Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I have an early 80s 4003 with the russ rod adjustment at the body end.
What size should the nuts be? I see lots of 1/4" truss rod adjustment tools on PotR -- bought one but it doesn't fit.
Mine seem to be more like 3/8" -- does that seem right or have they been changed out?

Can a 1/4" nut really do the job?

The 1/4 inch tool is correct for the truss rods that adjust at the headstock. What you have is correct for the first versions of the 4003 that had the adjustments at the body end. I think it's 3/8 inch, I'd measure mine but it's 7,000 miles away right now.


Anyway, it does require a different tool, but just about any nut driver should work. Since there's more room, you don't really need a thin wall one or the extra long shaft...

cjj wrote:I'd measure mine but it's 7,000 miles away right now.

You're going to let that stop you? It's not like you're on the moon!

rickenbrother wrote:

cjj wrote:I'd measure mine but it's 7,000 miles away right now.

You're going to let that stop you? It's not like you're on the moon!

Sometimes I think it might be easier/cheaper to get stuff to the moon...

cjj wrote:

rickenbrother wrote:

cjj wrote:I'd measure mine but it's 7,000 miles away right now.

You're going to let that stop you? It's not like you're on the moon!

Sometimes I think it might be easier/cheaper to get stuff to the moon...

Try digging a tunnel to Montana............

jps wrote:

cjj wrote:

rickenbrother wrote: You're going to let that stop you? It's not like you're on the moon!

Sometimes I think it might be easier/cheaper to get stuff to the moon...

Try digging a tunnel to Montana............

Hmmm, that just might work! Of course, if I went straight down I'd end up in Spain...

Let me say, sheepishly, we have wandered far, um, afield....

I think you're all NUTS! There, I got it back on topic... Well, sort of...

I thought we were all out standing in our field!

What do you guys use to do neck adjustments? I finally found a kinda round-the-corner 3/8" wrench thing, so I can get at them.
Still the hardest truss rod adjustment I've ever done, and it's still not right -- too much relief but getting better.

How are you adjusting them? This type is NOT to be adjusted by just cranking on the nuts! You have to loosen them, set the relief you want and then tighten the rods to lock it into place.

Check out Joey's Bass Notes: http://joeysbassnotes.com/Rick_maint.htm

Joey knows his stuff and these need to be adjusted the same way as the old style rods for the 4001...

cjj wrote:How are you adjusting them? This type is NOT to be adjusted by just cranking on the nuts! You have to loosen them, set the relief you want and then tighten the rods to lock it into place.

Check out Joey's Bass Notes: http://joeysbassnotes.com/Rick_maint.htm

Joey knows his stuff and these need to be adjusted the same way as the old style rods for the 4001...

Yes, I read that and that's what I'm doing. But it's not an easy adjustment to do.
Loosen. Hold neck in place. Tighten. Realise that's not right. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

OK, I just wanted to make sure that "hard" didn't mean just cranking on the nuts with all your might.

Yeah, it can be kind of finicky to get 'em just right, but they tend to stay adjusted way longer than the more traditional style truss rods...