Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

so, i decided to put the original bridge back instead of the hipshot.
something with the hipshot didn't felt right to me. in aspect of sound, feel and of course, look.
in the aspect of sound, the hipshot lacked some warmness and zing.
anyway, that what is good with reversible modifications. you can always switch.

so I've installed the original bridge back but without the mute pad and its screws. i never used the mute pad and felt that the pad screes are interrupt with my right hand.
but its also reversible.

i remember that there was a tail piece mod here the described how to drill through the bridge plate and into the wood and than screw the Allen screws into the wood to make better contact of the tail piece with the plate and avoid the rocking of the tail piece.
does anyone can help me find these mod?
i performed deep search for this mod in this forum but didn't find it.
thanks.

tomersg wrote:so, i decided to put the original bridge back instead of the hipshot.
something with the hipshot didn't felt right to me. in aspect of sound, feel and of course, look.
in the aspect of sound, the hipshot lacked some warmness and zing.
anyway, that what is good with reversible modifications. you can always switch.

so I've installed the original bridge back but without the mute pad and its screws. i never used the mute pad and felt that the pad screes are interrupt with my right hand.
but its also reversible.

i remember that there was a tail piece mod here the described how to drill through the bridge plate and into the wood and than screw the Allen screws into the wood to make better contact of the tail piece with the plate and avoid the rocking of the tail piece.
does anyone can help me find these mod?
i performed deep search for this mod in this forum but didn't find it.
thanks.

That would be converting the tailpiece to a seven screw setup...factory standard on all the early to mid 80's 4003 basses...

jaymi wrote:

tomersg wrote:so, i decided to put the original bridge back instead of the hipshot.
something with the hipshot didn't felt right to me. in aspect of sound, feel and of course, look.
in the aspect of sound, the hipshot lacked some warmness and zing.
anyway, that what is good with reversible modifications. you can always switch.

so I've installed the original bridge back but without the mute pad and its screws. i never used the mute pad and felt that the pad screes are interrupt with my right hand.
but its also reversible.

i remember that there was a tail piece mod here the described how to drill through the bridge plate and into the wood and than screw the Allen screws into the wood to make better contact of the tail piece with the plate and avoid the rocking of the tail piece.
does anyone can help me find these mod?
i performed deep search for this mod in this forum but didn't find it.
thanks.

That would be converting the tailpiece to a seven screw setup...factory standard on all the early to mid 80's 4003 basses...

I think Tomer is referring to the bridge height screws to prevent the bridge from rocking in the tailpiece. John Allgair should be coming along here as IIRC he knows what to do.

I think I'd try the washers first - but this might help (just searched the forum for '7 screw tailpiece').

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=381411&p=431009&hi ... ce#p431009

I'm starting to think that the gap between the bridge and the body may actuall be part of the cause of the lift. Building up th egap with washers does make the sound a little deeper.

I guess I am so used to having to mod to make these bridges work these days!!! Sorry...I forgot about the washer thing...

I have drilled a few tailpieces so the bridge height allen screws sit directly on the wood. It works well. On some bridges you will have to use longer allen screws. The bridge does not rock and it tightens up the low end sound. I have done this each time in conjunction with a maple shim.

jps wrote:I think Tomer is referring to the bridge height screws to prevent the bridge from rocking in the tailpiece. John Allgair should be coming along here as IIRC he knows what to do.

thanks. this is what i meant.
actually, i never bothered by the tail lift.

tomersg wrote:

jps wrote:I think Tomer is referring to the bridge height screws to prevent the bridge from rocking in the tailpiece. John Allgair should be coming along here as IIRC he knows what to do.

thanks. this is what i meant.
actually, i never bothered by the tail lift.

Well, it looks like Ted also knows what to do!

my bad - - sorry to confuse.

If you choose to drill, use a drill press and go slowly. Make sure the tailpiece is securely clamped. You will seriously damage your tailpiece if it gets sucked into the bit chuck.

rickfan60 wrote:I have done this each time in conjunction with a maple shim.

Is there a big difference between the washers and the maple shim? I used the washers, and it helped to eliminate the lift I had. Would the maple improve the sound more than using washers?

I would guess there is not much of a difference between washers and a shim. I chose the maple route because I could more precisely fill the gap. Also, using a material similar to the body wood made sense to me. The goal is to get a solid coupling between the tailpiece and the wood. I guess it does not really matter how it is done.

rickfan60 wrote:I have drilled a few tailpieces so the bridge height allen screws sit directly on the wood. It works well. On some bridges you will have to use longer allen screws. The bridge does not rock and it tightens up the low end sound. I have done this each time in conjunction with a maple shim.

Ted has it right here. Just remember, you are not drilling the maple, only the dimple area on the tailpiece the bridge height screws normally sit in. All the way through the metal. Then the set screws sit on the maple. It will firm up the low end too, so be aware the tone will change a little bit doing this.