Rickenbacker 4001 Neck PUP Specs ?

[jem77]

Hi..I have a dead 4001 neck pickup...from mid 70's. I want to rewind it but I need to know wire gauge and how many turns..also what should I expect as a final dc resistance? Thanks guys.

[soundmasterg]

I don't know how many turns, but mid 70's 4001 hi-gains are somewhere around 8k and 44 gauge wire, most likely polysol. The newer 4003 pickups are more like 12k-13k so you can go anywhere in there and have it work well. Personally I like them a bit on the lower side like the 8k I mentioned, especially if your neck pickup has the 1/2" spacing from the neck instead of the 1" spacing that the 4003 and some later 4001's had.

Greg

[David Schwab]

I second what Greg said.

One of my '74 4001's fingerboard pickup reads 8.5K, and other is 8.2K. 44 AWG wire. Both basses have the 1/2" spacing.

[jem77]

Thanks for the input guys. Really appreciate it. Where can I get #44 wire? I have 42 and 43.

[soundmasterg]

Rickenbacker has been selling 44 gauge wire with their ebay store recently, although it is PE instead of the polysol that they use. I've seen a 2 pound roll sell for as little as $19.99. You can also get 44 gauge from the usual suppliers I believe. I know one rewinder who uses 44 gauge formvar to rewind RIC pickups.

Greg

[Instigator]

I wonder who that might be... :-)

[soundmasterg]

Gee, I wonder.

greg

[David Schwab]

Rickenbacker has been selling 44 gauge wire with their ebay store recently, although it is PE instead of the polysol that they use. I've seen a 2 pound roll sell for as little as $19.99. You can also get 44 gauge from the usual suppliers I believe. I know one rewinder who uses 44 gauge formvar to rewind RIC pickups.

Greg

It seems that was left over stuff they had laying around, and old catalogs and stuff. They don't have any more on their eBay store.

[soundmasterg]

Yah, not right now they don't. I last saw some sell last week for $19.99. I thought about bidding on it but I already got five 2 pound spools....thats enough for me, especially since I don't wind myself yet. Maybe next summer I might start as I get some amp projects out of the way....

Greg