Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I noted in another thread (../5/65868.html"../142287/69204.jpg" alt="4003S/5 SPC bridge lift pic 2a">



It's no wonder that the string spacing looked wacky in the original pictures.

I have been involved in some of the previous threads about bridge lift and the remedy thereof (like the extra screws solution), but this, I think, is an extreme example. Mainly, I need to know whether I can bend the bridge back without overly stressing (or breaking!) the metal. My idea is to bend it back carefully and install two screws like those that were factory-original on my Tuxedo and Redneck basses:



Suggestions etc. are most welcome.

Woah...that IS scary Gary.

Sorry I havn't got any suggestions as to a remedy, but was that bridge lift mentioned in the original sale?

Hopefully You'll get some good suggestions from the forum members.

I gasped when I saw that pic.Wow. Friggin awful!I'd just say throw a black hipshot bridge on there.. I'm sure you could get one without any saddeles and add 5 of your own. No lift there. Or find a replacement BT tailpiece.

Ack! Double post!

i'd send it back!

Man that bridge looks happy to see you! I may have an extra 4 string BT bridge laying around if you are interested. I have no idea what condition it's in until I locate it though.

Chris at PORT has repaired some of my lift problems by re-bending the tail piece. He does it in very small increments. It takes a long time. This tail may be to far gone.

I'd write that tailpiece off and look for another. You could alwaYs get a chrome one powdercoated for not much money.

I'm still interested in it if you don't want to bother with it!

I'd ditch the ski-jump bridge if you can find a replacement. But it might be hard to find one. Maybe Jeff Rath has one lying around. I would think that the metal has been over-stressed, but I guess you have nothing to lose by trying to straighten it. Obviously, you'll want to drill the two holes in it to keep it down.

The goofy thing here is...Why RIC didn't put the extra two holes in the thing in the first place. Don't all the 5-bangers have the 7 screw tailpiece? I have an '89 and a 2000 S5 that both have 7 screws.

you could attempt to correct it but maybe the metal is too far gone.

Or you could but a small vibrato lever on it...

I would have thought that this bass would have had the lower screws in the tailpiece like the two pictured above...That is the worst I've ever seen. I'm surprised that it hasn't snapped in two.

I dunno about bending it back, the metal is probably too stressed at this point. A new tailpiece like the two above would probably be all you'd need.

Holt xxxx ... that is the worst pull up I have ever seen ... I have a 4003s5 that had an old black tailpiece that was seriously bent ... I put in 2 screws and the screws couldn't get enough bite to pull it down so I put in 2 more screws and it still couldn't get enough bite ... so I put in 2 neck bolt on screws and that did the trick ...

I have no spare black Ric tailpieces in my spare parts cash ... your best bet is to get a 4 string Ric tailpiece and machine it into a 5 string tailpiece and have it sand blasted and black powder coated ... or get a used 4 string black tailpiece and machine it into a 5 string tailpiece ...

For anybody who has a 4003s5 without the 2 extra screws ... put in 2 extra screws now ... before it pulls up like this one ... the ric tailpiece cannot take the stress of 5 strings without extra screws ...

when I convert a 4003 to a 5 string I remove the Ric tailpiece and place a modified allparts tailpiece in there with a custom made bridge and custom made saddles ... and I add 2 extra screws ...

here's my 4 extra screws black tailpiece ...



here's a couple of my allparts 4-2-5 tailpieces ...



and here is one installed ...

Why did Ric not keep using this design?

Because too many customers complained about the look of the extra screws. In any case, additional ribs were added to the casting to strengthen it further. But five, heavy strings, and the effect of heat on the casting from powder coating certainly puts it on the edge.