Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

anyone installed the chrome-brass hipshot tailpiece on a 4003 ?

Yes. I noticed a big improvement in sustain, & the biggest difference was in the G string. Before it was prone to fretting out up high and was generally weak. The Hipshot made a big difference. The plating in the saddle well is a little wonky, but it's hard to notice.

I put one on the 4003FL I used to own, primarily as it offered a greater range of intonation adjustment that I needed on that particular bass. It is hard to comment on it tonally due to other mods I did at the same time, but it did sound great!

I once had it on my 1997 4003FG. The sustain improved as well as it gained weight. I personally found the sound too crisp, so I changed to the ALU version, which does not ad any weight and it's sound comes closer to the original bridge.

Definitly the aluminum version, it sounds close to the stock RIC tailpiece. The brass one is ridiculously heavy although the notes ring out strong without dead spots. Either is a HUGE improvement over stock and why RIC should be justifiably concerned over infringment. Without the mute cavity and extra metal in the way, I found it much easier to play behind the treble PU with the cover on. Overall the whole package is much cleaner looking and more versitile with great adjustability and tone.

very nice. just orderd the brass one, hope it gets here quick. i need it this weekend !

hey it arived today! the rics gonna weigh as much as my warwick. glad i have wide straps. i'll put it on tonight. whats with the extra bolts ??

Depending on your intonation you might need to use some of those different length screws.

How about a picture of the bass with the new bridge!

i did it !! looks great. i like the added weight shif to the rear. i haven't put a new set of strings on yet but the old ones (about a month old) still sound better than before the tailpiece change. i've got before & after pics in jpg. i don't know how to get them here.

thumper73533 wrote: i haven't put a new set of strings on yet but the old ones (about a month old) still sound better than before the tailpiece change.

Well that's (obviously) the best way to compare the tone before and after the bridge change, provided you set the action the same as it was.

well the deed is done. the hipshot chrome brass was a major improvement. better balance and i'm diggin the tone. but the best part is it coverd the damage caused by the original bridge. i had no choice folks. i wanted to stay stock but ric would not fix it. so much for the 5 year warranty on a 2 year old bass. new buyers beware.

Let's not confuse finish warranty with structural warranty. The finish warranty is one year from date shipped. Your issue was with the paint flaking on the front of the body near the bridge.

yes,,, from a falty bridge.

This probably had a lot to do with your choice of strings, as well, and the shortage of information on choosing strings for a Rick bass, except on sites such as this one, which I notice you've joined rather recently.

I would also guess that the beginnings of this problem showed up awhile ago, and gradually; an ever-increasing amount of tail lift, and evidence that the front of the tailpiece was beginning to dig into the guitar's finish. It takes awhile for it to get bad enough to pop the finish up on the bass and cause it to then flake off in large pieces.

In other words, I don't think this happened overnight, and RIC can't be held responsible for any owner's slow response in correcting a choice of strings that overstressed the tailpiece.