Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Does someone here have a copy of The Doc's writeup for modified nut and bridge saddle spacing for the 330/360/12? I have asked him for it before and can not seem to locate it.

Thanks.

Are you referring to Dr. Quist? If so, I know I've seen that over on the Beat Gear Cavern....

I honestly can't see an off-the-shelf nut not tuned to the specific guitar doing what I have in mind. I want to set the guitar up really well and have it play just how I want it to, and I think I am inlclined to push the envelope on the spacing past even what the new RIC spec is. I also want those nut slots to be right on in terms of depth. I just can;t see a pre-cut nut filling the bill. I have finally bought myself a full set of nut files and a dial caliper, and I'm gonna go to it.

There is an optimum spacing between string pairs, neither too far apart nor too close. If they are too close, there could be interference when the strings are both in motion from picking or strumming.

A set of proper files and a dial caliper are a good start if you are making a nut from blank stock. You'll also need feeler gauges or wire gauges (which can be made from popsicle sticks, epoxy and short lengths of string cutoffs), sandpaper and a block, a #11 X-Acto blade mounted in a #1 handle (for scribing, mainly), and a cloth and some compound, or a buffing wheel, to polish.

I sand nuts on a small (12") disc sander to match them to the crown radius and relieve the tops slightly, and polish them on a buffing wheel when I'm done. It's also necessary to cant the two side inward by a few degrees and radius the top corners, for comforts' sake.

I have all of the aforementioned, so I am in good shape. I have read a lot about this particular mod and now have the specs. Thanks all.

M.A. sets mine up with the following (quoted from the invoice):
NUT - "String pairs are set at ; High "E" ,"B" ,"G" & "D"- .065" apart
The "A" is at .070" and the low "E" at .075" apart."

Bridge (12-saddle) - "Notch the saddles at .045" from the center of each pair ".

Step-by-step photos here:
http://webpages.charter.net/tbradshaw/12%20set-up/


Pair-to-pair spacing and total width of the entire band of strings on mine is a little wider than normal, since I also had him replace the frets will full-width frets over the binding. I ended up with 37 mm from the center of the lowest string to the center of the highest string at the nut. 35 mm from the spot halfway between the Low and it's octave to the spot half-way between the High E pair (which is the same as the high E to low E spacing on my Tele at the nut, which is pretty good for a Rick twelve). With stock frets inside the binding the maximum width and pair-to-pair spacing will be a bit narrower.


I've never had any type of string-to string interference with either RIC strings, Pyramids (hate 'em) or TI's, which is what I use on my twelves these days and never seem to fall off the sides of the frets.

Some nice pictures there, Ted!

In theory, one could refret the guitar and leave the fret ends vertical for a little extra playing width, but the neck would feel mighty bumpy after that...

- Scott

Vertical might be a bit much. MIne are wide and you can feel them more than on a stock bound 360 neck, but their ends are slightly rounded and beautifully polished and de-burred. Sliding a hand along the neck, they're actually less sharp than the ends on my 330/12 or Tele. The difference in playability though, for my old fat fingers was substantial.

My fingers are medium-sized. No refret necessary, I'd think.

Nice pics, Todd. Thanks very much.

Mark took them as he was working on my twelve WB and sent me step-by-step shots of the whole process as it was happening. In total, there are about 30 of them. The disassembly phase is a bit un-nerving, especially tearing out the old frets, but then you get to watch it all come back together, which is really neat.