Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I am in the middle of restoring my '76 4001 to stock condition. I had bartolini pickups in, but wanted my Ric twang back.

So I lost the screws for the neck pickup. I ordered two new screws from well trusted supplier. They don't fit. Wrong diameter, too long. So I email the supplier and he sends me out a new set, saying he must have made a mistake. Still wrong diameter, still too long.

What gives? Has Rickenbacker switched sizes over the years? Anyone have a line on a screw that would work?

-Confused

Try Mike Parks at www.the-music-connection.com

Give him a call, and tell him what you need. He's very easy to work with, very nice guy.

I found some that fit at Home Depot ....

Like Jeff, I went to the local hardware store to get parts for my 76mg...I went to the Ace because they have all of those trays of screws and washers...I got the stainless steel non-metric without too much trouble but I did have a correct size screw to match it with. Of course, you could always take the part with you and match it on the spot.

I agree, ACE is the place. At Home Depot you can't buy just an individual screw.

Did I mention I went to a "well trusted supplier?" I didn't want to mention any names, for I don't think he is at fault.

There is no way he sent me the wrong part twice in a row. My question is: Why won't the "right" part fit? Has Ric changed mounting screws over the years? Has anyone run into this problem before?

As it stands, the Ric pickup mounting screws (Rickenbacker part #05203)are way too long for the pickup rout (they bottom out) and the wrong diameter.

Luckily I live about two blocks from an Ace. Y'all ain't gonna deduct points for aftermarket screws are ya?

What year is your Rick, Peter? I have ordered those screws from Mike in the past few years. I think I looked up the part number on both his site and the RIC site. The screws fit my late 1970's Ricks and are the same same screw used today. At first, he sent me some sort of wood or sheet metal type thread. I let him know the mistake, and the second time he got it right. Maybe some of the wrong screw were accidentally put in the pickup screw bin.

And yes, 5 points will be deducted for non-original RIC screws.

For the neck pickup, a machine screw is used to mount the pickup to the pickguard, not the screws as used on a guitar.

The 05203 is the guitar mounting part, not the bass.

The current machine screw is 05112 (4-40 x 1/2 Pan Head Philips) while the vintage style is 05113 (4-40 x 1/2 Round Head Slot).

You'll also need the 06102 (Nut 4-40 Small Pattern) to mount these.

Indeed, these would be readily available at any Ace-like hardware store in stainless, which would be hard to distinguish from the chrome ones we use.

This is the kind of advice our customer service department exists for. Also, if you're a registered owner, they'd likely drop these in the mail to you (if you ask politely, as opposed to the irate, insulting customer act displayed by some that have lost their screws in the past).

There you go!

Umm... Gee... Thanks Mr. Hall. Nothin' like getting it straight from the horse's mouth.

You'd think the person I dealt with would'a known that. I will drop him an email pointing to this thread.

I may get a couple of stainless screws for the short term, and order a couple original screws later. Wouldn't wanna lose points.

Jeff: Yes, I have those same wood screws.