Ric's Position On Their Bridges??

[Skybone]

Is it just me, or is the Hipshot Ric replacement bridge just plain ugly?

For all it's flaws, the standard 4003 bridge looks "right" on that guitar. As effective as a BadAss style bridge is, and as right as it looks on other basses, it doesn't look right on a Ric (or indeed a RickenFaker).

The bridge used on the 4004's looks right for them, but they don't have the scratchplate/pickguard, the bridge pickup mount, or the triangle inlays.

 

[Axstar]

...but know that the majority of Ric players prefer to change them out. e.g. Hipshots.

Not a Ric owner, but I don't think this is the case.

The general consensus appears to be that the Ric bridge has problems A, B and C. The Hipshot replacement solves problems A, B and C, but introduces issues X and Y. There doesn't seem to be a fault-free non-obtrusive replacement Ric bridge, unless you simply fit a BBOT bridge and don't mind the aesthetic shortcomings.

 

[maxschrek]

The trick to a stock Rick bridge maintaining integrity is using light gauge, low tension strings.

 

[bholder]

The only reason the OP doesn't have a problem with the bridge, that some people (not the majority) take issue with is because someone else set it up. They're great bridges, otherwise. And only mildly annoying to intonate, at the very most.

...impossible to intonate if you're unlucky enough to have a lifted tailpiece.

 

[JMacBass65]

The trick to a stock Rick bridge maintaining integrity is using light gauge, low tension strings.

Exactly. That's why I had Roto RS77s on mine for about a year until I went back to rounds.

 

[RickyWoo]

...impossible to intonate if you're unlucky enough to have a lifted tailpiece.

Well... Yes and no. That's an addressed issue in the newer 4003's, such as the OP's, but you're right, it happens in older models.

 

[Ric5]

Fair enough, and I did assume when I posted it that it was not a legitimate Ric and posted it as a bit of a laugh as it was so bad and I couldn't believe that any reputable bass manufacturer could design something so bad.

I've only heard about, and previous to now have never seen, a bridge lift like what has been described about Ric tailpieces and assumed it was only a minor thing..... like less than a millimeter.

I have to ask though, are any of those in @Ric5 post above legitimate Ric's? If so, what is the excuse there??

YES... every single one of those that I posted are real Rics ... Also usually the fake Ricks fare better than the real ones when it comes to pull up ...

But the bad design is also the lame ass mechanical mute that doe not work well and that prevents palm muting ... AND ... it is a major pain in the a$$ to adust the Ric bridge ... it is a techs nightmare ...

I love Rics ... but I hate the 4001/4003 bridge design

 

[Coolhandjjl]

Is it just me, or is the Hipshot Ric replacement bridge just plain ugly?

It had to look like that to not be sued. Apparently, there must have been one that looked closer to a Ric one. Ric sued for trademark/tradedress infringement, Hipshot hence modified the design, and the suit was either dropped, settled, or Ric lost.

 

[Axstar]

The Ric copy posted earlier looks a lot like an Ibanez, complete with the Maxon bridge humbucker.

 

[Coolhandjjl]

I agree. But my question still stands...... how could anything like this happen?

If it's made with cheapo metal, and there is no engineered strength ribbing underneath. It's easy to make something look like another on a pure cosmetic basis, but harder to get it to perform like the original.

 

[Skybone]

It had to look like that to not be sued. Apparently, there must have been one that looked closer to a Ric one. Ric sued for trademark/tradedress infringement, Hipshot hence modified the design, and the suit was either dropped, settled, or Ric lost.

So I'm not the only one who thinks it's an ugly lump of metal then?

Why does that story sound so typical of our friends at Rickenbacker? Sue first, ask questions later?

 

[Lownote38]

I don't understand what people say is a problem with the Rickenbacker bridge.

It's more annoying to me that even with a small body route, I still have to remove the neck on my Fender bass or I'll grind a divet into the pickguard.

But, no one ever complains about that. & I'm a fan of both instruments!

People complain about that all the time, but the reality is that you don't have to take the neck off a Fender to adjust the truss rod, and you won't grind a divot into the pick guard if you do it the right way.

 

[fakeneckplate'65]

People complain about that all the time, but the reality is that you don't have to take the neck off a Fender to adjust the truss rod, and you won't grind a divot into the pick guard if you do it the right way.

So how do you do it then?

 

[Gilmourisgod]

It's an obsolete design, on par with other early 60's bridge designs, and consistent with the big-chrome look of the era's cars, appliances, etc. It looks cool as hell, like a big funky hood ornament, but any bridge that has the strings holding the saddles in place is a little dated by modern standards. Ric tried to improve it by adding two more screws, and people didn't like it, so they have no incentive to re-design it. I think it would be stupid-easy to engineer a drop-in replacement that looks nearly identical, but with individual height adjustment. The Hipshot is the only true drop-in replacement available, and it's a big improvement functionally, but the original bridge works well enough that most people don't bother replacing it.

 

[Iridescentone]

The only reason the OP doesn't have a problem with the bridge, that some people (not the majority) take issue with is because someone else set it up. They're great bridges, otherwise. And only mildly annoying to intonate, at the very most.

Is that the new standard for bridge "greatness"...only mildly annoying to intonate?

 

[Lownote38]

So how do you do it then?

A very narrow flat head screw driver that grabs one corner of the truss rod nut with the plus sign shape (many people think it's designed for use with a phillips head, but it's not. Flat head is what Leo was thinking). I can get a quarter turn at a time without touching anything but the truss rod nut.

 

[RickyWoo]

Is that the new standard for bridge "greatness"...only mildly annoying to intonate?

LOL! Well, you win there.

I just don't find them all that bad. I like them, aside from the "mildly annoying" adjusting of the saddles that so many people on here strangely seem to be doing all the time.... I even love the string mute that I also see so many complain about. I use it quite often. Sounds DEADLY with a bit of low gain dirt. I've cursed my Jazz bridge more than I've cursed my 4003's. Mind you, I'm not setting the intonation of the bridge as often as others apparently are.

 

[Iridescentone]

So how do you do it then?

You get the pick guard out of the way, then use a slot-head screwdriver that is large enough to turn the adjuster, but not so large that it scrapes the surrounding body wood. Take small turns, resetting the screwdriver as you go along.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Is that the new standard for bridge "greatness"...only mildly annoying to intonate?

Nope, its the OLD standard, circa 1965 or so. Amazing what crappy hardware some basses of the era had, lots of chromed zinc "pot metal", etc., now considered valuable "classics". A lot of instruments had no provision for intonation adjustment at all, just an angled single saddle that approximated intonation, and a screw at each end for rough string height adjustment. Oddly enough, the new NS Design basses with a piezo pup use a similar single saddle bar, and apparently it works. It is definitely mildly annoying to intonate, but really, how often do you have to do that unless you change string guages? It's a set-it and forget-it PITA

 

[Iridescentone]

A very narrow flat head screw driver that grabs one corner of the truss rod nut with the plus sign shape (many people think it's designed for use with a phillips head, but it's not. Flat head is what Leo was thinking). I can get a quarter turn at a time without touching anything but the truss rod nut.

Ah, you beat me to it. I don't know why this adjustment technique remains so unknown, as it's been the case with Fenders since the 50's. Guitar mythology has the persistency of mustard gas, evidently.