Has anyone got the measurement for the bridge pup distance from the nut on a Rick? My search only turned up one thread that wasn't conclusive.
Thanks
Pete
Thanks
Pete
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Rickenbacker pickup position?
- Thread starter pilotjones
- Start date
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
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- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Since the Rick is not a 34" scale instrument then the way to locate the pickups accurately is by harmonics.
The neck pickup is where a 24th fret would be. This is the same harmonic as the 5th fret.
The bridge pickup is located at the same harmonic as the 2 1/2 fret.
You can move the pickup 1/2" in either direction and still get pretty much the same tone.
The neck pickup is where a 24th fret would be. This is the same harmonic as the 5th fret.
The bridge pickup is located at the same harmonic as the 2 1/2 fret.
You can move the pickup 1/2" in either direction and still get pretty much the same tone.
Thanks. Can you get a measurement from the nut to the pickup center? From that I can easily scale it appropriately for my multiscale.
I still have the bridge pup cover on my 06 4003. Estimating from the top of the cover and assuming that the pup is centered beneath it, the center of the bridge pup looks to be just shy of 29 1/2 inches from the top (tuning key side) of the nut. Maybe 29 and 7/16 or 15/32.
Thanks. Not being sure how wide a Ric nut is, can you get a measurement from bridge side of the nut?
Which harmonic are you talking about? The seventh, eight, and ninth harmonics are all in that are, which on the G string would sound a F, G, or A tone. Which of those are you hearing when you force a harmonic by touching over the center of the bridge pickup?
Musiclogic
Commercial User
- Aug 6, 2005
- 6,505
- 73
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- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder: HJC Customs USA, The Cool Lute, C G O
^ LOL! JC, I think he means the thickness of the nut itself (tuner side to fretboard side), but I can't get over the challenge Pete's having at trying to get some information... 
Interesting, I've always liked that harmonic. Makes sense because I love the sound of Ric bridge pickups, they have the perfect mid/treble sound to my ears.
Mine is almost exactly 3/16" wide. So I would just subtract that from the 29 1/2 (+/-) and call it 29 and 5/16"
Not knowing much about what you are up to, what is the moisture characteristics of the wood you are using? Have you got some minimum precision needed to account for humidity and other factors (string tension on the neck, etc)? I would guess that a +/- 1/8 inch would be fine. But I have no clue how to make an instrument.
Cheers
[measure twice, cut once - double checked my numbers and they stand. To assure terminology, I mean bridge pup to be the one furtherest from the tuners, closest to the butt end of the instrument]
The 24th and 36th fret positions get mentioned every now and then.
Thing is, whatever harmonic you make by touching the string over the pickup is the harmonic (with all its multiples) that you cannot sense at that position. There is no motion at that point for that harmonic mode.
Plus there's the fact that when you fret, it all changes.
Well I'm looking to put a pickup in a middle-ish position, and before I place it I'd like to be able to compare the P-DG coil position to the (standard) MM neck coil position, to the Ric bridge position. So, that's why I'm looking for the measurements.
No kidding! It's like A certain Ric CEO is haunting the internet.^ LOL! JC, I think he means the thickness of the nut itself (tuner side to fretboard side), but I can't get over the challenge Pete's having at trying to get some information...
Musiclogic
Commercial User
- Aug 6, 2005
- 6,505
- 73
- 60
- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder: HJC Customs USA, The Cool Lute, C G O
From the bridge side edge of the nut to the centre of the pup is 29-1/8" on my 4001 - I just measured it - the joys of working from home!
Now I suppose I might find out if there is a trademark on a measurement of 29-1/8".
Now I suppose I might find out if there is a trademark on a measurement of 29-1/8".
I just measured from the bridge side of the nut to the center of the bridge pup: 29-3/8" on my 4001v63...Also working from home...mute button and a Ric gets me through many long conference calls.
Thanks! Now we have some more solid data. And also, it would seem, some variation in Ric's practices. It seems to me I read once that Ric 4001/3s require different pickguards depending on their date of manufacture, and this would seem to agree with that, if it's true.
I asked (the fantastic luthier) John Kallas (tb name "johnk_10" -- look up his build threads here!) to measure up his 4003. His is 25" to the neck pickup, and 29 5/16" to the bridge pup. He also confirmed that his scale length is 33 3/16.
For reference's sake, on a 33-1/4" scale, the 24th fret is 24-15/16"; the 36th is 29-3/32".
I'm working on a revised CAD drawing of my pickup position reference, and will post it.
I asked (the fantastic luthier) John Kallas (tb name "johnk_10" -- look up his build threads here!) to measure up his 4003. His is 25" to the neck pickup, and 29 5/16" to the bridge pup. He also confirmed that his scale length is 33 3/16.
For reference's sake, on a 33-1/4" scale, the 24th fret is 24-15/16"; the 36th is 29-3/32".
I'm working on a revised CAD drawing of my pickup position reference, and will post it.
OK, so here's where pickups lie, all scaled for a 34" scale neck. All measurements are from the nut or zero fret.
J, P, and MM SR distances are from bgavin's measurements. He recorded to the nearest 1/16", measuring off the far side of the 12th fret. So I subtracted off half the width of the fretwire crown size, per the Dunlop 6xxx number he also recorded. The J bridge distance is for 60s style, not 70s.
Ric4003 measurements are from John K. As far as the bridge, his is nearly identical toMagB's 4001v63 measurement, and it should be noted that Jools' 4001 measurement is a full 3/16" shorter.
Here we go, everybody -- enjoy!
For anyone who would like the fractions of scale length, they're in here:
J, P, and MM SR distances are from bgavin's measurements. He recorded to the nearest 1/16", measuring off the far side of the 12th fret. So I subtracted off half the width of the fretwire crown size, per the Dunlop 6xxx number he also recorded. The J bridge distance is for 60s style, not 70s.
Ric4003 measurements are from John K. As far as the bridge, his is nearly identical toMagB's 4001v63 measurement, and it should be noted that Jools' 4001 measurement is a full 3/16" shorter.
Here we go, everybody -- enjoy!
For anyone who would like the fractions of scale length, they're in here:
