My New 4001C64 - Questions, please

dougl · Post by **dougl** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 2:58 am

the problem is clear now -- the screw holes are not countersunk enough to allow the screws to recede flush with the bridge...

i really hate to start drilling on the bridge (this is a new bass, by the way)... will Rickenbacker send me a new bridge? or worst case, what would it cost me to buy a new bridge?

(I would still love to see similar pics for someone else's 4001C64, to verify that the normal state is for the screwheads to be sunk flush with the bridge)

ojobob2 · Post by **ojobob2** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 3:41 am

i had this problem on my bass, tightning did not make the intonation screws fit flush with the bridge. I simply removed the screws, and reinserted them. Maybe thats not the problem here but.....

dougl · Post by **dougl** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 4:07 am

thanks, Owen, for the suggestion... I tried this, and it helped a little (from the original state), but as you can see from the pics, the screws stil do not fit flush

ken_james · Post by **ken_james** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 4:08 am

Does the new horseshoe sound any different than the V63 pu?

dougl · Post by **dougl** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 4:12 am

sorry I can't help with that one.. I have no experience with the V63

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 8:01 am

Doug, new bridges are $45.00 but yours is under warranty so you should be able to get a new one if you don't want to re-countersink the one you have. Call RIC and talk to Kenny. I'm sure if he looks at these pics he'll see you have a problem that's covered under warranty and send you a new one. You may have to send your old one back first though so you may not want to wait. Although I'm sure RIC can come up with a new bridge for you, they don't have any for resale at this time. So if you do send yours back tell Kenny I want to buy it. I need one for my 8-string project!

gpatt5762 · Post by **gpatt5762** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 10:32 am

Doug,

All I can tell you here is, your bridge is normal, mine is just like yours, my screws catch the sheet metal of the tail piece if I were to try and lower mine.

Bottom line: your bass is likely normal, there's nothing wrong with it, and you have no basis for a warranty claim.

Since your bass is brand new, the idea of grinding on a new bass concerns me, and I would reiterate: you may be putting your warranty at risk.

I think you should learn to play your bass the way it is. I have no troubles playing my C64, and do not see mine as a high-action bass.

It won't kill you.

Regards,
Garry

bottom4 · Post by **bottom4** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 12:19 pm

Doug, I agree with Gary. My V63 is the same. I have no problem with it at all. Good Luck!

dougl · Post by **dougl** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 8:07 am

OK, I will adjust what little relief there is in the neck tonight, but seeing as the neck is pretty straight to begin with, I don't expect much improvement in string height.

I will keep you posted. I like this bass too much to not find a way past this relatively minor issue,

Thanks to all who have replied,

lshaia · Post by **lshaia** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 8:47 am

Doug, for what it's worth the string heights in your photo are very similar to what my 4003's were before it received it's nut surgery. I tried to tough it out as some have suggested but after about six weeks of effort decided that a thousand dollar bass which I didn't enjoy playing was a waste of a thousand dollars. I took it to my nearest Ric dealer (45 miles) and let them have their way with it. It's now perfect, although I'm still not very happy that it had to happen. I hope that your situation works out.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 10:29 am

Doug, To me it also looks like the holes on the opposite end of the bridge are not large enough to allow the screw ends to protrude through, it is not normal that the screws will not allow the bridge to be brought all the way down. A friend of mine got a brand new 12 string Ric and the bridge was in backwards! He had to totally disassemble it and change the direction of the screws and saddles. If you are not satisfied with it, there is a problem and if there is a problem, Ric will fix it. Sometimes the nuts are cut high too, which can make the action feel too high. One last thing, most basses play and sound better with a little relief in the neck, I would not over-straighten the neck.

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 10:39 am

What setup do you guys consider OK?

With a slight neck relief of .025" (=the thickness of 1 or 2 business cards) average between the string and the 8th or 9th fret (when string is pressed at the 1st and last frets), 3/32" between the E string and the last fret, 5/64" between the G and the last fret.

Would you consider this too low, too high or just fine?

But of course, higher action yields better sound both acoustically and amplified. There are just some physics laws we can't beat...The matter is to find the best compromise(s).

dave4004 · Post by **dave4004** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 1:43 pm

Paul, I think .025" is a lot of relief. Most manufacturers would call that too much. I'd say .014-.016" would be a generous amount, with .008-.010" considered slight. I have gone as much as .020" on certain basses. But whatever works for you is OK.

I always measure at the top of the eighth fret, with the strings pressed at the third and fifteenth frets.

I think your string heights are just fine.

dougl · Post by **dougl** » Wed Jun 11, 2003 3:30 pm

OK, I tried adjusting neck relief, but the neck had very little relief to begin with, and this did not help the problem.

Finally, I tried completely removing the intonation screws and holding the saddles in place while I tightened the strings. I was then able to lower the bridge without the interference of the screw heads.

As expected, this allowed me to achieve a satisfactory string height.

dougl · Post by **dougl** » Wed Jun 11, 2003 3:35 pm

So I guess my options are:

(1) find new screws with heads that fit more flush on the bridge assembly
or

(2) somehow widen / deepen the screw holes on the bridge assembly so that the existing screws will countersink properly