Why can't I get my 4003 neck STRAIGHT?

elgranluis · Post by **elgranluis** » Sun May 29, 2005 5:01 pm

I mean, this si driving me nuts! When i got my bass new, I thought the action was a bit high. I turned the rod nuts a bit. Nothing happened. I turned them a bit more. Nothing happened. I left it there, since sometimes I get paranoid about things. Anyway, A year later, after not using the ric above fret 5, I realize that the action is really high, maybe 1 cm at the highest point. So I say to myself "I'm gonna straighten the neck even if it's the last thing I do." Well, The rods have been turned maybe 5 complete turns and the neck is not yet straight. I mean, the rods are working, because the neck actually straightened up a bit, but the neck is far from straight. Anyone encountered such thing before? How can i fight it? thanks!

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Sun May 29, 2005 5:41 pm

most Ric necks will go beyond straight to convex ... I have seen one that didn't ...

Try lowering the bridge ...

try lighter strings ...

check the nut ... is it cut too high? do you need to cut the grooves deeper ...

try a few more turns on the rods ... not too many though ...

take the bass to an expert ...

if you can't get the action low and the bass is new then return it ...

dale_fortune · Post by **dale_fortune** » Sun May 29, 2005 5:49 pm

Back the strings off so it's detuned, check the bow in the neck. Tighten the rods so there is a downward bow(convex) the amount of bow in the neck will depend on the type and guage of strings you are using. Heavy strings will require more truss rods tension. Retune to pitch and check. Repeat till you get it right. Most of the time time E side requires more tension than the G side. If this doesn't work, maybe you need to take your Bass to a shop and have it checked.

elgranluis · Post by **elgranluis** » Sun May 29, 2005 6:13 pm

I am not sure a bum at a shop can do much more than me about turning a wrench. Jeff: the nut is high, like any new ric, but the bow is from fret 3, and from 17 on, the strings get closer to the neck again. I could lower the bridge, but that would just make the ric fret out at the last frets. I donnt know, I guess I'll crank it a bit more. Worse thing that can happen is breaking a rod right?

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Sun May 29, 2005 6:43 pm

or learn to like E flat tunning ...

if you break rods and need to replace Rods ... it is not that hard to do ...

dale_fortune · Post by **dale_fortune** » Mon May 30, 2005 4:27 am

Doesn't sound very encouraging, bum's working in repair shops.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon May 30, 2005 4:33 am

how old is it?

who did you buy it from?

maybe return it or sell it on ebay and get a good one ... bad rics are few and far between ... if you are anywhere mear southeast Michigan then bring it by my workshop and I will try to adjust it ...

basshawk · Post by **basshawk** » Mon May 30, 2005 6:15 am

Didn't know your job came with a classification, did you Dale?

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Mon May 30, 2005 6:49 am

Could be an ESL problem...

dale_fortune · Post by **dale_fortune** » Mon May 30, 2005 8:03 am

Well I've been refered to as many things, but never a bum, except in the early 60's when all i did was surf and play guitar.

admin · Post by **admin** » Mon May 30, 2005 9:02 am

"Worse thing that can happen is breaking a rod right?"

Luis you could add popping the fret board to this short list. Go carefully. Sometimes, throught years of experience, the "bums" at the shop know better when to stop than the rest of us.

In the end it can save a lot of expense and heartache.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Mon May 30, 2005 1:11 pm

Are they getting hard to turn? If not they are either not tight yet or are stripped. Sometimes the longer a neck has been severely bowed the harder it is to get it back to normal, tighten them until they get tight then wait a few days, it may take a while to get it back to normal (could even be months), above all as Peter intimated don't force it, don't try to rush it, if the truss rods are ok it should straighten out eventually even if it is really bad, what kind of strings do you have on it? Also help it along, I take the tension off all basses when I adjust the truss rods, both 4001's and 4003's. Just push the neck backwards while turning the rods, there are many ways to do this by yourself.

cheyenne · Post by **cheyenne** » Mon May 30, 2005 3:42 pm

Did I read " A year later " somewhere in there??

If you think you have a neck problem, dont wait a year to look into it.

I had a similar problem with my BB 4003, contacted the dealer, (Mike Parks, who by the way was outstanding!),I sent the bass back to him, he contacted me upon evaluating the bass, we agreed to send it back to RIC, enter Kenny Howes, who made sure everything and everyone was confortable with the situation, the bass was repaired and shipped directly back to me. ALL UNDER WARRENTY.

I come from a quality control backround, and I realize that as hard as you try to be perfect in your product, occasionally one with a problem will slip under the wire. Its the "after the deal is done" policy that kicks in at this point.

Rickenbacker took care of the problem in a quick and efficient manner. Mike Parks at www.the-music-connection.com did an outstanding job as the dealer-middle man.

I've got my new Blueboy 4003, and she plays, and sounds great.

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:33 pm

Great testimony to Mike Parks and Rickenbacker, Scott.

I'm no luthier, but at this point it sounds like the neck may need a heat treament to get the maple in the neck back to a normal shape that can then be adjusted by the truss rods.

BobKat · Post by **BobKat** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 1:13 am

If I am reading the initial post correctly, the bass is still under warranty. That's where I would go. I wouldn't let anyone else touch it.