Hopkins
Commercial User
Then that doesn't speak to highly to the quality of a Ric neck.
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Rickenbacker Rant
- Thread starter Right_Butterscotch64
- Start date
Then that doesn't speak to highly to the quality of a Ric neck.
Ah, so you weren't joking? IME the necks have been high quality, and there is nothing wrong with the truss rod designs.
The problem, if you want to identify it, have been lack of user-friendliness because the adjustment process isn't intuitive. As has been noted, the truss rod in a 4001 works perfectly for decades. The fact that it works differently than most other truss rods is not a design flaw. The fact that incorrectly adjusting one can break the neck is also not a design flaw, though it probably should have come with more emphasis in the owner's manual on the danger of doing it incorrectly. In today's modern business world, there would be three pages of exclamation triangles just about that.
The problem, if you want to identify it, have been lack of user-friendliness because the adjustment process isn't intuitive. As has been noted, the truss rod in a 4001 works perfectly for decades. The fact that it works differently than most other truss rods is not a design flaw. The fact that incorrectly adjusting one can break the neck is also not a design flaw, though it probably should have come with more emphasis in the owner's manual on the danger of doing it incorrectly. In today's modern business world, there would be three pages of exclamation triangles just about that.
My '03 has a very stable neck. I live in central Florida(it's humid as sh*t here) and rarely have to adjust it.
I had a Fender Jazz bass and an Aria ProII that had some of the flimsiest necks I've seen. They are both gone for that reason.
I've even changed to very different tension strings lately and got both of my capos out(one at each end of the neck to measure relief) and didn't have to adjust the rods in my Ric.
If I had to compare to a Fender, I'd say the neck is as solid as a good Precision's neck.
There's a repair guy near me that thinks any bass would sound like a Ric with the bass turned down and a single coil would with very few wraps of wire so it sounds like an am radio.
He was part of my motivation to learn to work on my own stuff.
I'm willing to bet the old rods and the treble capacitor is all he heard about Rics.
I buy basses unplayed online all the time. Simply use a retailer that give a 15 or 30 day no questions asked return policy. Most times it has resulted in having equipment that I never would have found elsewhere. Like a solid body electric mandola, or a short scale 5 string bass that's not a 28 inch ibanez.
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Actually it is a very high quality neck ... Fender necks are designed the same way ... the rod can fail without destroying the neck, but nobody seems to rail on Fender for designing their necks that way ...
Some people will hate Rics no matter what
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
I had a 1968 4001, I bought it in 1973 used. The neck had a bad front bow. I got it adjusted and played it as my main bass for 35 years without another adjustment.
Hopkins
Commercial User
I don't hate Rics, but I do call things how I see them. Fender necks are designed with a single truss rod that usually takes an Allen wrench to adjust them. Rics are a dual truss system that take a special tool to adjust them. Fender doesn't advise against using a right angle tool to adjust their truss rods for fear of destroying the neck either. So no they are not designed the same way.
For the record, Fender would be well served to start using modern dual action truss rods instead of the old school rods they use as well.
Every time I have tried a Ric at a store the quality is terrible. The pickup switch makes noise and they cut out.
As for fender jazz bass in Florida that is all I have played for the past 8 years. I only need to adjust 1-2 times a year and I play weekly at hotel and convention centers with half being outside.
As for fender jazz bass in Florida that is all I have played for the past 8 years. I only need to adjust 1-2 times a year and I play weekly at hotel and convention centers with half being outside.
I had the opposite experience with Rics and J.
Now I'll take a P bass neck over a J any day. I think the thickness counts for something. Every thin neck I have had has to be adjusted every year.
Strangely, my Squier P and 4003's necks are rock solid.
The newer necks seem to need more adjustment.
I have to adjust my 4003 (2010) once a year, while my old Ricks never need adjustment due to outside influence (temp, humidity, etc).
I have to adjust my 4003 (2010) once a year, while my old Ricks never need adjustment due to outside influence (temp, humidity, etc).
Like any brand there are good and bad ones. Although once a year isn't bad, I feel my '03 is something special.
Another strange thing was I used a small amount of money my dad left after he was killed to buy it in '04, and looked up my 4003's build date on their website. It was made the week he passed.
Does anyone who has messed with the new adjustable-pole pickups have any input on them? I like a lot of metallic attack and heard great great things about them. Some real Ric enthusiasts say they are some of the best sounding Hi-Gains made yet.
Would like to put one in my bridge position.
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Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Thanks Jeff. I've read the adjustable hexhead poles increase attack but if you sxrew them out too far tou lose some sustain.
I still might try one in the bridge, though
I still might try one in the bridge, though
They are hotter than the 1970s pups, and the adjustable poles make it very easy to tweak your own bass to your liking.
I like them a lot.
Combined with a Hipshot bridge they work especially well.
Since I have a D Tuner on mine, I keep the E raised a little higher than my others to compensate for the lack of tension when I drop it to D, and I raise the pole for that string slightly to balance output.
That and heavier strings keep the fret buzz down to an acceptable level.
For anyone who doesn't know, the Hipshot bridge lets you adjust individual height as well as side to side spacing, in addition to very easy intonation adjustment.
I highly recommend it.
I like them a lot.
Combined with a Hipshot bridge they work especially well.
Since I have a D Tuner on mine, I keep the E raised a little higher than my others to compensate for the lack of tension when I drop it to D, and I raise the pole for that string slightly to balance output.
That and heavier strings keep the fret buzz down to an acceptable level.
For anyone who doesn't know, the Hipshot bridge lets you adjust individual height as well as side to side spacing, in addition to very easy intonation adjustment.
I highly recommend it.
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I play a midnight blue Rickenbacker in my dreams. I've researched Rickenbackers too much and I'm scared of wasting my money on one.
Don't blow Rickenbacker off; many of the horror stories you read trace back to operator error.
An unskilled person with a jerry-rigged wrench torquing a truss rod, or wielding a soldering iron will very often lead to disaster.
I have opened several Rickenbackers over the years and never experienced any notable issues. I do feel it is best to go to your local shop, or big box store if the local guys were run out of business, and try any bass you are considering. Of course if that is not possible, most reputable retailers have relatively liberal return policies.
One of the closest music stores to me is a Rickenbacker dealer, and they don't have any in stock
