Hipshot Ric bridge

rockinrayduke · April 24, 2011, 03:51:21 PM

I am familiar with the Ric bridge, but it's too much of a PITA for me to jack with, not efficient. Like the Supertone this bridge seems like a vast improvement over the stock bridge and will be a lot easier to deal with. I have read about the wobbly bridges and such but I have also read that if you tighten everything down it helps a lot.

rockinrayduke · May 09, 2011, 10:12:05 AM

OK, installed and working fine. To be able to adjust is wonderful.

ilan · May 09, 2011, 01:17:35 PM

Glad it worked out for you.

Bert · May 10, 2011, 05:24:50 AM

I'm still curious why it works for some and does not for others. I know I tend to pick pretty hard. If I play gently with fingers than I do not have a problem with the hipshot. Also fretboard - body distance (and maybe neck angle) are not allways the same with Rickenbacker's through the years. This could be an issue as well.

gearHed289 · May 10, 2011, 08:40:47 AM

I believe the problem is that the grooves in the base plate that are supposed to hold on to one of the saddle height adjustment screws are not deep enough on some of these. I swear they were deeper on my brass one than the aluminum, and that's why the brass didn't give me any trouble. I'm thinking of taking a Dremel tool to the aluminum one to cut them a hair deeper.

Spiritbass · May 16, 2011, 09:07:35 AM

I installed a brass one on my 2010 4003. No rattles. I'm puzzled about the function of the third little-bitty set screw (behind the string height screws) on each saddle. The bridge didn't come with any instructions to clue me in either. Not losing any sleep over it, but I don't understand why it is there...

Freuds_Cat · May 16, 2011, 11:12:03 PM

Quote from: Hörnisse on April 24, 2011, 08:24:38 AM
Very nice! For some reason I thought the Badass would sit too high on the bass. (Kind of like with a Fender bass for instance)

Thats what Routers are for

gearHed289 · May 17, 2011, 09:02:27 AM

Quote from: Spiritbass on May 16, 2011, 09:07:35 AM
I installed a brass one on my 2010 4003. No rattles. I'm puzzled about the function of the third little-bitty set screw (behind the string height screws) on each saddle. The bridge didn't come with any instructions to clue me in either. Not losing any sleep over it, but I don't understand why it is there...

That third screw allows you to adjust string spacing. Loosen it, and you can move the inner part of the saddle side to side.

Spiritbass · May 17, 2011, 08:40:24 PM

Aha. Thanks gearHed! I was suspecting that it was somehow related to that adjustment, but couldn't see how. I will have to investigate more in-depth...

Pekka · May 23, 2011, 08:08:39 AM

Quote from: ilan on April 23, 2011, 11:27:42 PM
No mod that I know of can enable palm-muting, and I palm-mute a lot when playing Fenders.

I have no trouble palm-muting with a Rickenbacker at all. I palm-mute a lot too and found it comfortable than with Fender-type bridges. I put the palm of my hand above where the adjustable mute is beneath the bridge and play with a pick, thumb or thumb and fingers.

Muting with the little finger is a bit more tricky on a Ric but can be done too.

ilan · May 23, 2011, 08:30:06 AM

Maybe your bridge is adjusted higher than mine, anyway I can't palm-mute a Ric.

Spiritbass · May 23, 2011, 08:41:51 AM

Well, that was too easy! The other hipshot bridges I've used (B-type & Dingwall custom) don't have this adjustment. The A & D strings were close, but not quite lining up with the pole pieces. I loosened the screws, moved the strings and the roller pins a tad and achieved perfect alignment and spacing.

The only nit I can pick with Hipshot is that they could have done a better job of smoothing the brass before plating it. Swirls from the machining process are still visible in front of the saddles. Small tradeoff for a much better bridge IMO.

Pekka · May 23, 2011, 08:45:34 AM

Quote from: ilan on May 23, 2011, 08:30:06 AM
Maybe your bridge is adjusted higher than mine, anyway I can't palm-mute a Ric.

Could be but it's not what I would call a high action set up. Maybe I just have fatter hands.

I tried plam muting above the saddles too and that isn't impossible either, just not as comfy.

SeanS · May 23, 2011, 01:43:08 PM

Quote from: Freuds_Cat on May 16, 2011, 11:12:03 PM
Thats what Routers are for

Funny, I thought Badass made the ''11'' so you didn't need to use a router, they even matched the 5 screws to the original.

Freuds_Cat · May 23, 2011, 10:56:00 PM

Quote from: SeanS on May 23, 2011, 01:43:08 PM
Funny, I thought Badass made the ''11'' so you didn't need to use a router, they even matched the 5 screws to the original.

Ahh what you you say is true but I never liked the whopping great footprint of the 2. Also when these basses were modified/built there was no such thing as a 2 let alone a 3. I'm also convinced that the 1's 2's and 3's all sound different to each other.

The 3 is a great bridge IMHO but it sounds brighter and has less ...hmmm, meat to the sound than the 1.