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Pickup Changing for Rickenbacker 4003
- Thread starter Jasonhhdx
- Start date
My particular bass doesn't have the push/pull tone pot as it is a 2005. I can't imagine playing the bridge pickup solo with the pot pulled, as it's just so thin sounding. When combined with the neck it sounds nice to me but not alone IMO.
Talkbass is actually pretty good on Rics, most people realize it's a great bass with some aggravating flaws, which makes it like a lot of basses on the market. If you want crazy partisanship and blinkered denial, head on over to the Rickresource Forum, great technical resource, but NO CRITICISM ALLOWED, constructive or otherwise. They won't necessarily flame you, but any less than glowing review just gets met with crickets.....
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I don't love the modern pickups. I am aware that Ric started increasing the gain of their pickups by over-winding back in the late 70's. The problem, IMHO, is that they have continued to add more winds over the years and the DC resistance continues to go up - currently somewhere around 15k I think. As I understand it (and I'm no expert), the more winds and the more distance the signal travels, the more high frequencies bleed off. Even with the pull-pot and "vintage" capacitor, they don't sound the same as the early ones because the underlying signal has already lost highs before it hits the capacitor. If I have it wrong, someone please correct me.
I've owned a good few Rics, mostly kept them stock.
However, my latest '18 4003S has been changed. Knobs, bezel, and pickups.
I went for the Barts. Managed to source all 3 (quite tricky, as they don't produce the mute cavity one at the mo, but one shop had one left over!)
Did some extensive research beforehand - clearly they've been a popular mod since the 70's - but I did read a few negative voices, along the lines of 'there's no Ricky tone in there'.
Went for them anyway, and I love them. They've got bags of Ric, but with extra bottom and if needed. I was inspired by the chap from a couple of videos on the previous page - he was saying about the versatility and the like that is achievable with the Barts.
Why change the pups? For me, my previous 4001/4003 (not the 4004) had always been a bit lacking. The Ric tones I'd loved on record, they weren't made by basses that were fresh from the shop. Plus the time you add the recording process, a stock bass wasn't getting me there. I wanted a Ric tone, but just more of it - and the Barts offer me at one end, the classic treble growl, and at the other, a thick, smooth bottom end.
.....and Lemmy had a 4003S with the same mod!
However, my latest '18 4003S has been changed. Knobs, bezel, and pickups.
I went for the Barts. Managed to source all 3 (quite tricky, as they don't produce the mute cavity one at the mo, but one shop had one left over!)
Did some extensive research beforehand - clearly they've been a popular mod since the 70's - but I did read a few negative voices, along the lines of 'there's no Ricky tone in there'.
Went for them anyway, and I love them. They've got bags of Ric, but with extra bottom and if needed. I was inspired by the chap from a couple of videos on the previous page - he was saying about the versatility and the like that is achievable with the Barts.
Why change the pups? For me, my previous 4001/4003 (not the 4004) had always been a bit lacking. The Ric tones I'd loved on record, they weren't made by basses that were fresh from the shop. Plus the time you add the recording process, a stock bass wasn't getting me there. I wanted a Ric tone, but just more of it - and the Barts offer me at one end, the classic treble growl, and at the other, a thick, smooth bottom end.
.....and Lemmy had a 4003S with the same mod!
I don’t think the resistance is that high, at least on the Ric Hi-Gain pups I got a couple years ago. I think it’s in the 12-13k range max, mine were in the 10k range IIRC. Still, way hotter than my old 4001 pups. The neck pup is definitely weaker than the bridge, have to keep the volumes different to avoid a volume spike switching to bridge.
The pickups in my 2005 4003 sound much better to me than a 2015 & 2016 models that I had.
I also it interesting, that many 4003 owners that have the latest 4003's with hex key adjustable pole pieces, do NOT adjust the pole pieces to match the radii of the fretboard. However, my 2005, which has non adjustable pole pieces ARE adjusted to match the radii of the fretboard & sounds much more like the Ric tone I hear in my head.
If your 4003 has adjustable pole pieces try adjusting them to radius of the fretboard before to completely ditch the pickups.
