Bridge lift on the 4003S/5 SPC - advice, please!

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 12:40 am

Ah, but all of the puns are real buttes ... you guys have me over a beryl!

(Thanks for the vote, Scott!

)

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 4:54 pm

getting away from the puns ... let us know how the worst case of bass bridge pullup ever turns out ...

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 11:06 pm

Will do Jeff, I think I will start trying the "slow rebend by clamping" technique in the next day or two.

keb · Post by **keb** » Sun Oct 30, 2005 5:12 am

Interesting that the powder coating process affects the strength of the bridge metal. From what I've noticed over time, the black bridges seem more likely to lift than the chromed ones. I know the black bridge on my own 4003 was suffering from lift.

I've added the two extra screws to hold it down.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Sun Oct 30, 2005 4:11 pm

Gary ... you might have to put in a couple of neck bolt screws to hold that tailpiece down securely ... I can modify a normal ric tailpiece to be almost identical to that one and you can send it out to be black powder coated and install it ... and I can modify an allparts tailpiece as well ...

marc61 · Post by **marc61** » Sun Oct 30, 2005 4:17 pm

Anyway to make this a 5 string tailpiece?

http://cgi.ebay.com/HIPSHOT-BLACK-BRIDGE-FOR-RICKENBACKER-4001-4003-BASS_W0QQitemZ7358267749QQcategoryZ41407QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

kcole4001 · Post by **kcole4001** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 6:11 am

I'd be into that too!

wim · Post by **wim** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 7:21 am

virtually impossible to convert that.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 8:20 am

it can be done and I was talking with hipshot about getting a base casting to work with ... but I already worked out a system that works with an allparts tailpiece ...

marc61 · Post by **marc61** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 8:35 am

It would be nice to do with the hipshot because it's a much stronger tailpiece. Heavy though.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 8:45 am

I would have to get a blank without the holes drilled and then have my machinist make custom saddles ... it would cost about $200 or more each to do some of those ... but ya ... they would be cool ... or it would be better if hipshot made a 5 string version ... maybe a bunch of us can all request them so there is enough demand for the 5 string version ...

also the Kahler adjustable 5 sting bridge could work ... I use them on my 2030 4-2-5 basses sometimes ... the really add sustain more than any other birdge that I have used ...

kcole4001 · Post by **kcole4001** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 11:30 am

I really like the similarity of the Hipshot to the original Rick piece.

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 9:27 pm

O.K., back on topic.

I have started the rebend procedure. This all started yesterday (November 2nd).

I was uncomfortable doing the procedure with the tailpiece on the guitar, so I took the tailpiece off and mounted it to a scrap piece of wood:

I measured the lift to be 32 mm on the left and 33 mm on the right. I then clamped the tailpiece and applied some pressure:

Today, the lift was around 14 mm on the left and 15 mm on the right when I measured it earlier this evening, so it seems to be working.

I was not happy with the way the tailpiece was resting on the wood, so I took the set-up apart and chiseled out a space similar to the rout on the guitar so that the tailpiece would lie flat as it should. It is now clamped up again, and I will report on my progress tomorrow.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Fri Nov 04, 2005 4:02 am

damn ... that looks like it was rear ended by a mack truck ...

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Fri Nov 04, 2005 9:47 am

Maybe a previous owner had all the strings tuned an octave higher.

I guess it could have been worse - if the neck had been the part not able to take the tension!