how can i wire emg pickups to rickenbacker 4003 and keep both mono and stereo outputs

rickybocker · #1 12-14-2008, 05:39 PM

The only guy who did this kind of work just died last month so it looks like i have to try this myself. I have a basic concept of wiring repair jobs but this is the 1st custom pickup job I'm trying. I want to wire in the emg-p pickups into the bass but still keep the ric o sound stereo outputs and the regular mono outputs. my first ric had the emgs in but whoever wired them up only wired up the mono out... Does anyone have any ideas or is it even possible.... what if I just solder or splice in in the pickups exactly where the current ones are..?? does it matter that the new emgs would be active and the old ones are passive?

dmc again · #2 12-14-2008, 06:55 PM

Well, I can tell you now, you're going to need a battery for those active EMG's so just simply splicing wires isn't going to work, I think.

And, in my opinion, EMG's aren't worth the trouble anyway... but that's just me.. heh.

dmc again · #3 12-14-2008, 07:03 PM

not to mention, EMG's NEED stereo jacks and their wiring is slightly different from that of passive pickups. You can compare the wiring diagrams at emginc.com and somewhere else like seymour duncan's website...

Warpeg · #4 12-14-2008, 07:39 PM

I'd have to take a look at a Ric-o-sound schematic, but I'm pretty sure that you'd have to alter the original wiring. See, the Ric's stereo function works on a tip/ring/sleeve system. The tip is one pickup's +, the ring is the other pickup's +, and the sleeve is both pickups' ground. Likewise, an active EMG setup turns on at the jack via the jack's ring and sleeve contacts being shorted together by a regular mono 1/4" plug. The insertion of the plug completes the active electronic's ground connection. Unless there is such thing as a multi-switch 1/4" TRS jack with an additional switch on the sleeve, I think you may have to add a toggle switch. The toggle switch would be used to turn the 9v power on and off.

12bass · #5 12-14-2008, 08:00 PM

Yes, there is a special stereo switching jack which allows both a stereo output and switching for the battery. Hamer installed one of these in my first B12S which had a pair of EMGs with a stereo output. Not sure where you would find one, but it has the regular tip, ring, and ground connections, plus a normally open switch which is closed when a plug is inserted.

rickybocker · #6 12-15-2008, 11:30 AM

Awesome thanks for the qucik reply. LEt me get this right.. the main problem is that the emg will not make a completed circuit since the tip and sleeve will be occupied making the stereo out.. and the toggle switch would when activated would just make a jump to the tip and sleeve completing the circuit....right? So here are my ?'s

1. if the switch was not added and the emgs were added in exactly like th orginals wouldnt just make the mono out active but the stereo outs passive... (as least I think emgs work w/o battery a passive..) this would be the lazy not so cool way?

2. If you installed the toggle switch would it just need to be soldered in as a jump between the tip and sleeve and the rest of the wiring be a simple pickup switch?

3. And would you need to solder in two toggles one for each pickup for the emgs to both be active in stereo mode

Thanks again for any help you can give me. If we can figure this out it will make for a great mod for any ric... My '79 ric with emgs wired in mono always gets great compliments for the huge warm tone... but iw ant my new ric to have the same tone and the stero capabilities so I can run a dry and wet signal...

Warpeg · #7 12-16-2008, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12bass

Yes, there is a special stereo switching jack which allows both a stereo output and switching for the battery. Hamer installed one of these in my first B12S which had a pair of EMGs with a stereo output. Not sure where you would find one, but it has the regular tip, ring, and ground connections, plus a normally open switch which is closed when a plug is inserted.

IIRC, the stock jack used in a Ric's stereo circuit is already a switching jack. You would need a 6-conductor, 3-switch jack to make this work. I don't believe such a jack exists. You'd have to involve an SPST toggle to turn the battery on and off.

73jbass · #8 12-16-2008, 09:32 AM

Not to rain on your parade,but,why in the world would you want to do that to a perfectly good Ric? You'll loose that unique Ric tone.If you do modify it,keep all the original parts,cuz nobody I know of plays a modified Ric.Just my .02 cents worth.

rickybocker · #9 07-14-2009, 04:42 PM

i know about you purists ... i respect that and have a unmoded ric. But I'm not the first to put emgs in a Ric. Getty lee did it and many other bassist have followed suit. You see them all the time time moded like that, but never have the retained the stereo function....until now.... I want to say thanks to all of you that helped me figure out a way to do this... IT WORKED AND ITS AWESOME!!! I'm in a prog band that uses some effects on the bass... i ma able to run a dry and wet signal blend them together and run that to 2x 810 cabs ...the tone is monsterous .... now i'm waiting on my morley power wah to come in the mail and the monster will really growl... Thanks again...

Stickk · #10 07-14-2009, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 73jbass

Not to rain on your parade,but,why in the world would you want to do that to a perfectly good Ric? You'll loose that unique Ric tone.If you do modify it,keep all the original parts,cuz nobody I know of plays a modified Ric.Just my .02 cents worth.

Robert Trujillo