Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Apologies if this is a question that has been answered many times. I have an 83 4003 and I've been reading that Ricks should have a straight flat neck. I'm looking at mine and wondering if it has been set up incorrectly. The action on the 1st fret is around 2 millimeters increasing to around 4 millimeters at the 12th fret. To me the bass looks like it has some relief in the neck, nothing drastic but maybe not as flat as it could be. Does that difference in string height sound wrong to you guys?

I'm wondering whether to get it looked at again. I've adjusted truss rods in various other basses including my fretless where having a flat neck was desirable I'm a bit wary of messing with the Rick. Dual truss rods and they are under the scratch plate just seems a bit complex!

Does it play fine to you? If so, then it is.

That amount of relief doesn't sound excessive to me. I like a little bit of relief in a fretted bass, they feel better and sound better to me, but there is a happy medium for every player and every bass, and as Jeffrey says if it feels good to you it should be OK. If you are wondering take a little out and see how it feels and sounds, you can always put it back. The truss rods under the pick guard are fairly easy to adjust, just take the pick guard off and have someone push down on the neck and hold the body flat to a surface as you gingerly tighten them.

StevieDee wrote:The action on the 1st fret is around 2 millimeters

After re-reading your post I have to ask: Are you measuring from the fingerboard or the top of the fret to the underside of the string? If the former then you need to get the nut slots filed down a bunch. The space between to top of the first fret and the underside of the strings on my basses are around .5mm. Let us know so we can advise.

Yeah, based on those numbers the setup could be pretty normal or extremely high action and it depends on if you're measuring from the fingerboard or fret like jps said.

jps wrote:

StevieDee wrote:The action on the 1st fret is around 2 millimeters

After re-reading your post I have to ask: Are you measuring from the fingerboard or the top of the fret to the underside of the string? If the former then you need to get the nut slots filed down a bunch. The space between to top of the first fret and the underside of the strings on my basses are around .5mm. Let us know so we can advise.

Thanks for the reply. I was measuring from the fingerboard. The space between the fret and the string is really tiny but obviously increases the further up the neck you go. I'm maybe just over thinking it, the bass plays well I just find the it a wee bit harder work than other basses. It's strung with cleartone coated roundwound strings 45s, I find it just doesn't seem to like lighter gauge strings. Maybe I should think about low tension strings like DR Sunbeams with round cores. It sounds great though!

On my 1975 4001 I could have a flat neck and really low action if I just played with my fingers. But when I use a pick and play 16th notes at 2nd-5th frets on the E string it vibrates too much and rattles hard against the frets further up the neck and destroys the note I'm playing. For this reason I have to have a little relief in the neck, maybe a little more than a business card's worth of gap when holding down the first and last fret. Although my action isn't that low, maybe about average (maybe just under 3/32" or 2.38mm at 12th fret) it plays fine with no significant fret buzz anywhere and the tone is great. So no, having a little relief is not unusual...

Really appreciate the feedback lads It's very useful. In hindsight the bass is probably fine and might need a bit of tweaking. I used it on some recording recently and the sound was amazing and I want to play it more often. I'm much more comfortable with it than I was initially at it might just involve me using it in anger a bit more.

I find switching between fingerstyle and a pick gives me so may tonal possibilities it's really hard to beat the Rick for the music I'm playing. But I maybe need to get to know the bass a bit more.

Stephen, I would suggest, if I may, that you check neck 'relief' by holding the instrument in playing postion. And, freting the 1st fret of a string (capo works too), with your index finger, and then place the thumb of your other hand on the 14th fret of a string, and reach (or bridge) from your thumb, using your index finger to the 6 or 7th fret. If you can move the string down with your index finger, that is 'relief'. You may have some or none. I prefer none, or maybe 3 or 4 thousandths at best. (a typical business card is perhaps .008ths)

The amount of neck relief this is dictated by ones playing style and attack.
I play with a pick and rest my hand on the HS pickup. I would have a light touch.

To check the nut height , press a string at the third fret , and note the clearance from the bottom of the string to the 1st fret. If it strikes the 1st fret its cut too low.

Bear in mind the manufacturer cuts a nut high, to allow for whatever strings a user prefers. Should you have your nut dressed/filed, be sure they not only carefully remove material to lower a string, but also angle it toward its respective post to preclude binding at the nut. The files utilized will be close to the diameter of your string. So, know your string diameters to aid the tech in choosing the correct file.

Hope this helps
Bob

It all depends on how you play and what feel you want. Do you play with a light or heavy touch? If light you may want little or no relief, if heavy you'll probably need some. I play very lightly and have virtually none.

I'm a little confused as to why the bass doesn't like light strings though, unless the neck isn't adjusted correctly. I'd take it to a pro; if you're in Glasgow I'd suggest Jimmy Moon. A pro setup could make all the difference. Maybe take another bass that you're happy with along for reference so he can see the sort of setup you like. Everyone is different.