Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

My 1st string saddle is all the way back and still too sharp. I use .105. .080, .065, .045 strings. I've got enough adjustment for all the other strings, although the D-string is pretty far back. There appears to be very little relief in the neck, maybe just a little, mostly over on the 1st and 2nd string side.

Am I right in thinking that if I adjust the nut on the G-string side of the neck just a little tighter and flatten the neck out a little, that may be enough to bring the intonation in on the G-string?

There should be hardly any relief in the neck at all. Have you tried turning the saddle around ? Make sure the bridge is sitting correctly in the well in the tailpiece. Sometimes they can be tilted forward or backward.

Yes that will help a little, Big G.

As a rule of thumb, you need less relief on the G string side than the E side because thinner strings have less vibration ampltude. Tighten the nut (after loosening the strings, no more than 1/8 turn a time), so that there's only space for one(prefered by me) or two business cards to slide between the G string and the 8th or 9th fret when you fret it at the 1st and last frets. Wait for 30-60 minutes for the neck to settle to the new straightness.

If the G string still goes sharp intonation-wise after the relief adjustment, you might want to try reversing the G saddle so the saddle apogee is closer to the bridge for longer string length, provided the G to D string spacing remains the same. You might even try reversing the D saddle too for adjustment flexibility.

I reversed the E and A saddles on my '98 4003 because those 2 strings went flat at higher positions.

Just my humble suggestions.

Great word Paul, apogee, it brings back memorys of my sweating through trigonometry class.