Rickenbacker Bass Pickup

[soundmasterg]

The older RIC pickups were weaker than the new ones, but they often sound better too. I wouldn't mess with that original neck pickup myself...I would sell it and get something else if you want to change the sound to match the bridge pickup as there is some fair demand for them. The RickResource forum and the Beatgear Cavern forums have a lot of people looking for all things RIC. The older RIC pickups like that use separate top and bottom bobbin pieces that are held together by the polepieces and have the magnet on the bottom. The newer ones use a molded bobbin with the magnet on the bottom, but because of the molded bobbin, the wire has more of a gap between the polepieces and the wire, which makes the sound darker. Added to that, they wind the newer pickups hotter and with different 44 gauge wire, and they end up more midrangy and hotter, but they don't sound nearly as good.

If it was mine I would get rid of the SD pickup and find something to match the original neck pickup. As David said, the SD pickups don't sound like a RIC pickup, and the older RIC pickups have that famous clank with roundwound strings that the newer RIC pickups somewhat lack because of their hotter and more midrangy sound. There is a guy on the RickResource forum named Sergio that can make you pickups or modify pickups too and does good work.

Greg

[David Schwab]

Thanks! I just can't believe they sound so underpowered. I knew Ric pups are low rent' but still surprised me.
Thanks
Joe

But if you want that Rick sound those are what you want. I actually get newer, hotter Rick pickups in for rewinding to vintage specs.

I changed the pickups on my Ricks years ago, but I'm going to be restoring one of them to its previous 1973 specs. Now that it's not my only bass, I want it to sound like a Rick.

[jdec95]

Thanks for the info. I put the stock bridge back in it. Seems a little weaker than the neck pup. (Newer Ric pup.) will just have to deal with it. I do like the "hot" sound of the S D, but can use the stereo feature if I need to.