Change out Higains for Toasters?

dead_eye · Post by **dead_eye** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 4:24 am

I have a 1 yr old 360/6 FG, and a new 620/6 JG that should arrive by this Wendsday. Both of these guitars have the high gains on them, Im thinking that it might be to my advantage to put toasters on one of the guitars. I've never heard a Ric with toaster before, now many of you have heard Ric's with hi gains and Rics with toasters, which guitar do you guys and gals think would be the best candidate for the toasters?
Also I've heard that the hi gains are a better "general purpous" pickup than the toasters are, is this true?
Thanks for any info on this, I 'd hate to invest the money and time going to toasters and then find they don't suit the type of music I play which is rockabilly, some country and some classic rock.
Thanks,
Paul

bill_yantz · Post by **bill_yantz** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 5:01 am

Hey Paul, this is one area that you will most likely have to make the decision based on your style of play and the particular sound you are looking for. Are you familiar with lower output vs higher output PUs? A good example are the toasters (7.4K ohm) vs the Hi-Gain (12-14K ohm)?
If you tend to play cleaner with less distortion, the toasters will serve you well. If you tend to use more overdrive the Hi-Gains will do nicely. That's one point of view. Scatterwound toasters have a totally different sound that Hi-Gains. Toasters have clarity and sparkel, excellent highs; Hi-Gains have more growl and have excellent mid-range and more bottom, to my ears anyway. If it was me, playing rockabilly, country and classic rock, I'd be playing toasters. Someone else, like Tony, would most likely use Hi-gains.

Now, I like your approach; Toasters in one, Hi-gains in the other. Now you can cover different sounds much better and have more fun in the process. In my lineup, I use 7.4K ohms taosters in my Rick CW 12-string, 3.5K ohms in Gretsch Tennessean's Hi-LoTrons and 3.5K ohms in my Gretsch RHH's Filtertrons. Three very different sounds but all clear, sprakle tone; that's what I like. bottom line is; your ears will tell you what you like.

dead_eye · Post by **dead_eye** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 6:15 am

Thanks for the info Bill, Im thinking the same way you are, that rockabilly ect would sound better with a cleaner pickup. But which guitar would be the best candidate? The 360 is a semi-hollow body while the 620 is solid, even though they both have the same hi gain they're gonna sound different because of the different bodies styles of each guitar. So again and I realize this would be an educated guess, which guitar would be best suited to the toasters, the solid body or the semi-hollow body?
Thanks,
Paul

jps · Post by **jps** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 6:46 am

I'd put the toasters on the 620, partly due to the 21 fret neck and also because the solid body may give you more of the tone you are seeking.

marc61 · Post by **marc61** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 7:27 am

Just get a 660...toasters included with every purchase....

ken_j · Post by **ken_j** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 3:07 pm

I agree with Jeff. Put the toasters on the 21 fret 620.

mdbuck · Post by **mdbuck** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 4:38 pm

Well, I had plans for making my own post for this subject but, as long as this thread is going, there's no need to multiply the same post.
Having said that, I just ordered a set of toasters for my 620. For me, the hi-gains just don't get there.

I bought this guitar several months ago and I just can't get used to the hi-gains so, it's toasters for me.

I also changed out the strings for flatwounds (Pyramids) and I'm not sold on those either. Putting toasters on the 620 may change my mind though, we'll see. I have Pyramids on my '67 366 and they sound OK with that guitar.

One other thing, what does everyone think about putting a toaster in just the bridge position and leaving a hi-gain in the neck position? Has anyone done this?

ric620 · Post by **ric620** » Tue Nov 29, 2005 3:43 pm

I just swapped out the Hi-Gains for Toasters on my 620.

I'm very happy with the change. It's got enough vintage vibe that I don't need to drop all that money on the 350v63 I wanted to order.

valenti · Post by **valenti** » Tue Nov 29, 2005 7:13 pm

That's one of the reasons I decided to order a 660 instead of a 620--wanted the toasters for that model.

Having played with the HGs on my 360-12 for the past two months, I can say I really like the bottom and midrange. But I'm playing on a worship team and the congregation just loves that creamy sound. (I've had people come up to me afterwards just to comment on the guitar--never did that with any of my other axes!)

It'll be fun comparing the 660-12 to my 360 when it finally arrives...sometime...

mdbuck · Post by **mdbuck** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 11:33 am

MIS-POST

mdbuck · Post by **mdbuck** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 11:39 am

Ok, so I answered my own question. I ordered a pair of toasters with the intension of putting both into my 620/12. But, before I put both in, I put only one in the bridge position. Well, I like it so much that I'm leaving it that way. Basically, it gave it the obvious jangle but with a decidedly distinct bottom end with both the high gain and the toaster roasting. Also, since nobody has claimed that they have done this (I'm sure someone has), I shall name it the 'MDB MOD' with the nickname of 'TOASTER ROAST'. HA! HA!

jps · Post by **jps** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 4:53 pm

Glad it worked out for you, but why go halfway, you should try the full toaster treatment and see if that don't float your boat even better. It's easy to try as you no doubt know by now.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 9:39 am

For anyone interested I have 2 high gain pickups with toaster covers for sale ... they have the high gain sound with the toaster look ...

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 1:07 pm

How much each Jeff?

ted_williams · Post by **ted_williams** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 9:02 am

On my 620/12, I've got a toaster at the neck and a high gain (with toaster cover) at the bridge. I found this provided the tonal balance I was looking for.