Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I have my eyes on a 4001 project. It currently has a hipshot tailpiece and I want to get it back to stock…or earlier. It is a 1973. I am not super clear on the various bridges and tailpieces for the 4001’s dating from the later ‘60’s to the early 70’s. I know I can go straight to Ric and order a tailpiece/bridge that will work perfectly (?), but is that the way to go? Should I hunt down an original? Besides originality, what are the advantages of the original? For what it is worth, I do want a good working mute. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Oh boy, you have opened a can of worms on that one! LOL!
First-
Determine when in '73 the bass was from.
Reason-
In mid 73, around May or June, the tailpiece was changed from cast Aluminum to cast Zinc.
If it had a cast Zinc tailpiece, (this will have 2 screws showing just forward of the holes where the strings come through and 3 hidden beneath the bridge)
a better replacement should be available from Rickenbacker (though these are still subject to "lift").
If the bass was made earlier and had an Aluminum tailpiece, you will need to look a little as they are quite dear.
They do turn up,(not often) but they will be pricey.

to add...the two style of tailpieces mount differently , so it's important to get the proper style. 5 screw holes or three. they don't interchange very well without proper preparation.

My 4001 is an ME code (May 1973). it arrived to me with the early zinc tail piece with a fair amount of lift. Instead of attempting to straighten it, I opted for a real nice used new style tailpiece that I purchased from a forum member. it mounted right up and you really can't tell the difference from 5 feet away. The mute pad is the biggest difference, IMHO. I still have the original tail piece in case I ever sell her, so it can be returned to it's original state if desired.

The 73 4001was definitely in transition! As may manufactured bass I have the smaller inlays. I think a March bass listed here recently had full width inlays so my bass was on the "cutting edge" of the new style, although i wish I had the full width ones! Toaster pups, checkered binding are all the norm on early 73 basses. That all changed later in 1973. My trebel pup is the earlier slotted screw type. I think even the treble pup was changed to a different style in 73.

Sepp

out of the 5 aluminum tailpieces i've delt with, the three mounting holes were not of equal distance from each other. the zinc ones are, so one would surmise that one of the screw holes under the bridge would not line up properly ?

Well, the '73 I am looking at is a March make, so I gather that should have originally had an Aluminum tail piece. As I will need to refinish the guitar anyway, a 3 or 5 hole tail piece does not really matter to me. Am I correct that all (including the new ones) are subject to 'lift'?

Sartana wrote:Well, the '73 I am looking at is a March make, so I gather that should have originally had an Aluminum tail piece. As I will need to refinish the guitar anyway, a 3 or 5 hole tail piece does not really matter to me. Am I correct that all (including the new ones) are subject to 'lift'?

An aluminum one will generally not lift.
There's more meat in the right places.
The new zinc ones are certainly better than the early zincs, but they too will lift.

Ok, so I should keep my eyes open for an Aluminum tail piece if possible. How about for the bridge? Are those the same as the current ones that Ric sell?

Sartana wrote:Ok, so I should keep my eyes open for an Aluminum tail piece if possible. How about for the bridge? Are those the same as the current ones that Ric sell?

The new ones are a different size so you will need a complete
tailpiece and bridge.

chefothefuture wrote:

Sartana wrote:Well, the '73 I am looking at is a March make, so I gather that should have originally had an Aluminum tail piece. As I will need to refinish the guitar anyway, a 3 or 5 hole tail piece does not really matter to me. Am I correct that all (including the new ones) are subject to 'lift'?

An aluminum one will generally not lift.
There's more meat in the right places.
The new zinc ones are certainly better than the early zincs, but they too will lift.

In hindsight, I wish I would have "shimmed" the body bridge well on my 73 bass before installing the new style RIC tailpiece. Next time I swap out strings, I'll take some measurements and cut a maple shim if the extra space is excessive. I'm not so sure the depth is excessive since I cranked the screws under the bridge and I've experienced zero lift.

Sepp

There's a sand cast bridge and tailpiece currently for sale in the Marketplace.

Kopfjaeger wrote:

chefothefuture wrote:

Sartana wrote:Well, the '73 I am looking at is a March make, so I gather that should have originally had an Aluminum tail piece. As I will need to refinish the guitar anyway, a 3 or 5 hole tail piece does not really matter to me. Am I correct that all (including the new ones) are subject to 'lift'?

An aluminum one will generally not lift.
There's more meat in the right places.
The new zinc ones are certainly better than the early zincs, but they too will lift.

In hindsight, I wish I would have "shimmed" the body bridge well on my 73 bass before installing the new style RIC tailpiece. Next time I swap out strings, I'll take some measurements and cut a maple shim if the extra space is excessive. I'm not so sure the depth is excessive since I cranked the screws under the bridge and I've experienced zero lift.

Sepp

Careful Sepp! Over cranking tailpiece screws can actually LEAD to lift, since it creates a fulcrum.

I'll also add, I've always had lift on Rick basses, and never had problems.

Jason,

Thanks for the concern buddy!

I should have read the entire thread or a few of the tail lift threads before replacing the original "old style" TP with a new style. Once I did read that tightening the cavity screws could cause tail lift if the well was deeper than the TP I thought, "Oh, ****!". That's why I'm thinking it's not excessively deep since I have zero tail lift on the new style TP and it's been almost a year.

Sepp

Thanks all for your help. It looks like I will be set with an original aluminum tailpiece. I now have a better understanding on what goes with what...

ken_j wrote:There's a sand cast bridge and tailpiece currently for sale in the Marketplace.

...gone for 500$!!!