Rickenbacker - Palm Muting

[James Nada]

Queation for the Rickenbacker lovers/haters.

Is it possible to palm mute on a Rickenbacker bridge - with all the that mechanical mute business happening? Can the hardware mute be removed simply?

Edited July 18, 2015 by James Nada

[Green Alsatian]

Regarding the built-in mute, two thumbscrews either side of the bridge saddles control the height of the mute but even if you removed it, along with the two thumb screws, it still isn't possible (or at least very difficult!) to palm mute over the bridge as the strings are lower than the dividers between each saddle. I took my bridge apart to replace the long-perished foam on the bridge mute and it's just a plate with a rubber/foam layer held in place by the two thumbscrews with springs. If memory serves, there was also a ground wire attached to it.

You can palm mute just in front of the bridge (what I did), but depending on the size of your hands, you may find the bridge pickup cover gets in the way, but it's removeable.

[discreet]

This is one of the things puts me off a Ric... though McCartney played his with a pick and seemed to do OK. Obviously fingerstyle would be easier but it strikes me that a Ric is a real pick players' bass.

[spongebob]

You can replace the bridge with a Hipshot - direct replacement - no mute or bits sticking out. Makes muting very easy.

Just beware the wobbly saddles.....!

[Billy Apple]

When I had a 4001 put a Hipshot on, which makes palm muting way easier. Saying that the Hipshot is not perfect as the saddles can move.

[BigBassBob]

The mute pad on my Rickenbacker is practically useless as it doesn't mute the strings evenly.

You can kind of palm mute just past the bridge but it requires too much effort to do well.

[spongebob]

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1437241394' post='2824650']
When I had a 4001 put a Hipshot on, which makes palm muting way easier. Saying that the Hipshot is not perfect as the saddles can move.
[/quote]

Did you sell your lovely Azureglo 4001? Fine looking bass.

Edited July 19, 2015 by spongebob

[Billy Apple]

[quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1437293969' post='2824820']
Did you sell your lovely Azureglo 4001? Fine looking bass.
[/quote]

I did, yes. Put in on Gumtree and it was bought by a BC'er! It was a lovely bass, but a bass of two halves. The neck was beautiful, perhaps the nicest I've ever known, slim with a super-low action and I loved the parallel dimensions. The body was a different story. I couldn't get on with the rear bout, too sharp and too high which cut into my forearm. All I can say is I gave them a try and they weren't for me. Never say never, but I can't see me trying another.. Maybe a 'S', who knows?

I've had a bit of a road to Damascus conversion with Spectors, which have a near parallel maple neck thru, but with the shape of the body all sorted out.. A super Ric if you will

[bassmachine2112]

Hipshot bridge,looks better anyway and palm muting a delight

[spongebob]

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1437295268' post='2824830']
I did, yes. Put in on Gumtree and it was bought by a BC'er! It was a lovely bass, but a bass of two halves. The neck was beautiful, perhaps the nicest I've ever known, slim with a super-low action and I loved the parallel dimensions. The body was a different story. I couldn't get on with the rear bout, too sharp and too high which cut into my forearm. All I can say is I gave them a try and they weren't for me. Never say never, but I can't see me trying another.. Maybe a 'S', who knows?

I've had a bit of a road to Damascus conversion with Spectors, which have a near parallel maple neck thru, but with the shape of the body all sorted out.. A super Ric if you will
[/quote]

Ah, sorry to hear that. As much as I love them - saying that I'm not keen on the new ones - they are the true Marmite bass.

[Skybone]

If you did remove the mute screws and internals (to stop them rattling!), you'd need to source some shorter bridge saddle screws too, as the standard ones tend to be quite long (especially if you like a low action).

If you want to do that, then a Hipshot or similar replacement bridge is the only option (or stop muting the strings! ).

[James Nada]

I don't think a Ric is going to suit the oft-required palm mutes my band's set dictates.
Which, considering we play only Beatles songs (with a leaning towards late-era album tracks), is ironic.

Edited July 20, 2015 by James Nada

[Monckyman]

Another Hipshot user, easy muting.

[oakforest5961]

I could never get the built-in mute to work, it always muted the different strings to different amounts. This, and all the other deficiencies of the bridge led me to replace it with the Hipshot one, which was a good move. (The saddles have screws which allow them to be moved a little sideways so that you can change your string spacing; once these screws are tightened the saddles shouldn't move - mine didn't, so no saddle wobble for me.)

Alternatively, you could buy a 4004 model which has a sensible bridge as standard - palm muting a doddle. It doesn't have the full McCartney look, so may not be acceptable from that point of view.