Let me begin by saying that I am a recent Rickenbacker convert (got my first 2 days ago) and it's really exciting to be a part of this community...now my question.
I have a '92 360/6 and some of the high strings seem to be binding on the saddle (I think). It's hard to tune and makes clicking noises (string catching on the saddle then suddenly releasing?) when I tune. Suggestions? My low E is also giving me some tuning problems (goes flat once in a while) but I don't hear it binding like the other strings.
String binding on 360/6
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adam_swapp
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Welcome to the Forum.
It's more likely that the strings are binding at the nut rather the saddles, but it wouldn't hurt to clean then both. You can use a small file to clean the saddle notches; all you need is a couple of light passes to smooth the notches, round the edges, and remove any burrs. Nut slots are trickier, as you don't want to use something that will widen the slots or aggressively cut them deeper. For the wound strings, you can use the strings themselves. Pull them back and forth a few times through the slots; the windings will smooth the walls. You can also wrap a piece of fine sandpaper around a light gauge string and do the same thing. For the high strings, fold a piece of fine sandpaper and run it through the slots. When you're done, you can put a little pencil lead in the slots as a lubricant.
Of course, the best thing to do is to take it to a good luthier and have him give the whole guitar a once-over: action, neck relief, nut relief, intonation, saddle and nut refurb. He'll have the proper tools (e.g. nut files) to really do this right. You'd be surprised at the difference a good setup will make; it will be the best $50 you ever spend on your guitar.
If you tell us where you are, a Forum member may be able to recommend a good local shop.
It's more likely that the strings are binding at the nut rather the saddles, but it wouldn't hurt to clean then both. You can use a small file to clean the saddle notches; all you need is a couple of light passes to smooth the notches, round the edges, and remove any burrs. Nut slots are trickier, as you don't want to use something that will widen the slots or aggressively cut them deeper. For the wound strings, you can use the strings themselves. Pull them back and forth a few times through the slots; the windings will smooth the walls. You can also wrap a piece of fine sandpaper around a light gauge string and do the same thing. For the high strings, fold a piece of fine sandpaper and run it through the slots. When you're done, you can put a little pencil lead in the slots as a lubricant.
Of course, the best thing to do is to take it to a good luthier and have him give the whole guitar a once-over: action, neck relief, nut relief, intonation, saddle and nut refurb. He'll have the proper tools (e.g. nut files) to really do this right. You'd be surprised at the difference a good setup will make; it will be the best $50 you ever spend on your guitar.
If you tell us where you are, a Forum member may be able to recommend a good local shop.You want to put that where?
Hi Geoff. Welcome from another RIC newbie.
Adam's advice in my opinion is excellent. I would play safe and go for option 2 - for the sake of a few(??) bucks a full service would be the best way to go. That is, of course, if you have any left after your recent purchase!!
I received a 330FG two weeks ago and took it to a local authorised agent to have it set up and checked out - cost me $60 and I'm very happy with what they did. So much so that I dropped in tonight and asked about a 660/12. Until they let me down they will more than likely have my ongoing custom - hopefully that won't happen.
Until I've read just about every technical posting in this forum I'm not going to even attempt to play around with mine - I don't know it well enough!!
Hope you have lots of fun and enjoyment with the RIC - it's a whole new world!
Cheers
Adam's advice in my opinion is excellent. I would play safe and go for option 2 - for the sake of a few(??) bucks a full service would be the best way to go. That is, of course, if you have any left after your recent purchase!!
I received a 330FG two weeks ago and took it to a local authorised agent to have it set up and checked out - cost me $60 and I'm very happy with what they did. So much so that I dropped in tonight and asked about a 660/12. Until they let me down they will more than likely have my ongoing custom - hopefully that won't happen.
Until I've read just about every technical posting in this forum I'm not going to even attempt to play around with mine - I don't know it well enough!!
Hope you have lots of fun and enjoyment with the RIC - it's a whole new world!
Cheers
"Never eat more than you can lift." - Mr. Moon
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fire_glo
Thanks for the advice guys. I'm now thinking that the problem is not at the saddles but at the nut (my high E broke last night at the nut!) I should have first assumed this... "it's almost always at the nut" is what I tell others, yet I didn't listen to my own advice! Ric saddles look quite sharp compared to Fender saddles and that's what I USED...not anymore, that's the backup.
I put some pencil graphite in the nut and I believe it did help. I may try running the wound strings back and forth as Adam suggested. Not sure if I'm going to try the sandpaper yet.
Really don't want to spend money for a set-up. I set my own guitars up (practiced a lot on other less valuable guitars, have some good books, own a Peterson strobe tuner, some tools, and now this forum) In fact, I'm such a perfectionist that I spend a lot of time getting it perfect...more perfect than many of the "professional" set-ups I've had done here in my city. I may bring the RIC in once though, just to get a luthier to give it a once over as Adam suggested. Thanks again!
I put some pencil graphite in the nut and I believe it did help. I may try running the wound strings back and forth as Adam suggested. Not sure if I'm going to try the sandpaper yet.
Really don't want to spend money for a set-up. I set my own guitars up (practiced a lot on other less valuable guitars, have some good books, own a Peterson strobe tuner, some tools, and now this forum) In fact, I'm such a perfectionist that I spend a lot of time getting it perfect...more perfect than many of the "professional" set-ups I've had done here in my city. I may bring the RIC in once though, just to get a luthier to give it a once over as Adam suggested. Thanks again!
