Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Who built the bridge?

Quite shiny aluminium alloy saddles, stainless steel bridge height screws, "front of the line" thin mute pads, etc..Mute pad screws seem to be smaller too.

Was this once on a Japanese RIC bass copy?

That's right, Paul, it definitely is not a Rickenbacker-made bass bridge. And yes, it can only be of Japanese origin. Can you spot the tiny detail that hints at its origin? (I suggest you magnify the picture in the middle.)

Ibanez?

Could be, but can you point out the tell-tale detail I refer to? Tip: look for it on the saddle block. The right answer gets you two genuine Rick strap buttons for MH... Get it?

Well, I can only say that the saddle groves were cut (provided they were cut at the factory) deeper and a little rounder than regular RIC saddles. At least they are way deeper than those on my Annie.
These saddles also have rounder edges too. Quite the Japanese style, I should say. It's worth mentioning that the Japanese pay extreme attention to details, which is not a bad thing actually. Look at Japanese arts and stuffs, very delicate and slim-lined (though not necessarily always good for my taste), showing the characters in their blood.
Other than that, I don't really think I'm RIC-knowledgeable enough to find any more clues.

Hope my answer is "right" enough.

The Phillips screws have dimples (dots) on the heads, which indicates Japanese origin.

Mark: BINGO!
Paul: Don't worry, I'll send you the strap buttons just the same, if you promise me you won't pass on MH.