took her all apart tonight, cleaned the bridge (I mean, cclllleeeeaaaannneeeddd, the bridge!!), gently filed and sanded each saddle and ran cotton thread through to check for any burrs. Put it all back together and set the intonation...

...now the waiting game! Let's see how long it take me to ...