So I'm an idiot.
Let me start off by saying that.
I developed a bow in the neck of my 360/6. I'm not going to tell you how I did it. I'm ashamed. I know that this can be ironed out with no problem with the correct truss rod adjustment. The problem is I have no idea where to start. Any suggestions? The bow is honestly not that bad and occurs on or about the seventh fret.
Also, I believe that in the course of a few years playing, the position of my bridge has likely become less than perfect. This is because the screws that adjust the height sometimes loosen and rattle if the thing is not perfectly level (I'm only human!). They have to be retightened (incorrectly, by me), and the process begins again. I'd like to start from scratch here. What tools do I need? How does one make the bridge perfectly level so that I can adjust the action as low as I can, especially once this neck problem gets cleared up (see above)?
Any advice on either of these who topics?
admin, feel free to spilt this topic if it becomes too confusing. I'm just lookin' to see what others know about this mystery.
360/6 truss rod and bridge adjustment suggestions!
Moderator: jingle_jangle
-
jingle_jangle
- RRF Moderator
- Posts: 22679
- Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:00 am
- Contact:
First, forget about the six-to-twelve conversion. Of course it's possible. So's a two-headed Volkswagen. 'Nuff said on THAT one.
You don't say whether it's a concave or convex bow. Looking down the neck from the nut towards the bridge, would the 7th fret be on a hill or in a hollow? Put an 18" straightedge on the frets between two of the strings. If it's concave, how much light can you see under the 7th fret? That's how much you need to take out. If the 7th is on a hill, you'll have to straighten it until the hill is gone. Tighten the nuts to remove concavity, loosen them to allow the strings to put it back in.
What strings have you been running? May I suggest sticking roughly with the range of Rick recommended strings for awhile if you've been using anything freeky? (like .008s or .013 flats on a standard-scale Rick)...
If your neck is concave, follow the directions in the Rick owner's manual to TIGHTEN the truss rods. But first loosen the strings, back off the truss rod nuts, and put some lubriplate grease (only a dab) on the threaded part of the rods. Put the nuts back on.
It pays to invest in a RIC truss rod tool ($15) which you can buy from RIC parts or one of the dealers like Mike or Chris or NCM. Otherwise a socket driver with a 1/4" 6-point socket will do the trick. It should be as thin a wall as possible on the socket, however. Cheap junk sockets have thick walls and will chew up the neck. Remember the Rick-o-Cratic Oath which all of us Rickenfixers are required to take:
"First, do no harm!"
Have a friend help by immobilizing the body down on a towel on a sturdy tabletop and push the neck into the position desired while you tighten the nuts into position.
Put fresh .010-.046 Rick strings on and let things settle for awhile then check again after a few days and touch up the adjustments.
NEVER use a socket wrench (ratchet or small breaker bar) to adjust a Rick truss rod nut. You can apply too much torque and either snap the nut right off or , worse, pop the fretboard right off the guitar. That's a few hundred bucks worth of repairs and refinishing before you can try adjusting the truss rods again!
Bridge: First the neck needs to be absolutely straight and the set should be nearly perfect. If the neck set is off, your bridge is going to be either way up (rare) or way down (more common) in its travel. Start with all of the adjustment screws in the exact middle of their travel. I loosen all the strings and slide the bridge out, set the screws while the bridge is resting on a flat surface, and pop it back in under the strings. Tighten the strings (no tuning necessary yet) and check the string clearance. Lower the bridge to lower the strings, but keep the bridge level. Whenever you lower or raise a screw, do the same to all three others. Do this by feel. If one screw feels loose, tighten it until you can just feel some resistance, then let it be.
Once I'm done with this, I usually take a toothpick and apply a drop of red Loctite on each screw and let it sit for an hour or more. No problems with anything coming loose in playing, but you can break it loose with an Allen wrench if necessary.
Um, a Fender Jaguar/Jazzmaster bridge has 12 Allen setscrews and 6 Phillips head intonation screws...so Rick players don't have it so tough.
You don't say whether it's a concave or convex bow. Looking down the neck from the nut towards the bridge, would the 7th fret be on a hill or in a hollow? Put an 18" straightedge on the frets between two of the strings. If it's concave, how much light can you see under the 7th fret? That's how much you need to take out. If the 7th is on a hill, you'll have to straighten it until the hill is gone. Tighten the nuts to remove concavity, loosen them to allow the strings to put it back in.
What strings have you been running? May I suggest sticking roughly with the range of Rick recommended strings for awhile if you've been using anything freeky? (like .008s or .013 flats on a standard-scale Rick)...
If your neck is concave, follow the directions in the Rick owner's manual to TIGHTEN the truss rods. But first loosen the strings, back off the truss rod nuts, and put some lubriplate grease (only a dab) on the threaded part of the rods. Put the nuts back on.
