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12-24-2011, 06:32 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bellingham, WA | | | Rickenbacker truss rod size??
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Hey everyone, I'm trying to do my first set up on my Ric 4003 but I've been trying to find the right tool to adjust the truss rods. I can't get a crescent wrench in between the two truss rods and a socket doesn't look like it would fit either. What have you fellow Ric players used to do truss rod adjustments?
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12-24-2011, 10:24 PM
|  | Real Basses Have 5 Strings! | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Colorado | | | use a 1/4" socket. |
12-24-2011, 10:36 PM
| | | | yep, 1/4". a little open-end crescent wrench with the sides ground down works for me.
also, standard procedure with rics is to loosen the strings and/or push the neck into a backbow before tightening the rods; they're strong enough to hold the neck where you want it, but maybe not strong enough to get it there unassisted.
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Walter Wright
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12-25-2011, 01:28 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bellingham, WA | | | Thanks for the info you guys! But to walterw, I've been going based on Joeybassnotes.com and on the website they said to do a Ric adjustment with the strings at regular tension, any one have any thoughts on that? Also I have a lot of space between the higher register of frets and pretty low action on the lower frets, any tips on truss rod adjustment based on that? Sorry I'm a bit new to setting up my own instruments
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12-25-2011, 08:13 AM
| | Real Basses Have 5 Strings! | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Colorado | | Quote:
Originally Posted by walterw  yep, 1/4". a little open-end crescent wrench with the sides ground down works for me.
also, standard procedure with rics is to loosen the strings and/or push the neck into a backbow before tightening the rods; they're strong enough to hold the neck where you want it, but maybe not strong enough to get it there unassisted. | That applies to the old 4001 basses.
The 4003 has modern rods.
But that procedure can help some of the stubborn 4004 basses.
Last edited by Ric5 : 12-25-2011 at 08:24 AM.
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12-25-2011, 08:32 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: St. Louis | | | Use a thin walled 1/4" nutdriver. Ric sells them, but Sears has them cheaper.
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Free Jimmy M
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12-25-2011, 12:33 PM
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I setup & repair guitars & basses | | Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Kensington, Ca | | Quote:
Originally Posted by LukeMan970 Hey everyone, I'm trying to do my first set up on my Ric 4003 but I've been trying to find the right tool to adjust the truss rods. I can't get a crescent wrench in between the two truss rods and a socket doesn't look like it would fit either. What have you fellow Ric players used to do truss rod adjustments? | Um, if you're even considering using a crescent wrench to adjust the trussrods, I would strongly suggest you have a professional do this for you.
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Instrument repair/setup, Bay area
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12-25-2011, 12:48 PM
| | | I bought this one at my local Lowes, and works fine. Only downside is the shaft could be a bit longer, but it still works. Shop Kobalt 1/4" SAE Hex Nut Driver at Lowes.com
Good Luck!
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12-25-2011, 02:48 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bellingham, WA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by JLS Um, if you're even considering using a crescent wrench to adjust the trussrods, I would strongly suggest you have a professional do this for you. | I've done set ups before on my Ibanez but this is a first go on my Ric. The Ibanez uses an allen wrench to adjust so I had the tools for that but I was just looking around the house for some tools and this was all that was available. Obviously it didn't work for the Ric  I figure I'd like to work on all my own instruments and everyone has to start somewhere right?
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12-25-2011, 02:59 PM
| | Real Basses Have 5 Strings! | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Colorado | | | |
12-25-2011, 07:47 PM
| | Registered User
I setup & repair guitars & basses | | Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Kensington, Ca | | Quote:
Originally Posted by LukeMan970 I've done set ups before on my Ibanez but this is a first go on my Ric. The Ibanez uses an allen wrench to adjust so I had the tools for that but I was just looking around the house for some tools and this was all that was available. Obviously it didn't work for the Ric I figure I'd like to work on all my own instruments and everyone has to start somewhere right? | I took, "crescent", to mean, "adjustable", which would be a no-go.
Yes, a thin-walled 1/4" socket or nutdriver is the necessary tool, here.
Once you have the relief set, see how the action & neck angle look.
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12-25-2011, 07:55 PM
| | Real Basses Have 5 Strings! | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Colorado | | | Remember old Rickenbacker instruments before 1980-1985 range have the old style rods. On those basses you loosen the rods move the neck and then tighten the rods. Ricks built 1986 and later all have the new rods which work like all other basses which means the rods move the neck. |
12-25-2011, 11:01 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bellingham, WA | | Yeah mine is a 2005 so the rods will move the neck more like a newer bass' will. I'll go out and buy one of the thin walled 1/4 inch nut drivers and give it a go 1/8-1/4 turn at a time 
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