Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I noticed today that the saddle piece on my 4001 was quite tilted - the adjustment screws, instead of being perpendicular to the body, were about at a 45 degree angle.

It took a little effort, but I have the insert much closer to perpendicular now, but not quite (looks maybe to be about 80 degrees). Should I be concerned, or is this typically "as close as it gets"?

If I understand your question, the 4001 bridges only have 2 height adjustment screws whereas RIC guitar bridges have 4 screws. I guess the pressure of the strings is supposed to hold it at 90 degrees? My is tilted.

My current/former is/were tilted and intonate fine. If yours intonate and play fine, no worries.

Cool - it seems to play better now, so I won't mess with it (for the time being). The intonation is a bit off on the E and G strings, but not enough to bother me.

Besides, for the moment it's a practice bass (as if I play any actual gigs ). Gonna rock out on the Laredo later today.

edski wrote:Cool - it seems to play better now, so I won't mess with it (for the time being). The intonation is a bit off on the E and G strings, but not enough to bother me.

Besides, for the moment it's a practice bass (as if I play any actual gigs ). Gonna rock out on the Laredo later today.

The question is whether or not the intonation being off affects your ability to play the bass in tune with others. I have the saddle of my 4002 all the way tilted back for more stability and sustain, and since it was made at a time when both sides of the frame were threaded, it makes it very, very interesting to set the saddle then insert the intonation screw.

Wonder why RIC didn't design with 4 screws? For my 1971 4000/4001 I had to tilt the bridge all the way back because I ran out of adjustment room in the bridge slots for the saddles to move back further. So, in this case the tilt actually helped! Unless I cut the slots out longer in the bridge.

DavyR wrote:Wonder why RIC didn't design with 4 screws? For my 1971 4000/4001 I had to tilt the bridge all the way back because I ran out of adjustment room in the bridge slots for the saddles to move back further. So, in this case the tilt actually helped! Unless I cut the slots out longer in the bridge.

I will be happy to send you a Hipshot bridge in return of your 1971 bridge!!!

didn't someone have a prototype bridge with a third screw in behind center, possibly on the bay a while back ???

The intonation is a matter of adjusting the saddles back and forth, and really isn't off enough to be concerning. Besides, I just put the 4001 away for a while and took out my fretless J for a bit, and the Laredo is getting the rehersal work.

I always knew this bridge design was wacked...I was getting a bit of an odd buzz on the open strings that seemed to originate behind the saddles. Now that the saddle piece is closer to perpendicular that buzz is gone.

Dane - I think I'm OK for now, but thanks!

BAD RONBO, KiLLeR DWaRfS wrote:didn't someone have a prototype bridge with a third screw in behind center, possibly on the bay a while back ???

Maybe, but I recall seeing one listed on E-bay a while back as a "fix" somebody came up with.

aceonbass wrote:The infamous tilting RIC bass bridge. Yet another small, but poor bit of design that Rick bass owners everywhere are told not to worry about. Edski...If you're interested in trying to actually fix the problem, PM me, and I'll give you a few tips.

While the engineer in me looks at the bridge design and sees many room for improvements, I must say the player in me likes it the way it is.

While it makes the intonating process a little bit more difficult, I purposely tilt the bridge as far as I can. I like the extra room for palm muting. I'll take an old aluminum cast bridge any day of the week over its modern counterpart in order to get that extra tilting.

My engineer mind likes the Leo Fender attitude vs design. But I have not a single Fender left in my arsenal. My heart belongs to Rickenbacker (oh well, I still am after a pre CBS P-Bass in Olympic white).

Colonel Sanders wrote: While it makes the intonating process a little bit more difficult, I purposely tilt the bridge as far as I can. I like the extra room for palm muting. I'll take an old aluminum cast bridge any day of the week over its modern counterpart in order to get that extra tilting.

So, you tilt the bridge back purposely, then adjust the saddles in to put it back in intonation? Come to think of it by tilting the bridge ALL the way back to where it makes contact you're actually securing it better. It may even transmit more vibration energy to the body/neck of the bass.

Colonel Sanders wrote:

DavyR wrote:Wonder why RIC didn't design with 4 screws? For my 1971 4000/4001 I had to tilt the bridge all the way back because I ran out of adjustment room in the bridge slots for the saddles to move back further. So, in this case the tilt actually helped! Unless I cut the slots out longer in the bridge.

I will be happy to send you a Hipshot bridge in return of your 1971 bridge!!!