Rickenbacker 4003 2021 Neck issues.

[seanow]

Why does this bass constantly need slight TR adjustment ?
Nothing major but at least a quater turn one way or the other once a month to two months.
It is a Duel TR neck.
The Bass lives on a stand, doesn’t do much gigging, played daily.
Humidity does fluctuate in my area, but not that much, all other instruments are relatively stable.
It’s not living in a case. I play it daily and it’s hardly en eyesore in the corner of the room.
I m pretty versed at adjusting the TR these days and reckon I ve read all there is to read posted on the net on the subject.
It’s been set up by a professional twice over the past couple of years and feels good until it’s not anymore.
I’ve had low tensions flats
On it, standard gauge rotosounds usually.
I aim for around 7/64 on the bass side,
Maybe 5/64 on the top,which feels pretty good to me.
I know it’s not un common to have bendy necks and I know there’s Rics that never need adjusting.
It’s the only newly purchased instrument I ve ever bought (maybe that was my mistake) and always wonder if its still settling.
Any tips, advice or condolences appreciated.. or if it’s normal for some instruments tell me that too.
I do love the bass and don’t think I ll ever pass it on.
Thanks.

 

[eddybuzzard]

Is it the lacquered fretboard version, or the short lived oil finished era ?

Asking for a friend

 

[seanow]

Haha.
Yeah oil finished fretboard.

 

[humbuckaroo]

Were there issues with the oil finished ones? I'm considering a trade for one right now actually, this info would be very timely.

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

I regularly adjust the truss rods on many, perhaps most, of my basses. Particularly at change of seasons it can be quite frequent. Did one today. A couple of others this week as well. I prefer optimal setups and can tell even minor changes. OCD? Maybe. Detail oriented to the point of obsession? Prolly. Makes a difference to me knowing I'm getting the best the bass has to offer. I don't see it as a problem, just a wood and weather thing.

BBB

 

[J Wilson]

I adjust my own necks. I often buy used axes that have had at least several years to 'settle down' as the wood finally comes to an equilibrium in terms of where it's been living climate wise, all the finish and adhesives have ultimately gassed out, and they're usually well-behaved in their middle age.

WHEN I buy a new bass, I generally look for some hijinks, inasmuch as I remember the Mica Wickersham quote, 'it sometimes takes the wood a while to figure out it's not a tree any more'. So it's having to adjust to where I live, depending on the wood and how well it was milled and aged, etc. I expect them to walk around for a while.

I bough at Squier Jazz James Johnston a few years ago, and it was like your bass. I was ALWAYS touching it up, probably once a month. It was really starting to be a drag.

So one day, I've got all the strings off, and the laurel fingerboard . . . . just looked really dry. Hmmm. So after I polish the frets, I lay on some F1 fingerboard oil . . . which it inhaled THAT fast. Wow. I laid on another coat. Drank that one up too. Finally, the third coat, I had to wipe off the excess. Man !

Wiped it dry, let it sit for a little while to dry, and strung it up to pitch, felt OK. Came back tomorrow, in spec.

I haven't touched it since, almost a year.

I had no idea, and never saw another bass do that. I have no idea IF this has anything to do with your Ric, but I always pass it along just in case.

The wonder and the aggravation of wood is that it's not repeatably uniform. So yes, you get some instruments with concrete necks, some with flexible flyers, some that are really heavy and some that aren't, it just varies.

 

[InstantEctobass]

I adjust my own necks. I often buy used axes that have had at least several years to 'settle down' as the wood finally comes to an equilibrium in terms of where it's been living climate wise, all the finish and adhesives have ultimately gassed out, and they're usually well-behaved in their middle age.

WHEN I buy a new bass, I generally look for some hijinks, inasmuch as I remember the Mica Wickersham quote, 'it sometimes takes the wood a while to figure out it's not a tree any more'. So it's having to adjust to where I live, depending on the wood and how well it was milled and aged, etc. I expect them to walk around for a while.

I bough at Squier Jazz James Johnston a few years ago, and it was like your bass. I was ALWAYS touching it up, probably once a month. It was really starting to be a drag.

So one day, I've got all the strings off, and the laurel fingerboard . . . . just looked really dry. Hmmm. So after I polish the frets, I lay on some F1 fingerboard oil . . . which it inhaled THAT fast. Wow. I laid on another coat. Drank that one up too. Finally, the third coat, I had to wipe off the excess. Man !

Wiped it dry, let it sit for a little while to dry, and strung it up to pitch, felt OK. Came back tomorrow, in spec.

I haven't touched it since, almost a year.

I had no idea, and never saw another bass do that. I have no idea IF this has anything to do with your Ric, but I always pass it along just in case.

The wonder and the aggravation of wood is that it's not repeatably uniform. So yes, you get some instruments with concrete necks, some with flexible flyers, some that are really heavy and some that aren't, it just varies.

Nice information but small correction, if your bass is a James Johnston model, it should be rosewood, not laurel!

 

[seanow]

Were there issues with the oil finished ones? I'm considering a trade for one right now actually, this info would be very timely.

Not to my knowledge, there has been some ugly bubbling where the clear coat on the side of the rosewood finger board stops. Picture a clear coat that comes all the way around the back of the neck and it needs to stop somewhere for the fretboard to be raw. I reckon this was potentially an issue..
So have a look.. happy to snap a picture if it helps.
Apart from this neck issue .. bass is so nice.

