The bridge thread.....let's be nice and civil....

[espidog]

Y'know what? This is just my hunch, but I'm wondering whether these curiosities might be leftover hardware from some long-forgotten lawsuit-inducing production run of Ric-a-likes. Discuss...

[woodyng]

#1 on why remake it if it has the same "problems" --that thing looks even more like the front end of a post-war buick - a real knuckle-gouger! yechhh...

[aceonbass]

I don't think this was ever intended as a replacement for a stock tailpiece because none of the screw holes line up with the ones on a Rick. I saw something very similar to this on a Rickenfaker on a Japanese website once.

[bassassin]

I don't think this was ever intended as a replacement for a stock tailpiece because none of the screw holes line up with the ones on a Rick. I saw something very similar to this on a Rickenfaker on a Japanese website once.

You're right - it's from a German-made Hoyer:




Interesting - the tuners on this are Schaller M4S - so I wonder if the bridge is an old Schaller design too. It has roller spacing adjustment like the Schaller 3D.

Jon.

[aceonbass]

Those tuners aren't M4s. They look like Grover Titans or a similar Schaller variant.

[jingle_jangle]

That bass looks like a demonstrator for Random Pickup Combinations, Inc.

[bassassin]

The P unit in the middle is a later addition, I'm sure! Going on other pics it's just screwed onto the surface, rather than properly routed.

Dane - tuners are full-size M4S rather than the smaller M4:



They look a lot like Grover Titans except they're fitted slightly differently.

Call me a philistine but I really like this bass!

J.

[espidog]

The checker binding's pretty!

[Heike]

If 7-bolt tailpieces kill the tone, a Hipshot would even more, because both add surface contact to the body of the bass, only the Hipshot does moreso. Personally I think that's why they add such a kick to a lot of the low frequencies but I can't be sure.

Sonic coupling is improved. The improved bass response (as well as sustain) should be more of due to the material — if we're talking about the brass version here.

Another effect I noted is that response now is perfectly even along the fretboard. With the stock bridge notes in the highest positions even were most shining.

But then, rendering the C64 less bass-shy is the main reason why I'm still happy with it for the most part. I also like the handling much better (YMMV, 'acourse). Yet, if they did something like an "Hipshot A for Rickenbacker Mount" (like they've recently done for Fender), I wouldn't mind another upgrade.