Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hey guys, need some help here. I have a 4001C64S with the D'Addario chromes on in. My 4003 has GHS precision flatwounds. I like the GHS flats better. Can i put these on my 4001. I am terrified of the "bridge lift." Help please.

Flatwounds generally have lower tension than roundwounds of the same gauge. You should be alright.

Refer to answers in the Bass section regarding this topic. Kris, unless you're talking about TI flats, in my experience flats are higher tension than rounds...in most cases.

Richard, I've tried many flatwound sets and have found that Thomastik Infeld would probably be the best choice if you're concerned about bridge lift, etc. I personally like the higher tension as they're not floppy to me because I'm an aggressive player. If you have a light touch, TI's are awesome, they sound great, just not for me.

"Flatwounds generally have lower tension than roundwounds of the same gauge"

I have normally found the reverse to be true.

Rickenbacker markets the 4003 as being made for roundwounds, while saying that the 4001 is better for flatwounds. Why? Because the improved neck reinforcement on the 4003 can take higher tension roundwound strings most bassists want these days.

As far as tension goes, I've found the Chromes to be very easy on the neck of my C64 and V63. GHS and Rotos I thought had more pull. Having used all three, I like the D'Addario Chromes far better than GHS or Rotosound flats IMHO.

I'll preface this by saying I'm the Canadian distributor for Pyramid Strings. I used to use the chromes too, I prefer Pyramids, better response, and balance. I started dealing Pyramids in Canada after I got tired of struggling to get them here.

When you change string brands, do yourself a favor, and listen to all that "hubbub" about a proper setup. Let your guitar sit for a couple of days, after tuning it to pitch and give the strings time to stretch, and settle. Come back to it in 2, or 3 days, and do the following: Truss, Nut, Bridge, Intonation - In that order!

Regarding tail lift: I've setup a lot of Ric basses, and monitored my own closely. I've seen lift coming with new factory setups, and lift with swapped out strings to other brands that didn't better, or worsen lift any. If you have tail lift on your Ric bass beyond a credit card, consider shimming it with a pair of washers on the front if it bothers you. If your unsure of how stable the tail on your Ric is, the first indication is if the guitar is not holding pitch.

Ric makes the best bass on the market - A legend. If you're lucky enough to play one, enjoy it.