Who can I trust in the UK with the truss rods on a 4002?

[rictified]

Thanks everyone. Awaiting delivery of the appropriate wrench and will see if that can loosen the nuts, failing that Martin will get the call.

Yes, Wints, it's that one.

Slacken the strings a bit, use a wide clamp on the fretboard (protect the fretboard and back of the neck!!) right by the nut and use a flat screwdriver to try and pry the nuts/rods up from the neck wood. When you can get a nut driver on, loosen the nuts on both rods and then pull them out enough to get the nuts off and the aluminum block (note it's orientation) off also, then pull the rods out one at a time. You can then straighten the rods. Reinstall is the reverse of the above.

Use this site to learn and follow along: http://www.joeysbassnotes.com/Rick%20maint.htm

This should help also: http://www.tseint.com/4001project/index.html

That's how I've always done it too, if you are loosening them (which is what you'd be doing) just get them so you can turn them a little bit, putting a clamp around the neck near the nut is important. I have even started them with needle nose pliers, this can chew them up though if you're not careful, how do I know that? mmm....

I have always felt that stock Rick strings were on the light side too and have never had any trouble with them on any 4001 I've owned.

I have always pulled the neck back while I was tightening the truss rods, this takes the string tension off the neck which is what pulls the neck forward, the truss rods counteract this forward pulling force. I put that in in case you overdo loosening the truss rod nuts.

[philipharris]

The tool arrived yesterday (someone's making a big margin on those!) and after a bit of coaxing, some wd40 and a final frustrated smack with a hammer I managed to get the nuts off, straighten the rods to an acceptable degree and move the neck to a point of tiny relief - not much, but just enough to get some clearance at the 6th. The bass will get a run out tonight. Thanks, everyone, for your collective thoughts, links and wisdom.

[ilan]

(someone's making a big margin on those!)

Or you can get this for $3.75



Or this for $4 and it also has a phillips screwdriver

[philipharris]

And, after some delay, here she is. Truss rods successfully tweaked and the neck is arrow straight with an action like a razor blade. Strung with Thomastik Jazz rounds. The Stars Guitars bridge/thu body stringing stayed although we tried a stock Ric bridge - it's as if the bass was built with that in mind; I recall there is some doubt as to whether the mods were made at Ric or later? Anyway, it definitely runs better with the SG bridge.

I've added a personal mod - a standard ric pup-rest, superglued to two strategically-placed lengths of insultation tape just behind the pickguard which cures a problem I was having in fouling the bridge pup with a plec because of the extremely low action and playing position. After realising that a rest in the bridge position generally suited my style, I tried the mod on my 4003 first (seen nestling behind the 4002 on the stand) but (regrettably, in retrospect) had done it with screws - obviously, I didn't fancy that on the 4002. First I tried velcro but it didn't provide certainty or stability. The tape/glue non-destructive method works just as well, is completely reversible and it would take a heck of a knock to dislodge the rest, so securely does it sit, no movement at all , yet it can be peeled off at will.

The ebony fretboard is a joy to play and I even like the jumbo frets. Thanks to Iain for pointing me to Martin at Sims guitars, top result. The 4002 has become one of my main live guitars, alongside the JG 03 and a mud-brown walnut 3001.

[iiipopes]

I adjusted my own truss rods using the traditional techniques with a good helper. My neck is rather beefy to begin with, so I don't have any issue with string tension. I use GHS Progressives in custom gauges, 45-60-80-105, which approaches a standard RIC set.

I did one mod to make mine even more versatile. If your 4002 has the correct factory wiring, in addition to the standard volume & tone controls, it will have a .01 capacitor inline to each pickup, instead of a .0047 to the bridge pickup like on a 4001/3. Now that push-pulls are available, I installed a push-pull on the neck pickup volume knob so I could have that particular capacitor in or out to the neck pickup to get more low end when I want it. I liked it out so much better I made that as the down position.

My 4002 was my only gigging bass for years until my old wrist and elbow injuries started flaring up and I had to go to a fanned fret instrument to keep playing.