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Hipshot's Rickenbacker Bridge - Benefits?

#21
I'll chime in. I have a 2010 Ric 4003, and I just got through swapping out the stock bridge with a brass (chrome) Hipshot bridge last Friday.

I did not notice any particular change in tone or sustain, but those two parameters definitely did not get any worse. If it got better, I can't really discern it with my ears, but I am very happy with the tone and sustain nonetheless. Maybe it got better slightly but my human ears just can't hear it.

After setting string heights and intonation (which was a total breeze), I did not have any wobbling of the saddles.

Am I glad I made the change?? Yes. I like the Hipshot bridge much better. IMO, it looks better, and is certainly ultra easy to adjust string positioning and intonation. Plus, the brass version is heavier than the stock bridge, which helps lighten the neck weight just a tad.

Note regarding installation: the wood screws that come with the Hipshot bridge (that screw into the Ric body) are longer than the stock screws. Be sure to use these longer screws that come with the Hipshot. The stock holes in the Ric body are already deep enough to accept the longer screws, and they hold better. Also, the stock bridge has five screws. The Hipshot bridge only has four holes, so you only use four of the five stock holes. Perhaps that is why Hipshot gives you longer screws. Installation of the bridge was a slam dunk. Btw, don't bother trying to solder the ground wire to the Hipshot bridge.....it won't work. Just spread the wiring and pinch it between the wood of the body and the Hipshot bridge.
 
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#22
It has been about 2 yrs since I put the Hipshot on my '75 4001. I noticed right off a bit more sustain. Tone was pretty much the same(I use TI flats). Adjustments were easy and I finally got the intonation right. I don't have this wobble problem that was mentioned. I have all the adjustment screws tight so they all contact the bridge channels w/ even pressure. Perhaps that is what he meant by "tightened down". Before this switch, I went through three Ric bridges(one an Allpart replacement - truly a piece of junk) and tried to modify the saddle holder by drilling holds through the bridge and using longer height adjustment screws. Only thing that accomplished was stopping the saddle tipping problems some of these Ric bridges have. All-in-all, I'd have to say the Hipshot was an improvement over the stock Ric bridge for my case.
 
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#24
cassius987 said:
The only thing I can gather he might mean is to raise the action, which is what I said fixes wobble as well. It increases break angle which combats wobble. However I prefer low action.
Click to expand...

Yes. If the grub screws are not making contact securely there will be wobble. Even if you like the action low, at least let the grub tips come through just enough to make contact with the plate. Be sure all the spacing and intonation screws are tight.
 
#25
rockybass said:
Only thing that accomplished was stopping the saddle tipping problems some of these Ric bridges have.
Click to expand...

No offense, but this is also a bit of a myth. The stock Ric saddle assembly will not rock if it is seated correctly and string pressure applied evenly. It will rock into one position and stay firm as long as the downward string pressure remains constant.

Of the three Ric 4003's I own, two of them still have the stock bridges and none of the idosyncracies some people report. They take a little understanding and patience, but they can be set up to a stable consistency and provide excellent tone, intonation, action, and sustain.
 
#26
I just took a brass Hipshot off of my 4003. I put it on awhile back looking for some extra "oomph" or something. There was a little change, but nothing too drastic (at least not to my ears.) I did encounter some bad wobble on the G string & I never quite got used to the look of the Hipshot. Plus my 4003 is one the the 'Colors Of The Year' so I just felt better about putting it back to stock.
 
#27
I have had soooo many Rics....I have tried hipshots on a few..no noticeable tone difference. the brass bridge was heavier as stated and the intonation was much easier.

YMMV

6 to 1, half dozen to the other...I never had issues with wobbling when I had the hippers....
 
#28
electracoyote said:
Even if you like the action low, at least let the grub tips come through just enough to make contact with the plate. Be sure all the spacing and intonation screws are tight.
Click to expand...

Been there done that. Still wobbles quite a bit.

These bridges bottom out before the action gets as low as a stock bridge can. The only way I can figure to stop wobble if you want a Hipshot is to put washers between the saddles to paralyze them. I've seen this too many times to think it's just a rare problem.
 
#29
Mine wobble too, but seem to 'settle in' if I jiggle them back and forth a bit.
They do still wobble a bit if I play very aggressively.

I also had to Loctite the height adjustment screws. They kept working downward with vibration (read: playing).
Not a gripe, just a bit of forewarning to anyone thinking of buying one.

As far as tone change, there are possibly a bit more mids present, though it's difficult to be sure.

I think the bottom plate of the unit should be milled perhaps 1/16" thinner if possible to really enable low action and a bit more break angle at the saddle.

And make a 5 string version (not likely). :)
I'd buy a 5er in a second.
 
