Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I was changing strings on my 4001V63, turned it over, and out dropped the upper screw or "strap bolt" which is used to raise and lower the foam mute. The spring appears to be lost inside the bowels of the tailpiece and the threads of the bolt don't bite into anything. I don't use the thing but would rather not leave an empty hole; do I need to take the tailpiece off to put the thing back together or is there an easier way?

Thanks, Lindsay

If your strings are off, just unscrew the tailpiece and put it all back together. Itll take about 3 mins!

Unless you get really lucky and catch the mute plate with the screw, taking it off is about the only way to do it. Lay the bass out on a flat surface with a towel or foam pads underneath. Lay a clean towel around the tailpiece to protect the body in case you drop the screwdriver or tailpiece. Take my word for it, the towel makes sense.

This happens to me from time to time on my '01 fireglow 4003. It seems that the way I manipulate my picking hand, (I generally use a pick), gradually unscrews the the bridge mute screw.

I check it from time to time and tighten it, but every once in a while it falls out and I have to tear the bridge apart to repair it.

Lindsay,
Taking the tailpiece off the body and rescrew the bolt and spring is probably the only way to do it. The whole procedure, including loosening the strings and tuning up, won't last more than 10 minutes, I assure you. Oh yeah, take Ted's words for using lots of towel and cloths to protect the finish.

Before doing it, how about finding thin flat hex nuts of the proper size, engage them to the bolt's thread ends (after reassembling the mute plate to the bolt of course) and then apply a little super glue or paint to the contacts where the end of the bolts protrude the nuts. The nuts act as "stoppers" now and you'll never have the problem again.

those darn mute screws are always falling out ... another reason I don't like mechanical mutes ...

I say remove the whole mute assemble and just friction fit a mute pad in the hole and then you won't have to deal with the mute screws ...

sometimes those mute screws fall off in a gig ... then you have to go searching the grungy floor of a bar to find them ...

Thanks, gentlemen, the operation was a success, but it has placed me firmly in the Rathist camp as far as the mutes are concerned.

I appreciate the assistance.

It is definately useless - a vestigial part, for sure. Some of my newer ones actually work but the old ones.... forget it.

Only thing the mute is good for is the ground underneath that grounds the electronics.

"It is definately useless "

I use mine every show.

to me it is worse than useless ... it goes beyond cumbersome ... it is a pain in the butt ...

the whole assembly gets in the way of palm muting ...

that and the pickup cover actually make a ric bass harder to play ...

Not for everybody. I can't play mine without the cover - it feels naked!

I agree, the cover has never been a problem for me.

I love using the strings mute...
and people like me who play with pick may find the treble pick up cover very comfortable to rest the hand on it

All the other basses that used to come with a pickup cover and a mechanical mute don't any more ... and pretty much all of those old basses had those obsolete features removed by their owners ...