Materials Over Past Few Decades

Building pickups from the ground up

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rickfan60
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Post by rickfan60 »

Yeah, that is pretty much what would happen. I am not sure how that would sound having two magnetic fields though. Are the strings even in volume?
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johnallg
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Post by johnallg »

Sergio, you could pull the alnico rods and put in slugs. First make sure the magnetized shoes are strong enough.
rickcrazy
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Post by rickcrazy »

It can't be done on a re-issue HS bobbin. The only way is to pull the pickup apart, substitute slugs for the alnico rods, and re-build and re-wind the pickup.
A Rickenbacker bass is much like the Jaguar E car - perennially ultra-fashionable.
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xsubs
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Post by xsubs »

Thanks for everyone's input. The problem is the toaster though, rather than the bridge. I don't think 9.6K is particularly hot... from what I've read V series bridge PUs from this era run around 10-11K. Sound right? The issue with the disparity in volume, IMHO, is the toaster.
Sergio, the pickup is as far up as it can go... I even sliced the rubber grommet in half. Any tighter and I'm sure I'll crack the pickguard. Not a great pic, but see below...

Here's more info on the bridge... looks like there's some interest.
The bottom of the polepieces of the reissue bobbin, stuck to the shoes nicely, as they were attracted (I think we're all attracted to horseshoes, aren't we!). I was kind of worried that they might repel one another, and wasn't sure what that would have done to the sound. Together they didn't seem to get much hotter. Some added punch yes, but also clearer, with more sustain and definition. It's got an incredible range too...
Here's a link to some pics...
http://s161.photobucket.com/albums/t235/xsubs/Shoes/Image
Rickenbacker '64 & '68 4001 basses ♦ Fender Pre-CBS J & P Basses and 1968 Telecaster Bass ♦ Moog Taurus III Bass Pedals ♦ Hiwatt (Hylight) Amplification
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rickfan60
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Post by rickfan60 »

In most cases, the toaster is not nearly hot enough to balance out the horseshoe.
rickcrazy
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Post by rickcrazy »

Thanks for the pic(s), Sean. Well, two bar magnets arranged so as to "sandwich" the bottom portion of all six slugs on the toaster p.u. should allow for more output.
A Rickenbacker bass is much like the Jaguar E car - perennially ultra-fashionable.
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soundmasterg
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Post by soundmasterg »

Kind of like a P90 arrangement, except you still have the alnico magnets instead of a keeper bar and slug polepieces eh Sergio? I thought about doing that myself too but haven't tried yet.
rickcrazy
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Post by rickcrazy »

Exactly. It should work fine.
A Rickenbacker bass is much like the Jaguar E car - perennially ultra-fashionable.
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lyle_from_minneapolis
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Post by lyle_from_minneapolis »

Maybe that's what I'll have to try, Sergio.
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rickcrazy
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Post by rickcrazy »

Hmm... Yes. That or one of my "toasters"... But not like the one I built for Mark Walker, which was pretty conservative in every department.Image
A Rickenbacker bass is much like the Jaguar E car - perennially ultra-fashionable.
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