Rickenbacker 4003 - Pick-Up Problems

[Althegreek]

Hi - I have recently purchased 2 4003's - on both I removed the treble pickup cover (it sits just where I play). Both basses have displayed an almost microphonic quality evidenced by horrendous squealing when close to a cab.....even when the strings are damped. Does anyone have any idea how to resolve this?

 

[FunkHead]

It sounds like the Ground wire got left off or installed incorrectly.

 

[Althegreek]

It sounds like the Ground wire got left off or installed incorrectly.

Thanks but the ground wire is between the pickup cover and the spring. Was very careful to make sure it went back to where it was and cross referenced with the Ric pickup assembly diagram

 

[254 stringer]

Are you using any kind of gain? Mine does it too when I have gain on maybe you are just really loud. Sounds like normal feedback. My cover is on by the way.

 

[Garret Graves]

I second 254. I have to run gain very low, otherwise, I get problems. Very hot pickups

 

[1stnamebassist]

Actually I experienced that today. I was sitting fairly close to my amp, and I had the gain up a bit over half way
I leaned over toward the amp to adjust the mids a little, and my amp started squeeling.

 

[Garret Graves]

Now try lowering the gain, boosting volume, and see if it happens?

 

[David Jayne]

Loose windings cause this. Improperly taped or potted coil.

 

[1stnamebassist]

Now try lowering the gain, boosting volume, and see if it happens?

Thats what I did. I was trying to see how it sounded a bit overdriven. Was also trying it with my zoom m60b
to see how it sounded with some of the amp models and a bit of flanger.

 

[Althegreek]

Thank you very much guys. My 1st Ricky with this problem was 'repaired' by Rosetti (the UK distributor). Amp settings haven't been altered and it's the 2nd Ricky which is now doing this. Therefore the amp settings should be ok. Rosetti have said I must return the bass to where I purchased so they can send it onto Rosetti. Rosetti won't advise me what they did to the last one which is frustrating as this could just be a simple fix. All the said they did was quote"return to factory settings". They didn't put the cover back over the pickup. Simply looks like they soldered the ground wire to the pickup cover. Is that it do you think?

 

[David Jayne]

No.

 

[Althegreek]

No.

Thanks David Jayne - is that 'no that isn't the cause of your problem' or ' no that wouldn't solve the problem'?

 

[David Jayne]

Both. The cover and it's grounding wire are left off by many, many players without this problem.

 

[Ric5]

Hi - I have recently purchased 2 4003's - on both I removed the treble pickup cover (it sits just where I play). Both basses have displayed an almost microphonic quality evidenced by horrendous squealing when close to a cab.....even when the strings are damped. Does anyone have any idea how to resolve this?

You do know that 4000, 4001, 4003 and 4005 basses all have single coil pickups ... those basses do NOT have humbuckers.

 

[David Jayne]

What's that got to do with anything? He doesn't have a hum problem. It's microphonic squeal.

 

[bholder]

Chalk up another "unwin" for Rickenbacker QC.

 

[jacolyte]

horrendous squealing when close to a cab

stay away from the cab.

 

[David Jayne]

stay away from the cab.

Lol.....

 

[Althegreek]

Haha - I'll try to stay away from the cab then.....perhaps when I'm playing a stage like Wembley I might get that choice. Haha. Anyway, as Ricky #1 which had the same problem, but got repaired by Rosetti doesn't squeal with my current amp settings, and the ground wire isn't to blame....save for playing on the other side of the stage to my cab or altering the amp settings for this particular instrument, I'm back at square 1 Thanks guys for all your help

 

[nixdad]

Hi - I have recently purchased 2 4003's - on both I removed the treble pickup cover (it sits just where I play). Both basses have displayed an almost microphonic quality evidenced by horrendous squealing when close to a cab.....even when the strings are damped. Does anyone have any idea how to resolve this?

Althegreek -
I just purchased a 4003 8 months ago. Beautiful bass, but I also had lots of problems with hum and other nasty noises which were unacceptable. I don't think I had a "microphonic" issue, but did notice a lot of excessive noise whenever I was practicing close to my laptop (which did not happen with any of my other single-coil basses.)

I just got my bass back from Cary Nordstrand's shop (they do repairs as well,) and am very pleased with the results upon initial testing. Adrian at Nordstrand told me the issue could be rectified by some re-wiring and reorienting the Ricky pickups, so I had this done (shielding was added as well.)

I'm going to put the bass through it's paces tonight, and will report back.