Geoff, welcome to the forum. You sound a lot like me, as I do my own set-ups and tend to be a perfectionist ("who, me?") as well.
I also recommend checking the string gauges (assuming you have a micrometer with which to measure them). Assuming the guitar was bought used and not NOS, there is a chance that a string set was used with a gauge different from the factory standard(s), and that might be the cause of binding in the nut slot.
My 320 Silver, which was bought used, has a non-short-scale set on it and is not intonated properly; a previous owner may have just put on a set and not bothered making any adjustments.
I also recommend checking the string gauges (assuming you have a micrometer with which to measure them). Assuming the guitar was bought used and not NOS, there is a chance that a string set was used with a gauge different from the factory standard(s), and that might be the cause of binding in the nut slot.
My 320 Silver, which was bought used, has a non-short-scale set on it and is not intonated properly; a previous owner may have just put on a set and not bothered making any adjustments.
It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing. - Seneca
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simoncroft
I have an addition to Adam Swapp's excellent suggestions. If you want to use a wound string as a gauge-accurate smoothing tool for the nut of your guitar , load a section of that string into a Junior Hacksaw frame.
(This description makes sense in the UK but there may be a different name in the US for the small metal frame that holds a general-purpose blade capable of cutting metal. Guys, you know what I mean?)
All you have to do is put the ball end of the string in one end of the frame, bend it to put it under tension, then knot the other end of the string and slip it into the frame.
Now you have a smoothing tool that is not only of a specific gauge but is capable of cutting a path in a straight line.
(This description makes sense in the UK but there may be a different name in the US for the small metal frame that holds a general-purpose blade capable of cutting metal. Guys, you know what I mean?)
All you have to do is put the ball end of the string in one end of the frame, bend it to put it under tension, then knot the other end of the string and slip it into the frame.
Now you have a smoothing tool that is not only of a specific gauge but is capable of cutting a path in a straight line.
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jingle_jangle
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Or you can heat it up with your lighter...get it nice and HOT. The smell of burning bakelite will remind you of the time you burned a hole in granny's new rug by goofing with that Lionel train set.
“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
― Kurt Vonnegut
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simoncroft
No, no! You're missing the point, please.
I can see I have caused a certain amount of humour here by not being sufficiently specific. (OK, I'm actually mortified by the eminent body of gentlemen who have had a good laugh at my suggestion but bear with me if you would.)
Geoff suspects, quite reasonably, that some strings are binding at the nut of his new guitar. This can be caused by the width of the gap in the nut for a given string being less than the diameter of the string itself.
Are we all in agreement so far?
More typically however, the overall slot in the nut is of sufficient width but the bottom of the slot is formed in a 'V' rather than a smooth 'U' . As a result, wound strings in particular can 'store' energy behind the nut.
This may result in a string going flat or sharp, depending on a particular action performed by the player - for instance using the machine-heads to tune up, bending notes across the neck, or using a vibrato (trem) arm.
If you happen to have a comprehensive set of guitar nut files to hand, you are in a good position to reprofile all the nut slots on a given guitar. (I do, but most guitarists don't .)
However, you don't have to turn the process over to a professionial repair person, if you'd prefer to sort it yourself.
if you put a wound string of the relevant gauge under tension (for instance, by fitting it to a hacksaw blade frame) you will then have an ideal tool for burnishing the bottom of the relevant slot of your guitar''s nut.
Believe it or not, it works!
It also works, albeit slightly less effectively, with plain strings. So to those doubters, I can only say TRY IT!
I can see I have caused a certain amount of humour here by not being sufficiently specific. (OK, I'm actually mortified by the eminent body of gentlemen who have had a good laugh at my suggestion but bear with me if you would.)
Geoff suspects, quite reasonably, that some strings are binding at the nut of his new guitar. This can be caused by the width of the gap in the nut for a given string being less than the diameter of the string itself.
Are we all in agreement so far?
More typically however, the overall slot in the nut is of sufficient width but the bottom of the slot is formed in a 'V' rather than a smooth 'U' . As a result, wound strings in particular can 'store' energy behind the nut.
This may result in a string going flat or sharp, depending on a particular action performed by the player - for instance using the machine-heads to tune up, bending notes across the neck, or using a vibrato (trem) arm.
If you happen to have a comprehensive set of guitar nut files to hand, you are in a good position to reprofile all the nut slots on a given guitar. (I do, but most guitarists don't .)
However, you don't have to turn the process over to a professionial repair person, if you'd prefer to sort it yourself.
if you put a wound string of the relevant gauge under tension (for instance, by fitting it to a hacksaw blade frame) you will then have an ideal tool for burnishing the bottom of the relevant slot of your guitar''s nut.
Believe it or not, it works!
It also works, albeit slightly less effectively, with plain strings. So to those doubters, I can only say TRY IT!
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jingle_jangle
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Simon, a "tremelo" arm is some sort of Brian Poole plot left over from the early '60s in Blighty, I think...
See my post under "Vibrola". It's most definitely a "vibrato" arm, as it changes pitch, not interrupts volume.
See my post under "Vibrola". It's most definitely a "vibrato" arm, as it changes pitch, not interrupts volume.
“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
― Kurt Vonnegut