Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

...where some folks were discussing the tonal differences they perceived with their 400x bridge height adjustment screws going THRU the tailpiece and on into the body wood.

Also mentioned something about inserting dimes(?) in the bridge area rout, IIRC.

Thanx for helping a Ricken-brother out!

I think it was a thread about tailpiece lift that is now in the archives.

Yeah, I looked and looked last night but never found it either. RIC forums too. All I remember reliably was drilling out the places the allen screws hit and either letting them dig into the wood or putting a tiny metal disk there to push against. It was recommended to use 1/2" screws also. Don't remember the specifics of the dimes though. Anyone?

Collective recollection!!! That's what I was counting on! Thanx for the extra synaptic power fellas!

I imagine that what was being "hinted at" in the thread was that the rout under the bridge section of the tailpiece is too deep and that therefore that part of the tailpiece casting "floats" above the wood, not making good, solid contact. I think it was also mentioned that overtightening such a "floater" could conceiveably exacerbate tailpiece lift by presenting a downward force at this point.

I guess the main thing I was wanting to see if the original thread answered was what the best methodology might be in order to measure the difference between the top of the body wood and the bottom of the tailpiece casting, if in fact I do have a "floater". I now suspect that this is the case, because I had an opportunity to play another C64S on an out of town trip, and it had a much more solid, resonant and punchy feel & sound compared to mine.

I will find a fix, but at this point I need info more than anything!

Thanx again for what's come and what's coming!

In that thread I commented that the sound of my '80 improved after drilling out the holes and letting the allen screws sit on the wood. It did in fact improve. Later, I filled the space between the tailpiece and the wood with some washers then reported that the sound went south again. It turns out that the allen screw on the E side was jammed in the hole and did not make it too the wood that time. All at once it snapped in and the sound came back. While I don't believe it to be universally required, drilling out the tailpiece does work in certain circumstances where the E string is less responsive down low.

The only problem with letting the allen screws sit on the wood IMO would be the fact that they would grind into the wood somewhat every time the bridge is adjusted. Also I remember 1" allen screws were to be used in order for them to be able to reach the body wood.
I also remember something about the coins. Someone suggested using coins and/or washers for the bridge to sit on rather than the 2 allen screws giving more mass to the bridge/tailpiece/body joint. Obviously the allen screws would have to be removed leaving the coins or washers used to make your personal preference of bridge height proper.

Ah... so the coins didn't go between the tailpiece and the body... they went between the tailpiece and the bridge assembly!

Ok... clearer and clearer with each contribution to the collective recollection!

Alvaro, there was another thread about tail lift that dealt with the washers between the tailpiece and the wood of the bass, as you have talked about above. What I remember is the person believed tightening the tailpiece screws drew the tailpiece on his bass down into the over-router cavity and exacerbated the tail lift problem he was having.

I have a 79 4001 and the holes were drilled out at least 7 years ago (before I bought it) and it sounds great, is one of if not my best sounding 4001 and the allen screws have not drilled into the wood at all and I have extensively adjusted the bridge on this particular bass as I had some other problem at one time. I wouldn't worry about that at all. The Allen screws are extra long. I routinely tighten the tailpiece on every Ric I own with no problems. The coins would be a bad idea I would think, I think that idea was to stop tip, the allen screws into the wood also stop tip and the bass seems to have a more organic sound and still has all kinds of treble.