Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

THERE HAS BEEN AN 03" 4003 JETGLO IN THE LOCAL PAWN FOR MONTHS NOW. SOME NICKS AND SCRATCHES BUT SHE STILL PLAYES. PROB IS THERE WAS BOW IN THE NECK WHEN SHE FIRST ARRIVED AND SENCE THEN THE STRINGS HAVE BEEN LOOSEND. I CAN GIVE HER GOOD HOME FOR $800 BUT IN WORIED ABOUT THE NECK ISSUE.. WHAT TO DO ?!?!?

Adjust the neck.

iiipopes wrote:Adjust the neck.

+1
Really. For $800, it's a no-brainer, if you have the $$.

Pics would be nice.

I KNOW HOW TO ADJUST THE NECK.. my concerned is it could'v been damaged as there has been no tension on it for a few months. thanks anyway..

I'd clean her up, put some fresh strings on her, and start making small adjustments to the truss rods. And above all,,,,stay calm. For $800, you cant go wrong here.
Which way is the neck bowed? Are the strings buzzing? or is the action an inch high?

LONNIE4003 wrote:my concerned is it could'v been damaged as there has been no tension on it for a few months. thanks anyway..

If there was no string tension and the rods were still torqued down, there's always a possibility of a neck warping into a backbow... but it's not a given. I'd be surprised if that one couldn't be muscled back into shape. If I were in the market, I'd certainly take a chance on it at that price.

I have an '80 Hamer 12-string bass that the former owner played only briefly, and stuffed back in its case. Most of the strings were missing and the rod was still at tension - likely for a couple of decades. That was a gamble on my part (it unfortunately wasn't $800) and it took quite a bit of doing to get it dialed in with low action (clamping, etc...), but I got that neck whooped into shape... and it has been fine ever since. No warps, and still has truss adjustment left.

So you never know until you try.

Try to adjust it, and post pics.............

LONNIE4003 wrote:I KNOW HOW TO ADJUST THE NECK.. my concerned is it could'v been damaged as there has been no tension on it for a few months. thanks anyway..

New rods are an easy retrofit. Adjust the neck.

WHY ARE WE SHOUTING.

Grey wrote:WHY ARE WE SHOUTING.

Excellent point. Let's just take a deep breath, and step away from the Rickenbacker. Calm. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

Chances are, the bass can be repaired easily if anything is wrong with it. If a rod has snapped, they're not very expensive. There have been cases of rod ends sinking into soft wood, but they are not very common, and they can usually be repaired.

$800 is worth taking a chance if you're in the market.

LONNIE4003 wrote: my concerned is it could'v been damaged as there has been no tension on it for a few months.

I have removed the strings from at least 5 of my Rick basses for prolonged periods. Some with the new truss rods, some with the old. In one case, I left a bass unstrung for years. I know it isn't advised, but I did it before I knew not to. And the result? I strung the bass up, and everything was good again.

I'd definitely say...you don't want to ship it anywhere like that, but to hang it on a wall or leave it in a case for a while probably didn't do any damage.

Wow,

I've seen stripped body shells sell for $800.00...

Worth a shot for sure!

I haven't looked recently, but doesn't the RIC Boutique sell replacement truss rods?

ajish4 wrote:I haven't looked recently, but doesn't the RIC Boutique sell replacement truss rods?

Post-1984, yes.

I had interpreted his concern to be whether there is permanent damage to the neck as a result of the strings being left off for a few months, and not having any tension to counter the action of the rods that were left under tension (unlikely, unless it was a dud neck to begin with)... not whether the rods could be adjusted:

LONNIE4003 wrote:I KNOW HOW TO ADJUST THE NECK.. my concerned is it could'v been damaged as there has been no tension on it for a few months. thanks anyway..

In either case.. he appears to be past it, and more than likely that bass is long gone at $800