Fun with a Rickenbacker - troubleshooting and modding.

[Gilmourisgod]

I can't see any real downside to a brass nut, other than the need for occasional polish. I can't hear much difference with or without, its just an aesthetic decision you either like or don't. I like em. The Ric OEM bakelite nuts are actually pretty nice, though not as shipped by the factory. They tend to leave them really tall, and unpolished. Using progressively finer paper, they can be buffed up to a satin sheen, its a very hard material.

 

[daveman50]

Well, regardless of the way it "looks" or what decade it was part of - it has an effect of shaping a tone that can work very effectively for certain basses. Not that I would bother, but one could always spray it 'bone' white or black if looks were so important.

To add to my prior (superficial? - lookist -) comment, personally I've never heard any appreciable change in tone with a brass nut. The notion of "same tone as fretted because it's metal" doesn't actually seem to matter in the real world. But that's just me. Whatever turns you on!

 

[JIO]

To add to my prior (superficial? - lookist -) comment, personally I've never heard any appreciable change in tone with a brass nut. The notion of "same tone as fretted because it's metal" doesn't actually seem to matter in the real world. But that's just me. Whatever turns you on!

One could say the type of oil you put in your car makes no difference - it will run regardless of what one chooses. To those who build basses, there is a difference or it wouldn't be done. Good tone always turns me on.

 

[Axstar]

Fun with trussrod covers. The most boring, non-essential part of this bass has so far given me the most issues, partly because I've become very tunnel-vision about the whole thing.

I noticed early on that the TRC didn't sit flat on my bass. Upon investigation this is down to a number of factors. Firstly the TRC itself isn't flat. This is obvious down at the nut-end. There is a pronounced convex curve to the top. There is also a weird yellow discolouration to the plastic here. Maybe it got hot?

Secondly, the TRC rides up over the bass-side truss rod adjuster nut.

Thirdly the metal backstop for the two trussrod nuts sits above the level of the headstock face. This accounts for the convex end of the TRC.

The TRC has been cranked down a couple of times, splitting the plastic slightly. I know this because I did it myself, which made a nice split between the two mounting screws! Good work!

My first trick was to fill the two nut-end screw holes in the headstock as I don't think they were drilled in quite the right place.

I also ground down the top of the metal backstop slightly. This area looks a bit of a mess, but the nut shelf is now flat. I need to clean away all of the wood dust and general detritus from this area, and re-drill the holes.

I've modified the TRC itself. I've ground enough plastic out the back of it to fit over the trussrod nuts, and I've shimmed and built up the rear enough to match the face of the headstock, and to shore up the cracks. The underside is now flat, even if the top is still slightly curved.

Not my best work, but not my worst! Plus, you will never see this bit (and you can buy replacement TRCs on Ebay if it all goes wrong).

I also touched up the black lettering with black lacquer.

Note the weird orange discolouration.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Well done! People are asking up to $150 for TRC’s on Fleabay, so best to salvage what you have. That orange streak is odd, I would have guessed rust stain, but it looks deeper than surface. Can it be polished out?

 

[Spidey2112]

Well done! People are asking up to $150 for TRC’s on Fleabay, so best to salvage what you have. That orange streak is odd, I would have guessed rust stain, but it looks deeper than surface. Can it be polished out?

Nicotine residue, from where the cigarette(s) smoldered...

 

[StereoPlayer]

Fun with trussrod covers. The most boring, non-essential part of this bass has so far given me the most issues, partly because I've become very tunnel-vision about the whole thing.

I noticed early on that the TRC didn't sit flat on my bass. Upon investigation this is down to a number of factors. Firstly the TRC itself isn't flat. This is obvious down at the nut-end. There is a pronounced convex curve to the top. There is also a weird yellow discolouration to the plastic here. Maybe it got hot?

Secondly, the TRC rides up over the bass-side truss rod adjuster nut.

Thirdly the metal backstop for the two trussrod nuts sits above the level of the headstock face. This accounts for the convex end of the TRC.

The TRC has been cranked down a couple of times, splitting the plastic slightly. I know this because I did it myself, which made a nice split between the two mounting screws! Good work!

My first trick was to fill the two nut-end screw holes in the headstock as I don't think they were drilled in quite the right place.

View attachment 3267327

I also ground down the top of the metal backstop slightly. This area looks a bit of a mess, but the nut shelf is now flat. I need to clean away all of the wood dust and general detritus from this area, and re-drill the holes.

I've modified the TRC itself. I've ground enough plastic out the back of it to fit over the trussrod nuts, and I've shimmed and built up the rear enough to match the face of the headstock, and to shore up the cracks. The underside is now flat, even if the top is still slightly curved.

View attachment 3267328

Not my best work, but not my worst! Plus, you will never see this bit (and you can buy replacement TRCs on Ebay if it all goes wrong).

I also touched up the black lettering with black lacquer.

View attachment 3267329

Note the weird orange discolouration.

