Straight neck?

[krismiller]

So I've been pondering - while I wait to find out if my 4001C64 is a fake or not - about this whole "Rickenbackers are designed to be set up with straight necks". That's all fine & dandy, but how is it a bass/guitar able to play with 0% relief & be absent of fret buzz? Do Rickenbacker basses somehow defy the laws of physics? How do they avoid the arc of string vibration? My mystery 4001 can be set with a flat neck & a string height of 3.5/32" but buzzes like the dickens all over. Even if I raise the action to 6/32" it still buzzes somewhat on the lower frets of the Low & hi E strings. People tend to say Ricks come from the factory with amazing fret jobs so I'm giving Rick the benefit of the doubt until Wed when I take her in into my local Luthier. Overall I'm still happy I bought a Rick because of my Beatles obsesh', but so far having gone through 2 4001C64's in 3 months & tons of headaches trying just to get this (possible fake 4001 see my other post from today) 4001C64 setup without significant fret buzz & decent action I feel somewhat burned & a lil' upset... I'm just sayin, & maybe hoping somebody will chime in with their 4001 specs. Because I'm finding it next to impossible to get that clear buzz free Macca tone without having the string height a mile high.....


PS/ my nut is cut to around 1/32" for all strings...

[rickenbrother]

Should be really close to perfectly straight, if not perfectly straight. Mine are set up to be maybe a hair off from being perfectly straight. I get a little string buzz on certain frets only if I play aggressively. Then that little fret buzz only adds to the sound when combined with some overdrive if I'm playing in a hard rock band. The straightness of a neck can vary after a few minutes of playing,

[johnhall]

Unless I'm reading it the wrong way, I find the title of this thread to be rather offensive . . . provocative at the least.

[RobRick]

Something just ain't right here.

[rickenbrother]

Unless I'm reading it the wrong way, I find the title of this thread to be rather offensive . . . provocative at the least.

The thread title has been edited, John. Someone needs to re-read the forum rules or at least read them once if he hasn't already.

Something just ain't right here.

It's right now, Rob.

[Seans]

Unless your eyesight is lying to you and the neck's going a whisker over convex. I think you've been misled with the straight neck thing and I'm sure RIC wouldn't have this as a recommended spec, a near straight neck is what you need. 6/32 or I think you mean 3/16's is a tad on the high side.

[cassius987]

When you talk to luthiers about this most say "dead straight--plus a bit of relief", because dead straight technically should work but it's impossible to totally know if you're dead straight or not at the microscopic level, so there's a bit of relief added to be on the safe side. Just slightly backbowed you'll have fret buzz.

Fret buzz is also a function of your strings and technique. I find round core DRs buzz like crazy due to the increased string excursion--just an example. But it's not "defying the laws of physics" to get a neck dead straight with low action and no fret buzz, it just takes a skillful setups. I've played some factory spec Rics that were this way, others I have set up myself to be that way.

[weemac]

I find Rickenbackers to work well with about 1mm of relief. I usually can get a very even action all over the neck this way...

emac.

[krismiller]

WOW LOL!!! The title was censored!! I'll admit, I haven't read a single forum rule, but to censor a title that's a merely a play on words with no swear words or vulgar slang is a lil' control freakish wouldn't you say?



Moderator edit: I just took out most of this post! It wasn't just that it was a play on words. Read the forum rules, Kris!

[krismiller]

I find Rickenbackers to work well with about 1mm of relief. I usually can get a very even action all over the neck this way...

emac.

With 0 fret buzz? I'd like to see pics & a vid proving even 2mm w/o buzz at low/moderate picking attack...

[jps]

[antipodean]

Eden's talking about 1mm relief, not 1mm string height - my read is that this means the maximum gap 'twixt string and fret top is 1mm when holding down the string at the say the 17th and 1st frets. My 4001s and my 4000 are all set up close to this without buzz (some a little flatter). I do find I need to play with a slightly lighter touch on the basses strung with low-tension strings (TI flats and Ernie Ball extra slinky).

[gibsonlp]

Dude, take a chill pill.

[rickenbrother]

Dude, take a chill pill.

If anyone is wondering, Gil and Jeffrey were referring to the post I'd greatly edited.

I agree, Gil and since Mr. Miller hasn't come here to respectfully seek advice and knowledge, this thread is toast before it really spins out of control!