Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hello Fellow Rickenbacker Owners,
My 660/12 was shipped back to me a couple of months ago and it's a WINNER! Geoff at San Francisco Guitar Works had to rebuild the fretboard and install new frets besides correcting the twisted neck. His Plek machine determined that the fingerboard was thicker where the neck met the body and the 12th through 20th frets were higher than the others. After retwisting the neck, he removed the frets, shaved the finger board (without damaging the pearl inlays) and then installed lower, thinner frets than standard. He and I decided that we didn't want the shiny resin finish on the surface, so it's raw but oiled. It doesn't really look too different or weird, but it plays like a dream!

If any of you all will be at the jam at Mulligans on Saturday Dec 8th, look for the old guy with silver hair holding a 660/12 in Midnight Blue. See you all there!

hifiguy247 wrote:

If any of you all will be at the jam at Mulligans on Saturday Dec 8th, look for the old guy with silver hair holding a 660/12 in Midnight Blue. See you all there!

Albert, we are looking forward to meeting you on Saturday at Malone's and checking out the work you had done on the 660-12 !!

hifiguy247 wrote: My 660/12 was shipped back to me a couple of months ago and it's a WINNER!

Hi Albert, congrats on your "refurbished" 660/12 ! A perfectly set up 660/12 is truely a dream to play, enjoy !

Hi,
I realize your twisted neck post is from ver long ago, but I have the exact same issue and wondered how you ever made out.
Thanks and cheers,
Kevin

Albert,
If Geoff is still at SF guitar works, I'm considering sending my 660/12 out to him. Seems like it need s all the same work you had done.
Can you possibly tell me, soup to nuts, the cost of the work you had done. Or at least a ballpark. Thank you so much.

Hey Kevin, sorry for the delayed response. If you are comfortable with working on your guitar, then here is what I would recommend (I did this recently on one of mine).

(1) Loosen the strings completely
(2) Loosen both truss rod nuts until they are finger-loose
(3) Let the guitar sit (ideally, flat on its back safely in the case) for a few days
(4) Snug up the truss rod nuts, but don't torque down on them
(5) Retension the strings to an intermediate point (not to concert pitch), in the correct tuning pattern (to make the tension even across the neck)
(6) Let the guitar sit for a day
(7) Check the neck relief, ideally, there won't be a twist, both sides should have a slight bow (normal at this point)
(8) Adjust the neck (note that if it's a pre-1980ish, you should pretension the neck before tightening the truss rod nuts) to flat
(9) Allow the neck to settle for about a day, check the action again; adjust one side if there is a twist
(10) Tension the string to concert pitch and check the action
(11) Adjust the neck again to get it level, if needed
(12) Allow the neck to settle again for a day and check the action
(13) Make adjustments as necessary

You might need to tweak the truss rod nuts over a few days depending on how the neck responds.

FWIW, a really out of whack neck may need the heat clamp treatment.