Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi Sean

One of my Ricks also has a problem of the bridge unit moving back ward in the tailpiece cavity. I'm guessing that you have the bridge unit set quite high on the two adjustment screws and a relatively high action, so the screws tend to act as a pivot. You could try adding one or more "shims" of aluminium under the bridge, going the full width and depth of the bridge so that you "pack out" the gap between the bottom of the bridge unit and where the screws sit in the cavity. This will give you a much more solid platform for the bridge to sit in. You'll obviously need to measure the distance of the gaps carefully and use just enough thickness of shim, then drill two holes for the screws to go through.

My other Ricks have the bridge adjusted so that it "bottoms out" in the cavity (so the screws are effectively doing nothing) to get a good action, hence they don't suffer from the same problem.

Works for me.

Ash

Right, understood the tension on the strings should hold the bridge tight in place are the height adjusting screws biting in ok or is it so low the screws are flat with the bridge it's self. you should nbot be able to move the bridge at all under string tension.

Ashgray wrote:Hi Sean

One of my Ricks also has a problem of the bridge unit moving back ward in the tailpiece cavity. I'm guessing that you have the bridge unit set quite high on the two adjustment screws and a relatively high action, so the screws tend to act as a pivot. You could try adding one or more "shims" of aluminium under the bridge, going the full width and depth of the bridge so that you "pack out" the gap between the bottom of the bridge unit and where the screws sit in the cavity. This will give you a much more solid platform for the bridge to sit in. You'll obviously need to measure the distance of the gaps carefully and use just enough thickness of shim, then drill two holes for the screws to go through.

My other Ricks have the bridge adjusted so that it "bottoms out" in the cavity (so the screws are effectively doing nothing) to get a good action, hence they don't suffer from the same problem.

Works for me.

Ash

I would say my action is very low. Out of the two adjustable grub screws, the one on the E side is level with the bridge, the one on the G side is slightly proud. If I was to bottom the bridge out the strings would slam against the treble bezel and fret-board. Maybe packing underneath is the answer tho

geofio wrote:Right, understood the tension on the strings should hold the bridge tight in place are the height adjusting screws biting in ok or is it so low the screws are flat with the bridge it's self. you should nbot be able to move the bridge at all under string tension.

Maybe this is the problem, where the strings go over the saddles there is very little 'hump', plus they are flats and perhaps don't bite the saddles like rounds do.

Well Chaps, I'm going down the Hipshot route. Just had one delivered today. The bridge moving was one thing, but a bigger issue was palm muting. I'm a punk-rock pick playing palm muter, and I'm wondering if it was my technique pushing the bridge back. Also on order is the Pickguardian treble surround.

Ashgray wrote:Hi Sean

One of my Ricks also has a problem of the bridge unit moving back ward in the tailpiece cavity. I'm guessing that you have the bridge unit set quite high on the two adjustment screws and a relatively high action, so the screws tend to act as a pivot. You could try adding one or more "shims" of aluminium under the bridge, going the full width and depth of the bridge so that you "pack out" the gap between the bottom of the bridge unit and where the screws sit in the cavity. This will give you a much more solid platform for the bridge to sit in. You'll obviously need to measure the distance of the gaps carefully and use just enough thickness of shim, then drill two holes for the screws to go through.

My other Ricks have the bridge adjusted so that it "bottoms out" in the cavity (so the screws are effectively doing nothing) to get a good action, hence they don't suffer from the same problem.
Works for me.

Ash

I've found on the older aluminium bridges that if you're struggling for intonation and have the saddles pretty much all the way back this causes the bridge to tip backwards, string tension or no, hence the washer trick, which of course would likely be even better with a proper shim as Ash suggests.

The bass is now fitted with a Hipshot and Pickguardian surround. I also had the cap by-pass mod done. This lasted all of 5 mins as all it did was make the bridge pup loud and muddy while taking away all the tone

Billy Apple wrote:The bass is now fitted with a Hipshot and Pickguardian surround. I also had the cap by-pass mod done. This lasted all of 5 mins as all it did was make the bridge pup loud and muddy while taking away all the tone

Weird. The only Ric I've ever had that didn't benefit from it was my Feb '72, where you could barely tell the difference. I guess it depends what you're after, but as I can make any bass sound thin and nasal simply by playing it I'm happier with the bypass.

Just thought I's put a pic up of her with the PG and Hipshot.

Loving this bass. I'm glad I gave the cap mod a go because it's made me appreciate the real Ric tone. I've got an SVT Pro II, but believe it or not she sounds bostin' thru my little GK MB200 and 115 Eminence cab.. Well thumpy!

Lookin' real nice!