Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Im thinking of dropping a toaster and Horseshoe in my 4003S. Will these pickups retrofit with the existing harness with the push pull pot? or are their mods that need to be done?

I have a 2015 4003S FG with a toaster and horsie - they work great! "Rutherford-ized" it... even bought the guard for 1/2" spacing to match this one's screw holes, but I'm too afraid to dremel out that neck cavity in case the neck buckles. Here it is:

I got bonus points for using actual Dewtron Mister Bassman pedals! (last note only on this song)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ejs00-dmuaI

Nice wig! Or are those implants?

Transplants from another area on my body!

jdogric12 wrote:Transplants from another area on my body!

KELLY CLARKSON!

So,,,,anyway, do the pickups retrofit? or are mods to the harness necessary???

Other will probably chime in and say you need to replace the wiring harness, or at least the caps and pots to different values. My experience is that you don't need to do anything other than solder the new pickups in and it will sound great (once you do the usual setup).

Thanks Jeff.

Yep. You can just wire 'em up. Replace pots for different values to taste. It's really only the HB's that are way off... hi-gains and toasters and horses all play nice together, or at least they have in my experience.

jps wrote:Other will probably chime in and say you need to replace the wiring harness, or at least the caps and pots to different values. My experience is that you don't need to do anything other than solder the new pickups in and it will sound great (once you do the usual setup).

Yes, you CAN use the existing 330k pots (which are usually closer to 20% off on the low side), but the tone will not have the same brightness or clarity as a 500k tone, which was the rated value RIC used up until the early-mid 90's on their tone pots. 275-330k pots do NOT sound the same when dimed. This is based on my experience, having wired hundreds of guitars and basses, most of which are Rickenbackers.

I've never had a longing for more brightness on any of my Ricks outside of the '04 Cii I had, but that may be down to that 4004 being my first exposure to HB-1s and their somewhat different tonality. When I subsequently tried a 4004 Laredo I found it sound considerably brighter than the Cii (not certain why that was, though).

When I subsequently tried a 4004 Laredo I found it sound considerably brighter than the Cii (not certain why that was, though).

IIRC, the Laredo is solid maple and the Cii had walnut, but I could be wrong.

bassduke49 wrote:

jdogric12 wrote:Transplants from another area on my body!

KELLY CLARKSON!

I've watched the video three or four times, but I just don't see Kelly Clarkson in dere!

Frankly, I think it is better off without her!

Oh, and I love that 4003S!

I was obliquely referring to a scene from "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" where Steve Carrel's character is having his chest hair removed. At the first pull of the fuzz, he screams out "Kelly Clarkson" for no apparent reason. So, Jason's wig/hair from another part of his body . . . eh, too oblique, I guess.

I have reissue horseshoe and toaster on my '73 (click the link in my signature to see pic) and man does that bass sound fantastic. The only mod needed is drilling 4 new holes for the surround.