Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

That'd be a good idea too Kevin. Since so many have problems getting the action down on some of the older 4001's, a saddle that is a little shorter would be good to. If you round off the rear of the saddle foot, you can actually get about another 1/8" of rearward travel too.

One of these days.

Years ago there was a guy on here that CNC milled a whole new bridge that took modern saddles but fit the old split tailpiece. I wish he would have gone into production mode, because I would LOVE to get my grubby mitts on one. On my '72 the saddles are filed WAY too deep, the E string one is all the way back and it still won't intonate. It's completely unplayable.

I just posted in the WTB section for some old saddles, but I don't have my hopes up very high.

rhampshire1 wrote:Years ago there was a guy on here that CNC milled a whole new bridge that took modern saddles but fit the old split tailpiece. I wish he would have gone into production mode, because I would LOVE to get my grubby mitts on one. On my '72 the saddles are filed WAY too deep, the E string one is all the way back and it still won't intonate. It's completely unplayable.

I just posted in the WTB section for some old saddles, but I don't have my hopes up very high.

I couldn't get the action on one of my '72s as low as I'd like (very low!) with correct intonation until I followed Mark Walker's advice and took the bridge height adjustment screws out, resting the bridge unit on washers. Bingo; worked a treat. Thanks Mark!

I'd previously also had new aluminium saddles made, but unfortunately the guy who made them no longer has the equipment, otherwise I'd have had a few sets done, just in case. If I were you I'd find someone who'll make some. Of course you could always route out the tailpiece to fit a later unit....

I'm going to try and find somebody local that can TIG weld aluminum. Weld up the saddle slots, and a little file work should have them good as new.