Other than cosmetics, is there any difference between the horseshoe on the C64 from the one on the C64S? I remember reading that when Mark the MD work on PMc's bass in 76 they built a new one for him. Is the horseshoe on the C64S similar to the rebuilt one?
Are these pick ups available for after-market sales yet?
WIl it fit on my 4003?
Cheers,
Andy
Horseshoe PU on the C
Moderators: rickenbrother, ajish4
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beatlesgear
Am i right in saying the C horseshoes are not the magnets as the originals were. It,s a cosmetic detail not a working function. (Correct me if I,m wrong here please..) So you can remove them and still have full output. The original cobalt magnets were inconsistant, leading to what Mark Arnquist desribed to me as "drop out"...which is one of the reasons the horseshoe was discontinued. As Nick mentioned in the other post, things can be improved, but still look the same..(headstock issue aside, which remains a matter of individual taste)...I play my 64 RM 1999 every day and therefore have a good reference point of what an original sounds and feels like. When I find a C64, I,ll compare it... As mentioned by JH and PM in the other thread, you cannot compare them to a 70,s Ric or the V63. They are totally different basses cosmetically and in working specs.
The explanation I have heard is that the 'shoe is more of a shield, probably a very effective one, and that being the case, I would think removing it would in fact change the sound, as it reflects magnetic field back onto the pickup.
Having taken delivery of my C64 in Mapleglo, I can say that its Horseshoe and the V63 model you buy from Rhoads or Pick of the Rics DO sound different. I only know that playing one and then the other right away you know you've got a different bass.
Having taken delivery of my C64 in Mapleglo, I can say that its Horseshoe and the V63 model you buy from Rhoads or Pick of the Rics DO sound different. I only know that playing one and then the other right away you know you've got a different bass.
The ideal mix leaves the bass player louder than the rest of the band put together!
The special alloy of tungsten steel (not cobalt) hasn't been available for many years, at least not without some special order custom alloying. Beyond that, it was notorious for losing its magnetic charge over time. Anyone with an original horseshoe that has not had it recharged is not hearing the original tone or level of output.
Based upon these facts, for the reissue, we really had no choice but to use embedded Alnico magnets in conjunction with the horseshoes. The slug magnets provide essentially a permanent and standardized magnetic field while the wrap around horseshoes act as poles to properly redirect it like the originals. They will work without the horseshoes but then they do not have the same tone, as the pickup is reduced to single dimensional sensing rather than 3D as the horsehoe does. (Remember that a vibrating string has a waveform shaped like a helix, not just back and forth.) And yes, they do provide shielding as well.
Much tweaking was done as part of the C Series design to capture the original sound of a fully charged horseshoe. We actually had to invent our own special probe using a Hall effect device (no pun intended!) to understand where the fields exist and their strength.
Based upon these facts, for the reissue, we really had no choice but to use embedded Alnico magnets in conjunction with the horseshoes. The slug magnets provide essentially a permanent and standardized magnetic field while the wrap around horseshoes act as poles to properly redirect it like the originals. They will work without the horseshoes but then they do not have the same tone, as the pickup is reduced to single dimensional sensing rather than 3D as the horsehoe does. (Remember that a vibrating string has a waveform shaped like a helix, not just back and forth.) And yes, they do provide shielding as well.
Much tweaking was done as part of the C Series design to capture the original sound of a fully charged horseshoe. We actually had to invent our own special probe using a Hall effect device (no pun intended!) to understand where the fields exist and their strength.
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headbanger
- Veteran RRF member
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- Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2001 10:06 pm
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toneman
Recharge it and it will blow your socks off with new power and tone.
Originally they used to take the horseshoes to the power station on the corner and let them sit on the generator for awhile. Later they used an arc welder to charge them. We now use a purpose-built magnetic separator.
It's likely that we can charge them closer to the ultimate permeability of the material (or whatever they call that spec) with a modern device but eventually it will discharge through whatever the strength was in the old days.
Originally they used to take the horseshoes to the power station on the corner and let them sit on the generator for awhile. Later they used an arc welder to charge them. We now use a purpose-built magnetic separator.
It's likely that we can charge them closer to the ultimate permeability of the material (or whatever they call that spec) with a modern device but eventually it will discharge through whatever the strength was in the old days.