Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi Mark,

I have a Ric 370/6 and am using Ric strings--compressed round wound 10-42.

When I raise the bridge high enough to eliminate string buzz coming through the amp from the low-E string, the G-string (a 17) becomes hard to press on the first fret (when playing Fm for instance). Should I file the nut down a little until the tension required equals that of the high-E and B-strings, or move down to a set of 9's which usually use a 16 for the G-string? Thanks.

In setting up a guitar (and I have posted this before)

First -the guitar must be tuned to the pitch you will use 90% of the time ,if not all the time .

2nd -the truss rod is checked /adjusted

3rd- the nut is checked /adjusted

4th- the bridge height is adjusted

5th intonation is set (the pickups must be lowered if they have polepieces that are magnets-these are always pulling on the strings and cause poor readings on any tuner) On some guitars I phyically remove them from the face (360 style bodies are typical of this ,on Fender style instruments...I screw them down flush with the pickguard)

Pickups where the magnet is on the bottom of the coil (Rick High Gains,Gibson style Humbuckings) they can stay where they are.Thwe magnets are not as strong to the tuner.

If the rattle is when you are unplugged ....don't worry about the rattle .ALL my guitars do.

If it is awful ,and you play the guitar as if you are playing an acoustic....try lightening up on your picking hand.

If the guitar is tuned ,and the neck is straight(you must check this and get the neck as straight as possible) ,then the nut issue.

While pressing the 3rd /G string down at the 3rd fret ...you should have a gap UNDER the string at the first fret of about .005 to .015

Check that out...if the string (while fretting at the 3rd fret ) is touching the first fret...The slot is too deep.

Lay the guitar on a table and prop the neck up with a couple of phone books.Then put a lamp on the opposite side .This will aid in your view of the nut check.

Let me know how this works for you and then I will respond.

Hi Mark,

I have a set of 9-42's on now. I filed the nut down ever so slightly. The gap under the first fret of the G-string while fretting down on the 3rd fret is .014. I think I would like it a little bit lower because I want to go back to 10-46 strings. The 9-42's don't seem to have enough tension in them and the low-E string goes out of pitch at the slightest pressure on the neck. The truss rods are adjusted to about .004 under the seventh fret while pressing on the first and last frets.

Your G sharp is off by maybe 10 cents ,making the note noticably sharp.Lower it to .010 that will help.

You must realize that .009 to .042 on a 24&3/4 " scale is fairly loose.

If you own Fenders or anything at 25&1/2" scale and use .009 to .042 strings on them ,you will find that scale is tighter.

If you want them to 'feel' the same when bending,use .010 to .046 on the 24&3/4" scales.And leave the .009 to .042 on the 25&1/2" scale.

This is something that I do .The whole step bends feel like the same pressure.It makes it easier to switch from scale to scale.