Hi frett buzz with new rick 330

[ReelAroundtheFountain]

i gota new rick 330 and the A string and sometimes the G string buzzes majorly, but mostly the A string. The problem is more noticable when the little switch thingy is sit to middle.
how can i fix this?
also how would one go about removing the bridge cover

[admin]

Welcome to the RickResource forum Yilin.

You can remove the pickup cover by unscrewing the two screws holding it onto the bridge. You will get more assistance by posting under the Vibrola topic on this board.

It certainly sounds like an adjustment is required at this time. While you are waiting for a detailed assessment, check how the strings are seated in the bridge saddles and at the nut for the strings in question. Also make sure that the bridge is level.

As a brief experiment, after loosening all your strings you can raise the bridge slightly by turning all of the bridge adjustment screws slightly (there are four) in a clockwise direction using an allen key. Then tune your instrument back to pitch. If this solves your problem you will then have to consider whether the string clearance is acceptable to you. There is a procedure for set up which we will talk you through once you have tried this preliminary adjustment.

[ReelAroundtheFountain]

Thank you, before i posted i did try to use the allen key on all 4 turning clockwise which helped a bit and than i got to the point where i coudlnt turn anymore--- but i did this with all the strings in tune and not loosened should i try that again

i think the bridge saddles and the nut looks fine though im no expert perhaps i should take a picture?


i tried to get rid of the bridge cover but i couldn't get rid of the screw on the left it was like welded in

[admin]

Yes, you must take the tension off the strings before trying to raise the bridge.

[ReelAroundtheFountain]

ok i tried that it helped a bit with other strings but not so much with A string

i made a sound file of this problem basically what happens is past the 5th fret theres no buzzing, but open and 1st 5 there is
m picking like moderate hardness


http://www.zshare.net/audio/4979891b703720/

at around like 22 seconds what im doing is picking open A string at like 20th fret, which makes it a lot worse- buts its on none of the other strings

[admin]

Yilin: Hold down the low E string at the 5th fret. Does the string touch any of the first four frets? Also hold down the low E at the first and 15th fret. Can you see evidence of a convex or concave bow?

[beatlefreak]

Let's back up a bit. The previous discussion assumes that what is happening is fret buzz, but I don't think that has been determined. String buzzing can come from several sources, including a bad string (you can get a bum string even in a new set), the frets (truss rod misadjustment), the bridge (loose height adjustment or saddle adjustment screw), the nut (string slot too wide), the area of the strings between the bridge and the tailpiece (sympathetic vibrations), etc. The source of the buzz must be determined. If you can't pinpoint the origin of the buzz directly, then start by eliminating the areas of the guitar that are not causing it.

You posted that the switch in the middle position makes it worse. Try holding the switch in position (a piece of masking tape will help with this), and see if the buzz is eliminated. If so, then the switch must be 'tightened up' by removing the pickguard and gently bending the contacts with a pair of needlenose pliers. If the switch is not the culprit, continue on.

Next, check the bridge for loose adjustment screws. Using the allen keys that should be supplied with your guitar, gently snug up the four height adjustment screws. If the buzz is still there, snug up the six saddle adjustment screws. RIC saddles are machined to such tight tolerances that if someone adjust a saddle forward (towards the headstock) when setting intonation, the screw has a tendency to back out, and can rattle. For this reason, when adjusting the saddles forward, it's best to remove the string from the saddle slot and help the saddle forward with your finger. Intonation should always be set with the fretted octave note sharp (saddle too far forward), then tightening the adjustment screw to move the saddle back until proper intonation of the string is achieved.

Make sure the strings in the area between the bridge and tailpiece aren't vibrating and causing a buzz by placing your palm across them. Also try changing the string to ensure that it is not just a bad string. Even though you're getting buzzing on two different strings, remember that a buzz can be caused by a sympathetic vibration from another string.

Make sure that a slot in the nut is not too wide. A magnifying glass may help with this. Move each string from side to side, and look for play in the nut slot. There shouldn't be any - If there is, a new nut would have to be cut. Also check the saddle slots to be sure that they are cut deeply enough, and not cut too wide (which can cause side to side rattle).

