emulating a rickenbacker?

[mlwarriner]

are there pickups out there (aside from ric'ups) that will do a passable impersonation of the pups in a ric? ideally, they would fit into the cavities for EMG 40-series pups, but i *might* be able to hack on my baby for the right sound...


please and thanks!

 

[luknfur]

FWIW:

Not sure what you mean by fit into cavities of an EMG 40. Obviously Bart and SD Ric replacements will fit into the cavities - with room to spare and you'd need narrow scale bridge to match. For that matter original Rics would fit if you removed the baseplate (just screwed on). But I'm guessing you're talking 5 string since it's EMG 40. Ric makes 5 strings but good luck finding used 5 string Ric pups. At any rate, if they're 5's are set up like their 4's, then their 5's would be 4 string width.

Anyway, I've ran across some pups (4 strings) that have a definite Ric flavor to them but I don't recall them off hand. It would say so in my reviews in Dimento's experiment but there's a slew of 'em to wade through. But, you could probably cut them down a handful or two if you know the pups the manufacturers made 5 string versions of.

At any rate, this response is primarily just a bump cause my guess not much if any info of use to you.

 

[mlwarriner]

actually, it's a 4-string bass that originally had EMG 40-series pups in it. i replaced them with some barts, but they're just not doing it for me.

i've got an incurable case of rickenbacker gas, and was hoping i might be able to get something similar from this bass...

 

[NV43345]

actually, it's a 4-string bass that originally had EMG 40-series pups in it. i replaced them with some barts, but they're just not doing it for me.

i've got an incurable case of rickenbacker gas, and was hoping i might be able to get something similar from this bass...

If we lived a little closer to each other, I would loan you my Ric to gig with.

 

[luknfur]

actually, it's a 4-string bass that originally had EMG 40-series pups in it. i replaced them with some barts, but they're just not doing it for me.

i've got an incurable case of rickenbacker gas, and was hoping i might be able to get something similar from this bass...

No problem then. Get some Ric/replacements, and a narrow scale (Gibson spaced) bridge, and rig a surround. See Dimento's Jazz pup experiment (placed there cause the original Rics were singles) in FAQ for comparison/ side by sides.

By Barts I don't if you mean Bart Rics or Bart whatever (EMG40). I've got a pair of Bart Rics, just sold a set of SD Rics, and sold the original Rics months ago.

 

[mlwarriner]

No problem then. Get some Ric/replacements, and a narrow scale (Gibson spaced) bridge, and rig a surround. See Dimento's Jazz pup experiment (placed there cause the original Rics were singles) in FAQ for comparison/ side by sides.

By Barts I don't if you mean Bart Rics or Bart whatever (EMG40). I've got a pair of Bart Rics, just sold a set of SD Rics, and sold the original Rics months ago.

the barts i have are just the ones that are EMG 40 shape. they're ok, but nothing wonderful.

are you looking to move the bart rics? i might be interested.

as for bridges, i'm running a schaller roller, with adjustable spacing. do you think that'll go close enough to work?

 

[luknfur]

the barts i have are just the ones that are EMG 40 shape. they're ok, but nothing wonderful.

are you looking to move the bart rics? i might be interested.

as for bridges, i'm running a schaller roller, with adjustable spacing. do you think that'll go close enough to work?

Looking at the Barts, I think they were longer than the originals and the SD's - at least the neck pup. The neck pup is usually the issue even though the strings grow more narrow toward the neck. The Barts are equal length for both whereas the Original and SD's aren't. You could probably get by with standard spacing. The Barts are 3 1/2" including the tangs, 2 3/4" pup itself, and probably 2 1/2" spread to read strings. At any rate you wouldn't have any issue with using a standard 4 string Schaller roller bridge cause that's what I use.

Keep in mind original Ric spacing for pups is different - like 7 3/4" center 12th fret to pup face and 12" same for bridge. That would put the neck pup right at end of the neck of a 34" 23 fret bass and bridge roughly at back half of a split P.

 

[mlwarriner]

Keep in mind original Ric spacing for pups is different - like 7 3/4" center 12th fret to pup face and 12" same for bridge. That would put the neck pup right at end of the neck of a 34" 23 fret bass and bridge roughly at back half of a split P.

so chances are that my current pups are in the wrong location? wondering how much affect that would have overall.

i know that a rickenbacker's sound is the sum total of all of the parts, but certainly one can get close, right?

 

[luknfur]

so chances are that my current pups are in the wrong location? wondering how much affect that would have overall.

i know that a rickenbacker's sound is the sum total of all of the parts, but certainly one can get close, right?

FWIW:

I've gotten decent Ric tone from a number of pups spaced differently then originals. When I did the Ric side by sides in Dimento's J pup experiment, since my route didn't go all the way to the neck I mounted them about an inch toward the bridge but all the same to eliminate one variable.

In my experience it's quite realistic to pull off a Ric cop to music. It's not like different Rics don't sound different than each other any more than any other bass. Some are burpy, some are nasally. There's just a signature quality to the tone that's distinguishable.