Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Just wanted to mention to the guys who visit both boards, I posted this at the RIC website as well.

I bought a new Laredo last February. After purchase I took it to a reputable guitar shop in town (Wade's in Milw. Wi) to have them set it up. I did this because I noticed the action was a bit high due to what I assume was a forward bow in the neck. Wade did the set up (including adjusting the intonation) and told me that when he adjusted the truss rods he noticed that one side is loaded with tension whereas the other is not. Now, three months later, I've noticed that the neck has a slight forward bow again. So, my questions are: is it normal for one side of the neck to be loaded with tension and the other not? Should I take my bass back for another truss rod adjustment to address the bowing issue? Also, is it normal to have to make additional truss rod adjustments so soon after its been adjusted? Forgive me if these are noob questions, but I don't have a lot of experience with maintenance of this type.

Hi Jason. Are you in the Milwaukee area? Now that we're into the warmer and more humid weather, you may find that tweaking the truss rods will be necessary. Depending on what conditions you have where your bass is stored, this could mean a couple of adjustments per year.

Let me know where you are. I'm in the Milwaukee area.

Funny thing these 4004's...

My 2008 4004Cii Blueburst has SUCH a solid neck, the tension on the rods had to be absolute nill! The neck is so perfectly flat, the nuts are like finger tight just so they don't rattle. Joey explained showed me how to "RESET" the neck, by leaving it with the nuts totally slack for a few days, then start to adjust them a little at a time.

After those few days, it "set" itself and needed no futher action from me, and being in Florida.....there's no shortage of humidity in the air.

My strings were buzzing when it first arrived and it was driving me nutty. Fresh setup and all. This simple process saved me countless hours of messing with the rods. It might be worth giving it a shot. I'm by NO MEANS a tech guy, just passing on my experience with my 4004Cii.

If you have uneven tension on the neck it suggests a set of strings that is not very balanced for tension--and many are not. TI JF344s are some of the best balanced, whereas I have calculated specs on lots of D'Addario sets and a few of the larger gauge sets are very unbalanced.

If you just have the original stock strings on, I'm not sure. Can you talk to Kenny Howes at RIC? If it's new it should be under warranty. If there's a serious problem they will repair or replace it.

I have a 4004cii as well and have had problems with the neck needing a lot of attention. I was going to send it back, and Ric was very good about helping with that, but I found using lighter strings helped considerably. I went to 100-45 rather than my usual 110's. Also where you live makes a huge difference. I am in the midwest with weather changes and humidity in constant flux. That doesn't help. But with the string change I've gone from about 2 adjustments a week to maybe one a month. As it gets older it's gets more stable as well I've fond. Bottom line for me was I love the bass and have done the vol-vol-tone mod (which really adds to the tonal range) and if I have to adjust it now and then that's just fine. Gives me a reason to fiddle with it.

Also... Ric necks should be adjusted flat.. not with a slight bow. Try that as well.

Tension requirements of individual necks vary widely, mostly due to the nature of the material used--wood--which, regardless of apparent uniformity, is an organic material and will exhibit unique characteristics. Some are harder, some softer, most a combination of both; compression and tension affect each slightly different; they expand and contract differently based upon environmental conditions. It's a complex set of factors affecting these long, skinny, hollow pieces of laminated multi-species wood.

There's a lot to be said here for the method of truss rod adjustment. Most non-Rick techs do not understand that any initial adjustments must be made in small increments, with some time allowed between adjustments. Non-Rick techs are used to adjusting until it's flat, then putting it back in the case and calling it finished. This is often not enough...not enough patience, not enough attention to detail, not enough...dare I say it?...sensitivity.

Yes... I do my adjustments a bit at a time till I get the neck flat. However, mine still moves about a bit. I just accept it as part it's personality. It plays great. Sounds great. It just craves a little extra attention.

I try to limit myself to 1/4 turn per 24-hour period.

Welcome Jason!

jdogric12aolcom wrote:I try to limit myself to 1/4 turn per 24-hour period.

Me, too, Dawg...I'm facing due North, but tomorrow it'll be East, I understand.

Paul, that's certainly not how it was with my Jazz Bass or Stingray and it seems to contradict the idea of a manual adjustment to, a la older Rics. Why do newer Rics require such sensitivity when others apparently don't? I could have my Jazz Bass from excessive relief to happy resonance land in a few minutes and it stayed put.

ajish4 wrote:Funny thing these 4004's...

My 2008 4004Cii Blueburst has SUCH a solid neck, the tension on the rods had to be absolute nill! The neck is so perfectly flat, the nuts are like finger tight just so they don't rattle. Joey explained showed me how to "RESET" the neck, by leaving it with the nuts totally slack for a few days, then start to adjust them a little at a time. .

Remember, no string tension if you do that. Usually one day is good enough to leave the nuts loose and no string tension.

Joey, this is the first I've heard of the "reset" theory. Can you go into detail?

I'd like to try it on my 4004L, as it has more tension on the "E" side than the "G". Enough to make me uncomfortabe when I have to tighten the rods.

Also, when you do this, is it a good idea to remove the rods and straighten them as well??

cassius987 wrote:Paul, that's certainly not how it was with my Jazz Bass or Stingray and it seems to contradict the idea of a manual adjustment to, a la older Rics. Why do newer Rics require such sensitivity when others apparently don't? I could have my Jazz Bass from excessive relief to happy resonance land in a few minutes and it stayed put.

Yup.

jingle_jangle wrote:

jdogric12aolcom wrote:I try to limit myself to 1/4 turn per 24-hour period.

Me, too, Dawg...I'm facing due North, but tomorrow it'll be East, I understand.

Oh, Paul, Paul, Paul... please see number 6 at this site:

http://www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/w ... ation.html

And you misspelled "Dog".*



*Period intentionally placed outside of quotation marks, since, per PW, it just makes sense. I concur, as evidenced here.

jingle_jangle wrote:

cassius987 wrote:Paul, that's certainly not how it was with my Jazz Bass or Stingray and it seems to contradict the idea of a manual adjustment to, a la older Rics. Why do newer Rics require such sensitivity when others apparently don't? I could have my Jazz Bass from excessive relief to happy resonance land in a few minutes and it stayed put.

Yup.

??? I bolded the part you may not have seen.