Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Had an old 70's 4001 tailpiece in my parts box, so I decided to try out a few new ideas to make the part more easily adjustable, while improving on its styling a bit. Intonation is easy from the front, the bridge won't tip backwards anymore, and it's top loading for strings now.

Nice! Interesting ideas there...

That actually looks cool as $#%¥!

Aceon
Did you modify the bridge saddle piece, or is that still stock? I always wondered if there is a way to engineer a drop-in piece with individual string height adjustment, maybe string spacing too. Somebody must have tried it after all these years.

The bridge insert is stock, other than the longer intonation screws and washers. Since the saddles are slotted for perfect string alignment, and on the proper radius, there's no need for individually adjustable saddles as you'd find on the Hipshot replacement.

Since you abandoned the mute, wouldn't cleaving off the mute housing allow palm muting? I think I've seen that done somewhere.

Well.......I actually like to rest my hand on the newly rounded off mute housing...

That is a very cool and stylish look, Dane! And functional as well when you re-string... You really have a talent for stuff like that, just like that work of art you created on pg 137 of Paul's book, the 4004L/4003S hybrid. Very cool, and something I would never have thought of...

I would patent and/or trademark that if I were you. LIke right now. looks brilliant!

Nicely done, and unique!

jdogric12 wrote:I would patent and/or trademark that if I were you. LIke right now. looks brilliant!

Can a already trademarked object be trademarked bt someone else just because of some modifications they did to it? I have a cousin who was a lawyer with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, maybe I'll check in with him as to the possibility. He now is an attorney with the IRS so you guys be careful out there, ya' know!

At one point, Allparts offered an "updated" Rick style 4000 series bridge with saddles which were easily adjustable for height and intonation.
It was very well made and appeared to have been manufactured by ABM in Germany. We had one for sale in our shop for many years, but it never sold.
The shop closed down about 1997 and I have no idea what became of that bridge/saddle design.

Nice work on your bridge, man!

Jim

Dane,

I'm liking the angled rear of the tail piece as well as the top loading feature of it. A very practical modification. I doubt you've weakened it to any extent since all the bracing is intact. if anything you've minimally skeletonized it to be more functional. I know this is a prototype but a new style with more under side bracing would be better.. Hmm, since I'm already going black TRC and black pickguard on my 4003 "S" W, I wonder if black hardware would be too much. Hmm.......

Sepp

Thanks for all of the positive comments guys! I'm pretty sure I couldn't trademark or patent anything I've done here, even if I were so inclined. I really don't like non stock looking parts on Ricks, so rather than continuously complain about the stock part or the Hipshot, I decided to once and for all deal with the issues of these parts with something other than adding two screws at the rear (ala early 4003) or using different saddle screws. The current 4003 tailpiece is beefy and heavy as hell, so I think the lifting issue has been more or less dealt with. Intonation adjustment has never been easy on the stock piece, and I hate pulling the strings through the rear of the tailpiece while trying not to scratch the finish. This just shows how easily the current part could be modified if RIC decided to update it, so if they want, they can have my ideas....as long as they send me a new 4003S in my favorite midnight blue

The finish looks like pewter in the pictures. I like that. Does it really look like that or is it some lighting effect?