Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I finally got some time and finished the first version of a new bar. The pics are up on the web site, along with a description of how I did it. To refresh everyone's memory, the site is at www.tseint.com/4001project

If and when I do more (such as make different shape bars or use different materials) I'll post that as well. Thanks again for everyone's participation in this.

Chris Deppe

Great! I have been wondering about the progress of your project. Do you think that these bars would fit any 4001, i.e., the cavities all being the same dimensions?

I've never looked hard at another 4001, so I can't say. Maybe some of the more experienced repair people could offer an opinion. Note that not only the size and shape would need to be the same, but also the position of the rod channels in the neck. On my bass they are not centered, but shifted towards the g string side a bit. I've never known for sure if this is intentional or not. It does seem that the G string has more tension than the E string, and most old ricks with warped necks seem to show it most on the G string side, so this probably is intentional.

I looked under my TRC yesterday and noticed my bar is a bit cocked. Thank God I don't have to do a Truss Rod adjustment, yet!!!
I'd like to do this modification someday, but this does require removal of both rods, right? I don't think I can do this without screwing up the neck/fretboard.

BTW, the rod channels on my 4001 is also shifted toward the G string. It is probably intentional.

Getting the rods out is pretty simple. They come out the headstock end. The hardest part is to get them to initially curve enough to clear the end of the headstock. You also want to protect the wood somehow when sliding the rods out. I used a thick rag, but a thick sheet of flexible plastic will work as well. Since in my design the bar fits snug against all sides, making sure the holes for the rods are in the right place is the tough part.

As I understand it, the original rods were cut down and rethreaded to fit a thicker brass bar to replace the original aluminum bar. Thus, the rods will be that much shorter. Would that cause problems, since the rods are not being effective through the whole length of the neck?

Shortening makes no difference.

I've done this to all three of my 4001's (and one more for a buddy), and in my experience, it's better to custom make each bar for a specific bass. They're not all exactly the same, and you want the bar to fit as tightly in the pocket as possible (this helps to reduce cocking of the bar/curling of the rods even further). I've got a 6" length of 1/2" by 3/8" aluminum bar stock my dad made on his milling machine, so when it's time for a new bar, I just hack a length off and break out the file...

Owen said

"Shortening makes no difference."

Perhaps only margarinally Owen.