#31
Interesting comments about the incurable saddle wobble. When I first installed mine they wobbled like mad, but the more I dialed things in, the wobble eventually disappeared and the whole system became steady as a rock. I must have gotten lucky with mine. Also, I follow the prescription and take out 99.9% of the relief in the neck, and I had plenty of room to get the action ridiculously low.

Oh well, I know you posters with the wobble problems are legit, because I have read many of your past posts and learned alot of what I know about Rics from you. So, one more reason for a resounding "meh" to the Hipshot. In hindsight, I kind of wish I had left the stock bridge on and I may switch it back when it really bugs me enough.
 
#32
hiho,hipshot all the way,mine wobbled a bit then stabilised and is rock solid now.
Instead of loctite try a small wrap of ptfe tape on the threads and remember to wrap it anti -clockwise or it will unravel as you screw it in.
 
#33
I've got a 2010 4003.. I dialed in the itonation.. bit of a pain but no need for adjustment now.. I did however started playing with a pick on some stuff. It's not the bridge that bothers me so much .. It is the upper mute screw.. This thing is seriously in my way.. I feel if I can remove that screw then palying witha pick willl not be a problem and I can save myself $140 by not having to get the hipshot bridge.

Has anyone out there removed these mute screw on thier rics??
 
#34
I have a chrome aluminum Hipshot bridge installed on my '08 4003 JG. It took a bit of tweaking to get rid of the saddle wobble, but it can be done. I have not really noticed a dramatic change in tone or sustain, but playability was vastly improved. The stock bridge, even at it's lowest setting, sat too high for me, so much so that re-grooving the saddles was simply not an option. Two of the stock saddles rattled, so I gave the Hipshot a try - glad I did. Intrestingly enough, my 2010 4001C64 has the stock vintage bridge, and it works just fine for that bass. The action is low enough for me, the saddles don't wobble, and I think the stock Ric bridge looks much better, and fits the vintage vibe of the 4001C64. There is a wee bit of tail lift happening on my C64, but I'd rather cure it with a 7-screw vintage bridge mod, rather than a Hipshot bridge install.

th_Hipshot001.gif
th_Hipshot002.gif
 
#35
Rickenbacker tried to shut down hipshot from making the bridges. They even engineered their web site so that whenever you type in hipshot it posts dipstick. Supposedly Rickenbacker has a newer replacement bridge they designed, but they never implemented it.

If I played a 4 string bass I would consider the hipshot bridge for a Rickenbacker
 
#36
bluesdragon said:
Has anyone out there removed these mute screw on thier rics??
Click to expand...

Yes. Back when I used to play with a bit more of an, er...agressive pick style I used to bang my wrist on that screw and it hurt like hell. I yanked the mute and screws and solved the problem. Just pulling the screws would leave the mute floating in there; not sure if there is a way to solve that other than removing it like I did. Mine Ric is an 85 4003 and the ground wire was attached to the underside of the mute, so I had to deal with that as well (don't know what I did BTW, it was 20 years ago....).

I am glad to have done this even though it left a bit of a gaping hole where the mute used to be. I suppose I could paint the cavity black if it really bothered me, but, nah.
 
#37
What I run into on my stock bridge is that the mute-section completely prevents palm muting. When recording it's fine, I can just dial up the mutes for a similar effect, but I like to palm mute for certain songs, and the Ric bridge makes this impossible to do live. Alas.
 
#38
I recently ordered one of these off of eBay but the seller is taking an extremely long time to ship the item. Hopefully it'll get here soon and I can offer up some experience, as well.
 
#39
I have the alumineum hipshot on my 74 4000,because i could not get the original bridge intonated correctly,and decided to give it a try. I am more than pleased with it,having suffered none of the adverse effects others have described. I do believe that the bass sounds better than before,i really like the extra room it provides for playing beTween the pickup and bridge. It certainly seems like the bridges tight connection to the body wood makes for a better acoustic transfer than the factory bridge's. I also do not miss the look or the use of the "buick grill"/ mute assembly. I do not work on my basses,but i actually did attach the new bridge,could not have been simpler,and let a qualified luthier do the setup.
 
#40
Well, it's been almost six months since I installed the Hipshot bridge (chrome brass) on my 2010 4003 (see my post #21 above), and I love it. I will never go back to that stock piece of junk bridge. (IMO of course).

The Hipshop is solid as a rock, and intonation is an absolute breeze. (It makes me wonder why I put up with the stock bridge on my 4001 back in the 70's.)

The Hipshot is so comfortable when I play with a pick and place my hand in that area.

Plus, I think the Hipshot looks waaaaay better (again, IMO).

Kudos to Hipshot for providing such a top notch product.
 
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