Setting up the V

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 9:25 am

You can even make you own rods using hardware store items. The only part that may not be readily available is the adjusting nut. I have not been able to buy them from my local hardware stores.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 10:17 am

That nut is one of Rick's secret parts, along with those special TRC screws...

I have found long nuts with the same thread, but they are too big in OD. So I buy gennie RIC ones.

gshadoan · Post by **gshadoan** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 12:38 pm

Jeff, thats not my old S5 is it?

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 12:46 pm

JH said a while back that they should be easy to find. Recently he said that all screws type used by RIC should be available through better hardware stores.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 12:50 pm

Ted, I challenge you or anybody else here to find these two fasteners.

Both are non-standard, and I believe the TRC screw in particular is a proprietary product.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 1:20 pm

Greg nope ... the one I got from you was the white with black trim ... the one pictured I got from another forum member and then sold to someone in California ... it was a 98 4003s5 with black trim ... it was really really clean ... 99.9% perfect ... except the neck would only go almost flat ... whereas most rics you can actually get back bow ... but when I took of the heavy 130 gauge rotosound and put on Ric strings it was acceptable ...

the old 1989 4003s5 that I got from you had a straight neck with the truss rods finger tight ... that is amazing for a 5 string bass ...

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 1:22 pm

Paul: JH had this to say recently in this part of the forum.

"I haven't tried but I honestly believe I could find every screw used on our instruments at my local Home Depot, except that nickel and chrome might have to interchange."

I am not saying they are easy to find, just merely repeating what he said.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 1:53 pm

Ted:

JH and I discussed this topic on that thread (Vibrola, "Screw This"). John's full post was prefaced with "I haven't tried, but I honestly believe"...

The two fasteners I mention cannot be found at any hardware supplier I am familiar with, and I've been in the design and prototyping biz since 1971. I believe them to be custom items. But if anybody can locate them in open stock anywhere on the planet, I'd like to know where.

The other fasteners I regularly buy from McMaster-Carr in LA.

johnv · Post by **johnv** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 5:42 am

Paul and Ted, Go to http://www.mcmaster.com/ and type in 'standoffs' in the 'find' box. I believe you will find what you need as far as adjusting nuts for truss rods.

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 6:15 am

Standoff, eh? I was thinking of them as coupler nuts but at that size standoffs make more more sense. Thanks John.

Paul: The TRC screws look the same as the jack plate screws (with that thick head). I bought a bunch of them from Chris at POTR a while back. I don't know where he gets them but he seems to get them in quantity.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 6:34 am

Same here. You nailed it, John. Thanks very much. Speaking PICKILY, they don't have the exact finish (plain steel), but I'd settle for plated brass or plated steel. (47 cents for brass and a buck sixty for steel).

90308A195 for plated brass. These would have less tendency to freeze up on the mild steel truss rods, and possibly shear when too much torque is applied, without damaging the truss rod threads.

Anybody have any thoughts on this?

I'm sure that Chris buys those TRC/jack plate screws from RIC.

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 7:40 am

You are probably right Paul. Do we know who supples screws to RIC?