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Topic: You know those missing position dots on Rickenbacher Bs? |
Bob Womack
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 12 Aug 2020 2:18 pm |
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It is a well-known fact that the Rickenbacher B is missing some position markers on the fingerboard. The third and thirteenth fret "G" position markers weren't included in the design. I've seen some pros who have approach the problem by putting on gaff tape markers. It can get kind of rustic.
Mike Auldridge's hack.
Note the novel paperclip grounding scheme as well.*
I found myself a little thrown off by their absence as well. I know, I know, it's a first world problem. However, a solution popped up on a forum a short while ago and I availed myself of it. Rosette Guitar Products offers dry-transfer marker dots for guitar. I measured the Rick dots and found them to be 1/8" in diameter. Rosette offers a 1/8" in ivory color surrounded by a black ring. I ordered a pack of them and received them promptly in first class mail with a personal greeting from the owner included. The dry transfer was easy.
I accidentally put pressure on a third dot and it transferred, so I got the opportunity to take off one as well. As suggested by the instructions, the errant dot was easily removed by lightly scraping with my fingernail, leaving no mark or trace. As you can see above, the dot's ivory color nicely matched the 80-year-old color of the Rick's dots, though the new dot's black rings made them appear a tad smaller. Et Voile'! I'm well-oriented now on the fretboard and that was well-worth the entry price! We'll see how they hold up, but there's no reason to be concerned for their longevity because I don't touch the fingerboard when I play.
I hope that helps!
Bob
* The early Model Bs seemed to have an issue with string grounding. This fix shows some ingenuity. The owner grounded one string. Up at the other end of the string the nut is steel, so the rest of the strings make contact and benefit from the one that is grounded. I tried this out on mine and it didn't seem to need the addition.
_________________
"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' "
Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring
THE MUSICIAN'S ROOM (My Little Website) |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Bob Womack
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 12 Aug 2020 4:18 pm
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That is interesting, isn't it?
Bob
_________________
"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' "
Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring
THE MUSICIAN'S ROOM (My Little Website) |
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Todd Clinesmith
From:
Lone Rock Free State Oregon
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Posted 12 Aug 2020 5:49 pm
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Ricky's came off the heels of National . National style 1's did not have dots on the 3rd or 15th. Weissenborn's did not either. Both of there higher end models did though.
That's what I've attributed it to.
On my Frypans I offer dots in these "non Traditional " places . Most take me up on the additions.
_________________
face book page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Clinesmith-Instruments/1457245817911268?ref=bookmarks |
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Mike Schway
From:
Washington, USA
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Posted 12 Aug 2020 9:29 pm Re: You know those missing position dots on Rickenbacher Bs?
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| Bob Womack wrote: |
* The early Model Bs seemed to have an issue with string grounding. This fix shows some ingenuity. The owner grounded one string. Up at the other end of the string the nut is steel, so the rest of the strings make contact and benefit from the one that is grounded. I tried this out on mine and it didn't seem to need the addition. |
Thanks for the pic. I've been trying to come up with an elegant way to ground the strings on my '38. I like the paper clip, but unlike Mike Auldridge's B6, the stock nut on mine is molded into the body and isn't metal. Since the tuners are individual and not ganged three-on-a-plate, all strings are electrically isolated. Perhaps a scrap length of a string could be woven between the others in the after-length (between bridge and string hole); then all strings would be connected and thus grounded via the paper clip.
--Mike |
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David Matzenik
From:
Cairns, on the Coral Sea
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Posted 13 Aug 2020 12:58 pm
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I rather like the simplicity of the original marker layout. Its less cluttered. The markers on my 1936 B6 had deteriorated. A paint job could get messy and obvious. I took a leather punch to an aluminum baking tray to make tiny dots. Attached with super glue and a tooth pick. The aluminum snugged down at the edges really well. Its easy to forget they are an addition, and they are bright again.
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Don't go in the water after lunch. You'll get a cramp and drown. - Mother. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 13 Aug 2020 1:23 pm
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If the white markers are missing, I use a White Out pen and fill them in. 
Erv |
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Steve Marinak
From:
Man O War Cay, Abaco, Bahamas
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Posted 15 Aug 2020 4:12 am
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I have not added a 3rd fred marker. However, along the same topic. It is common for the original dots to be missing from B6 fretboards. I believe they shrink, dry up and fall out. I recently crafted some to fit the existing holes. StewMac.com has 4mm mother of pearl dots, which are the closest color I could find. I may even try to tint them with a furniture touch up marker. The holes on the B6 necks are about 3mm in diameter. Therefore, I had the challenge of making the dots a little smaller. Super Glued the dots to the ends of toothpicks, put them in my Dremel, spun them up against a sandpaper block and reduced them to size. The big trick is to get the dot centered on the toothpick. Otherwise the dot will sand down to a football shape. Then just razer blade them off the toothpick and install them in the empty holes with a dot of glue of your choice. I don't like super glue for this application as if I make a mistake or get some on the fretboard it's not easy to clean up.
 [/img]
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Steve Marinak |
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Bob Womack
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 15 Aug 2020 6:43 am
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How very cool, Steve.
Bob
_________________
"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' "
Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring
THE MUSICIAN'S ROOM (My Little Website) |
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 15 Aug 2020 11:16 am
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| b0b, none of the 5 eharp models have a dot on the 3rd fret. I think it is just an eharp thing. |
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Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 15 Aug 2020 11:25 am
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| Steve Marinak wrote: |
| ............Therefore, I had the challenge of making the dots a little smaller. Super Glued the dots to the ends of toothpicks, put them in my Dremel, spun them up against a sandpaper block and reduced them to size......... |
This is not in my bag of tricks. Until now. Thanks. |
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John Keefe
From:
New York City, USA
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Posted 17 Aug 2020 12:25 pm Dots
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Hi Guys,
Thanks for all these ideas. I think I will go to Rosette for the sticky dots.
I tried a shop that specialized in beads, and had them in red, white, and blue, but they were too large. Thank goodness I think they would have been gaudy.
Best regards
John Keefe |
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Mike Schway
From:
Washington, USA
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Posted 17 Aug 2020 4:13 pm Re: You know those missing position dots on Rickenbacher Bs?
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| Mike Schway wrote: |
Thanks for the pic. I've been trying to come up with an elegant way to ground the strings on my '38. I like the paper clip, but unlike Mike Auldridge's B6, the stock nut on mine is molded into the body and isn't metal. Since the tuners are individual and not ganged three-on-a-plate, all strings are electrically isolated. Perhaps a scrap length of a string could be woven between the others in the after-length (between bridge and string hole); then all strings would be connected and thus grounded via the paper clip.
--Mike |
Back to grounding a '38: I just tried the Mike Auldridge solution, after weaving an unfolded 2nd paper clip between the strings in the space between tuners and nut. It works GREAT. I could make it prettier, but it's fine for now. No more static noise when I increase bar pressure. THANKS!!
--Mike |
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Bob Womack
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 18 Aug 2020 4:43 am
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Great! Two solutions in one thread!
Bob
_________________
"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' "
Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring
THE MUSICIAN'S ROOM (My Little Website) |
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Jeff Spencer
From:
Queensland, Australia
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Posted 5 Sep 2020 4:50 am
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| Yes, the NS and the Silver Hawiian have the same issue. White stick dots from stationery sho and problem solved. |
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