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new ric coming in, what should i do.

#41
Most of the Ricks Ive owned have had tail lift to some degree. It has never bothered me a bit.

It does however seem to be most severe on the black hardware basses.

But then again, I'm one of the minority that doesnt have a problem with Rickenbackers bridge design. :hiding:
 
#42
cassius987 said:
Tail lift can mean *a lot of lift*, which happens rarely and mostly to older models, or *very little to no lift*, which is much more common. Unless it's a noticeable phenomenon it's not worth worrying about even if you have a little going on. If it freaks you out get a 7-bolt tailpiece and replace it; that solves tail lift for good but of course people whined about the two extra bolts looking bad so RIC went back to 5.
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Excellent comment on the whole tail lift controversy.

If you have string break over the saddles, then the bridge is doing its job. Tail lift that doesn't compromise string break over the saddles is just not worth worrying about.

I got all worried over a little tail lift on one of my Rics and replaced the stock bridge with a Hipshot aluminum. Sounds about the same, perhaps a very slight improvement, but it was nothing to worry about after all.

Anyone who worries about their Ric bridge experiencing eventual tail lift, which is an outside chance to begin with, can install the extra two screws at the tail like Ric used to do. Piece of cake if you're the worrying type and need peace of mind. But the chance of your tail lifting is small, and the chance of that lift negatively impacting the instrument is even more remote.
 
#43
I've owned 8 Ric's so far, still have 2, both fairly new. I think the newer ones, from '06 on, are among the best Ric has ever put out. I've never had any tail lift problems on any of them, of any consequence anyway. Just pure, sweet Ric tone, and the most stable neck of any bass I've ever owned or seen. Set it, and forget it, (unless you do a string gauge change). Just rock it, no worries. Oh, and the pup cover, I've always taken mine off in the past, but have left it on the one I have now. It's a minor playing adjustment to play either in front of, or behind the cover. looks way better on.
 
#44
I'm playing my 2010 4003 right now, and the tail liftis less than the thickness of a medium pick.
My older Ricks all have roughly 2-3 times that amount of lift and range in age from 1976 - 1981, and in my opinion the lift makes little or no difference in sound, sustain, or playability.
Extreme cases need a solution, but for the most part it's just something you get in your head that bothers you, it's normally not a real problem at all.
You have no need to be concerned about it.

My '76 4000 has not had any increase in lift since I got it in '86, and still plays and sounds great.
 
#45
kcole4001 said:
I'm playing my 2010 4003 right now, and the tail liftis less than the thickness of a medium pick.
My older Ricks all have roughly 2-3 times that amount of lift and range in age from 1976 - 1981, and in my opinion the lift makes little or no difference in sound, sustain, or playability.
Extreme cases need a solution, but for the most part it's just something you get in your head that bothers you, it's normally not a real problem at all.
You have no need to be concerned about it.

My '76 4000 has not had any increase in lift since I got it in '86, and still plays and sounds great.
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Right. When they do, they usually lift to a point like you described, stop, stabilize, and never become a problem.

Bolt necks shift. Floating bridges shift. Ric tails sometimes lift. It goes with the territory, and if these idiosyncracies are enough to put you off any of these basses, don't buy one. It's that simple.
 
#47
UnderDogbassist said:
aahhhh i get what you guys are saying, so for 99% of the time tail lifft can be ignored with no playing consequences? it makes me woner why so many of you guys replace them. haha
Click to expand...

I think some people put a lot of stock in after-market bridges like the Badass and Hipshot. I say, if you think it's an improvement, go for it.

I'm don't usually go for the after-market bridge, and with my Ric that had tail lift, it was a waste of money. The stock bridge had stabilized, I had good string break over the saddles, it was fine.

YMMV.
 

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