Hello!

I was wondering if it is a common issue in aging Rics that the joint (seam line) between the two pieces of the neck starts to be noticeable when you run your finger along.

I mean, due to the finish shrinking/checking, climate changes over time, etc...

Or is it a sign of a bad construction?

Mine is noticeable along the neck heel. The neck itself is all smooth.

Oh and another thing: do the bridge saddles come entirely plain from the factory (I mean on new guitars) or does it have dents (Grooved) for the strings, like Gibson bridge saddles?

I know the spare bridges do come ungrooved.

I think the precise word in English is "slotted".

Welcome to the RIC Forum. Concerning the neck joint, it seems this is a fairly common thing that happens as the finish is exposed to climate over time. Also sometimes the paint might not have fully covered the joint area.

Thanks!

I don’t think it’s a big deal. In this picture you can see the seam where it is noticeable. My guess is that the wood has been under climate changes over the years (this guitar is almost 10 years old and has travelled a lot) and the pieces reacted unevenly, so you can feel the finish crack but the junction is still tight and solid.


http://i68.tinypic.com/28altna.jpg

http://pt-br.tinypic.com/usermedia.php? ... h4l5k2TGxc


As you can see, it’s only the neck heel that has that issue, the neck itself is all smooth

Sergio --- may we understand that the "seam" between the two piece neck is OK where it becomes the center strip of the Solid Body and you earlier mentioned the seam was OK up on the fretted area of the Neck of the Guitar ? If so, I would not worry about it on the heel. As long as the 620 solid-body and the neck itself are OK. I have several Rickenbackers with the two piece neck and have never had a problem of the Seams

I can feel a difference between the two pieces for like 5 cm along the neck heel.

The fretted area is ok and the body too.

Now, carefully touching all the area, I can say that it seems that the finish is indeed cracked all along the body of the guitar, as if the treble side were VERY SLIGHTLY thicker, the wood probably having reacted to climate changes unevenly.

The crack is definitely just on the finish, the body is well glued and the neck definitely isn't twisted, though.

Thoughts?

Update: showed it to a very good luthier (certified by Martin, Gibson et al) and he said it’s just the finish indeed, no big deal. Even showed me a Ric bass he had around which was in a similar condition, though not as noticeable, and it’s a newer bass than mult guitar.
Told me to leave it alone unless it really bothered me. It doesn’t really.