Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Sorry if this is a FAQ but anyone knows of what, if any, tension tests done on
Ric 12 guitars? i purchased my RIC in 1990 (jetglo 360/12WB ...a beauty)
...used pyramids for about half of those years ....last summer the "R" tailpiece
busted (what a low sinking feeling when i opened the case to see that~~~) ...a
pain to order a new one as you have to send the old one back first.
I've been using Thomastiks but find the pyramids ring more and want to go back.
i've even had nightmares of the screws ripping off the tail of the guitar (impossible?)
...anyways...wondering of your experiences / knowledge ..thanks

(P.S. hey...i actually see the word "pyramid" and not some other egyptian word
as on the Ric site ...one of my peeves there....)

Gordon: This is an excellent question for the factory, but I expect you will get some interesting responses from contributors here.

To begin, I would not blame Pyramid strings on the broken "R" tailpiece. To my knowledge, the black R tailpieces have been more prone to breaking than the chrome. I have never heard RIC comment that the tension of the Pyramids was the culprit. More wear and tear I suspect.

The Pyramids do ring more that Thomastiks, however, my two cents worth is that the RIC strings ring just fine as well.

My view is that life is too short to worry about whether your tailpiece is going to break for a second time. If you enjoy the jangle of Pyramids then return to that which you love. Within a short period of time your post-traumatic tailpiece disorder will pass.

In a brief ten years I have never had such an experience. And I am pretty brutal to my guitars and strings. Peter's right. Go for it.

thanks ...i don't think Ric will comment on pyramids, i'd have to reword the question to be more generic ...if you type "pyramid" they change it to "tetrahedron" ...silly IMHO

http://www.rickenbacker.com/forum_view_thread.asp?thread_id=1445&forum=Just_Basses&thread_name=Tetrahedron?%20Just%20checking...

Silly? It's RIC's corporate website and whether to promote or not promote a competitor's product is their call.

I wonder if Pyramids did this to McGuinns RIC? He's got very little wiggle room on that bridge.

http://www.ibiblio.org/jimmy/mcguinn/RMsetup.html

Is there anybody else here who found Pyramids to be a total waste of money? I tried them on my first 360-12 and 360-6 and they seemed to go dead really fast. When I later got my 660-12 it sounded so much better that I started wondering if my 360-12 was some kind of dud? I switched both 360's back to Ric strings and they suddenly came alive again. I still have a set of Pyramid twelves and might try then sometime on my new 360-12WB for grins and because I do like the feel of them, but so far I certainly haven't been impressed, despite all the hot-shots that supposedly use them.

Todd: I have been pleased with Pyramids on my 4003, after I replaced the E that was dead. They continue to serve me well.

I have had Pyramids on my Rickenbacker 450/12 and my Liverpool 350 and I did not like the stiffness of these strings. In fact, due to my own stupidity, did some serious connective tissue damage when bending Pyramids. Also, Pyramids have always required a truss-rod adjustment for me that has not been necessary for any other type of string that I have used, providing I stick to the 10-46 range.

I switched back to the RIC compressed round-wounds and have never looked back. I really enjoy their tonality and have not found another string that beats them on my Rickenbackers.

I had used Ernie Ball, D'Addario, Pyramid, Thomstik Ineld, Fender, Newtone, Dean Markley, Elixir, DR, Rotosound, LaBella and GHS to name several and the RIC strings still come out on top for me given my playing style.

I used Pyramids for a couple years on my 12 strings. I'm currently using Rickenbacker strings, though. It seemed like for every set of Pyramids that were bright and lively I would get a set that were dead.

My experience has been negative with Pyramids. Of course this was back in 1998. I bought a set of Pyramid Golds long scale at the only shop that carried them in Washington state at that time. It was down in Olympia, Music 6000.
Got them for my '67 4005. After installation and intonation, I could not get the E to sound properly. It was dead. Called up the US distributor and they sent me another one, FOC. Guess what? DEAD. Called again and they sent me another one plus a set of their light gauge nickel roundwounds, which I still have sealed, pitch pipe and stickers, FOC. Guess what? DEAD AGAIN. At that point I went and spent another 50 bucks on another set, took the strings and Ric to the luthier at Bass NW and had him install them thinking I was not setting it up properly. Picked it up and played it. Sounded great. I was in heaven. After a couple of weeks of playing, guess what? DEAD E.
I just gave up all together and after dropping over $100 on strings with a dead E, I vowed never to use pyramids again.
Again, this was back in 1998 so maybe the method of manufacture has changed(?). Regardless, I'm not going anywhere near those strings. Just a waste, IMHO.

For those dead E strings just wipe them down good with a cotton ball and some Ronsons to liven them up. The strings oxidize due to solid nickel.

FWIW, I have seen an R tail explode with light gauge Ernie Balls on a McGuinn signature.

I was going to mention the exploding R and you beat me to it, was that your's that exploded several years ago? I use Tetrahedons on all my 4003's and have never had a dead E. Of course they last so long I've only bought three or four sets in 4 years.

I owned a McGuinn signature for 7 years with no problems. It was a friends McGuinn signature that the R tail exploded.

..got a good, detail response from Mr.Hall at the RIC
site re: "R" tailpiece ....which appears to be stronger
now then the '90 one i had:

http://www.rickenbacker.com/forum_view_thread.asp?thread_id=2301&forum=General_Forum&thread_name=Tension%20tests%20done%20on%2012%20stringers%20?

...i've also had ernies, thomastiks, Ric, etc strings on my 360/12....though stiffer,
i do find the pyramids ring better...