Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Talk about overwhelming hobbies:

What are you, an Avenger? Like Ant man? You’re a giant!!!

Been thinking…
Are you guys meaning straighten the neck while strings are totally loosened, then tune to pitch (and then string tension will pull in some relief) or do you mean a flat neck and no relief with strings tuned to pitch?
So playing the bass with no relief at pitch?

Trying to set the neck without string tension will take a lot more effort to get correct.

I always set mine to flat as possible with tension since they are the old style folded metal rods.

You might be able to get away with it on the more modern rods, but I bet it takes longer too.

If I understand your question, the strings should be set to pitch and then the neck set to flat. Older basses are positioned first and then the nut tightened to retain the position. Yes, little to no relief.

That’s what I find puzzling. With little to no relief while at at pitch string tension my bass is unplayable. Sounds like metal rattling on metal.

I backed it off to .20mm relief and, praise the Lord, it is playing great now with 40-100 Roto SM66 strings.I used to have the relief at .30mm. So this is the straightest I have been able to make it play with 3/32 action on E side and 2/32 at G side. Feels easier to play now.

I'm assuming that you have played this through the amp and this is where you are hearing this noise you don't like. Have you ever had a professional set-up by someone who know how to work on a Rickenbacker? Regardless, it's your bass and your style of playing, you do you. There is nothing that says you have to set up your guitar the same as others do.

Yes playing thru amp can hear it.
Been doing my own setups since 2006. Had a pro do it to his own liking before though. He’s an all around luthier but knows about Rics.

I only started wondering what it would be like playing with a dead straightneck because people mention it here but through the years I’ve never been able to make it work that way. Leaves too little excursion room.

So you are saying that with a straight edge while tuned to 440 pitch tuning you can make it playable with 3/32 action at the 12th fret? Straight edge flat and at pitch? I just don’t see how there is any room for string orbit. I believe you are doing it if you say so. But I cannot see how the string can move without being choked out in the frets with 0 relief.

I always need at least a little relief as mentioned above. So it is fine. Would be nice to have even less relief but it just doesn’t work that way for me on any of my bases. I’ve also tried straighter necks on my other bases and just doesn’t work. What I usually use .30 MM is totally acceptable and fine and works great for me though so no problem. But glad I could get it playable to .20 this time.

Each bass is going to be different, also remember there are certainly other things at play.
For instance the nut depth will change the geometry and certainly bridge height will as well.
To me, I like the fret noise, to me that's the Ric tone and vibe.

Set it up how you like since you're the one that it matters most to, I don't think the audience will care if your neck has relief and is taller than .20mm at the 12th fret.

Kiddwad57 wrote: ↑Fri May 20, 2022 12:24 am Raise the action a bit and stick some flats on it! Ditch that picker, grow some calluses…for goodness sake.

Nothing wrong with using a pick. I switch between finger and pick multiple times in the same song depending on what I like for a specific bass line.

Update:
11/1000 at the 7th fret was the factory relief setup in 2008, at least from one sample’s factory setup card. Maybe this is what “dead straight” means.

lumgimfong wrote: ↑Sun Dec 11, 2022 5:42 pm That’s what I find puzzling. With little to no relief while at at pitch string tension my bass is unplayable. Sounds like metal rattling on metal.

I backed it off to .20mm relief and, praise the Lord, it is playing great now with 40-100 Roto SM66 strings.I used to have the relief at .30mm. So this is the straightest I have been able to make it play with 3/32 action on E side and 2/32 at G side. Feels easier to play now.

I want it to sound like metal rattling on metal. Even allowing for other factors (nut height, vagaries of the individual instrument, type and gauge of string etc) this is a matter of preference and playing style. The harder you play, typically the more relief you’re likely to need. It will depend on how you strike the string, the angle you strike it at, the position of your hand along the string, all sorts of things. And of course what sound you’re after. Personally, if I don’t get a bit of rasp and buzz through the amp, I’m not happy. I play very, very lightly, with a pick.

henry5 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 28, 2023 6:58 am

lumgimfong wrote: ↑Sun Dec 11, 2022 5:42 pm That’s what I find puzzling. With little to no relief while at at pitch string tension my bass is unplayable. Sounds like metal rattling on metal.

I backed it off to .20mm relief and, praise the Lord, it is playing great now with 40-100 Roto SM66 strings.I used to have the relief at .30mm. So this is the straightest I have been able to make it play with 3/32 action on E side and 2/32 at G side. Feels easier to play now.

I want it to sound like metal rattling on metal. Even allowing for other factors (nut height, vagaries of the individual instrument, type and gauge of string etc) this is a matter of preference and playing style. The harder you play, typically the more relief you’re likely to need. It will depend on how you strike the string, the angle you strike it at, the position of your hand along the string, all sorts of things.

Don't forget the phase of the Moon and the alignment of the planets.

jps wrote: ↑Fri Apr 28, 2023 11:40 am

henry5 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 28, 2023 6:58 am

lumgimfong wrote: ↑Sun Dec 11, 2022 5:42 pm That’s what I find puzzling. With little to no relief while at at pitch string tension my bass is unplayable. Sounds like metal rattling on metal.

I backed it off to .20mm relief and, praise the Lord, it is playing great now with 40-100 Roto SM66 strings.I used to have the relief at .30mm. So this is the straightest I have been able to make it play with 3/32 action on E side and 2/32 at G side. Feels easier to play now.

I want it to sound like metal rattling on metal. Even allowing for other factors (nut height, vagaries of the individual instrument, type and gauge of string etc) this is a matter of preference and playing style. The harder you play, typically the more relief you’re likely to need. It will depend on how you strike the string, the angle you strike it at, the position of your hand along the string, all sorts of things.

Don't forget the phase of the Moon and the alignment of the planets.