Do the original toothed bridges suffer from tail lift?

[teeder]

So, are the beefed-up versions still lifting?

[rickaddict]

So, are the beefed-up versions still lifting?

I would guess so by the number of complaints I read here. I have a couple that haven't budged though.

[seyesbass]

The problems that Rickenbacker had way back in the past with aluminium casting could easily be solved these days by contracting the job to a reputable engineering company.
I think a new version of an aluminium bridge and saddles that can fit new and old basses would be a great idea and a boon to anyone trying to renovate an older bass.
The old parts are virtually impossible to find and seeing as everyone thinks the older version was better,why not bring it back?

I have a CS with slight tail lift and I had a reissue tail straightened on my white CS however my V63 is fine.
If I had the chance I would buy aluminium bridge/tails for all my Ricks.
None of the 60s RMs I had ever suffered from tail lift and I have used Rotosound RS66LD strings on all my Rick basses.
Its a great design....
Bring it back!

[badeggs]

The tails on my '72 and '73 both have a very slight gap between the aluminum and the body...this could simply be due to a taper in the wood or overtightened screws (and lack of washers!) causing it to tip forward a bit.

Still, a gap is there...

[rickaddict]

The tails on my '72 and '73 both have a very slight gap between the aluminum and the body...this could simply be due to a taper in the wood or overtightened screws (and lack of washers!) causing it to tip forward a bit.

Still, a gap is there...

OMG, a GAP? The sky is falling, the sky is falling! Call the police! Get a refund! Send it back! Buy a H!pshot!

[badeggs]

OMG, a GAP? The sky is falling, the sky is falling! Call the police! Get a refund! Send it back! Buy a H!pshot!

You read my mind! These things suck I'm throwing them out!

Tail-lift and it's effect on sound is a pantload. I've had tails with lift, tails without...no difference.

[BAD RONBO, KiLLeR DWaRfS]

the saddle bridge on a gap tooth was also sand cast aluminum. a new zinc die cast in the same dimensions with the newer 2010 saddle pieces would solve more re-design production. would just have to engineer the new saddle bridge and have shorter adjusting screws. or just re-issue the old gap tooth with a modded saddle bridge cavity to accept the new wider saddle bridge, like i did on my three. but these things cost more designing and money and RIC already has a re-designed tailpiece for the new basses. i remember my saddles were toast from previous owners filing them down to nothing. thats why i modded my tailpieces. now i can get saddles to fit or even install a newer style saddle bridge assembly. my ricks are tools not collector items so myself modding them for function sakes was ok.

[berth]

even when i modified my three current basses with the aluminum tailpieces to accept the current saddle bridge, which involved removing material behind the three mounting screws, they still do not have tail lift.

How? What tools did you had to use to do this?

[BAD RONBO, KiLLeR DWaRfS]

do not attempt this if you do not know what you're doing. this mod was for my own basses, so if it failed it was my own fault. it worked beautifully.

i used a drill press and a 90 degree milling bit. i used an empty late '70's saddle bridge to gage how much minimal material to remove from the rear area of the current slot behind the screw holes. you will notice it kind of slopes in this area. i used the milling bit to make that rear area 90 degrees and took out the rounded material. then i kept milling a bit at a time until the new saddle bridge fit in. the chroming did not chip away but milled perfectly with the material removed. this again was my experience. i did this to all three of my current basses, '64, '68 and '70. note this will ruin the collectability of your bass, so do not have it done if this is the case. there is enough meat behind the screw holes to do this but only remove just enough to make the saddle bridge fit .

i only did this because the basses would not intonate with roundwounds as there was not enough rearward saddle travel. also to get extra adjustment, i moved the tailpiece back a bit. (notice the gap on squire's rick in front of the string mute. he had this problem as well and was moved back.)

again, i stress this mod was for me with myself doing it so if it failed i would have only myself to spank ! (hmmmm, that sounds nice ! ) i recently parted with an un-modified aluminum tailpiece, so i'm stuck with my mods. you may want to try moving your tailpiece back if you do not enough intonation adjustment so you don't ruin an expensive tailpiece or get one of those aftermarket solid aluminum or brass bridge assemblies, though you might be drilling more holes.

[ram]

i would have only myself to spank !

self-spanking.... an interesting concept.

[BAD RONBO, KiLLeR DWaRfS]

also great when you're pretending to be on a horse in the wild west playing cowboyz and injuns ! hayahhh ! heyahhhh !