Rickenbacker owners... lend me your ears

[Stag]

Hi guys

I really want to get low action on my Ric... but is it actually physically possible? The bridge pickup cover as we all know is massive... and I dont think I can really go as low as id like to because of it. Anyone here play a Ric with low action? Id like the strings to be as close as I can get them to the fretboard without "clacking".

Cheers peoples

[Shaggy]

Probably easier with the Hipshot bridge as the saddles are independantly adjustable, also using the "pickguardian" perspex p/up mounting rather than the Ric one if the latter does get in the way.

I bet Lemmy doesn't set his that low though!

Edited November 3, 2010 by Shaggy

[spongebob]

I had both my 4003's set-up....and the action is very, very low, about as low as is posible on any bass.

They're both standard, no mods or additions. Pickup covers on - I love these!

In the right hands, a Ric is perfectly adjustable as any other, and low action makes them play and sound even sweeter!

[simon1964]

[quote name='spongebob' post='1011070' date='Nov 3 2010, 05:05 PM']I had both my 4003's set-up....and the action is very, very low, about as low as is posible on any bass.

They're both standard, no mods or additions. Pickup covers on - I love these!

In the right hands, a Ric is perfectly adjustable as any other, and low action makes them play and sound even sweeter![/quote]

Me too. The action on my Ric is much lower than on my Fenders

Edited November 3, 2010 by simon1964

[jonsmith]

It should be easy to get the action very low. Bear in mind that according to Rickenbacker the neck is designed to have almost no relief (although individual playing style may influence your preference here). The newer ones tend to have rather shallow slots in the nut, meaning that a deeper cut is required if you want to go extremely low. I've read about people struggling with action because of the pick up cover, which I find puzzling. It's true that the design of the pickup surround has changed over the years, but it has never had any affect on the action on any of my Rickenbackers (and I have a few).

[GT40Graham]

[quote name='Stag' post='1010466' date='Nov 3 2010, 11:15 AM']Hi guys

I really want to get low action on my Ric... but is it actually physically possible? The bridge pickup cover as we all know is massive... and I dont think I can really go as low as id like to because of it. Anyone here play a Ric with low action? Id like the strings to be as close as I can get them to the fretboard without "clacking".

Cheers peoples[/quote]

Just try it, I reckon you'll get fret buzz long before you hit the bridge pick-up surround - I assume you mean the surround and not the cover which comes off unless it's a horseshoe p/u.

[4000]

1mm at 12th fret. Low enough?

[4000]

[quote name='Shaggy' post='1010574' date='Nov 3 2010, 11:39 AM']Probably easier with the Hipshot bridge as the saddles are independantly adjustable, also using the "pickguardian" perspex p/up mounting rather than the Ric one if the latter does get in the way.

I bet Lemmy doesn't set his that low though! [/quote]

The Hipshot doesn't go as low according to people I know who've tried it.

FWIW the pickup cover should make no difference at all to the string height. It's the surround on some of the older 4001 models (some are without the "cutaway" section) that you have to worry about. In fact my old Ric 4000 could probably achieve the lowest action of any of the 30-odd basses (many high end) that I've had.

[tino]

[quote name='4000' post='1013569' date='Nov 5 2010, 06:09 PM']The Hipshot doesn't go as low according to people I know who've tried it.

FWIW the pickup cover should make no difference at all to the string height. It's the surround on some of the older 4001 models (some are without the "cutaway" section) that you have to worry about. In fact my old Ric 4000 could probably achieve the lowest action of any of the 30-odd basses (many high end) that I've had.[/quote]
You should be able to go way low....I have put a hipshot on a rickenfaker and its low with spot on intonation...I could acheive low on my 4003 Ricky but intonation was always an issue....Had I tried the hipshot back then no doubt I would still have the rikki...Que Serra Serra