It pays to invest in a RIC truss rod tool ($15) which you can buy from RIC parts or one of the dealers like Mike or Chris or NCM. Otherwise a socket driver with a 1/4" 6-point socket will do the trick. It should be as thin a wall as possible on the socket, however. Cheap junk sockets have thick walls and will chew up the neck. Remember the Rick-o-Cratic Oath which all of us Rickenfixers are required to take:
"First, do no harm!"
Have a friend help by immobilizing the body down on a towel on a sturdy tabletop and push the neck into the position desired while you tighten the nuts into position.
Put fresh .010-.046 Rick strings on and let things settle for awhile then check again after a few days and touch up the adjustments.
NEVER use a socket wrench (ratchet or small breaker bar) to adjust a Rick truss rod nut. You can apply too much torque and either snap the nut right off or , worse, pop the fretboard right off the guitar. That's a few hundred bucks worth of repairs and refinishing before you can try adjusting the truss rods again!
Bridge: First the neck needs to be absolutely straight and the set should be nearly perfect. If the neck set is off, your bridge is going to be either way up (rare) or way down (more common) in its travel. Start with all of the adjustment screws in the exact middle of their travel. I loosen all the strings and slide the bridge out, set the screws while the bridge is resting on a flat surface, and pop it back in under the strings. Tighten the strings (no tuning necessary yet) and check the string clearance. Lower the bridge to lower the strings, but keep the bridge level. Whenever you lower or raise a screw, do the same to all three others. Do this by feel. If one screw feels loose, tighten it until you can just feel some resistance, then let it be.
Once I'm done with this, I usually take a toothpick and apply a drop of red Loctite on each screw and let it sit for an hour or more. No problems with anything coming loose in playing, but you can break it loose with an Allen wrench if necessary.
Um, a Fender Jaguar/Jazzmaster bridge has 12 Allen setscrews and 6 Phillips head intonation screws...so Rick players don't have it so tough.
“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
― Kurt Vonnegut
-
sloop_john_b
- Rick-a-holic
- Posts: 13843
- Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2005 6:00 am
Paul, should the neck be absolutley pin-straight? I thought I remembered hearing someone say there should be a little bit concave bow in it. I'm asking because i'm still mustering up the courage to adjust my own Ricks (I don't trust anybody around here) and want to be absolutley certain as to what i'm doing, like Justin.
-
jingle_jangle
- RRF Moderator
- Posts: 22679
- Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:00 am
- Contact:
RIC recommends no relief on the neck, for good reason. Of course, a Rick neck can be set up with a little relief according to personal taste. I find they play great when absolutely straight.
Rick necks are so very responsive, both to playing and to adjustment. I liken them to archery bows, with the truss rods providing the spring to counteract the strings' tension.
Play an open chord and pull the neck toward you while holding the chord and letting it ring. Poor man's vibrato, although no one who owns a Rick is poor in any sense!
Rick necks are so very responsive, both to playing and to adjustment. I liken them to archery bows, with the truss rods providing the spring to counteract the strings' tension.
Play an open chord and pull the neck toward you while holding the chord and letting it ring. Poor man's vibrato, although no one who owns a Rick is poor in any sense!
“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
― Kurt Vonnegut
-
dale_fortune
- Intermediate Member
- Posts: 1241
- Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2004 6:00 am
Justin, if your 360 is not a collectors piece and you want a 12 more than a 6 string then go for it. I do this modification for about $200.00 plus parts. You will need 1 set of tuning machines, a 12 way Rick Bridge and a set of strings. You may want to seek out a local shop that has experience in this type of modification since the shipping is so expensive going 2 ways. I have over 35 years experience at this and worked in the Rickenbacker Factory during the early 70's, although I don't know much about 2 headed Volkswagens, I do know Rickenbackers.
-
jingle_jangle
- RRF Moderator
- Posts: 22679
- Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:00 am
- Contact:
Oh, yeah, the so-called "porcupine" conversion...
Welcome back, Dale! It gets lonely being the only opinionated, crotchety old ba**ard around these parts. We are all glad to see that you're back at it!!!
Welcome back, Dale! It gets lonely being the only opinionated, crotchety old ba**ard around these parts. We are all glad to see that you're back at it!!!
“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
― Kurt Vonnegut
-
dale_fortune
- Intermediate Member
- Posts: 1241
- Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2004 6:00 am
-
jingle_jangle
- RRF Moderator
- Posts: 22679
- Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:00 am
- Contact:
Can't keep a good surfer/great luthier down for too long...
"Porcupine" is a visual metaphor. Think headstock.
"Porcupine" is a visual metaphor. Think headstock.
“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
― Kurt Vonnegut