Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I just got hold of a truss rod wrench cos I'm probably going to need it at some stage, and decided to have a look under the truss rod cover on my recently aquired 4003.

If you look at the image in the link, you'll notice that there is a notch in the wood about 2mm deep ,just beneath the alluminium bar on the right hand side in the picture:

http://www.sunhaze.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/4003_rods.jpg

If I need to make any adjustments, will the alluminium bar buckle if any significant changes are made on that side?

Not that there are any problems at present, but I'm just wondering why the wood beneath the alluminium bar isn't flat.

Thanks

It's very hard to see, but I don't see why it would give you a problem, with 4003's you usually don't really have to crank up on the rods anyway, unless you use really heavy gauge strings. Does it go right under the bar? To me it looks like it is just a notch under the nut.

Sorry about the pic being not too clear.....my camera's not too good with close-ups.

Anyway..I can't really tell whether it goes right under the bar or not without taking the bar off and having a look.

I doesn't bother me that much that I'm going to remove the bar to have a look; like you say, I'm not going to be cranking the rods that far anyway so it shouldn't be a problem.

Cheers.

Is that a brand new 4003? The nut slot on the G string looks like its not deep enough, but that may be the photo, ill be really annoyed if i have to deepen the nut on my new 4003 BG when it arrives - as thats one adjustment i dont want to do myself

On a modern 4003, the spacer is steel and you'll strip the threads off long before you buckle it.

Owen...

Yes it's a new 4003 and I think the nut slots do need to be deepened a little.

I'll try to put some pics up if I can do some that are clear enough.

As far as the G slot is concerned ,there is a gap from the G string to the fretboard under the slot of about 2mm.

Does that seem to high...and if so, how much relief should there be between the strings and the fretboard at the nut?

Just in passing, at what point in the manufacturing process is the tape with initials placed next in the truss rod adjustment cavity.

Martin, My 4003 is a 91 and came used (got it in 2002) The nut is cut a lot deeper, if i took the same photo as you have you would see that the G string just misses the first fret, and the gap increases a bit as you go through the strings, the E has the largest gap.

Ill try to post a pick to compare

here you go, they are awful shots but still you can see the nut is definately cut deeper.

These are rotosound strings, 45 65, 85 105. When i bought the bass it had ana ernie ball set of the same gauge on

Dont sweat it Martin, I was just tweaking my '01 fireglow and noticed I share the same situation. I've never had a bit of trouble with tightening the rods.

Owen is right, it looks as if your nut is cut a little to high. Proper nut heighth is just as important as neck relief if you want really good action. Its a very personalized adjustment that everyone should learn to do themselves. I'm sure they cut them high at the factory to allow everyone to cut them to their own personal taste. You have to be careful though, take a little bit out at a time, If you go to far theres no going back, the string will rattle against the first fret and you have to replace the whole thing.,,believe me, I've replaced quite a few.

I usually deepen mine too, i like them low at the nut end, about as high as if the nut were a fret. If you over do it, all you have to do is put a little Elmers wood glue in the slot and it'll be like new, and the sound is the same. I just overdid it on a 4001 with the E string and remembered that from here and tried it, it worked like a charm. (this bass has rounds on it too and the E is just as brilliant sounding as it was before, this bass has a wooden nut, that is why I overdid it, wood is much softer than the original material they use). I use a file called a ******* file, it's round and tapered, goes to a point, you can buy them at all the better Sears stores, works great for the bridge too.

I missed that one, Elmers wood glue is on my shopping list.

I had been thinking that the nut slots were a little high prior to Owens' observation and my only worry was overdoing it, so I thought if I could get a spare I would have a go.

I had a look at Mike Parks site;
http://www.the-music-connection.com/

I noticed that he has Ric bass nuts in stock and thought it would be handy to get hold of one or two in case I mess up, but unfortunately,new Rics parts can't be shipped to the UK due to a franchise agreement.

If I manage to get one I'll give it a go, otherwise I'll just have to be very carefull not to go to deep.

Those are pre-slotted but they aren't drop in replacements, they are (deliberately) a little tall so they can be sanded down to the proper height for each different bass. And that still doesn't guarantee that all slots will be dead on, you still may need to do some slot deepening.