My First Post - 450 Bridge Query?

[Leadfinger]

Greetings everyone and thank you all for setting up such a great resource site. I'm hoping someone out there can impart some advice, had a bit of a search and couldn't turn anything up ...and apologies if I've posted this in the wrong area.

I've recently purchased 2005 620/12 fireglo and am currently enjoying the hell out of that every day, it prompted me to pull out my other Rick, a beaten up 1980 450 which I stopped playing because it was so hard to tune. I started playing around with the set up and found changing the string gauge on the 450 down from 10-52's to 9-46's helped big time with the intonation but it's still not as good as it should be IMHO, esp on the lower strings (they are all sharp). I'm wondering if it is possible or advisable to change the bridge on this guitar from it's existing floating style 2 piece (see pic) bridge to a proper 6 saddle Rickenbacker type bridge? ...and would this help to get the intonation close to perfect? If anyone has any other advice on how to get this guitar in better tune I'm all ears....the action on the guitar is about medium height and there is plenty of fret left. Was thinking some tweaking of the truss rod also might help?

I wouldn't say this 450 is a great 'players' guitar, not great for lead or playing complicated stuff. I could be wrong but I'm guessing it to be a low budget kind of solid body that the company made. However I do like it for it's tone and playability on open chord electric stuff. Thanks for your time.

[iiipopes]

Try a set of flatwounds with a wound 3rd, say, 11's, and adjust the truss rod perfectly straight and lower the strings to the point of just eliminating buzz with a moderate strum. That's what that bridge was made for. Also, you might be able to barely move the low E side of the bridge back towards the tailpiece, but it has been so long since I took one of these apart I can't remember how it is under the pickguard.

[Leadfinger]

Ok I'll try the flat wounds, want to try a set on the 12 string too so I'll get some at the same time. I did move the Low E side of the bridge back as far as possible, so that the bridge is kind of angled, bit tricky cos the string tension tends to want to pull/push the bridge forward. The top E is intoned perfectly by the way. I'll give the truss rod a go before I try anything further. Thanks for the help.

[Ontario_RIC_fan]

Stewart:

I am pretty sure this guitar is yours from the one pic you posted... It was made in July 1981 not 1980...

http://www.rickresource.com/register/vi ... 6order%3D5

I have never owned a 450 with that kind of bridge... I have seen examples with the standard Rickenbacker bridge on it though... So that indeed may be an option.

Welcome to the forum!

[Leadfinger]

Yep that's him/her, thanks Brian...I've had it since about 2011, I got the fretboard cleaned up (a previous owner used super glue to try and rescue the lacquer apparently), I really like the checking on the finish. I would eventually like to try the standard bridge either way, I'm sure it is bound to be more accurate....Does anyone know if this would be difficult to install?

[doctorwho]

Hey Stewart, I have a 1981 460 BG (UG 2366, in the register) with the same type of bridge. I use D'Addario Chrome XL Flatwound 11s (ECG24 set, 11/15/22w/30/409/50) and do not have an intonation problem. It does require one to loosen the pick guard in order to maneuver the floating bridge so that all strings are properly intonated (IIRC, I had to hold one side while shifting the other side up or back).

One can use a standard bridge, but if your tailpiece/bridgeplate doesn't have indents for the bridge support screws, the new bridge will also be floating, so you will have to keep that in mind when setting it up.

[chronictown]

Winfield Vintage has some options for retrofitting 400-series bridges (and tailpieces):

http://www.winfieldvintage.com/parts/tom-bridge.html