Bridge Pickup Tonality - High gain vs Horseshoe

admin · Post by **admin** » Thu Jun 19, 2003 9:50 am

For those of you who have a Rickenbacker bass with a high gain pickup and a second Rickenbacker bass with a horseshoe pickup, amplifiers aside, I would like your description of the differences in tonality.

dano · Post by **dano** » Thu Jun 19, 2003 10:48 am

Hello Peter,
My two basses are a 79 4001 and a 98 V63. The horseshoe is a much richer, deeper, phatter (insert your favorite word or words here). The 79 high gain is more trebly, even with the cap removed. These two were compared by running both through my PA board dry with flat eq settings, no amps or cabs. I just used both basses in the studio and the V63 wound up on most of the tracks. I have a current high gain on order and it should be here tomorrow. This is going in my 79 and I'll let you know how they compare.

admin · Post by **admin** » Thu Jun 19, 2003 4:09 pm

Thanks Dan. I will be interested in the comparison between the horseshoe and the newer high gain bridge pickup.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Thu Jun 19, 2003 7:18 pm

I have both 4001's and 4003's with high gains and had two V63's. I think that the horseshoe is even more punchy than the new high gains, very powerful pickups. Incidently I had to sell them, didn't want to. And yes even with the cap out my 79 4001 high gain is more trebly (and less powerful) than both later high gains and horseshoes. I had taken the horseshoe part off too, they sounded a little fuller and less noisy with the horseshoes intact.
I had a 2000 and a 2002, and they were totally different, the 2000 was a much better balanced bass between pickups, the 2002 had a low output toaster in comparison to the 2000.
I would go with the high gains though, they are very punchy too and no horseshoe to get in your way. I just played a blues gig with my 98FG with more of the bridge pickup than the neck through a B-15T, try that with a 4001.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Thu Jun 19, 2003 7:20 pm

Oh one more thing: I think that the horseshoes are a little sweeter sounding. Vintage?

admin · Post by **admin** » Fri Jun 20, 2003 6:21 am

Bob: Just how much did the horseshoes get in the way.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Fri Jun 20, 2003 7:15 am

Peter, for me, I usually pluck with my fingers a little to the right of that pickup, and leave my thumb right over the middle of the pickup, so for me it was right in the way, I get different sounds with the placement of my hand (closer and farther from the bridge), and that is about my favorite place. I spent about two or three months trying to get used to it, but I could never get my favorite sound and tension against my plucking fingers with the horseshoe in the way. If I plucked between the horseshoe and the bridge it was a little too trebly for me and restrictive, but the worst part was I didn't know what to do with my thumb, and plucking to the left of the horseshoe was too bassy and didn't have the tension against my plucking fingers that I liked. Same with the treble covers. I still want to get another one though, they are just too cool not to have one, and they do sound real good. I especially miss my FG 2000 V63.

dano · Post by **dano** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 12:38 pm

Hello again Peter,
My high gain arrived and I was able to install it and play around with it enough to give an honest review. I really like the current high gain better than the original pickup that was in my '79. It's a more rich sound, whereas the original was just to trebly for me. Do I like it better than the horseshoe? Well, its a very close call but I seem to get more tonal range from the horseshoe for some reason. Yeah I agree with Bob that they do get in the way and I always remove the cover otherwise. I just can't bring myself to a point where I would want to remove them, they look so cool! So I've learned to adjust my playing style (in other words "live with it"). Are you considering one or the other? If so, I hope this review has helped some what.