Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hello everyone!

I'm immersed in a project to transform my C64 into a C64S . In this way I can't find references and measurements of the frets to do the refret (in some forum I red that the stewmac 148 medium is the most similar). I would need someone who has a C64S and could give me a hand with the measurements.

First of all, I would need the type of fret and dimensions, the zero fret (I think it's made of a different material and is a bit higher than the rest) and finally the distance from the center of the first fret to the center of the zero fret (to position it and check with the nut on my C64.

I have checked that I have space in the nut to move the mm necessary to move the nut.

If anyone can provide photos, documentation, measurements related to this transformation, everything will be well received. Thank you very much.

This worked on my 4003. Comes with 4 different height frets to pick from and use with their nut.
https://goldtonemusicgroup.com/zeroglid ... riant=3025

Discussion about it and pics on Ric basses here:
viewtopic.php?t=417584&hilit=Zero+glide

lumgimfong wrote: Sat Feb 08, 2025 8:32 pm This worked on my 4003. Comes with 4 different height frets to pick from and use with their nut.
https://goldtonemusicgroup.com/zeroglid ... riant=3025

Discussion about it and pics on Ric basses here:
viewtopic.php?t=417584&hilit=Zero+glide

That is great!! How do they it work??. Really I want to install one like original C64S, but this option is good if I can’t install the other one.

The fret has a tang that seats in the nut. So the zero fret is at the end of the fretboard so the strings sit on the zero fret and not the nut material.

The c64s may be different, nut here is the nut and zero fret on my former Vox Cougar bass:

The strings went through the nut but did rest on the zero fret, IIRC.

I'll check my older NAMM show pics, I might have taken a picture of a c64s when they were still available.

Here's a closeup of the headstock of an actual 4001C64S for reference.

So that C64s fretboard must be a tad longer than the C64 fretboards because on the C64 the intonation point for the strings is the ending edge of the fingerboard where the nut begins?

Or, if the board length is the same, then all the c64s frets are compensated differently than on the c64?

Here is my normal C64 and truss rod cover moved into the C64S position. From the nut it would be more or less 6mm. I don't know how to make the truss rod accessible during the conversion to the C64S.

Here Mark Anarquist talked about McCartney's zero fret when he worked on it:

viewtopic.php?p=642&hilit=Zerofret+Rick ... +bass#p642


I can't understand how they could have made this solution with the little space there is to put another nut. How would they have made it so that it could be removed?

John hall said:

“All John Hammel did was remove the nut, glue on a sliver of additional fingerboard, cut a fret slot and add a fret on the lamination, and put the existing nut back.

It's permanent, not removable at all. It also makes the bass just as unadjustable as his Hofner, i.e. no individual string height at the nut.”.

Dale Fortune, who made the nut confirmed there was a piece of fretboard glued to the end of the fretboard when it was brought to him to make the nut at the factory.

So if you ask me, just use the zero glide zero fret. That way you can adjust string height by dropping in any one of their 4 fret pieces that are all different heights until you get the height you want. Also, it is a reversable mod so if you resell the bass one day, just swap the original nut back in.

The truth is that I prefer it to be permanent. I like the zero fret and, of course, I don't plan on selling this wonderful instrument!!

This guy made a brutal transformation to his C64. I love it!!:

https://goldmine1969.com/main/musicgear/post-27659/

Tip: Google translate ..