Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Gilmourisgod wrote:

teeder wrote:The binding was added around Feb of '71.

This Jan '71 didn't have it, but the Feb '71 did.

It's interesting to see so much difference between basses made one month apart! Notice the difference in bridge placement, the fireglo on the right has the bridge noticeably farther towards the neck than the current production basses, the body actually looks longer, or is that just the photo? The upper horn on the fireglo looks longer in the photo. Was there a difference in scale length on these two basses? If the bridge placement changed, the fingerboard would have to move with it unless the whole body got longer. I guess that speaks to the "hand-made" quality of the older basses pre-CNC machining.

Count the frets….

42?

inhuien wrote:42?

Guffaw !

chefothefuture wrote:

inhuien wrote:42?

Guffaw !

You asked for it, John..

...for me it looks just like the strap button at the body end of the FG bass is a bit larger (higher) than the one of the BG bass.

IIRC, they had different strap buttons.

Grrrrrrrr!!

I just put her back together and put her new strings on Circle K .102's and the neck is not seeing enough tension from the strings!! Hardly any tension on the rods and she's fretting out. I'll leave her strung over night to see if things change but if she does not, either I pull the rods and take some of my bend out of them, or go with heavier strings. What say ye all?? What's up with these pre 70 4001 necks liking tension????

Sepp

Heavier strings as a last resort IMHO.
Gotta be a bummer to reassemble the project and not have it turn out as expected.
Try the rods first.

Kopfjaeger wrote:Grrrrrrrr!!

I just put her back together and put her new strings on Circle K .102's and the neck is not seeing enough tension from the strings!! Hardly any tension on the rods and she's fretting out. I'll leave her strung over night to see if things change but if she does not, either I pull the rods and take some of my bend out of them, or go with heavier strings. What say ye all?? What's up with these pre 70 4001 necks liking tension????

Sepp

My '76 can't handle anything less than 150 lbs so I feel ya.

However, when I played this bass before you bought it, I don't remember particularly high tension strings. I think they were well-worn medium rounds...? Your CK set is medium so I'm a bit shocked if it's really not enough. There's been no fiddling with the truss rods right?

I'm sure if tension really is the issue CK would work with you on getting the next set up in the list, 106.

Josh,

I pulled the rods out and arched them to give the neck a little head start, more back bow. The strings play OK under light playing pressure but any semi aggressive playing and they rattle on the fret board. When I check the straightness of the neck, the strings are laying on the board. I can see a slight backbow when sighting down the neck and the truss rod nuts are barely engaged. I had the same issue with my 1965 4001. It did not like the .098 set I selected for her. The minimum I could put on her was the .102 set.

I'll let her sit over night to see if the neck reacts differently and pulls straight. There has been zero tension on her for a few months.

Sepp

hoping it takes the set you want!

T28 wrote:Heavier strings as a last resort IMHO.
Gotta be a bummer to reassemble the project and not have it turn out as expected.
Try the rods first.

Stephen,

I knew going into this that it would be an up hill battle getting her right. What's more frustrating is having her so close and yet so far!! I have all her components now it's just the engineering!!

Sepp

Bummer,

I pulled the rods out, again, and took most of the arc I put into them out. I left about a half inch of arc in each and the neck needs a bit more tension. It's dead straight with zero truss rod tension acting on the neck and I have a bit of fret buzz.and slight fretting out on the G string at the the third fret!! I need a smidgen of relief but since the truss rods are really not engaged I need to increase the gauge of the strings to a .106 set. Not what i wanted to do.
Sepp

Kopfjaeger wrote:Bummer,

I pulled the rods out, again, and took most of the arc I put into them out. I left about a half inch of arc in each and the neck needs a bit more tension. It's dead straight with zero truss rod tension acting on the neck and I have a bit of fret buzz.and slight fretting out on the G string at the the third fret!! I need a smidgen of relief but since the truss rods are really not engaged I need to increase the gauge of the strings to a .106 set. Not what i wanted to do.

3.jpg

Sepp

No spaghetti noodle strings for you!

Try some Roto Swing bass 66 45-105 on it.

Stay tuned! She is one her way back from the shop, re-fret and a little tweaking from the boys at The Twelfth Fret in Oregon. I should have her is a week. the guys fell in love with her and say she is a killer now!!

Sepp