Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Not now, not now!!!

Going to need help. Will post update later after band practice and doing some research. 2000 model 4003.

Relax! You can make one out of rod stock that's easily sourced. If you don't have the tools, a home shop machinist would
likely do it for a pint or a wee dram.

Dang, that sucks! That era had thick necks too!

jdogric12 wrote:Dang, that sucks! That era had thick necks too!

The only TR I ever broke was on my former '04 4004Cii with thick neck............

It was the G side rod; it was always very stiff to turn compared to the E side that was very smooth and easy to turn. My guess is the tape/heat shrink wrap around that rod was the culprit, possibly.

I replaced one of the two rods in a 4003 last year. I ordered the new set from Rickenbacker.

I probably still have the remaining new rod. PM me if you want it.

The neck on mine isn't overly thick. I quite like it. Definitely thicker and wider than my Epiphone Ripper (second gen). The first gen Epi Ripper was even skinnier than a Jazz!

I'll order some rods from POTR, unless you guys know of a better source? By the way, I am in Australia. Hoping POTR ship here. I remember years ago there were some things they wouldn't ship.

Either way, thanks Ric for making these things serviceable. By the looks of the rod, it is a little corroded, maybe the tape contributed. It was probably about time... the different sized washers on either side is curious.

LenMinNJ wrote:I replaced one of the two rods in a 4003 last year. I ordered the new set from Rickenbacker.

I probably still have the remaining new rod. PM me if you want it.

Thanks Len, PMing you now. POTR don't international ship. Local authorised company CMI are hit and miss.

Benjamin wrote:... the different sized washers on either side is curious.

Perhaps, the larger washer is just the smaller one that got compressed and spread out by the force of the TR nut on it?

Ben, what tool have you been using? Long handled nut driver or something else?

jdogric12 wrote:Ben, what tool have you been using? Long handled nut driver or something else?

The official tool... haha me! No, seriously the tool we should be using. Have been adjusting this thing since 2012ish. I was just being impatient and ham-fisted.

Doing a deal with Len for a replacement. Thanks Len!

Finally an update. Thanks to Len, the baby is back together and playing almost like a dream.

Took her to church a few Sundays ago and it was great to have her back. Action is still a bit high. Some more settling to go I think. Plus I had a light fret dress done nearly two years ago. I am thinking it really wasn't done very well, so I may seek a Rickenbacker professional in Melbourne AUS area to get some fine tuning.

Benjamin wrote:Finally an update. Thanks to Len, the baby is back together and playing almost like a dream

Great news - enjoy!

I find thicker-necked Rics are far more likely to have truss rod issues. The wood has a mind of its own. To make sure the truss rod is just "locking in" and not having to physically move the neck at full tension, I generally tune the strings down before tightening. In other circumstances, I have pushed the neck flat with strings at tension and tightened, but nowadays I prefer the former method's better repeatability.

Latest examples of Ric basses I have seen (2015+) have a much healthier looking truss rod setup in the TRC cavity (no funny angles or great unevenness), and were more responsive to small adjustments--kudos to Ben for pushing quality up and up.

I find thicker-necked Rics are far more likely to have truss rod issues.

This seems very logical.

Perhaps, the larger washer is just the smaller one that got compressed and spread out by the force of the TR nut on it?

This would take a tremendous amount of force to do unless the washer was made out of a material that was completely unsuitable to be a washer.

All very logical, thicker neck etc. I have to say that this bass stays very well in tune if not played. I have always found a little tuning is required through a 60-90min practice early on a Sunday morning, as the hall temperature changes. After that she's as stable as I have experienced with any bass.

I thought about the downtune and adjust method and will try that one day. This time I used the second method, apply pressure manually then tighten. That seemed easier.

Regarding the washers, I found 4 brass washers perfect thickness and slightly larger in diameter to original. So now it is nut on washer on washer on end-plate/bearer. Much smoother adjustment now.