Music videos that feature Rics

[uwe]

That is something you don't see very often: Jim Lea with a 4001, "Macca-ing" his way through Nobody's Fool ...

[ilan]

With that black tug-bar and knobs layout, could we be looking at an Ibanez Ric copy?

[amptech]

With that black tug-bar and knobs layout, could we be looking at an Ibanez Ric copy?

Maybe a Rockingbetter? 

[ilan]

Rockinbetter (Tokai) didn't have the black tug bar. Some Ibanez and Greco's did. 

[amptech]

Rockinbetter (Tokai) didn't have the black tug bar. Some Ibanez and Greco's did.

I agree. I just reply 'maybe it's a Rockingbetter' whenever the guitarshop above my workshop comes down with a guitar that needs fixing.

The shop owner once knocked on my door, slightly embarrassed, as he got this 70's Rickenbacker 4001 in for string change. He put on a new longscale set, but the E was too short. He asked if Rick bridges was positioned so far back he needed extra long strings, but I replied Ricks are not even 34". After another 10 minutes he knocked again, and asked me to please check the bass - as he had opened another set with no luck. I just looked at him and said 'but it's a Rockingbetter, not a Rickenbacker!' He thought I was joking and had to look twice at the headstock. So now everything with an issue is a Rockingbetter

[ilan]

Cool story. But what really was the problem with the strings? I mean, even if Rockinbetters are 34" there shouldn't be a problem.

[amptech]

Well, the E winding narrowed just before the nut. Can't remember the exact sets he used, but I think the first was a swing bass set and the next a regular d'addario. Both long, I'm sure. It was an old instrument, bridge looked stock. I took a pic I think, let me check the computer..

[doombass]

If the outer winding did'nt reach the nut I'd say the string anchor point on the bridge must be way further away than on an authentic Ric. Also probably 34" scale. In my experience experience on (stringthrough body) The Ripper  that for example D'Addario regular longscale strings miss the outer wrap at the nut by about 5 mm.

[amptech]

If the outer winding did'nt reach the nut I'd say the string anchor point on the bridge must be way further away than on an authentic Ric. Also probably 34" scale.

It was 34".

In my experience experience on (stringthrough body) The Ripper  that for example D'Addario regular longscale strings miss the outer wrap at the nut by about 5 mm.

Same here. Found the pic I took, regular D'Addario longs:

[ilan]

Ric bridges don't have an afterlength. There must have been a medium scale E string in the package.

[Dave W]

Ric bridges don't have an afterlength. There must have been a medium scale E string in the package.

I don't think so. I have EB Slinkys on my 4003S, the windings narrow at 1 3/16" past the nut. D'addario longs have a 1" shorter winding length ( EB 37" vs D'addario 36") so with a 34" scale, the D'addario windings would stop short of the nut.

[amptech]

Ric bridges don't have an afterlength. There must have been a medium scale E string in the package.

Hardly - I saw one pack of long scale swing  bass set and one long scale D'Addario XL long scale, both too short. This was the only pic I took of the bass, so I don't know if the instrument was modified, but I don't think it was.

[doombass]

I got curious. The Rockinbetter seems to have the bridge saddles located just about where the mute assembly is located on a Ric bridge.

[ilan]

And there's your afterlength.

[the mojo hobo]

4005!