Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I have seen on some 4001 basses , they had phillips head screws for adjusting the saddles for intonation.... I have also seen slotted screws for this... WHich is correct??? Or are they both correct?? Did they use slotted screws for certain years then change over??? ANy info would be appreciated..
Best Regards
Chris

Philips screws are factory correct. Some people changed them to slotted screws or allens to improve access. They are stone b!#ch to adjust most of the time. All of my Ricks from 1963 to 2003 have philips screws.

First thing to do after buying a Rick with a factory tailpiece is to buy a bag full of the bridge screws as you will chew them up. Grrrr....

I believe slotted screws for adjusting intonation were standard on the 'old-style' bridge/tailpiece' assembly. At least both my August and my November 1970 21 fretters have them.

And now for our next question:

When is that new no mod, drop in replacement bridge coming from RIC?

Sergio, my '63 has the old style TP that has philips screws. They appear to be original.

Uh-oh. Well, either RIC used both screw types or those on both my 21 fretters are replacements.

All my 60's basses have the phillips screws and they are original.

If you use a correct size phillips screwdriver and go in as straight as possible and loosen the string they are not so hard to intonate, it's when you get lazy and leave the string tuned to pitch and try to pull the saddle back that the stripping begins, haha!

Well thats just it. Intonation tuning is much easier if you can turn the screw a little, check the string, turn the screw, check the string, etc. Retuning between trials makes about as much sense as removing the neck bolts on a Fender to adjust the truss rod. The price of out-dated hardware.

I will usually loosen the string and pull the saddle back and then tune it up and push it forward with the screwdriver, you can keep checking it that way and it stays pretty much tuned except for the little bit you push it forward, it's much easier to push the saddle forward than the try to pull it back. I even bought some 90 degree angle screwdrivers and those didn't work well at all.

I found a system that works pretty good...
First I keep the saddle threads adjust screws lightly oils....baby oil works good or 3-in-1..
I found a small but long thin "slotted" screw driver that fits nicely in the phillips slot..
Now each time I need to adjust..I grab the string with my fingers right at the front of the saddle and lift it up off the saddle and hold the string in the air while I turn the intonation screw....This way I relieve the pressure and don't need to unwind and rewind the string a million times.. Just go easy and don't snap the string back onto the saddle..just let it down lightly and smoothly...
Chris

I replace the phillips screws with these ...



I can do minor adjustments with the strings at full tension ...