Just how rubbish are Rickenbacker truss rods?

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GuitarMonkeyGuitarMonkey Frets: 1883
edited December 2014 in Guitar
Rickenbacker says:

"The truss rods are separately adjustable, allowing either side of the neck to be readjusted independently of the other"

I have never known this to be possible, at least not in any controlled way.
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Comments

  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71956
    It is a bit, although not as much as they would like you to believe. "Independently" is definitely not true. For it to be so, the neck would have to be split down the middle!

    In practice I would say they're at least 75% interactive, if that makes sense.

    At least the post-1984 ones don't tend to pop the fingerboard off if you don't know how they're meant to be adjusted...

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • I have a 330 here with a slightly twisted neck and had hoped that I could correct it using the truss rods but of course I can't, even with the bass side rod almost backed off and more tension on the treble side.
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  • LoobsLoobs Frets: 3831
    That sucks.

    I really want a 650c.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71956
    I have a 330 here with a slightly twisted neck and had hoped that I could correct it using the truss rods but of course I can't, even with the bass side rod almost backed off and more tension on the treble side.
    Try flipping the bass side rod 180º - it will probably have a bit of a natural curve in it now, and it might be enough to give the neck a bit of a forward bow if you don't put any tension back on it. You'll need to push it out at the body end and turn the nut there. (Assuming it's a post-84.)

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • dindudedindude Frets: 8534
    Loobs said:
    That sucks.

    I really want a 650c.
    Best cure for this is to play one. I wanted one for ages, then played one with money in pocket. Horrible guitar IMHO!
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  • LoobsLoobs Frets: 3831
    I actually did play one and also didn't enjoy it. Weird neck, weird pickups. Still didn't stop me wanting one. Such a cool looking gtr
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  • GassageGassage Frets: 30826
    ICBM said:

    In practice I would say they're at least 75% interactive, if that makes sense.

    So, you're saying 25% uninteractive then? Yes I see....I do see...

    *An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.

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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71956
    Gassage said:
    ICBM said:

    In practice I would say they're at least 75% interactive, if that makes sense.

    So, you're saying 25% uninteractive then? Yes I see....I do see…
    lol

    Difficult to explain if you've never tried to adjust one. Maybe more understandable to say that each one is about three-quarters as effective on the other side of the neck as the one on that side? ie they're not independent at all, although they do have slightly more effect on their own side of the neck.

    75% is a number pulled out of the air somewhere between 55% and 95% :).

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • ICBM said:
    I have a 330 here with a slightly twisted neck and had hoped that I could correct it using the truss rods but of course I can't, even with the bass side rod almost backed off and more tension on the treble side.
    Try flipping the bass side rod 180º - it will probably have a bit of a natural curve in it now, and it might be enough to give the neck a bit of a forward bow if you don't put any tension back on it. You'll need to push it out at the body end and turn the nut there. (Assuming it's a post-84.)
    Thanks @ICBM that worked, albeit not in the way I expected. When I put the bass side rod back, it straightened the treble side considerably which meant that I could reduce the tension there and so balance the neck.
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  • mellowsunmellowsun Frets: 2422
    dindude said:
    Best cure for this is to play one. I wanted one for ages, then played one with money in pocket. Horrible guitar IMHO!
    Unfortunate, but true. I too was cured of wanting a Rickenbacker by playing a few. Although the 660 is supposed to be playable as it has a neck that's the proper width. Although I've never tried one of those, so perhaps there is still hope.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71956
    Thanks @ICBM that worked, albeit not in the way I expected. When I put the bass side rod back, it straightened the treble side considerably which meant that I could reduce the tension there and so balance the neck.
    I've come across that sort of thing with them as well - there's a real black magic to them, or maybe they just weren't ever really thought out properly and the fact they work at all is a happy accident! I've yet to come across one that couldn't be set right by some means or another though - even if it's adjusting the 'wrong' side :).

    And I really do think they're basically a good design - not least because unlike almost every other truss rod, it's possible to replace one *without* taking the fingerboard off! It would be easy to apply the same design to almost every other guitar, even those which apparently don't have access to the body end - you could do it via the pickup cavity on most.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • SassafrasSassafras Frets: 30273
    Love the sound of Rickenbackers plus they look great but I just can't play them because of their narrow necks and I've got girls hands! I nearly bought one years ago, a nice little solid body one, can't remember the model number, but I knew I'd never get used to such a narrow neck. Do they make any with wider necks now?
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71956
    Sassafras said:
    Love the sound of Rickenbackers plus they look great but I just can't play them because of their narrow necks and I've got girls hands! I nearly bought one years ago, a nice little solid body one, can't remember the model number, but I knew I'd never get used to such a narrow neck. Do they make any with wider necks now?
    Yes, the 650 and 660 series - they're also the small solid-body style. The 650s are modern-styled and cheap by Rickenbacker standards, the 660s are vintage-styled and expensive.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • SassafrasSassafras Frets: 30273
    Thanks for that. Looks like I'll be looking at  the 650s then.
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  • BasherBasher Frets: 1198
    I've got a 660/12.

    I bought it thinking it would turn me into some kind of late-blooming, power-pop sensation but I'm still a middle-aged, fat. bald idiot, only with quite a bit less money than when I bought the Ric.

    It's actually a great guitar - it does it's thing very well. In the shop, I preferred the sound over the 330/12, although I'm not sure if that was down to the vintage-voiced toaster pickups or the body. It sounded quite a bit more "jangly" and maybe a bit more compressed, which I liked. Obviously the wider fretboard is a lot nicer too.

    That said, it'll be going on ebay soon as I can't justify it sitting there without being used.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71956
    Basher said:
    I've got a 660/12.

    I bought it thinking it would turn me into some kind of late-blooming, power-pop sensation but I'm still a middle-aged, fat. bald idiot, only with quite a bit less money than when I bought the Ric.

    It's actually a great guitar - it does it's thing very well. In the shop, I preferred the sound over the 330/12, although I'm not sure if that was down to the vintage-voiced toaster pickups or the body. It sounded quite a bit more "jangly" and maybe a bit more compressed, which I liked. Obviously the wider fretboard is a lot nicer too.

    That said, it'll be going on ebay soon as I can't justify it sitting there without being used.
    That's exactly what happened with my 660/12 too. I honestly haven't missed it since it went, which is sad considering how great a guitar it was, but I just didn't use it.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • JookyChapJookyChap Frets: 4234
    See, I know all this about Rics, and I didn't play the 360/12 I had more than a dozen times before it disappeared, but then I look at this..


    ...and turn to goo.

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