Anyone ever noticed this?

big_g · Post by **big_g** » Wed Jun 11, 2003 6:48 am

I just recently received my 4003JG and of course, I didn't like the factory set up. I guess that I'm just picky that way, I then noticed that if I got the Treble pickup any where near the strings that it caused my amps to peak out when i plucked the strings hard.

Then, try as I might I just couldn't handle the ash tray and I took it off. When I reset my pickup to the same distance from the strings that I'd had, the peak distortion went away.

I haven't had a Ric in over 20 yrs, the last one I had was my old beloved 4001MG, which was tragically destroyed in a traffic accident. I don't remember the 4001 doing the peaking thing, but I also removed the cover on it too, that and 20 yrs kind of dimmed my memory a bit.

Thanks

jeff_ulmer · Post by **jeff_ulmer** » Wed Jun 11, 2003 9:05 am

My dearly departed 4003 did the same thing from the factory. I never got around to removing the ashtray before trading it in on a 5 string.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Wed Jun 11, 2003 10:04 am

Big G, what do you mean by peaking out? Overloading your amps input? If that is what you mean, one of my 4003's does that, but does not distort (the peak light comes one). I always take off the pickup covers first thing though. I have my bass pickups all the way up and put my treble pickups close enough to get just a little bit dirty if I pluck hard enough. I use my fingers for almost everything I play.
The new pickups are a lot hotter than the old 4001 pickups were. The covers are plated with a metal that shields the pickup, maybe it also concentrates the magnetic field the same way the horseshoes do.

ojobob2 · Post by **ojobob2** » Wed Jun 11, 2003 10:05 am

Ive never noticed that, but there are other annoyances with leaving the cover on. With the cover on, the pickup must be adjusted artificially high, otherwise the strings (most notably the A) rattle against the cover during play. On the modern 4003's, the bridge pickup is very powerful and having it too high makes the amp peak out.

big_g · Post by **big_g** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 8:30 am

Bob, mine had a distorting sound, but like I said I removed the ashtray and it went away. I just wondered what could cause a strange reaction like that with that ashtray installed.

dave4004 · Post by **dave4004** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 8:57 am

Owen, I don't understand what you mean. The pickup cover being on doesn't require any change in pickup height and assuming the springs are installed correctly, doesn't affect the height.

Gerald, the cover provides a very small amount of shielding, nothing else. Whatever caused the distortion, it couldn't have been the cover, it had to be an adjustment. From what you describe it sounds to me like the strings may have been too close to the pickup, but it's hard to say.

FWIW, it's not an "ashtray", that refers to the old Precision and Jazz closed-end bridge covers.

rekesbass · Post by **rekesbass** » Sat Jun 14, 2003 4:38 am

I was recently in the studio with my 4003 and the engineer was complaining about the clipping..after further inspection,I noticed my strings were hitting the pole pieces on the bridge p\u which BTW does not have the cover on it and never will(I have a real heavy attack)so I lowered the p\u and all is well now.through my amp I did'nt notice this..it seems to me that the new p\u's don't need to be as high as the older Ric's and you will still have an obscene amount of gain...sadly I did'nt get to use the Ric on the recordings but,I will on our next recording session..I can't wait till our next session to hear this rabid monster on a recorded track...anyway,try lowering the p\u's a little,it worked for me, maybe it will help you..hope you solve your problem