Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I received a new 660 in October 2007. I love it. I love the neck, the feel, the look, pretty much everything. Everyone who sees it is immensely jealous. However, I have an issue I need to fix, but I don't necessarily want to have to invoke the warranty if at all possible.

I honestly do not want to be parted from this guitar that long. I would rather try to fix it myself, or have a luthier do something if it can be a quick and easy fix.

My problem is the second fret.

I think the fret is: 1) a little too low, and 2) smoothed down a hair too much on the high E side.

The reason I think this is because my strings rattle when I am playing notes and/or chords on the first fret and I cannot play a left-hand finger turn on the high E string without sliding the string off the fret and losing the note.

I currently have 4 other Rickenbackers (as well as about 8 other guitars) and I have never had this problem before. It just seems that the fret is "wrong" and needs to be replaced. The other frets are fine.

I still have factory strings on the guitar.

Now, as to solutions, I would very much appreciate any input here if possible. I do not want to have to return the guitar to have the fret redone. This would mean being separated from this baby for a long time and I just don't want to have to do that.

So what I am considering doing is placing a higher gauge string on. Maybe 11's or 12's. I am afraid 12's might really mess up the neck though. It would certainly warrant a readjustment of the truss rods, and I have avoided doing this if at all possible. Are there any of you out there playing a 660 with higher tension or thicker strings? What are your experiences?

My second thought would be to have a new nut put in that adjusts the height of the strings and moves the high E string a little closer in away from the edge of the fingerboard. Has anyone done that?

My last resort would be to have the fret replaced. I have never had to do that. Would that require having to refinish the fingerboard?

Any input would be appreciated. I would prefer to be separated from this (my new workhorse) for as little as possible. Thanks everyone!

If your strings are rattling when you're playing on the first fret, I don't see why you think the second fret is too low. If anything, it might be too high, or else the first fret would be too low. But before we go there, has a setup been done? Truss rods may need to be adjusted, and bridge height should be addressed first.

Since the rattle is happening when you're fretting the guitar, changing out the nut won't help. As soon as you fret a note on a string, that fret replaces the functionality of the nut. Be sure that the nut is properly centered on the guitar.