Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Just something odd I observed and thought I'd mention it. My Rick 1991 330/12 has the 6 saddle bridge and like others I've seen on here, see a little issue with the intonation with the G string and it's octave. All the other strings have no issue with intonation and the G string itself is fine. I use D'Addario 10's. I found on that guitar that after I used the tuner, if I play the two together at the 7th fret and then adjust the octave string to be in tune with the G string, it sounded fine. Maybe a little wobbly open and up high, but good nonetheless.

So now I put a 1970 21 fret 330/12 back together and it does the same thing. 6 saddle bridge, same brand and gauge of strings, intonation is fine on all strings, G is OK too, but its octave is not-so-good. Adjust the octave string to be in tune with the G string at the 7th fret, and dang it if it doesn't do the same thing and sound good. Coincidence? Science? Creepy? Dumb luck?

I think it's always been this way on the RIC 12's. If you look carefully at some 60's RIC 12 strings, you'll see the G saddle has this weird double intonation point cast into it like two skinny saddles joined together that each have a different fulcrum on them. This can be cut by hand if you start with a fresh saddle I believe.

Are you using a wound unison G string with a plain octave G string? That is what is necessary to get good intonation on the G string pair on a Rick 12. If you like D'Addario strings, they make the odd gauges in an EXL wound. You go up a gauge or two when changing from a plain string to a wound string. So instead of the 17 plain, you would use an 18w, 19w, or 20w, depending on your preference for feel.

Guitarstringsonline.com has a custom set of D'Addarios based on the gauges of the factory RIC set, and you get a discount if you email them and register that you are an RRF member:

http://www.guitarstringsonline.com/DAdd ... p_286.html

Another fix for intonation: The low E string. I took a blank saddle, filed the witness point for the unison low E on the back (tailpiece) side of the saddle, and the octave witness point on the front (pickup side) of the saddle. This should be standard on all RIC 12-strings. Intonation is perfect, since both low E strings are wound, but the core diameters are different, which require different compensation for different core stretch.

My original D string saddle had the offset intonation, but it did not work with current 12-string sets, so I also filed a conventional saddle for the D string as well.

iiipopes wrote:Are you using a wound unison G string with a plain octave G string? That is what is necessary to get good intonation on the G string pair on a Rick 12. If you like D'Addario strings, they make the odd gauges in an EXL wound. You go up a gauge or two when changing from a plain string to a wound string. So instead of the 17 plain, you would use an 18w, 19w, or 20w, depending on your preference for feel.

Guitarstringsonline.com has a custom set of D'Addarios based on the gauges of the factory RIC set, and you get a discount if you email them and register that you are an RRF member:

http://www.guitarstringsonline.com/DAdd ... p_286.html

Another fix for intonation: The low E string. I took a blank saddle, filed the witness point for the unison low E on the back (tailpiece) side of the saddle, and the octave witness point on the front (pickup side) of the saddle. This should be standard on all RIC 12-strings. Intonation is perfect, since both low E strings are wound, but the core diameters are different, which require different compensation for different core stretch.

My original D string saddle had the offset intonation, but it did not work with current 12-string sets, so I also filed a conventional saddle for the D string as well.

Scott,

Thanks for the info. The G string is not wound and is a 17. I'll buy a single 18 wound and try it out.

iiipopes wrote:
Guitarstringsonline.com has a custom set of D'Addarios based on the gauges of the factory RIC set, and you get a discount if you email them and register that you are an RRF member:

http://www.guitarstringsonline.com/DAdd ... p_286.html

Thanks for the link Jason!

Yes, thanks for the link guys. But it'll have to be three single 18w's first as I have one set on the guitar now and two unopened sets.

IHeartRics wrote:Yes, thanks for the link guys. But it'll have to be three single 18w's first as I have one set on the guitar now and two unopened sets.

If you break one, you can order singles. I actually prefer the 19w or 20w for the unison G string, as it seems to be more stable in tuning, without noticeably more tension (Yes, D'Addario does make odd-sized singles in the EXL - 17w, 18w, 19w, 20w, 21w, 22w, then even numbers on up)