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The Green Rickenbacker - modded and upgraded!

Everything is reversible. Just added a few things.

Here is the Rick as it showed up at my door:
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Already pretty freaking sweet. But after adding a white pickguard, a Pickguardian bridge pickup plate, and a Hipshot bridge, we now have this:

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The Hipshot is awesome. I can tell a big difference in sustain. Really easy to set up, too (compared to the nightmare that is the stock Rick bridge).

The only boo-boo I made was when adding the Pickguardian plate. I guess the wax/plastic that holds the height adjustment screw on the treble side of the bridge pickup was a bit worn, because after a turn or two of the screwdriver it just gave. I found a screw of the same length and a slightly larger diameter and it seems to be working fine.

This bass is *the one* for me.
 
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IMO looked a lot better before. That bass with the black pg is my *favorite* bass ever! Dream bass, you are very lucky.


Also just wondering what is the point of changing the already massive stock Rickenbacker Bridge? Doesn't it already have enough mass?
 
IMO looked a lot better before. That bass with the black pg is my *favorite* bass ever! Dream bass, you are very lucky.


Also just wondering what is the point of changing the already massive stock Rickenbacker Bridge? Doesn't it already have enough mass?

The stock Rick bridge is deceptive. It looks massive but once you take it off you see that it's pretty much just stamped aluminum or steel. It's more or less hollow underneath. The Hipshot also makes better contact with the top of the bass.

As far as the color goes, to each his own :)
 
Looks killer!

Can you tell us a little more about the hipshot bridge installation?

I heard about problems with provided vs rics' screws among other things.

Seriously considering one but I have no luthier skills. Is this something anyone with a screwdriver can do?
 
I LOVE the white PG, and the bridge looks OK. The white really looks good. Nice job.

Personally, I'm really not digging the bridge pickguard cover plate. Looks cheap and crappy, IMO. If you like it as a thumbrest, then I guess I can understand it, but I wouldn't have changed the look of the bridge pickup unless I had to.
 
Looks killer!

Can you tell us a little more about the hipshot bridge installation?

I heard about problems with provided vs rics' screws among other things.

Seriously considering one but I have no luthier skills. Is this something anyone with a screwdriver can do?

The bridge is a direct replacement, the only difference is that it uses four screws while the stock bridge used five. It seems like four is plenty. The old screw holes lined up perfectly and the whole process took about 15 minutes (not including the setup afterwards). A fairly straightforward procedure and yes, all I needed was a Philips-head screwdriver.
 
I LOVE the white PG, and the bridge looks OK. The white really looks good. Nice job.

Personally, I'm really not digging the bridge pickguard cover plate. Looks cheap and crappy, IMO. If you like it as a thumbrest, then I guess I can understand it, but I wouldn't have changed the look of the bridge pickup unless I had to.

It covers up the big gaping hole surrounding the pickup with the original pickup cover. I didn't have the "horseshoe" part that covers up the pickup, and the metal edge around the pickup without that cover is a little sharp. I like the way it looks alright - visually, I probably prefer it - but the real bonus is that it takes away that sharp lip and also lets me get the action just a little bit lower (the lip on the old cover would hit the strings if I dug in).
 
IMO looked a lot better before. That bass with the black pg is my *favorite* bass ever! Dream bass, you are very lucky.


Also just wondering what is the point of changing the already massive stock Rickenbacker Bridge? Doesn't it already have enough mass?

Setting intonation with a stock Ric bridge is an excersise in frustration/anger-management!

You literally have to loosen all strings, pull out the tail-piece, adjust the sadle, put the tail piece back in place, re-tune the instrument, and check intonation. Repeat process many times...

The Hipshot bridge is super easy to install... sounds great (incredible sustain)... and is easy to adjust/intonate


Jim Roseberry
www.studiocat.com
[email protected]