Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi Everyone! This is my first post here and I hope you can give me some opinions. I recently received my very first Rick with much anticipation...a 2006 Mapleglow 4003 after many years as a Fender J and P player. It arrived with extremely high action which I have been unable to correct. I shaved the nut from the bottom and then tried to flatten the neck as per the manual and John Hall's instructions on the RIC website. Frets 2 thru 6 are always buzzing unless the action is very, very high. Tightening the truss rods pulls the neck into an "S" leaving the lowest frets still bowed outwards. No amount of adjustment will correct this. I then removed the strings and loosened the truss rods completely and saw the fretboard bow (which I've attempted to take pictures of). Its easier to see with your eye than in the pictures. Every other bass I've had is either flat or has a gentle convex (the opposite of this) bow that is easily correctable if the strings don't just pull it straight. I've certainly never seen anything that is just at the end of the board...it seems like a built defect to me.
I'm kinda bummed since I thought buying a brand new bass would eliminate this kind of thing. I'm waiting for RIC to process my registration and thought I'd ask you guys what you thought before I talked to them in a couple days.
Thanks in advance for all your thoughts.

Hi Stevo, and a big welcome. It's really hard to tell from your photos what the neck is doing, but from what you have said it would appear that you have a problem.
I believe that unless you are fitting some crazy heavy duty strings to you bass, you should be able to get a flat neck. If you can get a flat neck, then you should be able to fix the nut and bridge height to give you low action.

All this said there might be a hint of fret buzz when not plugged into an amp. I have a jazz bass with quite high action that has quite a bit of buzz acoustically, but when plugged in goes away.

Mt favorite RIC, a '72 4001 sounds quite buzzy until plugged in, then it sounds great.

I guess it would be a good idea to get it to the store where you got the bass and see what they have to say about it.

Not much real help I know, but moral support at least..!

It looks like a case of up-bow. Your best bet is to contact RIC Customer Service as soon as you are able. They are your first resource for instruments under warranty. BTW welcome to the forum.

just don't tell them you shaved the nut from the bottom..

The bass has only had the original stock strings on it. What you see in the pictures is no strings/no tension. It's brand new and only played for a couple hours total.
My jazz is also a little buzzy when played acoustically and this is very different from that. I think you can see what I'm dealing with a little better if you take a piece of paper and lay in on the computer screen following the binding edge or the fret edges. This works best on the first picture. Then you'll be able to "see" the sharp up bow at the 6th fret on out to the headstock. Please try it!
Unfortunately RIC won't talk to me until they process my registration whatever that means.
I had to order this bass online so I'm thinking dealing directly with RIC is a better bet. I could never find a 4003 on the shelf anywhere around here...
Thanks for the welcomes and moral support!
Steve in Boulder.