Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I posted this on the rickenbacker.com forum but I figured 'll try here as well ...

I have a 1977 4001 that has served me well for over 20 years. It has not only been the best Rick I've tried and owned but for me, THE best bass over all...
After many miles on the roads and hours of studio recording, it was time for the inevitable refretting. Besides the fact that the frets were worn and uneven the main thing that made me notice this was that the A-string was buzzing a lot from 2nd-10th fret. Nothing strange since those frets were the most worn ones.
Now the strange stuff: After a very good and well researched refret work by a serious guitar tech (who is also a close friend of mine which gave me the opportunity to monitor the work process step by step) the buzz is still there... And on the 2nd-10th fret on the A-string only!
After this, both him and I spent countless of set-up hours with no results - still buzzing on the A-string (and yes we tried many different strings - types and gauges).
I am quite familiar with Rickenbacker basses in the sense that I have done many set-ups, I know how the truss-rods work on old Ricks, I know that the neck should be dead straight or almost dead straight etc. but since I could not get this baby working as she once did I went to seek help in one of the most reputable guitar labs in scandinavia and thought that maybe they could find the fault with their PLEK-machine. After their first try - no difference.
Then they say that the fret work ain't well done (although it was) and needs to be re-done togheter with a leveling of the fret board to obtain a correct radius... I'm in doubt but finally get talked in to it. After that and many PLEK-checks -still the same fault.
Think I've tried everything and don't know what to do but still want my bass to be the same it once was - all ideas would be highly appreciated! Thanks.

I'm not a luthier - I don't even play one on TV - but I've been playing bass and doing basic setup on my instruments for 40+ years. So I'll throw out a suggestion that perhaps the bridge saddle for the A string is a little bit worn, and that one string is just a little lower than it should be?

But your luthiers probably thought of that already....

Did your luthier check to make sure the fretboard was level. On most of my vintage 4001's that needed new frets, the fretboard needed to be leveled a touch. If you have developed a high spot, adding new frets will not alleviate a fretboard issue.

Sepp

I'm sure your Luthier checked this, but you didn't mention it... are the nut slots the right depth? String buzz below the 12th fret is often related to nut issues, as I understand it. Did they verify there is no twist in the neck too? If they Plek'd it, its not the frets, so unless the neck is twisted, what else is left besides the nut?

Gilmourisgod wrote:I'm sure your Luthier checked this, but you didn't mention it... are the nut slots the right depth? String buzz below the 12th fret is often related to nut issues, as I understand it. Did they verify there is no twist in the neck too? If they Plek'd it, its not the frets, so unless the neck is twisted, what else is left besides the nut?

That was my first thought. I have a Squier P/J that has a slight buzz on the lower frets on the E string and when I push on the string on the headstock side of the nut to create a slightly more acute break angle, the buzz goes away. I am thinking that the slot is just a hair too deep. I'm no luthier, but this is my 2 pennies' worth...good luck!

I have seen a small hairline crack in the nut have a similar effect... please do keep us psoted as to the progress.

If it does turn out to be a nut problem, you might consider replacing it with a brass nut, not because it will increase sustain, but because the bakelite nuts have a tendency to crack on the G side. Axemasters makes a pre-slotted brass nut blank that can be fitted and polished by a luthier or guitar tech. They do even out the sound on open strings too, other than occasional tarnish, I don't see a downside.