If all these things are eliminated, you probably are dealing with fret buzz, most likely caused by improper neck adjustment. A complete setup (truss rods adjustment, bridge height adjustment, intonation - in that order) should be performed. A 24" straightedge (ruler) with it's edge laid across the frets (first on the low string side, then on the high string side) is the best way to check for neck flatness, the vast majority of Rickenbackers perform best with an absolutely flat neck. A very small percentage of them need just a slight bow (slight space between the straightedge and the frets in the middle of the neck). Follow the procedures in the manual for adjusting the truss rods. If you don't have a hard copy of the manual, you can access an online version of it here:
http://www.rickenbacker.com/pdfs/manual.pdf

After the neck is adjusted, set your bridge height for lowest possible action with no fret buzz. Remember to follow Peter's advice about removing tension on the strings before attempting to raise the bridge, so you won't run the risk of stripping out the height adjustment screws. Finally, with a new set of strings installed, set the intonation (so the guitar will play in tune with itself all the way up the neck). All of these step are covered in the manual. As always, your fellow forumites are here to answer any questions you have.

Good luck, and welcome to the forum!

[ReelAroundtheFountain]

im pretty sure its the neck now i did all the things and nothing happened, i went to another guitar forum and they said if you hold last and 1st fret down and you see string touching 10th fret than truss rods need to be loosened... and that was exactly what was happening on my A string... so how do i loosen my trussrods?

clock wise or counterclockwise? with headstock facing me

should i loosen both at same time? (my G string (no jokes please) also rattles slightly when fretted at first 3 frets but not open)

[paologregorio]

"Lefty Loosey, Righty-tighty"

-Counterclockwise to loosen
-Clockwise to tighten

If you're removing your bridge cover, the best thing to do with the screws after the cover has been removed is to replace them in the screw hole;p it keeps the screws from getting lost, and the screws fill the holes thereby eliminating the look that something's missignfrom you guitar.

You mentioned that one of the bridge cover screws was stuck in place. Were you able to remove it? You might want to use a drop or two of penetrating oil on the screw if it won't budge, but exercise caution to avoid getting the oil on the finish of your guitar.

[jingle_jangle]

Sounds like a back-bow in the neck. If you turned the bridge screws all the way in (raising the bridge to max height) and it still buzzes, there is a neck relief problem and maybe a high fret or two. Ideally, on a Rick guitar, the bridge should be at roughly the middle of the screws' travel, and the fretboard absolutely flat when checked with a straightedge. Some players prefer a bit of relief on the neck, however, and this can be dialed in after the neck is allowed to settle absolutely flat. Setting the neck flat by adjusting the truss rods also allows you to check for the occasional high fret, too. This needs to be done before any other adjustments are carried out (relief and intonation), and any high frets should be levelled at this time with the neck absolutely flat.

Truss rod adjustments should not be done without a lot of analysis and a bit of experience or experienced guidance. The RIC manual covers this in good detail; you SHOULD use a RIC truss rod adjusting tool or a long-handled 1/4" nut driver with a very thin-walled socket. Do not under any circumstances use a socket wrench (ratchet) or breaker bar, no matter how short the handle is. When re-tightening the rods, you have the potential of putting too much torque on the truss rod nuts, possibly snapping a rod or popping the fretboard off the neck.

Turning the nuts counterclockwise lessens tension on the neck and allows the string tension to bend the neck toward the strings.

Disregard what other forums say unless they are talking specifically about Rickenbackers. Ricks are designed to have NO relief (concavity) on the fretboard; the geometry is such that the nut and bridge should determine string height and clearance.

Loosen both rods with the strings at tension first. It will take awhile for the neck to assume an "at rest" position: possibly days, although you should see some results immediately, with the strings at pitch. Next, loosen the strings. You can do this right away;the purpose of leaving them at pitch briefly will allow you to see the neck go from back-bow to forward-bow, that's all. You don't need to remove the strings; just let them stay loose and in place. I'd also put the bridge into roughly the middle of its vertical travel at this time.

Once the neck is neutral (no truss rod tension and no string tension), let it rest for a day or two in the case. Then you can snug up the nuts until you just begin to feel a bit of resistance in the nuts. Now, re-tune to pitch. Look for relief in the fretboard with a precision steel scale (ruler). There should be a bit. Next, turn both truss rods a quarter-turn (this applies to either old-style or new-style truss rods; procedure varies in that the old style rods need to have the neck held in tension by hand before tightening). Let the guitar sit for a day or two with just the quarter-turn adjustment; measure relief again. If the neck is flat, you're basically home free, although you should check it again in a week or two. If your back-bow has returned (unlikely), loosen the rods a bit; if there's still relief, you need to turn the rods another quarter-turn and let the guitar rest again, etc.

