Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi everyone, I have a Dec 1985 4003 that I purchased new from a catalog in mid 1986. Over the course of time, it has developed a slight sideways bend toward the G string side of the neck, so if you are looking directly at the face of the fretboard, the G string appears too close to the edge of the fretboard, while the E string appears to be too far from the edge of the fretboard. It really becomes apparent when you sight down the neck from the headstock, you can clearly see it's slightly bent. I have higher action than I prefer, and I'm getting some buzz below the 5th fret on the E string. Lately it has gotten bad enough that if I'm playing fast on the G string around the 7th fret, the string will actually roll off the fretboard edge, creating a horrible sound that can only be described as "quank". I've been told by a guitar tech (not a licensed Rick tech) that there is a twist in the neck, but it doesn't really look like what I consider to be a twist, it's literally a sideways bend. My questions are can this be fixed, and if so is it something I could do or do I need a licensed RIC tech to take care of this? I've read in these forums things about adjusting for bowing, but this is different, so I'm a little hesitant. I would also like to know if anyone knows a competent RIC tech in the Detroit/Ann Arbor area. Thanks Paul for your suggestion of posting this here, as you can see I've provided more detail than I did when I contacted you through the About page. If you have any new thoughts based on the extra info, feel free to chime in!

Welcome Jeff. Email sent.

Welcome Jeff. Sorry to hear about the woes. Can you post some pics of this?

Hey Jeff, i think this thread should help you out. http://www.rickresource.com/phpBB3/view ... 3&t=382549 Although this thread was dealing with a hump in the neck, the same technique of loosening the rods all the way should hopefully solve your problem too.

Hey Jeff, welcome! I'm in West Michigan.

One thing to check is if a rod is broken. To me I would suspect the E string side rod. Does your 4003 have the split pickguard? If so, then you have the old style rods adjustable from the body end of the neck. If not, then the rods are adjusted from the headstock end and are the new rods. I would look and see if one rod is broken or very loose first. Report back what you find.

Thanks for the thoughts everyone. John, It's the split pickguard, so old style rods I guess. I'll check for broken truss rod. Jason, here are some pics. Hopefully you will see what I'm talking about, although it isn't as apparent in photos as it is in person. You can see the pics at http://s42.photobucket.com/albums/e305/freezway/

Welcome, Jeff ...from yet another Jeff!

Looking at your photos, I noticed something a little odd: In photo #3 it looks to me like your bridge might have slid a little closer to the knob side of the bass. The strings aren't centered in the mute "grooves," or centered over the pickup's pole pieces. The bridge can float around in it's little pocket in the tail piece and is only held in by string tension. It's possible if you had an airhead of a guitar tech change your strings and "set up" your bass that he/she may have tightened up the strings without making sure the bridge was centered in its pocket.

It seems too simple, but if you haven't already done so I'd advise loosening up the strings and checking to see that the two bridge height adjuster screws are seated in their respective indentations.

I think that is due to the neck side warp that is happening. Look at this pic:
http://s42.photobucket.com/albums/e305/ ... CF0011.jpg

I also think I see a twist laterally along with the side warp. I would start with verifying the rods are intact and working first. If they are, then I would remove the strings, remove the rods, verify they are straight, let the neck "rest" for a week or two to see if it will straighten out with no rod and string tensions, then if it does reinsert the rods and restring and adjust the neck straight the proper way (move the neck where you want it, hold there, tighten the rods to hold it there). That may just solve it all. If the neck stays side warped and won't straighten out, then you need a really good luther who knows what he/she's doing to straighten the wood of the neck.