 

[Iristone]

The fretboard lacquer is very helpful for neck stability, especially on a Rickenbacker. Ever since the lacquer was destroyed during a refret, my Rickenbacker almost needs neck adjustment every single day (it used to be a rock solid bass needing nothing more than a seasonal adjustment).

 

[One Way]

I bought my 4003 new two years ago, a 2023 build with the lacquered neck and fretboard plus single truss rod. In two years I’ve adjusted the truss rod once, about 3 months after I bought it. I have another bass (not a Ric) with an unfinished neck and it has needed regular truss rod adjustments. It needs retuning during a set vs the Ric that holds tune like no other bass I’ve ever owned. However, the bass with the neck that needs more attention is approaching 10 years old and the neck is becoming more stable with age.

 

[J Wilson]

Nice information but small correction, if your bass is a James Johnston model, it should be rosewood, not laurel!

You're right, thanks for the correction.

 

[rickdog]

I think an unlacquered fretboard is more prone to absorbing/releasing moisture than a lacqured one. My Alembic has a maple neck with a bare ebony fretboard. When I bought it, it played well with no fret buzz. I took it home from the nice, climate-controlled shop to my house during some warm, rather humid weather and a couple days later its relief had decreased and it buzzed everywhere.

As recommended by Alembic, I've been oiling the fretboard with pure lemon oil and that seems to have decreased its sensitivity to humidity, although it still needs some adjustment seasonally. You might want to try this. I can't promise that what is suitable for my bass is appropriate for yours! It would be a good idea to contact RIC and find out what treatment they recommend on the fretboard.

My 4001 has an incredibly stable neck (lacquered fretboard, of course).

Keep in mind that the better you set up your bass, the more you'll notice any deviation from your ideal.

 

[G-Viking]

I regularly adjust the truss rods on many, perhaps most, of my basses. Particularly at change of seasons it can be quite frequent. Did one today. A couple of others this week as well. I prefer optimal setups and can tell even minor changes. OCD? Maybe. Detail oriented to the point of obsession? Prolly. Makes a difference to me knowing I'm getting the best the bass has to offer. I don't see it as a problem, just a wood and weather thing.

BBB

Yes, I notice that changes in temperature has a big effect on TR adjustment. I usually adjust my 4003 TR during the summer and winter.

 

[eddybuzzard]

Haha.
Yeah oil finished fretboard.

IME, and personal opinion, necks with oil on one side, and lacquer on the other, either/or,
are inherently out of climatical balance,
and tend to be less stable than necks with lacquer/lacquer, or oil/oil, front/back.

 

[seanow]

IME, and personal opinion, necks with oil on one side, and lacquer on the other, either/or,
are inherently out of climatical balance,
and tend to be less stable than necks with lacquer/lacquer, or oil/oil, front/back.

Makes sense doesn’t it.
Surely adds up as to why the raw finger board was short lived.

 

[seanow]

I think an unlacquered fretboard is more prone to absorbing/releasing moisture than a lacqured one. My Alembic has a maple neck with a bare ebony fretboard. When I bought it, it played well with no fret buzz. I took it home from the nice, climate-controlled shop to my house during some warm, rather humid weather and a couple days later its relief had decreased and it buzzed everywhere.

As recommended by Alembic, I've been oiling the fretboard with pure lemon oil and that seems to have decreased its sensitivity to humidity, although it still needs some adjustment seasonally. You might want to try this. I can't promise that what is suitable for my bass is appropriate for yours! It would be a good idea to contact RIC and find out what treatment they recommend on the fretboard.

My 4001 has an incredibly stable neck (lacquered fretboard, of course).

Keep in mind that the better you set up your bass, the more you'll notice any deviation from your ideal.

Is the Alembic raw on the back of the neck?

 

[rickdog]

Is the Alembic raw on the back of the neck?

No. It's a three-piece maple neck with walnut veneers between the maple, and finished. I think the maple is super stable (like my 4001 is) and the unfinished ebony absorbs or releases moisture depending on the humidity, causing it to swell or shrink and thus flexing the neck. I don't have scientific evidence, but I think it's less prone to do that now that I've soaked some lemon oil into it.

 

[bassnyc1]

My 4003 is also a 2021 model. I have only needed to do seasonal adjustments to it. I kind of wish I had waited a year since the neck on mine is a baseball bat and I prefer slimmer necks. However, it's been stable. The nut, on the other hand was cut way too high from the factory and had to be cut down almost immediately.

 

[seanow]

My 4003 is also a 2021 model. I have only needed to do seasonal adjustments to it. I kind of wish I had waited a year since the neck on mine is a baseball bat and I prefer slimmer necks. However, it's been stable. The nut, on the other hand was cut way too high from the factory and had to be cut down almost immediately.

So is yours an oiled neck also?

 

[seanow]

No. It's a three-piece maple neck with walnut veneers between the maple, and finished. I think the maple is super stable (like my 4001 is) and the unfinished ebony absorbs or releases moisture depending on the humidity, causing it to swell or shrink and thus flexing the neck. I don't have scientific evidence, but I think it's less prone to do that now that I've soaked some lemon oil into it.

This is good feedback.
And a wise friend told me to do the same some time ago,which i did and it noticeably settled after that. Guess I might be due to do it again.
I do live in a humid area prone to fluctuations.