Question About Rickenbacker Pickups

[bassman700]

I have a 4003 Rickenbacker bass in jetglo, (Very nice bass, I love it) and I was wondering on the bottom pickup, what is the big metal 'bar' that goes over the pickup?

 

[pringlw]

It's plastic and is purely cosmetic. Back in the day (60s and I think early 70's) it was a functional part of the magnet in what was called a "horseshoe pickup". But that's not relevant to the 4003 - only the older 4001s.

 

[Ric5]

I have a 4003 Rickenbacker bass in jetglo, (Very nice bass, I love it) and I was wondering on the bottom pickup, what is the big metal 'bar' that goes over the pickup?

You take it off and use it for an ash tray.

 

[Ric5]

Actually the original bridge pickup for a Rickenbacker bass was a horseshoe pickup. It had steel magnetized shoes that went above and below the pickup. Late 1968 Rickenbacker upgraded the 4000 series basses to the high gain pickup but they put a chrome plastic cover on the bass to replicate the look of the horseshoe pickup.

Most Ric owners remove the cover. Also most fender covers got removed as well and they quite often ended up being used as an ash tray in the tech's workshop.

Here's a pic of a 60s horseshoe pickup.

 

[bassman700]

Thanks, I've kinda been using it to rest my thumb on, but maybe I'll try taking it off and see how it feels.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

You take it off and use it for an ash tray.

Careful, it's made of plastic, and will melt!

Most people remove these. I left mine on for a while but it was right where I like to pick.

 

[coronado3]

Were these all plastic after the switch to the hi gain p-ups?

 

[SGD Lutherie]

Were these all plastic after the switch to the hi gain p-ups?

The covers? Yes.

 

[coronado3]

The covers? Yes.

I was wondering because there is a '76 4001 at the Indy GC with the cover and it is rusty....

 

[Coolhandjjl]

It's just the chrome-like coating. Plastic underneath.