Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I have owned several Rickenbackers over the years and was wondering if anyone else came across Ricks with one neck rod???

Years ago I bought a 4001 bass with one rod that I think was a 4000 with a PU added, it had been refinished so I never knew if it was a real Rickenbacker or not it had a glued in neck, I bought and sold an ther 4000 that had 2 truss rods but had a glued in neck....why did they glue the 4000 neck in instead of making it a neck through, seems like it would have been mopre trouble to make two completely diferent necks/bodies for basically the same bass...

Ive had several 320s and one of the Rick 320s I bought new back in 1985 had just one truss rod, I cant remember if it was a Gibson style rod or just one side of a Rickenbacker rod. Im leaning more towards the Gibson style, seems like it had a bullet adjustment like a Gibson. I may be wrong its been 10 years ago....
Anyone else come across a Rick with one truss rod like that? Why did they do that and was it just on the 320s and 4000s ?
thanks

A little over a year later - it's early in the morning - let's open this can back up. I noticed the '72 4000 on ebay right now seems to have a set-in or glued-in neck. I have a 1968 4000 that is neck-through. And it seems like a lot of the older ones you see pictures of have neck-throughs as well. I wonder if the set-neck was just done in the last few years of the 4000's or were both versions done at the same time ? Mine has "model 4000-D" written in the cavity. Wonder what the set-necks say ?

I was surprised to see one truss rod in my 1992 650 Sierra!? It's the same type of rod that was in my 330 ! I tought that it was unusual since I always heard that Ric's were using two rods in their guitars...and so far, all the Rics I've seen had two...that's until I receive my 650 !"!"!Anybody around to shed a light ???

Rick started the glued in neck 4000 basses in summer of '72.As to the single truss rods, I know that I've seen '59'60 model Ricks that still used 1.I believe they changed to 2 shortly after that.

Don or Mark would know more specifically, but as I can determine, there was a time in the early 70's when Rick made set neck 4000 basses. I don't believe they ever made set neck 4001 basses. I have a set neck 4001 bass that obviously had an added pickup.

Why did Rick make set neck 4000 basses? Beats the hell out of me?

That I know, Rick never made instruments with only one truss rod. That is a sure fire way to determine an Ibanez or Univox copy.

I have No answer whatsoever Why Rick changed 4000
basses from neck thru to set neck, but I Do know they started it the summer of '72 when I was there.Who was I to question it, though I guess I probably wondered at the time as well.A way to cut costs?? Who knows??

Hello: this may come as a shock to Dave-Axt, but there was only one truss rod used the "OLD" 320/325's and rather recent 320's...I've had more than one - 3 to be exact. The first 320JG - white P/G - Nameplate - High gain Pup's and a ****** job of routing for the pup's (not measured right between them)...the second was a 84' 325v59JG - but the neck was way too flat on the radius...again, ONE truss rod, and finally my 320FG...KILLER - ONE truss rod. I haven't seen any of the current Rick 325's so I couldn't speak for the current structure related aspects of them. "NOW" RIC has used 2 truss rods in the 12 string models 330/360 from 63 or 64 until now. The theory that it MUST be an Ibanez or UniVox just because it has one truss rod is TOTALLY without weight. My 82 Rick 320 (fireglo) had the 2" thick body, 2 o'clock "f" hole, almost square neck heel and ONE TRUSS ROD! I've not seen any RIC Bass with less than 2 rods...PERIOD!!! Also, due to the neck/body joint problems of the earlier RIC's, not only have the truss rods changed, but the inner-body routing structure has changed, too. That aspect of the RIC design was mentioned WAY EARLIER...perhaps, more than a years or so ago. Hope this info helps. AL A.

More on single truss rod Ricks: I had one of the "limited run" mid 80s 320-12s[or would it have been 325-12s?] that I got from Scott Jennings
at Guitar Gallery[later Route 66] in around '87.
I did Not know at that time that Those guitars had only One rod!!I wonder if All of those 12s had only one rod. Also, did Lennons '64 325-12 have only one rod?Finally, do All short scale
325 6 strings have 2 rods, or do they have one?
I'd bet at least the 50s model 3205s had only
one. What's the correct answer here?I can comment Only based on my own personal encounters.

Greetings All,
As with many things, this also may come as a shock to DA. I have seen set neck 4001S's as well. Not just 4000's with a pick up added. Now that DA is playing around with sound equipment, He may be in for a few more shocks. Of the AC varity Just kidding David.

Oh BTW, that 72 4000FG set neck on ebay is mine.
Greg

Nice bass Greg,
maybe if I hit this Ohio lotto here I'll place a bid on it.Good luck,
Randy.

I forgot to add a thanks to Don for the info, very helpful to a 4000 owner.

Well all I can say is that I am shocked!

I guess that you learn something new everyday.
I did not know that mono rod Ricks were ever made! I thought Ricks trademark was stereo turss rods.

To the best of my knowledge, there are no Rick basses with one rod....especially that use a metric allen wrench. That is a sure sign of an Ibanez, Univox or Electra copy.

I should read my own freaking Rick Bass article on the Rick Registration Page! Yes, 4001s set neck basses were made in the early 70's. My guess is that when an order of 4001s basses came in they just grabbed the set neck 4000 basses and routed for an extra pickup. Just like they used to paint over a finished Fireglo instrument when they needed a Jetglo instrument.

John Hall has said that 320s were made with 1 and 2 trussrods thru the years. My '92 Dakota has one trussrod. They now have 2, I believe.

My '98 Dakota does indeed have two trussrods.