4003 bridge saddle issues

[geofio]

Benjamin if you need a new bridge, i have one sitting here and it is un grooved!!! let me know if you need it and we can work out a decent price. George

[aceonbass]

Benjamin, If you buy new saddles, they come complete with new springs and screws, but you'll need to set the intonation without the springs installed, then put them it, cutting off coils to shorten them enough to fit without the coils binding. It's a PITA I know, but the only solid way of doing this without having the coils too loose or tight. As Jeff said earlier, swapping saddles is not a good idea since the slots are different widths and depths.

[ken_j]

Depending on the year, the bridge may very well have come without springs. I don't thing the springs were added until sometime in the '90s. I know my '91 did not come with them.

[Benjamin]

Ordered saddles from PotR and received them a little whiles ago, just had no time to do the job.

Took about an hour last night. Picked up a set of small files from local hardware. Used triangle and square files first, round file last on the lower strings. Cut the slots deeper on the back side to get a good hard edge. Cut the springs to size.

I now have E&A saddles forward and D&G backward. Measured the string spacing at about 18mm. Lined the strings up visually as much as measured. Strings are aligned perfectly over neck pickup, close enough over bridge pickup. They aren't perfect over the bridge pickup so I might try turning it around.

Overall she is now 100% better. Spacing is even down the neck. Intonation is spot-on and action is OMG LOW with that perfect slight buzz. The best thing is the tone! I retrofitted the vintage push-pull some time ago, since she's a 2000 model. With the tone cap in, she's like a cross between Geddy and Chris Squire. Perfect.

Never ceases to amaze me how good this bass is. Running RotoSound RS66LD strings. Personal rig is a GK 700RB-II through SWR Henry 8x8. Surprisingly low-fi old-school sounding, but super clear. Through church GB-150 15" combo is real dirty, so they are upgrading rig soon. No matter what rig or what I play, the Ric expresses like no other.

[coolingitdown]

Awesome! Glad this worked out for you.