thinneckrick wrote:Until the pot metal (err..Zinc)is removed from the the mix the problem will remain .
Sorry, but when you make a statement like that, even facetiously, it totally undermines your credibility. There IS such a thing as pot metal . . . but the tailpiece is not made of it. Google it for yourself- I'm tired of saying this.
I think that if rick used aluminum exclusivly the problem would be over.
A machined aluminum part might, but no cast aluminum alloy, such as was briefly used in the 60's with extreme crudity, even begins to approach the resistance to bending that this precision die cast zinc part has.
Yes, the depth of the cavity under the bridge route was definitely a factor in tailpiece lift. However, if the body is not flat, I want the two extra screws behind the string termination point to pull it down flat. By the way, zinc is zinc, and pot metal is a combination of zinc, copper and other scrap metals. There ya go. J.H. beat me to it!
aceonbass wrote:Yes, the depth of the cavity under the bridge route was definitely a factor in tailpiece lift. However, if the body is not flat, I want the two extra screws behind the string termination point to pull it down flat. By the way, zinc is zinc, and pot metal is a combination of zinc, copper and other scrap metals. There ya go. J.H. beat me to it!
so Dane, you're saying that the seven screw bridge is better because of the 2 screws that hold the back of the tailpiece down? i have had one or two that even started to lift WITH the screws.....
pflash4001 wrote:Hey guys...I am kinda wondering about my '68. I have seen that there's another floating around in this thread...I had Dale work on mine last year. He did a neck repair for me and the neck now feels great. I do have 2 problems though. First off is that the pickups are VERY low output compared to my others. My 1979 4001 is WAY louder and stonger than the '68. I heard some people around here in the past talk about using rare earth magnets to re-gauss the magnets in the pick ups. I tried to order them from Stew-Mac and they dissuaded me from trying it. They said it wasn't as easy as I may have been led to believe. Honestly, I wasn't really sure what I was going to do other that try to get a hold of someone who may have info on doing that (Sergio???) And yes, it is both the neck and bridge p/u's that are low output. The other thing is that the neck is set prettty flat...Dale of course set up the neck after the repair, but I can't seem to get a decent set up on the H/S on the bass side. If I set the p/u height so that the open E string rings freely, the string will strike the bobbin on the p/u anywhere past like the 10th or 11th fret. If I set it so I get more space on the upper register, the open string to about the 3rd or 4th fret rattle on the horseshoe...is there anyway to adjust the gap on the pickup or do I need to adjust the neck again? what do I need to do? Is there always going to be a rattle on that E string? I really want to gig this bass a bit more often, but I want more output from it and I need that rattling string issue resolved.
I would check the wiring, the switch, and the jack before doing anything to the pickups. It is difficult to set up a vintage HS. You will have to experiment until you find something that works. You should not turn pole screws though.
Last edited by rickfan60 on Mon Feb 02, 2009 11:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
aceonbass wrote:Yes, the depth of the cavity under the bridge route was definitely a factor in tailpiece lift. However, if the body is not flat, I want the two extra screws behind the string termination point to pull it down flat. By the way, zinc is zinc, and pot metal is a combination of zinc, copper and other scrap metals. There ya go. J.H. beat me to it!
so Dane, you're saying that the seven screw bridge is better because of the 2 screws that hold the back of the tailpiece down? i have had one or two that even started to lift WITH the screws.....
If you have lift on a 7 screw tailpiece it is probably false lift caused by the wood not being totally flat. In my experience those extra screws will simply NOT let the zinc bend.
I believe the seven screw part is better because of the two extra screws, but the two in front of it are unnecessary. I've seen this problem with newer ones too. It's not the biggest deal in the world though. I have a tendency to focus on details like this and "blueprint" parts to my liking. Anyway, before this becomes another tailpiece thread, let's get back to discussions centering around horseshoes .
Thanks Ted.
But what do I look for? All the solder joinst seem solid. The pots are smooth...so's the switch...I am not very knowledgeable in this area.
The solder joints should look clean and not spiky and bumpy. Check the contacts on the switch leaves. They should not be corroded or dirty. You can use a little tuner cleaner on them to take off any grunge that built up. Also, the jacks have some switch parts as well. make sure the tip and ring of the jacks are clean and not corroded. They can be cleaned the same way. Most Rick sound problems are caused by dirty or damaged jacks and switches. You can bend the tip portion in a bit to tighten up the hold on the cable plug.
Post some pics if you can. Maybe we can help you spot the problem.
JH qoute . "Sorry, but when you make a statement like that, even facetiously, it totally undermines your credibility. There IS such a thing as pot metal ." One needs only to look in the mirror . So There is Zinc in pot metal ehh ? HMMMMMNNNNNN.
Why are we all talking about this ancient problem anyway ?I thought there was this new amazing bridge design coming out . Hopefully that will end all the bridge problems.
thinneckrick wrote:JH qoute . "Sorry, but when you make a statement like that, even facetiously, it totally undermines your credibility. There IS such a thing as pot metal ." One needs only to look in the mirror . So There is Zinc in pot metal ehh ?
There are raisins in A1 steak sauce but I would not suggest pouring it over bran flakes.
Just wondering, are you looking to get the thread locked? It sure seems that way right now. I don't understand. Why all of the hostility? We are just here to have fun and enjoy each other's company. Please don't ruin it.
Last edited by rickfan60 on Tue Feb 03, 2009 2:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
raisin - bran hmmmmnnnnnnn point well taken Ted Gosh im gettin hungry No not really Ted .Just didnt appreciate the targeting here . It gets really old . But some of us i guess have a low **** threshold.However, I didnt mean to offend you if i did Ted . I appreciate your insight and demeanor here . You are are a vary knowledgeble man. Mucho Respecto Senoir
Last edited by thinneckrick on Tue Feb 03, 2009 2:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
johnhall wrote:A machined aluminum part might, but no cast aluminum alloy, such as was briefly used in the 60's with extreme crudity, even begins to approach the resistance to bending that this precision die cast zinc part has.
That's a ringing endorsement if I ever heard one. Put me down for *ONE* new die cast Zinc bridge.
Javier - I also have a 1968 4001, also a Mapleglo. I'll send you a PM with an in-depth HS tune-up check list that works for me.
The moderator of this section and indeed I am not here soley to moderate any obvious or subliminal lack of respect for anyone including ourselves, John Hall or RIC. That is quite frankly, the private business of those who choose that path, but posting argumentative or disrespectful comments to or about others (no matter who it is) is a breach of forum etiquette and the established rules.
It would be a pity if through our posted words we in fact manage to drive people away who otherwise can contribute so well to the knowledge that we all so freely share, about all things Rickenbacker and more.
If you would indulge me for a moment. I learned a long time ago that words can be very powerful motivators. A few well chosen and well placed words can do great things, such as rally a nation with little hope, on to victory in time of war. On the other side of that coin a few poorly spoken words can just as easily bring a nation closer to the jaws of defeat.
Let's not fan the winds of dissent and if it is the wish of the contributors so far, let's focus on discussing the topic at hand in a thoughtful and pleasant manner.
“We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” - Albert Einstein
"You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother" - Albert Einstein
So There is Zinc in pot metal ehh ? HMMMMMNNNNNN. 