If you find that, after fret flattening and performing this careful adjustment, the strings are still buzzing, raise the bridge a tad. If your bridge still must be raised, you have a warped neck. If the bridge must be lowered excessively, the neck must be re-set, not a job for amateurs.

I think the problems with your guitar can probably be corrected using fret-flattening and/or the procedure above. But remember: Use a nut-driver, NOT a socket wrench!

BTW, oil dripped on the varnished surface of the guitar won't harm it as long as it's wiped off. However, if the finish is missing in an area or if it's checked, don't get oil into the raw wood.

[rickenrocker]

speaking of setting the intonation on a rick, I am extremely frustrated every time I do this, the screws all unscrew by the head of the screw and I can't push them back in

am I the only one that thinks this design is completely flawed?

what is the reasoning for keeping the bridge this way?

[jingle_jangle]

Your intonation screws keep screwing out because the bridge saddles are dragging on the floor of the bridge channel, and possibly the springs are missing from the intonation screws. You didn't mention how old/new the guitar in question is. Apparently it's old enough to have suffered some neglect, but young enough not to have the locknuts that once were a feature of this design.

Philosophically speaking (of course...) you're not the only one to believe any one thing. Generally, there will always be a group of people who are critical of the status quo, especially when it involves things of a certain complexity. Specifically, I would call the traditional Rick bridge design a "workmanlike solution". It breaks the problems of bridge height and intonation down into a relatively simple statements, and finds a solution to each problem from both theoretical and practical standpoints, and then creates a matrix (if you will) to house both solutions. However, it does require a bit of maintenance if the adjustments are to be maintained. Most folks just set the intonation and leave it alone, and the individual saddles freeze over time. It's like my Maserati mechanic used to say: "You can't treat a Maser like a Buick". But lots of folks don't empathize with something that needs a modicum of attention, and would rather use something that doesn't require occasional fiddling. I sympathize with this, too; life is busy and not getting any less so.

A Fender Tele bridge, for instance, has half the number of pieces but half the adjustment range for string height. But it's definitely a cool solution! A Gibson die-cast bridge has no provision for intonation whatsoever, and string heights can't be varied too much from bass to treble. I have a couple of Gretsches with Rocking Bar bridges which have no intonation compensation whatsoever.

Ricks of newer design, like 650s and the lamented 380L, use bridges of a newer and more conventional design that works very well and provide better sustain. Horses for courses, I say.

What's the reasoning behind keeping the bridge as it is on most Ricks? It works, it's very adjustable. Oh, and tradition. Important with Ricks; maybe I should have said it first.

[rickenrocker]

maybe I'm just letting my frustration get the better of me, but I just can't get this to adjust, there is one string (D) which is very smooth and feels like every string ought to, but everything else I almost broke the allen wrench to get it to initially move, let alone smooth like the D string

I apologize for not mentioning the year/model, this is a 620/6 built in jan of 2007

The screw just comes out of the hole eventually. Im ready to take it apart and slather everything in axel grease

also, must the R piece be removed to adjust the B and E strings?

[ReelAroundtheFountain]

for some reason the g and b strings on my ric is a lot louder than the other strings....

[jingle_jangle]

Whoa, it's fast and furious...these problems are really "Vibrato" column issues, where posting them will benefit other players, too.

As I mentioned, if the screw comes out of the hole eventually, something is binding in the bridge. I'd loosen the strings, pull 'em aside, and remove the bridge.

Careful inspection
will reveal source of your problems
(sorry, not haiku thread...)

This may be unfair, but I detect a bit of impatience in your manner, and this is counterproductive where Ricks are concerned. You need to be analytical and gentle. The tailpiece does not need to be removed to adjust any strings--I suggest using the short end of the allen wrench, and if it's not short enough, get a shorter one or grind a bit off.

Reel, it could be your strings and it could be that your polepieces are out of adjustment or the pickup height is wrong. Has anybody messed with the guitar? Is it really new, or did it sit on a dealer's wall or get visited by his (non-Rick) "tech"? Try a new set of 10/42 Rick strings.