Rickenbacker's botique won't let me buy spare parts :(

[flying junk]

Effective September 1, 2007, spare parts and consumable items outside of North America are available only from authorized Rickenbacker distributors. Please refer to the "Dealers" tab above to locate your closest distributor. Music stores authorized by distributors may also be able to supply many common parts and accessories.

This is fine and dandy as long as the authorised dealers have the bits in stock, or can get then from Ric when you need them. In my experience (UK) this has not always been the case. I'm sure they have their reasons, but small wonder the prices are so high and that people are tempted to go 3rd party. A complete bridge with saddles, damper & screws for less than the just the bare Ric tailpiece? Some people will.

[beatlefreak]

PM sent, Gil.

[tomersg]

http://cgi.ebay.com/1970-s-rickenbacker ... 7C294%3A50

[aceonbass]

The notches in those saddles will likely be WAY off for any bass other than the one it came off of. I sold a nicely detailed and polished bridge assembly a couple months ago on Ebay for around $60.00. $129.00 is WAY too much.

[gibsonlp]

Thanks for the flood of PMs guys! I am all set, i'll just buy it from Mike Parks and either ship it to Israel directly or to my inlaws who will ship it to me later on.

Tomer - Thanks, I already saw this auction (been looking at the bay like a madman), my problem is that the slots are too deep and I can't intonate the bass perfectly in the "octaves" section. I have the bridge all the way back and the saddles all the way back and the string is still too short (too high on the 12th fret), this is due to the slots being too deep (and therefor - long...), it seems that at least in the "E" string slot of this bridge, the slots are too deep like in my case, I have lots of space to take my bridge down, I don't care for the increased height of the string due to the shallow slot.
Also, if my eyes are not mistaken - they are off center, which means that they are good only for the instrument they were taken from...

[aceonbass]

Here's a trick to get longer travel on your E string (or any string). Remove the saddle and round off the rear edge that touches the back of the inside of the bridge till it matches the countour of the saddle slot. You'll easily get 1/16" of additional travel or more depending on how much material you take off. Also, only notch the saddles with proper sized nut files to a depth equal to half the string's thickness.

[ilan]

Here's a trick to get longer travel on your E string (or any string). Remove the saddle and round off the rear edge that touches the back of the inside of the bridge till it matches the countour of the saddle slot. You'll easily get 1/16" of additional travel or more depending on how much material you take off.

That sounds like a clever trick!

[aceonbass]

There are many secrets to unlock with the Rick bridge my young Jedi.

[kiramdear]

[gibsonlp]

Apparently parts can no longer be shipped outside north America.
I'll just ship it to my inlaws and have them ship it over.
I wonder what is the reason that causes RIC to disallow shipping of spare parts outside north America.

[aceonbass]

It has to do with violating dealer franchise agreements. I also know that some international entity was ordering a large enough supply of parts that RIC suspected some kind of instrument production was in the works.

[gibsonlp]

But there is no dealer in Israel to violate any franchise agreement.

[aceonbass]

The second part of my answer should answer that question. You didn't specify Israel in your question. Then again, you could always call RIC and ask them.

[tomersg]

Hi Gil.
maybe you can use the service of http://www.mustop.com/ to import the part. that's the way i bought my Ric. but if you have relative in u.s its the best way.
of course its a shame that there is no Israeli distributer for Rickenbacker. what about the Israeli Rickenbacker club that you suggested?

[gibsonlp]

Tomer - I missed your question, sorry...
The club is still waiting for me to have the time to handle it
It's been over 2 years now...