• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

The Rickenbacker Club!

Status
Not open for further replies.
#521
tombowlus said:
Okay, I have a Hipshot (aluminum) on order, and I'll likely order the p/p pot mod tomorrow. I am somewhat torn on the pickguard, as I prefer the standard look, but I normally prefer to anchor over the neck pickup, and currently I am 'anchoring' on the top edge of the pickguard by the neck pickup. I know I should learn the 'floating' technique, but too many years of diggin' in on the doghouse has me a firm thumb anchor kinda guy. :D

Any other suggestions for useful and reversible mods?

Tom.
Click to expand...


yeah i anchor where you do too.. I do not know a reversable mod though :/

103 for mr. Way. :]
 
#526
I GOT IT!

a fix to all your finger-rest problems!

take a thin metal sheet (about an inch wide and like 1-2 mm thick) and bend it like this and put one end under your pickguard like this:
4qfto3p.jpg
 
#528
tombowlus said:
Can I play? :smug:

At long last, I am a proud Ric owner. :cool: I am thinking about installing the Hipshot bridge and doing the Push/Pull pot mod (this is a 2006). Any other common or suggested mods? Any reasons not to do either bridge or the P/P mod? I would keep the original bridge, of course.

Tom.

P.S.
#102?
Click to expand...


Sweet one Tom!
Yep! reason to not do the bridge mod, the Ric bridge is better :smug:
Watch it when you remove the original bridge! The ground wire is soldered on and as soon as you have all the screws and go to pull the bridge off, that ground wire will yank the brige out of your hand and it will bounce off the front of your Ric!
 
#529
Wademeister63 said:
Sweet one Tom!
Yep! reason to not do the bridge mod, the Ric bridge is better :smug:
Watch it when you remove the original bridge! The ground wire is soldered on and as soon as you have all the screws and go to pull the bridge off, that ground wire will yank the brige out of your hand and it will bounce off the front of your Ric!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice on swapping the bridge. :)

Just curious, but why do you think the stock bridge is better?

Tom.
 
#530
tombowlus said:
Thanks for the advice on swapping the bridge. :)

Just curious, but why do you think the stock bridge is better?

Tom.
Click to expand...

I don't like the way the Ric bridge extends above the strings where the mute is. I'd prefer to be able to palm mute the strings at that location or back a bit closer to the saddles, but it's not convenient. That's probably the main reason why I tried the Hipshot bridge.

The Ric bridge is not THAT hard to adjust, but it's much more solid IMO. I know about the tail lift thing and my Ric has it too a tiny bit, but I have a more satisfying Ric experience (!) with the original bridge in place.

You can palm mute easier with the Hipshot bridge, but I never could get over the way the saddles move out of position whenever digging in hard. I think they jumped around on me some when I used a pick too, and that was what prompted me to go back to the original bridge.

And of course the MOST important reason...the Ric bridge LOOKS 10X better! ;)
Shoot, maybe more than 10X, it's so hard to measure looks...
 
#531
Okay, Hipshot bridge ordered, and P/P pot kit ordered. :cool:

I am going to spend some time tweaking the pole heights a bit, and I've been playing around with hand position, pickup selection, and vol/tone knob settings. So far, I find that I get two killer tones. Killer Tone #1 is with all knobs at 100%, playing over the neck pickup (fingerstyle). This has awesome low end, very full, and almost 'dub-like', but not quite as much upper midrange presence as I would like. Killer tone #2 (IMHO, of course) with the neck pickup rolled back about 20%, and played anywhere from over the neck pickup to in between the two pickups. This has great punch/growl in the mids, but it does not have the uber-satisfying lows of Killer Tone #1.

Any thoughts on how to get the best of both worlds? I am thinking that pickup height and pole height adjustment, possibly combined with the P/P pot mod should help (and the Hipshot bridge shouldn't hurt), but I am definitely open to other suggestions. And I should clarify that I am actually pretty darned happy with either tone, and I make minor tweaks on the amp to get it poifect, but I was wondering if there are tips/tricks to try that I have not thought of yet.

Another consideration is swapping out the neck pickup for a toaster. Can anyone tell me how this sounds? I know that the toaster supposedly has extended frequency range, and less output, but I am wondering about overall comments on how the tone changed from the stock (well, stock for a 2003 4003) neck pickup to the toaster.

Thanks again, Tom.
 
#533
I know this is kind of off topic, but I was just jamming to a couple of tunes off of led zepplin II and Im amazed at how close I can get that JPJ tone with both PU's full up and both tone knobs rolled back 3/4 of the way! Its cool to have a bass that can pull that off and then turn around and be able to get that crunch that a Ric is known for. I still believe the Ric is no less versatile than anything else out there.
 
#536
tombowlus, I have a Toaster in the neck on my 77 4001, and it's amazing. The best way to descibe the sound, is SMOOTH. I hardly use the old hi gain bridge pup any more, cause the Toaster has me hooked. I also have this bass strung with Roto Jazz flats, and that's a big part of the sound as well. Almost sounds like a stand up, so warm and smooth, it's beyond description. Although the output is lower, it seems to bring out the lows and low mids alot, and it's not so underpowered that it can't mix well with the bridge pup, I just choose not to use it. Hope this helps.
 
#538
RickenBoogie said:
tombowlus, I have a Toaster in the neck on my 77 4001, and it's amazing. The best way to descibe the sound, is SMOOTH. I hardly use the old hi gain bridge pup any more, cause the Toaster has me hooked. I also have this bass strung with Roto Jazz flats, and that's a big part of the sound as well. Almost sounds like a stand up, so warm and smooth, it's beyond description. Although the output is lower, it seems to bring out the lows and low mids alot, and it's not so underpowered that it can't mix well with the bridge pup, I just choose not to use it. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

Hmm... I feel like I am getting plenty of lows and low mids out of my neck pickup as is. I was hoping to add a bit more upper midrange presence.

Tom.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back