Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I have an early 80s Rick 430. The bridge looks the same as the one on my modern 620, except that the intonation screws have a slot head rather than a hex head and are secured by a nut on the opposite side.

Some of the slot heads are badly chewed up and difficult to turn and I would like to replace them but keep the old saddles. Does anyone know if the modern hex-head Rick intonation screws (which are apparently 6-32 x 3/4) have the same diameter and thread size as the old screws on my 430, or did the screw size change at some point over the years?

The current bridges have springs and does not have the nut. Your screws may be shorter I would measure the length to be sure, even if the screw diameter and thread pitch is the same.

You can still get the vintage parts. But they will still corrode again over time. On my 1981 360-12WB FG ckbd, I purchased the new stainless screws and springs and retrofitted them, trimming the springs as necessary for the lower strings. Much, much better. While I was at it, I took one of the saddle blanks and filed an offset low E saddle for the unison string to intonate off the back of the saddle and the octave wound string to intonate off the front of the saddle, and cured the intonation quirk that many Rick 12's have. Solid. In tune. Just enough "brightness" to get great perfect jangle off the low E string pair without it being perceived as "out of tune."

Thanks, Scott. I don't mind having to trim the springs. My concern was that the new screws might not thread properly into the old saddles, but it sounds like that wasn't a problem for you. I just bought a 620/12 from POTR and will get some of the new screws from Chris while I'm at it.

The factory will often trim the springs for perfect intonation as part of their own setup prior to shipping.