Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

"I see a price change looming on the horizon."

Excellent, I love lower prices!

How about sending out a wrench when someone returns their first bass warranty card? I know I'd send mine in if I was getting something free in return. I don't need ten of them, only one or two (wrenches that is, the more basses the merrier).

I agree about proper instructions on how to adjust the instrument correctly.

Hey Jeff, great idea! Then Ric could collect all the marketing info they want and probably get a much higher return rate on those little cards. Your idea is the best one so far in this discussion!

Say, do you work in marketing? #;^)

Great idea. How about a few choices when you return your warrantee card - neck wrench, strings, subscription to Guitar Player, etc. That way you wouldn't wind up with 5 or 6 neck wrenches. I bought the Rick neck wrench several years ago and I use it frequently.

Ya don't have to even use one on the newer models. You CAN use a small 1/4" open end wrench without problem. Stew Macs plain 1/4" trussrod tool works well on the older style rods or get a auto type hose clamp tool with a flexible shaft. Easy.
Do you expect a tool supplied for every part on your car when you buy it?

Nope, just a nut and bridge wrench on a bass. Guess that's too much to ask! I still don't think it's unreasonable nor is it the same as expecting a set of tools with your car. It's funny, when we got my daughter an oboe, it came with all sorts of cleaning and maintenance tools. Guess they went a little overboard and spoiled us!

Well, my $ 0.02 on this...

One of the reasons why I sold my 4003 was that I had to set it up, and the wrench was missing. And no way to get it from any dealer here... Since I didn't want to have my bass at the luthier's each 2 months, I decided to change. To be honest, I also must specify that the neck of my 4003 tended to twist, though the bass was always stored in perfect temperature and humidity conditions. Maybe my 4003 was not a good one... Never experienced this with my previous 4001's.

All the best,
JL

I use a 1/4 in. nutdriver for all my basses, 4001's and 4003's, very easy to use and adjust, I have no problem with the necks with normal tension strings. I had a lot of trouble with Fender flatwounds, but also had trouble with these strings on Jazz deluxes, they are like putting telephone lines on your bass.

A 7 mm nutdriver, like the one's I've bought I don't know how many times in Europe, works as well as the 1/4" one we have here.

Hmm, on my '78 4001 there is no room between the nut and the headstock for a nut driver to fit. I used a file to turn an open ended wrench into a "custom" Ric truss rod adjuster. Does the lack of space indicate damage to the truss rod assembly or is this an area that differed from guitar to guitar?

I've seen that before on 4001's, it has happened to me when I have tightened them up too much.

I guess I'm the oddball here. I have never had any problems with the necks of my 4001's and 4003's. Like Bob and Mr. Hall stated, a 1/4" nutdriver will do the job well. Rickenbacker (correct me if I'm wrong) used to include the nutdriver with each bass sold some years ago. The reason they stopped is because the majority of them wound up being left at the dealers shops, etc. You really can't blame RIC for wanting to be cost effective and I have no problem shelling out an extra $5 or $6 for a nutdriver. Just my $.02 worth.

I think that the truss rod tool should be included with all guitars. I received my Montezuma Brown 4003 today ( I just had to throw that in) and ordered the tool from the dealer @ $12.00. I wouldn't have been too happy if I received it and the neck needed adjustment and I didn't have the right tool to set it up right. luckily it was set up really well.

We've never included a truss rod tool with guitars- it's always been an accessory. Probably 99 of every 100 would never be used (or ever actually make it into the consumer's hands).

On instruments with the older truss rod system, like the 4001, the lack of space to easily get the wrench in usually indicates previous adjustment without the correct tool and/or not following the published procedure of pushing the neck to place and only THEN tightening the rod to hold it. Usually, however, this is just a minor inconvenience but at the extreme, you'll begin to see the end of the fingerboard lifting off from the neck.

John, I'd probably go so far as saying if those 99 people got a truss rod wrench 25 of them would probably do some damage to their guitar.
We all like tinkering with our guitars but endlessly seeking intonation and truss rod adjustment isnt high on my list. Our Les Paul, Strat, Tele playing lead guitarist borrowed my 360v64 the other day and was in awe of its low action and its "plays itself" and "beautiful neck" and its 12 years old and has never seen a truss rod wrench.

Dear John Hall,
Did you not see my earlier post to you,
../7/7242.html"MB">