Really like this thread! Thanks!

 

[Axstar]

Well done! People are asking up to $150 for TRC’s on Fleabay, so best to salvage what you have. That orange streak is odd, I would have guessed rust stain, but it looks deeper than surface. Can it be polished out?

I've not tried polishing, but mineral spirits didn't shift it. I was wondering if nicotine was the culprit (because the previous owners were French, and they are all smokers, right? LOL).

I know a guy who could make me a back-printed acrylic TRC if necessary, with anything written on there I fancy. Such as Greco, Univox.... faking the fakers! He would maybe even do 'Rickenbacker' at a pinch.

 

[Axstar]

Really like this thread! Thanks!

Treat it a bit like Moby Dick. On one level it is about hunting whales, and on another level it is about one man's obsession and single-mindedness blown out of all proportion and reason.

 

[Axstar]

To take the pressure off the TRC I've created a stunt double out of spare 3-ply pickguard material.

Ten minutes of hard work! I can also put this on if I wind up playing dodgy gigs. I'm wondering if I can carve the 'Rickenbacker' writing out of black ABS and glue it on there...

My other problem is sinking side dots. When I stripped the lacquer off the side of the fretboard these wee plugs of lacquer came out the end of the side dots. Once this was away I was left with dips in the side of the fretboard.

I fixed this the only way I know (literally) with rosewood dust and superglue. I didn't fancy trying to dissolve black plastic in glue or acetone or anything like that.

Woody dot! Also dig the crowned and polished frets! I'm getting there! 8 frets now look like they should...

 

[Bill Whitehurst]

This thread has made me realize just how flakey Ric's QC can be.

 

[Axstar]

This thread has made me realize just how flakey Ric's QC can be.

Two previous owners had this bass for the best part of ten years and didn't have any issue with any bit of it. I spend too much time poking around 'under the hood' and discovering issues that probably matter very little to the vast majority of bass players.

From what I gather, circa 2009 Rickenbacker were toiling to get through a backlog in orders. A 2018 4003 bass will almost certainly be built better than my 2009 example here.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Two previous owners had this bass for the best part of ten years and didn't have any issue with any bit of it. I spend too much time poking around 'under the hood' and discovering issues that probably matter very little to the vast majority of bass players.

From what I gather, circa 2009 Rickenbacker were toiling to get through a backlog in orders. A 2018 4003 bass will almost certainly be built better than my 2009 example here.

Maybe! Ric runs a perpetual backlog, largely by choice. Enforced Scarcity justifies the price. They've had a run of bubbling paint issues since at least 2010. It's been flogged ad nauseum here and over on RRF (where they like to pretend it doesn't exist), so they obviously are aware of it, but why bother to fix known QC problems when people will buy them regardless? Nice position to be in, but it can't last forever.

 

[Axstar]

Maybe! Ric runs a perpetual backlog, largely by choice. Enforced Scarcity justifies the price. They've had a run of bubbling paint issues since at least 2010. It's been flogged ad nauseum here and over on RRF (where they like to pretend it doesn't exist), so they obviously are aware of it, but why bother to fix known QC problems when people will buy them regardless? Nice position to be in, but it can't last forever.

I feel that things are getting better in camp RIC, but I'm never going to be an apologist for them. I'm wary of those on the Rickresource and official Rickenbacker forums who are apologists for the brand. Unless RIC pay me a retainer I'm never going to automatically assume user error when obvious flaws are flagged up on new 4003 basses on here.

The worst elements of my 4003 here are the factory finish and the factory wiring. The wiring was the most bizarre and sloppy I've seen on a factory instrument. I thought the previous owner had messed around with it, but Dane on here claims it looks like the factory wiring. A few 4003 instruments on Reverb have been torn down to show the wiring, and sure enough it left the factory like that! From what I can ascertain, the push/pull pot was swapped out on my bass with a 500 k Alpha-brand pot. The other three are rated ~ 310 k ohm (I metered them out) and look like they were soldered together by a clueless teenager who tried installing EMGs with a low watt soldering iron. Too much solder, melted insulation, long red wired dangling about all over the place.

The second worst element was the factory varnish finish. This is like the stuff they put on the tables in pubs here in the UK. It may be tough wearing, but it is soft. You can clunk the base of a pint glass into it and leave an impression of the pattern on the base of the glass. Likewise an errant roundwound string had left a clear impression in the surface of my bass. I've never seen a Chinese/Korean/generic import-brand bass do this!

My Joe Barden pickups arrived, only somewhere on route they underwent a Kafkaesque metamorphosis and came out as Rotosound 'RS4000' orchestral double bass strings. I need to phone the retailer tomorrow and notify them of their mistake.

I do have a treble pickup bezel (Tubeampology), 4001S-style knobs including a mixer knob, 500k CTS pots and 2 feet each or green, orange and black cloth-insulated wire.

