Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

This pretty 4001c64 has some significant taillift. Read that this model is known for that. Does the bridge differs from a v63 and cs because those have less.
Any solution for this other than a new bridge?

I used to clamp the black bridges with succes but this is of course different material.

Thanks!

It's the same material, just chrome plated vs. black powder coated.

The tailpieces on the V63 and CS basses are 5-screw models; the C64 has a 3-screw tailpiece.

I restraightened a worse-bent 4003S/5 tailpiece in this thread:

viewtopic.php?t=161788&hilit=tailpiece&start=60

I also added the two extra screws as suggested earlier in that thread to ensure that it would not it again, but that might be something you probably shouldn't do on yours.

I have this lift on my '89 JetGlo 4003, reluctant to take the bridge off as I can see broken paint round the front.

My old July '73 4001 had a bit of tail lift. It was never a problem in any way, structurally or sonically.

doctorwho wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 2:38 pm I restraightened a worse-bent 4003S/5 tailpiece in this thread:

viewtopic.php?t=161788&hilit=tailpiece&start=60

I also added the two extra screws as suggested earlier in that thread to ensure that it would not it again, but that might be something you probably shouldn't do on yours.

Too bad the pics aren't visible.
Did you really have 33mm tail lift? Over an inch and a quarter? Seems impossible!

Isaac wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:41 pm

doctorwho wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 2:38 pm I restraightened a worse-bent 4003S/5 tailpiece in this thread:

viewtopic.php?t=161788&hilit=tailpiece&start=60

I also added the two extra screws as suggested earlier in that thread to ensure that it would not it again, but that might be something you probably shouldn't do on yours.

Too bad the pics aren't visible.
Did you really have 33mm tail lift? Over an inch and a quarter? Seems impossible!

I own a 4001 C64 jetglo from 2009.
I have about 4 mm of taillift on the tailpiece.
I took it of and clamped it down as doctorwho suggested.
It took about a week to get it back straight.
After putting it back on and restringing it, the tailpiece stayed
that way for a month or so and returned slowly to to the taillift again.
Since it's just an esthetic "problem" i decided to leave it as is.
Soundwise it doesn't seem to have any influence.

jps wrote: ↑Fri Apr 26, 2024 1:00 am

Isaac wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:41 pm Too bad the pics aren't visible.
Did you really have 33mm tail lift? Over an inch and a quarter? Seems impossible!

Tail Lift 01.jpeg
Tail Lift 02.jpeg

Wow! I can see how it might be difficult to play that as it was!

This has been gone over before, but the prime offenders in the "tail lift" tale are the old five-screw black-anodized tails from the '80s. I don't know the science, but apparently the anodization process weakened the metal and when stressed, the tails yielded at their weakest point and started to, not just lift but FOLD! Those photos illustrate the severity of the problem. To solve the problem, two more mounting screws were added near the string anchor point. This new seven-screw design was carried over to the chrome-plated tails as well. Further redesign of the tailpiece precluded the need for the extra screws.

When RIC made the 4001C64 retro model, they emulated the original three-screw tail to keep the esthetics of the 1964 4001. Not a good idea. Even the new structural design couldn't cope with the limited anchoring of the three screws underneath the bridge. Thomas Wolfe said "you can't go home again" but in this case, maybe you shouldn't try!