Interesting way to insulate your pole screws...

[Instigator]

Yes, I'm the very same guy. I agree that late '60s/early '70s stock 4001 basses were (are) somewhat lacking in the pickup output department.
An early Carvin pickup? Interesting. About a decade ago I installed a rewound 1970 Rickenbacker toaster pickup on a ('60s?) large-bodied, semi-accoustic Carvin six-stringer with flatwound strings on it. The tone was simply out of this world!
Well, back to 4001 basses. I always keep the much-maligned treble-pass capacitor in, so what I do is build a ridiculously hot bridge pickup to really bring out the Rick tone in style, plus a slightly-hotter-than-stock neck pickup. My November '70 21 fret 4001 underwent that "treatment" many years back, as the stock pickups - which I have put away unmolested - were sadly lacking in balls.
Seymour was right. Some older Rick pickups leave you impressed by the design, but depressed with the function. Cheers.

[Sam Lee Guy]

Hey David, and Instigator,
did the capacitor always have same value or change over years? I have had many Ric basses where player says, the pickup sounds a bit thin and doesn't give a reading, when of course, it's fine and just the cap!

[Instigator]

Affirmative. The value of the capacitor remained unchanged over the years. And yes, if you measure the pickup "downstream" the capacitor you'll get no reading from the pickup coil.

[soundmasterg]

Hey Sérgio, are you the same guy that was rewinding pickups over at the RicResource forum?

Thats him David. I'm glad he's here as we can use all the good pickup makers around to make this a better place for all.

Greg

[Instigator]

Hey Greg. What's shakin'?

[David Schwab]

Thats him David. I'm glad he's here as we can use all the good pickup makers around to make this a better place for all.

Greg

Yeah me too! Nice to have you here Sérgio.

I haven't been over at RicResource in a while, but when I started wanting to restore my basses I spent a lot of time over there and learned a lot!

And I got a few emails from... John Hall! I got a kick out of that.

I like Rickenbacker... for all the charming quirks the instruments have, they are about the only company that stayed pretty much the same over the years. You can't say that about Fender and Gibson.

Opening that pickup up was like looking at something Thomas Edison made!

I guess it pays to be family owned.

[Instigator]

Hey David, did you get around to rewinding that Rickenbacker pickup?

[David Schwab]

Hey David, did you get around to rewinding that Rickenbacker pickup?

No, not yet. The bass is not yet put back together either. I have to make a new pickguard and find the bridge unit.. it has the old split tailpiece, but the bridge is missing. I have a non split tail and bridge unit, but I'd hate to put that one in there.

Plus I want to refinish it jetglo.