Best Replacement Rickenbacker Pickups?

[Winterglo]

This is great. I didn't know there were son many options for Ric's. I also have to choose P/U's.

 

[Mosfed]

But the basic consensus is that the pickups currently being made by Rickenbacker are pretty damn good? No reason to consider swapping out from a 2015 4003?

 

[smo]

I'm looking to replace some pickups in my '82 4003.
The stock standards sounds great, but the pole pieces are different heights making it pretty much impossible to balance the volumes of the strings. I'm looking very hard at the newer Ric pups with adjustable pole pieces as a straight swap.
Are there any other options I should consider?

 

[iiipopes]

I'm looking to replace some pickups in my '82 4003.
The stock standards sounds great, but the pole pieces are different heights making it pretty much impossible to balance the volumes of the strings. I'm looking very hard at the newer Ric pups with adjustable pole pieces as a straight swap.
Are there any other options I should consider?

The new Rickenbacker high-gains are direct retrofits and have adjustable pole pieces.

 

[Aceonbass]

I'm looking to replace some pickups in my '82 4003.
The stock standards sounds great, but the pole pieces are different heights making it pretty much impossible to balance the volumes of the strings. I'm looking very hard at the newer Ric pups with adjustable pole pieces as a straight swap.
Are there any other options I should consider?

I have a current issue bridge hi-gain in nice shape if you're interested.

 

[ScottTunes]

WOW! Shame on me! I have a Kent Armstrong "Toaster" in my restored v63, and it is AWESOME! Also, a pair cost about half of what one RIC version costs. Prolly why Kent was forced to stop making 'em.

If the RIC "toaster" cost about $75, I'd recommend it!

 

[Martin Hauger]

So why buy a Rickenbacker bass and replace the pickups to make it not sound like a Rickenbacker? There are quite a few other makes out there if you don't like the uniq Rick sound..... funny bunch.

 

[Aceonbass]

So why buy a Rickenbacker bass and replace the pickups to make it not sound like a Rickenbacker? There are quite a few other makes out there if you don't like the uniq Rick sound..... funny bunch.

I think most people replace the pickups because they think the bass hums too much. Others just can't leave well enough alone. Current RIC pickups DO NOT sound like the lower impedance pickups of old. So that's another reason.

 

[isaac42]

For myself, I really love the feel of a Rickenbacker. The neck just feels right in my left hand. I like the Rickenbacker sound, too, but it's not the only sound I like. So I have several, different years, different pickups, different sounds. Makes perfect sense to me to mess with the pickups and wiring on a Ric to get the sound you want.

If I had to choose just one, I don't know what I'd do!

 

[growlinscythe]

Hi folks!

Got a brand new 2015 4003 Rick, my issue is the neck pickup is super weak (especially compared to something like my Thunderbird Bass).

I dont dislike the overall tone but middle & neck position is a fat volume drop.

I was considering these 3:
Joe Barden 4000s
Seymour Duncan RB1/RN1
Gemini Tsunami

Kinda prefer single coil sound, but mostly I just want a fatter output, bassy, but retaining the rick sound (& possibly high gain look. but thats secondary)

any advice which one sounds the rickiest whilst giving good bass?

 

[spiritbass]

My only experience with a Ric was a 4003 that I bought new in 2012. I was immediately underwhelmed with the stock pickups. It did not sound like a Ric at all. The replacements from Classic Amplification had the sound.

 

[isaac42]

Hi folks!

Got a brand new 2015 4003 Rick, my issue is the neck pickup is super weak (especially compared to something like my Thunderbird Bass).

I dont dislike the overall tone but middle & neck position is a fat volume drop.

I was considering these 3:
Joe Barden 4000s
Seymour Duncan RB1/RN1
Gemini Tsunami

Kinda prefer single coil sound, but mostly I just want a fatter output, bassy, but retaining the rick sound (& possibly high gain look. but thats secondary)

any advice which one sounds the rickiest whilst giving good bass?

I'd start with the "magnet trick". Put some rare earth magnets on the bottom of the pickup. Magnetism will hold them in place. The stronger magnetic field will increase the pickup's output. I've used 60x10x3mm and 30x10x2mm neodymium bar magnets. Easy, inexpensive, and completely reversible.