Rickenbacker truss rods change to modern design

[pshupe]

I am wondering how the modern truss rods work in more recent Rickys. I know the old style was two hairpins which would bow the neck when tightened. Does anyone have pics of the moderns style and how it works? I think it would be about post 1984?

I have seen this image but not sure how this works. Is it a curved slot?


Thank you for any info.

Cheers Peter.

[Hotzenplotz]

You're right - it is a curved and glued in piece of wood. To be exactly: two of them.

John Hall is explaining it (and tons of other things) during a factory tour:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEuqgZzKxC4

[collin]

It's a dual-action rod.

Meaning, turn the nuts clockwise to make the neck move one way (bowed) and turn the nut counterclockwise to make it move the opposite way (relief).

The old style rods were a single action. Flex the neck back by hand when the rods are loose and then tighten the nuts to hold the rod in place wherever you put it manually.


The modern style rods are vastly superior in every way.

[jps]

It's a dual-action rod.

Meaning, turn the nuts clockwise to make the neck move one way (bowed) and turn the nut counterclockwise to make it move the opposite way (relief).

How's that work with a single rod/unit?

[collin]

It's a dual-action rod.

Meaning, turn the nuts clockwise to make the neck move one way (bowed) and turn the nut counterclockwise to make it move the opposite way (relief).

How's that work with a single rod/unit?

The same way.

[jps]

It's a dual-action rod.

Meaning, turn the nuts clockwise to make the neck move one way (bowed) and turn the nut counterclockwise to make it move the opposite way (relief).

How's that work with a single rod/unit?

The same way.

So, you're saying that if I were to turn the truss rod nut(s) CCW a bunch, the nut(s) won't just come off the end of the truss rod, but will actually induce more relief (forward bow on the neck)? This should work even with no strings on the instrument.

I have owned a few instruments (still do, actually) with double-action (DA) truss rods; every one of them have two rods that work in tandem (in the way they are connected together to form one truss rod assembly) to bow in two different directions depending on which way the nut is turned. How does the RIC truss rod do the same thing with only one rod per truss rod assembly?

DA truss rods lay in a straight channel, whereas a compression type of truss rod (single-action) utilizes a curved channel which the rod acts against when the nut is turned CW to straighten a neck that has too much relief (forward bow). With such single-action rods you can't add more relief to the neck beyond its natural state (such as when the rod is completely slackened). Installing higher tension strings will induce greater relief, though, compared to lower tension strings.

Or, maybe, there are DA truss rods out there that can actually do the job using only a single rod.

[Hotzenplotz]

Here is a very good video for explanation what double/ single action means:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad8nqm5qP6A

So :The "usual" rods of a Rickenbacker are single action.
Most Rickenbackers made 1960 and later have double truss rod necks. That means two of them. It is not the same like double action.


BTW: That hairpin design until 1984 is pure rubbish and fortunately out of production.

[jdogric12]

I'm not an expert on this compared to some folks here, so I'm open to being corrected, but the way I see it is:

With no rods, the strings create forward bow.

With old style 4001 rods, all the rods do is say "Freeze!" to the neck, so you have to bend the backbow (required to counter the strings' effect) into the neck yourself with your hands/feet/knees, then tighten the rods' nuts to lock in your manual changes.

With new style 4003 rods, tightening the nuts increases backbow (countering the effect the strings have), and loosening nuts reduces the amount of that countering effect.

Each rod in a dual-rod instrument acts the same as its nearby twin. The nice thing is you can adjust the bass (or treble) side more (or less) than the other. Like, maybe you keep a real heavy E string on a 4003 and it pulls your bass side more forward-bowed. Then you might want to tighten that side's nut a little more than the treble side nut, in order to keep it evenly actioned.

Don't confuse "dual-action" with "dual-rods."

Regardless of your situation, suffice it to say: tightening of the nuts and a loosening of the rod can be a real pain in the neck.

[collin]

Sure, might be a matter of semantics or technicality.

I just mean that the old style Rick truss rods require bending by hand and the truss rod can only hold the neck wherever you set it (for backbow). But the "modern" Rick truss rods can either induce backbow turning it clockwise, or allow relief (via the string tension pulling neck forward) by turning the nuts clockwise.

Dual rods just allow you to dial-in more (or less) relief on either the treble or bass side of the fretboard.

[pshupe]

It's a dual-action rod.

Meaning, turn the nuts clockwise to make the neck move one way (bowed) and turn the nut counterclockwise to make it move the opposite way (relief).

The old style rods were a single action. Flex the neck back by hand when the rods are loose and then tighten the nuts to hold the rod in place wherever you put it manually.


The modern style rods are vastly superior in every way.

Yeah I do not think a static rod, even two of them, can adjust both ways. Tightening puts pressure on the washer and pulls the curve flatter giving backbow. If there is enough string pressure or if the neck was forced into a back bow when it was glued then releasing the rods may result in forward bow, or relief. If there is no pressure forward the nut will just relax, come off, and the rod will not move. This is the example of a one way rod.

A dual action rod would need a way of bending the rod the other way when turning counterclockwise, or releasing. In this case most rods have a turnbuckle effect where threads go both ways or a steel bar is welded on the top side so it bends the other way when adjusted counter clockwise. The downside of that is that the bar plus rod, or two rods, on top of each other are thicker and needs a deeper route. It's somewhat perplexing that Rickenbacker used the hairpins style considering this would also make it a deeper route. Although it may be similar depth overall when compared to a curved slot. I guess the upside of the curved slot is it keeps the deepest part at a thicker part of the neck.

Here is a double action rod -


In the video linked it shows a single action rod that looks similar. IFAIK this will work, 1 way, in a flat slotted route. Other wise you could use just a single rod, like pictured above, in a curved slot.

Regards Peter.

[jdogric12]

Sure, might be a matter of semantics or technicality.

I just mean that the old style Rick truss rods require bending by hand and the truss rod can only hold the neck wherever you set it (for backbow). But the "modern" Rick truss rods can either induce backbow turning it clockwise, or allow relief (via the string tension pulling neck forward) by turning the nuts clockwise.

Dual rods just allow you to dial-in more (or less) relief on either the treble or bass side of the fretboard.

That was way more concise than my explanation - well done (serious)