Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

yep guilty as charged ... I do make some changes to my basses ... and I don't ever expect everyone to agree with me ...

the first thing I do with a Gibson bass is sell it

I like that one too. The only Gibson bass I ever liked was a '76 T-Bird. What an awesome bass.

BTW: I love my MIM FL J-bass, but had to put clear nail polish on the saddle height screws - they woudn't stop creeping and dropping the strings.

the problem with mim jazz basses is the truss rod nut strips really easy ... especially the 5 string models ...

I have never had the urge to change a bridge. All the basses I have had have been great just the way they are. Talking of Fender bridges...my bass player has a '59 & a '61 Precision as well as a '70's Tele bass (all have original hardware) & has no trouble what-so-ever.
I know Jeff wont believe this, but in the studio, there are times when I use the mute on my 4003. I love the sound with the mute on, but I still want one of Jeffs basses with the jazz p/u in the mute cavity.....that is just genius!

I don't use the mute, but I think the whole bridge assembly looks cool as hell. The only problem I have with the rick bridge is having to virtually dissassemble it to adjust my intonation. If the intonation screws were changed for allen key adjustable ones I'd be perfectly happy. (wasn't there a thread on this once? Can anyone point me in the right direction?)

As for Fender bridges, I used to have an early 70s P Bass (which was a great bass BTW) and changed out the original bridge for a Schaller. It was much more solid, but the bass sounded much better with the original bridge IMHO, so I'm with you on that Ilan. Just don't get me back on a pro Alembic rant, I haven't found anything about mine that I don't like and its by far the most versatile bass I've ever owned; the best too IMHO. But each to their own as always!

My greatest sin against a Rickenbacker was to add this Badass...


The E string saddle on the original bridge simply would not move back far enough for proper intonation. This was a production instrument at the time and not the rare treasure it is today. My luthier thought this bass was pretty awesome. He was the only other person to appreciate it back then. The restoration to the orginal tailpiece is in the works.

Shaun,
I'm afraid that thread is buried in the Abyss.
I'll repeat what I wrote:
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All pre-2001 intonation screws are very soft and get stripped or bent easily. I replaced them with black screws of the same specs (4/40 thread, .725" length) with hex slot on the head that can be easily turned by the 1/16" RIC bridge adjustment wrench.





You can get the same kind of allen machine screws (maybe not black) here. It's the 4-40 ones that you want>>>Bolt Depot #4445

Good luck.

Those work beautifully. Except for my 1970 21 fretter, they're on all my Rick basses now.

Very cool, Sérgio.
Yes, shorter screws are required for a pre-mid '73, split type tailpiece/bridge as the bridge itself is narrower. I had my luthier friend cut off apprx. 1/16" of 4 of those screws and they now work perfectly on my '72.

PS.>I might have the name for the "new baby" soon.

Been away for a couple of days, and find that my comment on the pickguardian p.u. surround caused a few rather strong reactions. I LOVE Rickenbacker instruments!!! But I don't gig with my 75 4001. Why? After having played precisions and jazzes and t-birds and les paul signatures for 15 years professionally, the 4001 feels very strange in my hands. I play fingerstyle and for some songs (or part of songs) I use my index finger's nail as a plectrum and palm mute to get a "tic-tac" sound. That doesn' work on a 4001. I would like to pluck the strings exactly where the cover sits.
But the the cover LOOKS very cool. Like an old Cadillac wilth plenty of chrome.
For me the solution is (I think): Buy a new 4003, do the mods (bridge, PU surround) to make it playable (for me), and keep the 75 4001 stock to have something really nice TO LOOK AT!!!
Does this make any sense?

Paul-

Those string saddles are looking awfully shiny! Is it just the photo, or did you have them chrome plated!?

Jeff,
I polished them with metal polish paste. The shine lasted for only a few months though. Actually, having them chrome plated is a better idea.

Oh, and congratulations on scoring the Ruby baby. Nice deal!

Paul, many thanks for that! That's something I'm seriously going to have to look into (although that means disassembling everything AGAIN!). And of course I would have to have a 72....not that I'm complaining!

Sergio, do you use the hex screws or the allen ones?