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Rics Unite!

#2
I like the stock replacement Rick pickups. only problem is they usually aren't available in the ric website. I have heard that Bartolinis fit comfortably, and that the Ric HB-1's also fit. I'm actually looking for replacement treble pickup for my '82 4003. I was told by a luthier I respect that the Bartolini's are the best replacement pickup. However, it is argued by many of us who have been playing Rics for a long time that the reason we love the rics is the sound. The sound of a ric is indelibly linked to the stock pickups. Your best bet is to try to find a stock rickenbacker replacement pickup. If you find any treble pickup for the 4003, I would be in your debt.
 
#4
Several companies make aftermarket pickups for the Ric. Seymour Duncan actually makes a humbucker replacement - in case you want to go for a soapbar type of sound. I haven't heard those, but they might be interesting for a more high-octane, mid-rich kind of vibe.

Of course, humbuckers on a Ric is pure heresy to the Rickenbacker purists, but I'm just putting it out there FYI. Hey, I'm only the messenger... :ninja:

MM
 
#6
Do the stock pickups work? Do you like the sound? The original pickups for that bass are 8k ohm single coil high gain pickups. The 4003 pickups are 11k ohms. Some people find a 70s 4001 to be too trebly. There are 2 reasons for this: 1 - They had a .0047 capacitor that cut the bass response to the bridge pickup. 2 - They had 500k ohm tone pots. I have found that replacing the 500k ohm tone pots with 250k ohm pots and removing the .0047 capacitor really improves the tone of a 70s 4001. My 2001 4003 came with all 250k ohm pots and no .0047 capacitor so those newer 4003 basses don't need the above mods.
 
#7
I'd like to try that. Thanks for the info.

Ric5 said:
Do the stock pickups work? Do you like the sound? The original pickups for that bass are 8k ohm single coil high gain pickups. The 4003 pickups are 11k ohms. Some people find a 70s 4001 to be too trebly. There are 2 reasons for this: 1 - They had a .0047 capacitor that cut the bass response to the bridge pickup. 2 - They had 500k ohm tone pots. I have found that replacing the 500k ohm tone pots with 250k ohm pots and removing the .0047 capacitor really improves the tone of a 70s 4001. My 2001 4003 came with all 250k ohm pots and no .0047 capacitor so those newer 4003 basses don't need the above mods.
Click to expand...
 
#8
I have modified 3 or 4 70s Rickenbackers by putting in all 250k ohm pots and removing the .0047 capacitor ... They all had excellent tone. They still have the Rickenbacker bite but they also have some pleasant low end and nice smoothness to them.
 
#9
MysticMichael said:
Several companies make aftermarket pickups for the Ric. Seymour Duncan actually makes a humbucker replacement - in case you want to go for a soapbar type of sound. I haven't heard those, but they might be interesting for a more high-octane, mid-rich kind of vibe.

Of course, humbuckers on a Ric is pure heresy to the Rickenbacker purists, but I'm just putting it out there FYI. Hey, I'm only the messenger... :ninja:MM
Click to expand...

A buddy of mine works for Ric and he just told me the following:
"in my conversations with John Hall, he's suggested that a bass player should remove the back pick up and replace it with a humbucker. He told me the combination of those 2 (single coil neck and humbucker in bridge ) is unreal!! That's what he has in his basses. He designed the the bridge pick up area to perfectly retro-fit a humbucker. He says he keeps telling people about this but no one takes him up on it."

Has anyone tried this?
rjs
 
#10
Robert Sjea said:
A buddy of mine works for Ric and he just told me the following:
"in my conversations with John Hall, he's suggested that a bass player should remove the back pick up and replace it with a humbucker. He told me the combination of those 2 (single coil neck and humbucker in bridge ) is unreal!! That's what he has in his basses. He designed the the bridge pick up area to retro-fit a humbucker."
Click to expand...

I've committed heresy, so count me in with Lemmy and others. Anyway, I'm trying a Ric humbucker in the bridge position but just discovered the dang thing is a tad too wide to fit in the space. Do I dare have a mm or two routed away from each side to make it fit? My bass is a 1974, so perhaps this would have worked better with a newer Ric.

I think I've already killed the resale when a "good" friend recommended that I replace the original pickups years ago. This same truly good friend works now for Rickenbacker (and is wiser now, as am I). He assured me that the pickups are retro-fit, but it ain't happening.

It's the only thing I haven't parted with in my adult wife - oops, I meant life (I've parted with a wife, cars, guitars, amps, jobs, etc.). So yes, I'm keeping it and will pass it on to my son.
bob
ric_hb.jpg
 
#11
Robert Sjea said:
A buddy of mine works for Ric and he just told me the following:
"in my conversations with John Hall, he's suggested that a bass player should remove the back pick up and replace it with a humbucker. He told me the combination of those 2 (single coil neck and humbucker in bridge ) is unreal!! That's what he has in his basses. He designed the the bridge pick up area to perfectly retro-fit a humbucker. He says he keeps telling people about this but no one takes him up on it."
Click to expand...

It's simple enough, just swap the rear pickup with a Bart replacement (which is a two-bladed replacement humbucker) and you'll have an SC/H combo.
Not a Ric owner, but I am an SC/H player and it really is an unrealistically good layout.
 

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