4001 Tailpiece findings...

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 12:13 pm

So, OK early on the player / tech notices a little lift and then grabs a screwdriver thinking that maybe the screws are loose. He/she snugs the screws and then applies a little more torque for good measure and unknowingly starts the slide down the slippery slope to excessive lift. Seems possible.

cerrem · Post by **cerrem** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 1:27 pm

My suggestion....
First thing is that tailpiece "can" be straigtened...I used a BIG HUGE arbor press with aluminum blocks lined up just right...Very little pressure is needed..
Then take up any excessive clearance in the routing area below the 3 front screw holes, so you have ZERO clearance...use a single piece of flat thin wood for this..use wood glue to secure it to the body cavity.... The alternative is to use 3 small steel washers under each of the 3 screw holes...obviously you need to monkey with it to get the clearance worked out perfectly..

Chris

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 2:03 pm

I don't think it is an overtightened screw problem ... it is due to two things ... poor design and weak metal ...

as far as I know there is no other bass on the market that has the screws a full 1 1/2" in front of the string ball ends ... that type of design is asking for a problem to happen ... if you have ever studied physics then you know this becomes a lever ... that is why I say put in 2 screws ... it is the smart engineering thing to do ... you decrease the length of the lever about 1/4" ... that won't bend the tailpiece ...

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 2:08 pm

Well right Jeff. Chris's point was that there seem to be factors that setup the failure of the bad design and weak metal.

cerrem · Post by **cerrem** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 2:48 pm

Jeff your 100% correct... It is a design with flaws....
I am trying to find a solution or a better way to avoid the dreaded tail-lift for those of us who are anal about keeping original parts and original looks

ANother solution I was I came up with, is a "hook"...you remove the tailpiece and install a small hook/anchor into the body that would also hook to the tailpiece at the rear where iut would be unseen..this way it gets held down, while still retaining the stock look without drill extra holes in the original tailpiece....
I have lots of trick solutions for RIcs without altering the look...I also came up with a replacement truss-rod system for the 4001 that is way stronger amd does not put stress up on the fingerboard... I am in the process of getting these things together, then possibly selling these items on a web-site...in the way distant future.... If Ric did a better job of addressing issues and offer solutions to customers I wouldn't need to resort to all this non-sense...
Once your out of warranty then your A$$ is left in the wind, unless your Chris Squire or Paul McCartney, then it's another story... To be fair, JH has his hands full and for now the company is doing very well, which i am glad to hear, especially for a US based company... There is a void that needs to be filled...
Chris

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 4:21 pm

I have one observation Chris. I would not use washers as the contact area between the wood and tailpiece would be a lot less, not aiding the coupling together, with a loss of tone and sustain. A correct thickness piece of hardwood glued to the bottom of the cavity would let the whole tailpiece platform couple to the bass. Considering what there is to work with and wanting to remain vintage, short of the screws, I believe you are on to something important here.

I have read about this pulling up but never saw it until the picture of the one almost at a 45 degree angle. Yikes! A lot more extreme than I thought the problem would be.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 6:36 pm

that is one of the reasons I like the 2 extra screws ... it ties that tailpiece down to the wood the help transmit sound into the wood ...

cerrem · Post by **cerrem** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 7:06 pm

Jeff... I am with ya...
I just don't won't to drill the holes to an original piece... It would be ideal if Ric re-isuued this type of tail-piece..
I have to be a total shmuck...a guy once offered me a tailpiece with the additional 2 screws, it was original factory and he had a spare one..can't remember who it was

?????

Chris

heinpete · Post by **heinpete** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 8:28 pm

I wouldn't mind to drill holes for the two extra screws (I'm a player and my aim is to get an optimal Ric sound out of the instrument, rather than collecting a "dead duck"), but the problem is to get such tailpiece!!!

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 4:13 pm

Chris, I have an original 7 screw tailpiece in very good condition with NO LIFT at all. $35.00 will put it in your mailbox.

cerrem · Post by **cerrem** » Thu May 04, 2006 8:33 am

OK...
Here is an UPDATE on the situation...
I measured the space between the floor of the tail routing and the bottom of the tailpiece...
.078" !!!!! Whats funny is my taillift was .075"... Well, I straghtened the tailpiece then placed a small metal washers under each of where the 3 screw mount, to get rid of the clearance... Everything worked out good..
Some may argue about using the washers but the tailpiece only makes contact at 3 points inside the routing...this is because the 3 screw holes have a raised flat spot under the tailpiece..

Chris

heinpete · Post by **heinpete** » Thu May 04, 2006 9:51 am

Dane! If Chris is no longer interested can you do the deal with me?

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Thu May 04, 2006 10:03 am

I don't think washers are a problem at all - quick and easy. Wood is ok too but more complicated to execute and the benefit of such a thin piece is doubious. IMHO

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Thu May 04, 2006 12:06 pm

Peter, Chris has already bought the tailpiece.

ken_j · Post by **ken_j** » Fri May 05, 2006 3:24 am

Both the wood or the washers are better than the poor interface you started with.