Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'm new to the Rickenbacker world and right now I'm learning about the history and specs of high gain pickups.

A couple of doubts:


Did they always come with the gray isolated lead wire, or are there Rickenbackers with fabric-coated black and white lead wires (like the ones Fender uses) too?


I've seen high gains with just one hole on the magnet, like this



And with the six holes where the pole pieces are, like so



Is there a variation of manufacturers or does that vary throughout time?

1. They've always had the isolated grey wire, all the way back to earliest production (1970).

2. You're looking at the difference between the adjustable pole piece models and non-adjustable. The non-adjustable models were made from about 1973 - 2007 (? not exactly sure on the year there), when the adjustable polepiece hi gains were introduced.

For me, the cool part about the adjustable polepiece pickups that that you can unscrew the polepieces, insert them into the threads from the magnet side without modifying anything, and fit a Toaster cover. Entirely reversible modification, too.

Sérgio wrote:...are there Rickenbackers with fabric-coated black and white lead wires (like the ones Fender uses) too?

Those are Chinese fake pickups. Well, they (hopefully) produce a sound, but they are not made by RIC.

collin wrote:1. They've always had the isolated grey wire, all the way back to earliest production (1970).

2. You're looking at the difference between the adjustable pole piece models and non-adjustable. The non-adjustable models were made from about 1973 - 2007 (? not exactly sure on the year there), when the adjustable polepiece hi gains were introduced.

For me, the cool part about the adjustable polepiece pickups that that you can unscrew the polepieces, insert them into the threads from the magnet side without modifying anything, and fit a Toaster cover. Entirely reversible modification, too.

Thing is, MOST high gains I see, both in person and on the web, have not the 6 holes, but just one on the center. Funny...

jps wrote:

Sérgio wrote:...are there Rickenbackers with fabric-coated black and white lead wires (like the ones Fender uses) too?

Those are Chinese fake pickups. Well, they (hopefully) produce a sound, but they are not made by RIC.

Interesting.

I myself have never seen a counterfeit high gain pickup. All fake Rics I've seen have very gross toaster-like pickups on them.

Sérgio wrote:

jps wrote:

Sérgio wrote:...are there Rickenbackers with fabric-coated black and white lead wires (like the ones Fender uses) too?

Those are Chinese fake pickups. Well, they (hopefully) produce a sound, but they are not made by RIC.

Interesting.

I myself have never seen a counterfeit high gain pickup. All fake Rics I've seen have very gross toaster-like pickups on them.

I'm referring to any that have Fender-like leads coming out of them.

Sérgio wrote:

collin wrote:1. They've always had the isolated grey wire, all the way back to earliest production (1970).

2. You're looking at the difference between the adjustable pole piece models and non-adjustable. The non-adjustable models were made from about 1973 - 2007 (? not exactly sure on the year there), when the adjustable polepiece hi gains were introduced.

For me, the cool part about the adjustable polepiece pickups that that you can unscrew the polepieces, insert them into the threads from the magnet side without modifying anything, and fit a Toaster cover. Entirely reversible modification, too.

Thing is, MOST high gains I see, both in person and on the web, have not the 6 holes, but just one on the center. Funny...

Must be earlier ones, then.

The adjustable pole piece Hi Gains are threaded all the way through the bobbin and the holes extend through the magnets.

Sérgio wrote:

collin wrote:1. They've always had the isolated grey wire, all the way back to earliest production (1970).

2. You're looking at the difference between the adjustable pole piece models and non-adjustable. The non-adjustable models were made from about 1973 - 2007 (? not exactly sure on the year there), when the adjustable polepiece hi gains were introduced.

For me, the cool part about the adjustable polepiece pickups that that you can unscrew the polepieces, insert them into the threads from the magnet side without modifying anything, and fit a Toaster cover. Entirely reversible modification, too.

Thing is, MOST high gains I see, both in person and on the web, have not the 6 holes, but just one on the center. Funny...

The adjustable pole piece version hasn't been around for as long.

Just replaced my '81 Hi Gains with other Hi Gains, but noticed that the replacement doesn't have the hole in back, or it's been potted.

collin wrote:1. They've always had the isolated grey wire, all the way back to earliest production (1970).

2. You're looking at the difference between the adjustable pole piece models and non-adjustable. The non-adjustable models were made from about 1973 - 2007 (? not exactly sure on the year there), when the adjustable polepiece hi gains were introduced.

For me, the cool part about the adjustable polepiece pickups that that you can unscrew the polepieces, insert them into the threads from the magnet side without modifying anything, and fit a Toaster cover. Entirely reversible modification, too.

See, Colin, I think the first high gains came out of the factory with the single hole magnets...

https://reverb.com/item/4592149-rickenb ... s-set-of-2

https://reverb.com/item/14724757-ricken ... iginal-usa

I'm curious about precisely when they started being made with the six pole piece holes all through the magnets...

Are those center hole pups from the 70’s? My ‘71 steel with the transitional post-horseshoe HiGain has it in the center. My ‘87 through ‘91 HiGains all have no holes. The late 80’s fiber tops I love have none, same with the ‘98...that one has the combined HiGain/toaster bobbin but are pre-adjustable pole pieces. I’d honestly prefer the lead in the center than the side where they can easily get pinched but that’s more of an issue using the foam spacers instead of the grommets. Gotta be easier to wind & secure with the lead terminating on the sides.

Sérgio wrote:

collin wrote:1. They've always had the isolated grey wire, all the way back to earliest production (1970).

2. You're looking at the difference between the adjustable pole piece models and non-adjustable. The non-adjustable models were made from about 1973 - 2007 (? not exactly sure on the year there), when the adjustable polepiece hi gains were introduced.

For me, the cool part about the adjustable polepiece pickups that that you can unscrew the polepieces, insert them into the threads from the magnet side without modifying anything, and fit a Toaster cover. Entirely reversible modification, too.

See, Colin, I think the first high gains came out of the factory with the single hole magnets...

https://reverb.com/item/4592149-rickenb ... s-set-of-2

https://reverb.com/item/14724757-ricken ... iginal-usa

I'm curious about precisely when they started being made with the six pole piece holes all through the magnets...

I know this is old, but the pole pieces on high gains aren't magnets. The magnet is the big piece on the bottom of the pickup. The pole pieces are just iron slugs that connect with that.