Replacing 4001 pickups with 4003’s
Moderators: rickenbrother, ajish4
Replacing 4001 pickups with 4003’s
Hi! I am seriously considering replacing the pickups on my 4001 with modern 4003 pickups. Do I have to buy the whole bridge pickup assembly? Are the neck and bridge pickups the same pickup, and I could fit a neck pickup in my current bridge pickup assembly?
Re: Replacing 4001 pickups with 4003’s
Moderator, can you pls remove this thread? I found the answer and it is ’no they are not the same’
- bassduke49
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Re: Replacing 4001 pickups with 4003’s
We’ll, I’m not the moderator but we can take this opportunity to welcome you to the Forum!
Author: "The Rickenbacker Electric Bass - 50 Years As Rock's Bottom"
Re: Replacing 4001 pickups with 4003’s
We don't know what year/vintage your 4001 is, but you should be able to fit current Rick pickups to your bass. As to installing a neck pickup in the bridge pickup location, again, depending on era, yes you could do so.Henke wrote:... I could fit a neck pickup in my current bridge pickup assembly?
- JackTheRipper
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Re: Replacing 4001 pickups with 4003’s
I installed modern hi-gain pups and wiring harness in my '77 4001 a few years ago. No issues.
--jack
--jack
- Kopfjaeger
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Re: Replacing 4001 pickups with 4003’s
Haven't pot values changed in the last 10-15+ years? Dane? You'll pick up output but I'm not sure what tonal quality you will have with older pots and newer Hi output pups.
Sepp
Sepp
Vintage/Classic Rickenbacker Enthusiast!
1972 4001 Jetglo
1973 4001 Burgundyglo
2011 4003 Jetglo
1986 4003 Shadow
1972 4001 Jetglo
1973 4001 Burgundyglo
2011 4003 Jetglo
1986 4003 Shadow
Re: Replacing 4001 pickups with 4003’s
Thank you for the welcome Paul!
So, the bass is from -77. I actually ordered 4003 higain pickups and hope they’ll arrive tomorrow. Normally I’d be more vintage correct but this is a player and I do have use for pickups with more power. Gonna be interesting to hear how the bass will sound!
So, the bass is from -77. I actually ordered 4003 higain pickups and hope they’ll arrive tomorrow. Normally I’d be more vintage correct but this is a player and I do have use for pickups with more power. Gonna be interesting to hear how the bass will sound!
Re: Replacing 4001 pickups with 4003’s
Rick started using 330k pots in everything, that are closer to 280k. The vintage spec pots bring out a brighter tone in any single coil pickup. Didn't I build you a harness and black pickguard for a 4003W a few years ago? What did you think of the tone?Kopfjaeger wrote:Haven't pot values changed in the last 10-15+ years? Dane? You'll pick up output but I'm not sure what tonal quality you will have with older pots and newer Hi output pups. Sepp
Re: Replacing 4001 pickups with 4003’s
I actually ordered new wiring harness with the pickups, as they sold that too. Got the stuff yesterday. Seems like the pots are 250/500 and not 330. I guess I’ll get more treable than 4003 stock.
Re: Replacing 4001 pickups with 4003’s
RIC has finally changed the pot values on their harnesses?Henke wrote: Seems like the pots are 250/500 and not 330. I guess I’ll get more treable than 4003 stock.
Re: Replacing 4001 pickups with 4003’s
I got the harness from Rickysounds in the UK, who assembled it. Ordered it with the pickups. Ordered without knowing pot values were not 330K. I have installed it all now. Only played through headphones at home so far. I really like it. Just being able to turn on/turn off the vintage cap is great. Plus the added ”power” from the pickups. I love the sound of a stock 4001, but I think this will be so much more useful in my current band. Will be less requests for the p-bass from the others I hope.aceonbass wrote:RIC has finally changed the pot values on their harnesses?Henke wrote: Seems like the pots are 250/500 and not 330. I guess I’ll get more treable than 4003 stock.
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Re: Replacing 4001 pickups with 4003’s
Looks like ricky sounds make their own harnesses, so the pot values might be different from Rickenbacker's own.
Re: Replacing 4001 pickups with 4003’s
I looked at the Ricky Sounds site. 165 pounds ($207) for a harness? That's over twice what I charge, and they don't even use the correct CTS pots.
Re: Replacing 4001 pickups with 4003’s
That's an insane price.
Re: Replacing 4001 pickups with 4003’s
OUCH!
P.S. I'm a confirmed Dane harness-er type guy!
P.S. I'm a confirmed Dane harness-er type guy!
The only thing we can perceive are our perceptions - George Berkeley