4001 Tailpiece Replacement Options

[Bighouse]

My tailpiece on my 4001 is lifting up, slightly, off the body. It's not huge and I doubt it effects much- it's more visual than anything I suspect. As I've been working on some improvements to the playability of the instrument, I've considered replacing the tailpiece entirely. The main reason to do so would be to have greater adjustability of the bridge saddles for the strings individually. And adjusting the intonation on the original bridge is a pita.

I don't want to do anything to the bass that moves it away from the original appearance, as much as possible. So, I'll retain the original tailpiece so it can be refitted back on the instrument should I ever want to do sol- and I won't do ANYTHING like drill new holes that will be visible if the original is restored to the bass.

So, that leaves me with two choices for a replacement:
http://boutique.rickenbacker.com/4003v2 ... p_786.html
https://hipshotproducts.com/products/ri ... ent-bridge

I'm partial towards the Rickenbacker option, given it matches the original appearance more closely than the Hipshot unit does- though it requires new screw holes in the bass body- the Hipshot does not and reuses the exact same holes as the original bridge.

Does anyone have any experience using both of these units? I would appreciate some informed opinions from personal experience on using or installing them.

[thx1955]

Hi,
I've used and own both, and my preference now would be the new V2 from Rickenbacker.

The Hipshot is a great bridge, and depending on whether you choose the Brass or Aluminium version there is a fair weight difference, as you point out the Hipshot will drop in with no additional drilling or screws required, the V2 does, but, it comes with a template, and once installed there are no holes visible.

I recently chose to have a new V2 bridge installed on my April 1973 4001 which was being reworked and refinished by Larry Davis in Florida.

viewtopic.php?t=417050&start=60

You can see the template (supplied when you purchase one) used to locate the new bridge, in my case it was covering the damage done previously by a Bad Arse bridge being installed. If you scroll through to the end you can see the several pics of finished version that IMHO suits the 4001 really well.

The other (third) option is to opt for, and try to find an original cast "gap tooth" version that were a lot stronger than the later ones and did not suffer from tail lift to the same degree.

In the end it's your choice, both the V2 and Hipshot are great and work well.

[Bighouse]

...
In the end it's your choice, both the V2 and Hipshot are great and work well.

Thank you for the quick reply and the link! I'm leaning towards the Rickenbacker option just to keep my bass a pure as possible. Can you tell me if the adjustability features on them are the same?

[thx1955]

...
In the end it's your choice, both the V2 and Hipshot are great and work well.

Thank you for the quick reply and the link! I'm leaning towards the Rickenbacker option just to keep my bass a pure as possible. Can you tell me if the adjustability features on them are the same?

Hi,
The Hipshot has slightly more adjustability to each individual string bridge via three machine screws set into each piece

The V2 has two set screws

Both work equally well IMHO

[Bighouse]

Great. Thanks! Think I'll eventually go with the V2 just to keep it all Rickenbacker.

It does look like each string can be adjusted up/down for action settings, lengthen/shorten for intonation, and left/right for fingerboard or pickup pole placement on either, right?

btw, that bass of yours with the ebony wings is simply so "understated-gorgeous"!

[cheyenne]

Babicz makes a solution as well.. not sure if it would solve bridge "lift" though

https://www.fullcontacthardware.com/fch ... ***-bridge

[Isaac]

Babicz makes a solution as well.. not sure if it would solve bridge "lift" though

https://www.fullcontacthardware.com/fch ... ***-bridge

I doubt it would have any effect on bridge lift.

[DriftSpace]

I've read some people have had issues with the v2 tail not allowing the action to go low enough -- or at least as low as the original -- and it's usually blamed on the design of the new saddles and their adjustment; does anyone who uses one have thoughts about this? I have heard this complaint from retrofits and new 4003 instruments. Can the new tail/bridge get as low as the original?

[nov_1981]

I've read some people have had issues with the v2 tail not allowing the action to go low enough -- or at least as low as the original -- and it's usually blamed on the design of the new saddles and their adjustment; does anyone who uses one have thoughts about this? I have heard this complaint from retrofits and new 4003 instruments. Can the new tail/bridge get as low as the original?

This was what I found when I tried to retrofit my (converted to fretless) 2014 4003SW with the new V2. The saddles on the new V2 bottomed out before I could get the action as low as I like for fretless. I ended up reinstalling the original bridge/tailpiece.
I also have a 2020 4003CBAUT that has no problems getting the action as low as I like.

[Bighouse]

Oh, this is not good news. I'm in the process of soon leveling and dressing my frets, after having straightened my neck. I was hoping to lower my string action, not raise it. I'm hoping the V2 does go as low as the original bridge saddles- does anyone have any actual data for comparison- like the distance between the maple body and the bottom of the strings right at the tailpiece when the saddles are dropped as low as possible?

[Bighouse]

I've read some people have had issues with the v2 tail not allowing the action to go low enough -- or at least as low as the original -- and it's usually blamed on the design of the new saddles and their adjustment; does anyone who uses one have thoughts about this? I have heard this complaint from retrofits and new 4003 instruments. Can the new tail/bridge get as low as the original?

This was what I found when I tried to retrofit my (converted to fretless) 2014 4003SW with the new V2. The saddles on the new V2 bottomed out before I could get the action as low as I like for fretless. I ended up reinstalling the original bridge/tailpiece.
I also have a 2020 4003CBAUT that has no problems getting the action as low as I like.

That makes sense for fretless basses...but with frets? I can't imagine Rickenbacker would create a replacement saddle system that wouldn't have the ability to drop action as low as practicable for even retrofitted instruments.

[DriftSpace]

I also have a 2020 4003CBAUT that has no problems getting the action as low as I like.

Are the frets taller on your 2020 bass?

I seem to recall Paul W. telling me that the factory would take away quite a bit of fret material, and that it's always been that way. I wonder if newer instruments are left with higher frets than they used to be; that might explain why retrofits seem problematic, but not new instruments.

[Bighouse]

I also have a 2020 4003CBAUT that has no problems getting the action as low as I like.

Are the frets taller on your 2020 bass?

I seem to recall Paul W. telling me that the factory would take away quite a bit of fret material, and that it's always been that way. I wonder if newer instruments are left with higher frets than they used to be; that might explain why retrofits seem problematic, but not new instruments.

That's an interesting idea. Tomorrow, I'll take a depth gauge caliper and check the thickness of each fret on the center of my fretboard and post what I find for my 1982 4001. If anyone wants to post their own for later issues, and in particular post 2020 models, that would help to figure out why this might be an issue for some models, and not others.

[nov_1981]

I also have a 2020 4003CBAUT that has no problems getting the action as low as I like.

Are the frets taller on your 2020 bass?

I seem to recall Paul W. telling me that the factory would take away quite a bit of fret material, and that it's always been that way. I wonder if newer instruments are left with higher frets than they used to be; that might explain why retrofits seem problematic, but not new instruments.

Not sure if there are fret height differences between 2014 and 2020 4003’s
Simply stated, having the opportunity to compare the two bridges on the same bass, the original bridge was able to get the action lower than V2.
My observation is unique to the fretless board on my 2014.

[henry5]

I don’t know if it applies to variations of the 4003, but the 4001 basses - certainly the older ones - typically have a lower fingerboard height relative to the body compared to the 4003 basses, which I suspect is why some people have had issues retrofitting replacement bridges such as the Hipshot on those. Could this be a factor?