I loosened both nuts up and went at it again, tightening them both about the same amount. But really nothing changed from the prior condition. After a little more than a full turn of the nut driver tightening on both sides everything was exactly the same, and the treble side nut was so tight that I did not dare go further. Although I can't actually see this visually, I suspect that the treble rod is fully tightened, mostly or totally due to the fact that the metal backing plate is slanted forward some on that side, and that the acorn nut anchor anchor is a little more embedded on that side.
Now there is no serious problem at this point. The bass side of the neck is flat, and most of the relief is out of the treble side. The opposite of what you want, but I estimate that there is not much more than .005 of an inch relief on the treble side. Or maybe .007. That is about how much is ideal on most guitars. However Rickenbackers are designed to be totally flat.
Ok, I am obsessing. It is not quite what you want, the opposite in fact with no bend on the bass side and a little on the treble side, but that is not a lot of bend, that little amount does not mean more than small rat's tush. No offense to rats, I know your tushes are very important to you. But it is certainly not worth risking a snapped rod over. So I know, leave well enough alone.
But for my information I have a few questions, in case things ever get worse.
1) I have looked at rods at "pick of the ricks". The threads on those rods are certainly longer than the ones on my 1998 Rick, if in fact that one rod screw is indeed maxed out. Does that seem reasonable that the new rods have more threads?
2) My understanding is that the acorn nuts on the body side are anchors. If I ever need to get the rod out, do you need to take off the acorn nut off before tapping out the truss rod? My understanding is that you do not. My understanding is that you remove the nut at the headstock cavity, take out a pickup or two, and use a dowel and tap it out from the head, and take the rod out on the body side, acorn nut and all.
3) Regarding the back plate being pushed in some on the treble side, I would probably just not worry about that, right? I can't tell for sure, but it appears to me that this may be how the guitar was manufactured, the plate on the bass side looks like it is just hung up on that piece of yellow wood next to it. I can't be sure about that, but it sure looks that way. It surprises me though that if that is the case, that it would come out of the factory like that.
4) If indeed the acorn nut has gotten a little pulled into the truss rod cavity, I would firm it up in there with some super glue, and maybe use a spacer of two to make both rods the same in that regard, and to avoid this happening again. Correct?
OR.....
I have thought of a solution that might seem to work if indeed that treble side truss rod is maxed out. I could simply take off the adjustment nut and put another washer or two on the shaft of the truss rod, or possibly replace the washer there with a thicker washer, and then screw the adjustment nut back on. That should give me that little extra space to tighten it enough to make the treble side perfectly straight, I think 1/4 turn more would just about do it. I like this solution, this is the easy solution.
What do you think? Thanks in advance.