4003s needs truss rod adjustment?

[syncop8r]

I would like to lower the action on my '82 4003s but the grub screws will fall out if I loosen them any more - is this a sign my truss rods need to be adjusted?

Can anyone point me to a good setup tutorial, ideally specific to Rickenbacker basses?

[jps]

Rickenbrother used to have tutorials available, but they have been down for a few years now.

There could be multiple things going on for the issue you are having. For starters, what is the neck relief like on the bass now? And, the height of the strings at the 20th fret (top of fret to underside of the E and G strings)?

[syncop8r]

For starters, what is the neck relief like on the bass now?

That's capo at first fret, hold down at last fret and measure at... 9th fret? If so then just under 1.0mm for the E string. I'm having to use a small metal ruler; my feeler gauges are in storage somewhere...

And, the height of the strings at the 20th fret (top of fret to underside of the E and G strings)?

About 3.0mm under the E and 2.5mm under the G.

[jps]

On my basses I couldn't tell you what the reliefs are set to, it's more of a feel thing for me. Except for measuring the height of the strings at the last fret everything else is done by feel/eyesight to get the basses to play how I like them; moderately low action with just enough relief to allow for the string arc when plucked, and I usually play with a fairly light touch.

I aim for a string height across the fingerboard around 2-2.5 mm on all the strings; this provides a consistent feel when playing every string.

Does the neck surface look parallel to the top of the body when looking at the side of the bass? Or, does the neck tend to angle upwards from the heel end (the nut end/1st fret being higher than the plane of the body)?

[syncop8r]

On my basses I couldn't tell you what the reliefs are set to, it's more of a feel thing for me. Except for measuring the height of the strings at the last fret everything else is done by feel/eyesight to get the basses to play how I like them; moderately low action with just enough relief to allow for the string arc when plucked, and I usually play with a fairly light touch.

I aim for a string height across the fingerboard around 2-2.5 mm on all the strings; this provides a consistent feel when playing every string.

I read on here somewhere that 4 - 6/64 (from G to E) is a good starting point. I believe that is about 1.6 - 2.4mm. I would like to have potential adjustment up or down from there; currently I can only go up from 2.5 - 3.0mm.

Does the neck surface look parallel to the top of the body when looking at the side of the bass? Or, does the neck tend to angle upwards from the heel end (the nut end/1st fret being higher than the plane of the body)?

To my eye the neck is angled upwards as you look from the body to the nut. Incidentally, when the body is placed on a counter the strings are about parallel to it all the way along.

[syncop8r]

So...

[jps]

Any chance of posting a photo of what you mention regarding the bass on a counter, showing the full length of the bass and counter?

[maxwell]

Here’s some stuff to check out. Some YouTuber is not happy with the 4003…

https://www.google.com/search?q=rickenb ... nt=gws-wiz

[lumgimfong]

If you are in Maryland I can set it up for you and do safe truss rod adjustment for you too.