Also, the neck pickup in my 2005 sounded MUCH stronger than the aforementioned 2015, 2016 4003 neck pickups. Not perfect, not as strong output as the Nordstrand Nordenbocker, but, closer. Possibly due to the magnets matching the radius of the fretboard, unlike current 4003's?
I have no idea how the toaster neck pickup sounds in comparison.
***Also, the hotter output of the Nordstrand Nordenbocker allowed me to raise the bridge pickup & thus make the bridge pickup sound better, while retaining similar output as the neck.
Good luck!
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They seem to put the pole pieces in with loctite, pretty hard to turn on mine. I was worried about breaking them. Does raising them increase distance from the magnets and weaken output?
Hmm, that I do not know about. I seemed to think it gave the A & D strings better definition, but, I don't want to give advice that could potentially damage the pickup. I'd imagine they wouldn't be hex key adjustable if they recommended against it though, you know?
I've always preferred great tone over sheer output level on a pickup; I can turn my amp up if needed. The ones on my 4004L SPC may seem "wimpy" by comparison to many modern pickups, but the tone they produce is exquisite.
As promised, my 2 cents;
Got the Nordenbacker installed yesterday, installation was a breeze. Pickup fit like a glove with no additional holes required.
To me, it still sounds VERY much like the original Ric neck pup, just more of it if that makes sense. I remember having to lower my bridge pickup when I first got it to even the outputs from each pickup. Once I got the Nordenbacker in, I had to raise the bridge pickup back up because the Nord was way louder than the original. Once I got my heights adjusted, I had a bright and punchy Ric. Seems more full to my ears.
I also think this pup makes the vintage mode (push pull pot on bridge pup) more user friendly; not as thin sounding as before.
And the Nord is RWRP so it cancels out the 60 cycle hum with both pickups engaged, which is some a nice touch.
Overall I think this was a quick and easy upgrade that'll gives you everything you love about your Rickenbacker and then some!
Got the Nordenbacker installed yesterday, installation was a breeze. Pickup fit like a glove with no additional holes required.
To me, it still sounds VERY much like the original Ric neck pup, just more of it if that makes sense. I remember having to lower my bridge pickup when I first got it to even the outputs from each pickup. Once I got the Nordenbacker in, I had to raise the bridge pickup back up because the Nord was way louder than the original. Once I got my heights adjusted, I had a bright and punchy Ric. Seems more full to my ears.
I also think this pup makes the vintage mode (push pull pot on bridge pup) more user friendly; not as thin sounding as before.
And the Nord is RWRP so it cancels out the 60 cycle hum with both pickups engaged, which is some a nice touch.
Overall I think this was a quick and easy upgrade that'll gives you everything you love about your Rickenbacker and then some!
@RickenCliff: hey thanks for posting your review of the Nordenbacker pickup!
I have a 2018 4003S and I have been toying with the idea of swapping out the stock neck pickup with a Nordie. Based on what you and others have said, it sounds like the Nordie retains the Ric tone but just provides more girth. Nice! 
Buying a Nordy from a friend tomorrow. Had my ‘74 4001 since ‘83, and stock except that I electrostaticly-sealed the cavities, and soldered across the capacitor (that made a nice difference alone). From what I’ve read here, this Nordy will be just right to give me more Rickness on the weaker neck pup.
Am I nuts, but, rolling off just a touch of either volume actually boosts the other pickup - yes I realize I’m turning down a volume knob, but it really does boost the character aspect of the other pup. Is this a Ric thing everyone already knows?
I read above that switching the older 500 pots to 250 is also a smooth improvement. I don’t mind a bit of mod work to improve what’s already there, not change it (use another bass for another tone). Pot swap maybe, someday. Great thread all, thanks.
Am I nuts, but, rolling off just a touch of either volume actually boosts the other pickup - yes I realize I’m turning down a volume knob, but it really does boost the character aspect of the other pup. Is this a Ric thing everyone already knows?
I read above that switching the older 500 pots to 250 is also a smooth improvement. I don’t mind a bit of mod work to improve what’s already there, not change it (use another bass for another tone). Pot swap maybe, someday. Great thread all, thanks.