Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I pulled out my 610/12 tonight and found it was far out of tune. So I started tuning it up, and as I got the lower strings tuned and move on to the higher strings, the lower strings became flat. That's not how it is supposed to work. After a careful inspection I found a crack in the R tailpiece bracket. I will need to replace it now. The guitar has black trim, and presume the black tailpiece bracket is no longer in production. I hate that the new piece won't match but I've hears that the black pieces were prone to do exactly what this one did. This one lasted nearly 20 years, I suppose that's not too bad. What do you think, should I just order a new silver one from Rickenbacker, or should I try and find another black one? Is that the part that usually breaks, or does the R break too? Should I try to trade in the black R for a chrome one?

Thanks!

Could it possibly be fixed? Could the crack be soldered and buffed out, then painted black?

I'd get a factory (chrome) replacement for now, but then keep an eye out here and on eBay for a black one.

If it broke like the one on my 370/12RM MG did, it can't be repaired (I don't think that I'd trust a repaired one, anyway).

Black R tailpieces available here:

http://www.pickofthericks.com/products/ ... ring-.html

I think the recommended replacment remedy is to buy a chrome "R" TP and paint it with black epoxy.

I have a black bracket if you want it. No charge. I had an extra from one of my old 360's I no longer own. All I would require is a pre- postage paid box or whatever to ship it to you. Just PM me.

This is an option, from Winfield

if you don't care much for looks of the r tailpiece just get the whole new bracket & trapeze tailpiece from winfield in black...there will be more space behind the bridge to do the setup too... on my 95 610/12 there was barely any space left between high e and the bridge when the r tailpiece was on it so consequently it was almost impossible to set octaves properly on bb and ee and the rest was still quite a fight...after the replacement it is the guitar that i play out with ...and the bonus is that to change the string/s you won't need the infamous third hand