I also have a new Switchcraft switch. It is much like the stock Rickenbacker switch, only the threaded shaft is shorter and the Rickenbacker switch baton won't screw onto it. It came with a shorter cream switch tip. Less Rickenbacker but quite nice to look at.

 

[ctmullins]

Kafkaesque metamorphosis

Big LOL!

 

[Axstar]

Big LOL!

I was away and I got a notification that the Bardens had been delivered. I was 'surprised' to see a set of Rotosound strings flop out of the packaging.

I tried to phone the shop, but they don't open at the weekend! We are told that these little Mom 'n' Pop shops are the salt of the earth, but they don't bother opening on a Saturday! Eh? And they mistake a reasonably expensive pickup order with a request for double bass strings! Eh?

 

[ctmullins]

I imagine somewhere there's a befuddled double bass player looking quizzically at this pair of weird sci-fi electronic-y looking gizmos...

 

[Beej]

I feel that things are getting better in camp RIC, but I'm never going to be an apologist for them. I'm wary of those on the Rickresource and official Rickenbacker forums who are apologists for the brand. Unless RIC pay me a retainer I'm never going to automatically assume user error when obvious flaws are flagged up on new 4003 basses on here.

The worst elements of my 4003 here are the factory finish and the factory wiring. The wiring was the most bizarre and sloppy I've seen on a factory instrument. I thought the previous owner had messed around with it, but Dane on here claims it looks like the factory wiring. A few 4003 instruments on Reverb have been torn down to show the wiring, and sure enough it left the factory like that! From what I can ascertain, the push/pull pot was swapped out on my bass with a 500 k Alpha-brand pot. The other three are rated ~ 310 k ohm (I metered them out) and look like they were soldered together by a clueless teenager who tried installing EMGs with a low watt soldering iron. Too much solder, melted insulation, long red wired dangling about all over the place.

The second worst element was the factory varnish finish. This is like the stuff they put on the tables in pubs here in the UK. It may be tough wearing, but it is soft. You can clunk the base of a pint glass into it and leave an impression of the pattern on the base of the glass. Likewise an errant roundwound string had left a clear impression in the surface of my bass. I've never seen a Chinese/Korean/generic import-brand bass do this!.

A theory of mine is that the slapdash nature of their fabrication, fit and finish is related to keeping manufacturing in the USA, but still trying to turn a profit, while selling affordable instruments (relatively speaking).

 

[Axstar]

Fun with switches!

The replacement Switchcraft switch I purchased has a shorter stem on it than the RIC-specific switch. This means the toggle is shorter, and it would look like I kludged a Les Paul switch into a 4003 bass. No good! beyond the length of threaded stem the switches are the same unit, so I had an idea.

Horrible late night photography, but essentially I took the new switch, the old switch, and make a Frankenstein's Monster of the two. In the above photo I've layed out all the layers of the switch. Below is the result of my mashup:

The chassis of the switch is from the original Rickenbacker part (hence the trimmed, soldered wire) but the leaves/terminals are from the new switch. So the switch has all the 'click' and tidy, un-soldered/burnt terminals of a new switch, but the batton of the old Rickenbacker switch.

I also started sandboxing a 5-pot wiring setup. To do so I made a cardboard replica of the pickguard and tried out some different placements.

From this I don't think the 5th knob is happening. If nothing else I don't like the busier look of the controls, but the major issue would be having the tip of a stereo jack in the Richard O' Sound socket grounding out on the blender pot casing.

So this remains a dream just now, and the bass will have four knobs! I'm thinking that I can recycle the 4.7 nF bass cut capacitor into some sort of treble-bleed circuit? If I wire it between the middle and outer lug of the bridge volume control it will pass high frequencies even as the volume is turned down. This *might* get me some 4001 tones if I back off the bridge volume and keep the neck on full, but give me full un-capped tone at 10. Alternately I just hard wire the cap in the circuit and have 4001 tone all the time? It seems a bit of a waste of the Joe Barden bridge pickup's potential though.

The bridge pickup now has a Tubeampology bezel installed, and a new pickup chassis and height adjustment bolts installed, from Retrovibe, thanks to @Bassbadger. This means I don't need to demolish the stock bridge pickup assembly, and the Retrovibe part is machined to a higher quality anyway.

The factory knobs are now surplus, so the Treble set have wound up on my Telecaster guitar:

For the nerds, I stuck the red pickguard on my Telecaster in part to honour Wilko Johnson and in part because I loved the white/maple/red colour combo of the Rickenbacker 'Astro' kit guitars they made in the early '60s.

 

[ctmullins]

When I wired my 4620 I went with Master Volume, active Treble and Bass (using an EMG BTS), and the fourth knob is a dual-gang M/N pot - clockwise from center it gradually rolls in the treble-cut capacitor on the bridge pickup, and anti-clockwise (you’re in the UK, right?) it is a master passive tone.

I like having the option of the bridge cap, and I like having two functions on one shaft.

(The fifth knob is an active/passive switch.)