Alternate Ric pickup choices

lenosgood · #1 10-09-2010, 08:36 AM

I have an old Ric copy that I'm going to redo, and I was wondering what alternatives there are as far as pickups go besides the "stock" pickup replacements that are out there, particularly for the bridge pickup. I"m trying not to spend $200 on pickups for a $50 bass... Is that possible?

SGD Lutherie · #2 10-10-2010, 08:33 AM

There really aren't too many choices out there. Rickenbacker goes after people who try to sell toaster replacements, but there are a few Asian copies made. Finding them is another issue however.

The bridge pickup on the real bass is an odd affair, since the old ones are made from circuit board and have a big rubberized ceramic magnet under them.

The only direct replacements I have seen are from Duncan-Basslines and Bartolini. Neither will sound like Rick pickups, since they aren't supposed to.

Brad over at http://classicamplification.net/ makes replacements.

If you have the originals that came with the copy, you might also be able to have them rewound and rebuilt.

Other options are to use similar size pickups for the bridge, such as something in the Bart BC or MK size. I make the Sidewinders which can be very Rick sounding in those sizes.

mikeldtl · #3 10-10-2010, 01:56 PM

+1
Pretty much summed it up. I have the Barts in my 4003 at the moment and like them. I have certainly seen the SD/Bart pickups go cheap when somebody is restoring a Ric and yanks the aftermarket pups out in favor of the real deal. Keep looking around..... .rickresource is a good place to check up on.

SGD Lutherie · #4 10-10-2010, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeldtl

+1
Pretty much summed it up. I have the Barts in my 4003 at the moment and like them. I have certainly seen the SD/Bart pickups go cheap when somebody is restoring a Ric and yanks the aftermarket pups out in favor of the real deal. Keep looking around..... .rickresource is a good place to check up on.

The thing to remember is that the Barts and SD pickups exist because at the time, some people wanted more low end and a more Fenderish tone from their Ricks. The Rick tone is great, but didn't fit everything. Also the older pickups were not as hot as the newer ones.

I have two '73 4001s, and at various points replaced the stock pickups with Bartolini Hi-A, Carvin, and a Gibson Mudbucker.

Since these are not my main basses anymore, I'm going to restore them to original condition to get the Rick tone.

lenosgood · #5 10-11-2010, 02:25 AM

I'm not concerned with having a Ric sound, as it is just a copy. I'm just looking to find a viable way to replace the pickups so I can got some sound, period.

For example, can I just get a pickup to fit in the neck pickup cover? The bridge pickup opening just had a pickup stuck in there without any cover at all. I was reading through the RIckenmodder thread, and saw quite a few that had aftermarket pickups in the bridge position that had custom enclosures for the pickup. Something like this

or this

FunkMetalBass · #6 10-11-2010, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lenosgood

I've been toying with the idea of buying a Rick copy from tradetang, and throwing new hardware, pickups, and electronics into it. I couldn't come up with any cool electronics designs, but that definitely looks sick. Is it a Pope preamp? Anybody know?

SGD Lutherie · #7 10-11-2010, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lenosgood

For example, can I just get a pickup to fit in the neck pickup cover?

You would probably have to have something custom made. Does that pickup work? Rewinding is an option and doesn't cost very much compared to a new pickup.

Quote:

The bridge pickup opening just had a pickup stuck in there without any cover at all.

The bridge pickup was mounted in the fake horseshoe cover, but you can mount them with a plastic surround. I did that at some point with one of my Rics, kind of like in the photo above.

You would either need a plastic surround to hold the pickup, or if you want to look more like a Rick, get the bridge pickup assembly, which is kind of pricy.

walterw · #8 10-11-2010, 12:11 PM

I once put an EMG 35DC in the bridge spot of a ric (IIRC, it just fit inside the metal surround), and it sounded really good, aggressive yet balanced. I bypassed the neck entirely as the owner never used it.

I've also seen jazz pickups jammed in there, which also sounded real nice and mixed well with the stock neck pickup.

Sartori · #9 10-12-2010, 01:09 AM

As walterw said, Jazz pickups can be fitted in the bridge position, with a little tinkering.

Ric5 · #10 10-12-2010, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sartori

As walterw said, Jazz pickups can be fitted in the bridge position, with a little tinkering.

Putting a jazz pickup in the bridge position is pretty easy on a Rickenbacker.

dave88 · #11 10-12-2010, 11:55 AM

I've had stock, Bart's, and SD's in the past year. Bart's are great for loud FAT sound. SD's are actually my favorite of all three by far, they sound like stock to me but louder and quieter. Stock would be 2005 and 2006 4003's, can't speak for vintage.