Where do you find black Rickenbacker hardware?

[zinnwick]

I sometimes see basses with black hardware on them-- I would like to get a mapleglo 4003 and replace the white/chrome with black hardware, but I don't know where to find it. I actually have found the pickguards can be replaced at Pickguardian and I found someone to do the nameplate, but what about all of the other pieces? (knobs, nut, bridge, saddle, pickups etc.)
Many say PickoftheRicks is good but it only has standard chrome hardware.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[GIBrat51]

Let's see;
- Nut; both my Rick basses came with black nuts. The 4001's sporting a brass one now, but not because of the color - it just badly needed a new nut, and... The stock nut's just a piece of plastic, anyhow; you can replace it with anything you like. A black Tusq one would be nice, IMO...
- Knobs; I thought the Rick knobs were black; mine are, anyway. In any case, there's tons of set-screw replacement knobs to choose from. Try Allparts for a start...
- Bridge/Tailpiece; that's going to be a trick. The original black Rick parts are hard to find - and expensive when you do find them. The originals had the bad habit of folding in half fairly often. The high heat that powder coating requires, didn't mix well with cast zinc, evidently... Rick didn't make very many to start with, and the high attrition rate's made them pretty scarce. Having the stock chrome tailpiece, and the bridge assembly, anodized might work, but I don't know how much heat is involved. You could check. Or, you could just paint them...
- Pickups; those are pretty much already black. The chrome surrounds, and the chrome bit on the neck pickup? They're "real" metal - as opposed to zinc -, so anodizing should work...
- Tuners; Rick tuners are Schaller BM-4s. They're available in chrome; nickel (I have these on my Warmoth Mini-P); gold; or black. Again, try Allparts...

I don't know if you've posted this question on the Rick Owners Club site here. If not, you might want to. Some very, very knowledgeable people there; and, a better than even chance that one or two of them have already done this... Good luck with it!

 

[zinnwick]

Wow--thanks for all the great info!!

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Get the Hipshot black replacement bridge, easier intonation and the only drop-in fit bridge available that entirely covers the bridge recess and matches screw holes. Somebody must make black chrome Schaller style elephant tuners, I think Hipshot does, but you'd need to drill new holes in the head. Find something with a big tuner plate, it will cover the screw holes if they don't line up. You can modify your existing TRC by spray painting it black and sanding off the raised lettering to expose white plastic. Finding one on eBay difficult and expensive. The Pickguardian guards are superb, mail them a direct full size tracing of your Pickguardian, you'll get a perfect fit. Nice people, you can contact by email with any special features you want. The "vintage" style Ric knobs are all black with a white line, available through Allparts or POTR. Easy project, have fun!

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Thanks to @GIBrat51 :
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Black Strap Locks | Allparts.com

5 pc Vintage Knob Set 03571
These are Ric OEM parts, and very nice, but knockoffs available for less elsewhere. Make sure you get a set with set screws for your smooth-shaft pots. Some of the copies are press-on or spline shaft that won't work.

What you won't be able to find commercially is a black chrome mount and surround for the bridge pup. I have literally never seen one for sale, though I'm pretty sure Ric just powder-coated the standard chrome ones black. They might pop up on Ebay once in a blue moon, but you'd probably be better off asking around on the TB Rickenbacker forum, or over on Ricresource Forum
Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum • View forum - Rickenbacker Basses: by Joey Vasco & Tony Cabibe

If you are determined to go all black, check out local shops that do powder coating in your area, or I suppose you could paint the surround yourself if you want to make it reversible. Ric doesn't sell the bridge pup surround as a separate unit anymore, they only sell it as a complete unit with the hi-gain pup.

 

[Axstar]

Find somebody with a Tuxedo Rick that wants to go chrome, and arrange a swap!