Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Due to the difficulty of changing strings on the R tailpiece, as well as me being partial to the 660 "look", I would like to instal a classic trapeze tailpiece on my 620-6. I almost bought a trapeze on Rickenbacker's website the other day, but realized how it is hooked to the back of the guitar is quite different then the standard R. Is there any way to make this happen without drilling/heavy modification?

Yeah, just attach the baseplate with the strap button.......done.

There isn't nearly enough pressure (especially on a six string) to worry about it affecting anything, and the huge, threaded strap button is far stronger than the four tiny placement screws anyways....plus you wouldn't have to worry about drilling any extra holes.

Cool! I just checked online and some dealers even sell them WITHOUT the screw holes. Any idea how to get the strap button off though? There is no observable screw or bolt to take out...

Winfield Vintage Parts sells a trapeze bracket that is drilled the same as an R-tailpiece bracket. I've never seen one and can't recommend it personally, but it sounds like exactly what you're looking for.

jdawe wrote:Winfield Vintage Parts sells a trapeze bracket that is drilled the same as an R-tailpiece bracket. I've never seen one and can't recommend it personally, but it sounds like exactly what you're looking for.

Yeah, but why waste the extra money? Plus Winfield's chrome is sub-par, IMO....


the Strap button comes off with your hand. Sometimes it's tight and you may need to use a rag round it and either your hand or gently using some pliers or vice grips (with rag on the strap button to prevent nicks in the metal from the plier teeth). Super easy...

The current production RIC trapeze & bracket are polished stainless. Not chromed any longer.

The Mod Lang wrote:Due to the difficulty of changing strings on the R tailpiece, as well as me being partial to the 660 "look", I would like to instal a classic trapeze tailpiece on my 620-6. I almost bought a trapeze on Rickenbacker's website the other day, but realized how it is hooked to the back of the guitar is quite different then the standard R. Is there any way to make this happen without drilling/heavy modification?

All You need are those:

http://www.winfieldvintage.com/parts/end-hooks.html

Hotzenplotz wrote:

The Mod Lang wrote:Due to the difficulty of changing strings on the R tailpiece, as well as me being partial to the 660 "look", I would like to instal a classic trapeze tailpiece on my 620-6. I almost bought a trapeze on Rickenbacker's website the other day, but realized how it is hooked to the back of the guitar is quite different then the standard R. Is there any way to make this happen without drilling/heavy modification?

All You need are those:

http://www.winfieldvintage.com/parts/end-hooks.html

The name of the game is to install the: "R-to-trapeze adapter"

Looks like winfield has exactly what I'm looking for, provided I spend 2-3X as much for an adapter bracket. If indeed

Winfield's chrome is sub-par

then I need not spend extra for a part I could get cheeper, and better, somewhere else.
In this case, the somewhere else will probably be Pick of the Ricks. Has anyone else ordered parts from here? Are they reasonable/good quality and price-wise?