Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi folks. My first post here: I have several questions.


First:
I want to do the conversion of changing my High-outputs into toasters by removing and cutting the pole-pieces and adding toaster tops - The problem I have is that the pole-pieces I have on my High-outputs do not have slots for screw-drivers or for Allan wrenches. So how would I remove the pole-pieces?
I looked on the bottom and there was a large flat magnet where I thought I would see the bottom of the pole-pieces.

The other question is, since I am registered, how come I can not peruse the Rickenbacker sell and trade forum area?
What do I need to do to access that area?
and is it worth it?
I am wanting assorted parts like an Access, or Kaufman, or cheaper than $150-Toasters, etc.

pfflam wrote: I am wanting assorted parts like an Access, or Kaufman, or cheaper than $150-Toasters, etc.

There's a line, buddy.

Welcome to the forum, Sean. You need to have 100 posts before the forum marketplace is accessible. This was done to keep those were join only to buy or dell something, then disappear.

Your Hi-gains are the older type without without adjustable pole pieces. The ceramic magnet on the bottom is glued there and could carefully be pried away, exposing the (non-magnetized) pole pieces. They could then theoretically be pushed out. I have heard that sometimes the pickup can be damaged doing this, so it's at your own risk. If you successfully remove the pole pieces without damaging the coil, youd need to replace them with alnico pole pieces to make the pickup more like a toaster.

As for wanting low price toasters or other hard-to-get parts, as John says, take a number.

Yeah, you have the button top Hi-gains.

You can push them up to cut the heads off, but don't push them out all the way, as the coil will unwind!

It's much much easier on the modern version of Hi-gains, which have removeable pole pieces, using an allen key.

Some people like the sound of the button-top Hi Gains more, so you could possibly sell them on Ebay for the same price as a set of new Hi Gains from RIC.

I cut the buttons off of some of mine by simply peeling the magnet off (carefully) and tapping the poles out with a punch over a block of wood with a hole drilled in it for the pole to drop into. I Took them all the way out, cut them off with the dremel and a cut-off wheel and tapped them back in flush with the top of the coil assembly. Stuck the magnet back on and all was well. The poles have spiral grooves on their sides, so they will spin slowly on their way in and out but that was the only surprise I ran into.

Thanks for the replies folks.

I guess hearing that the winding might undo will keep me from doing anything rash for a while. I suppose I'll either live with the aesthetic demerit of not having Toasters or I can wait till I am flush with cash (HAHA!)

I think these sound great - anyone know what the chances of hurting the winding are? I mean in percentages?

BTW: not to merely start boosting my post count, but if anyone happens to have toasters and/or an Accent they'd be willing to trade +/-$$ contact me

pfflam wrote:Thanks for the replies folks.

I guess hearing that the winding might undo will keep me from doing anything rash for a while. I suppose I'll either live with the aesthetic demerit of not having Toasters or I can wait till I am flush with cash (HAHA!)

I think these sound great - anyone know what the chances of hurting the winding are? I mean in percentages?

It was 100% in my case; my advice is to remove and replace them one at a time. PM John Allgaier for specific tips if you're looking to replace the pole pieces with alnico slugs. A lot of the guys use Alnic 5s, but if you're going to stick with the same output (not unwinding the pickups at all), then Sergio Silva, forum pickup whiz, recommends using Alnico 3s.

Welcome to the forum Sean.
You will not have problems removing the pole pices depending on the year of the pickups. I have done this with pickups as far back as the early '90s. In fact I have drilled some out for 1/4" poles without damaging the coils. I know that high gains in the '80s had the wire wrapped directly on the poles themselves and I am not sure when the change occured, but the bobbins are different and not too hard to identify. Here is a pickup that had the push pin poles that replaced with flathead screws. I was then able to put a toaster cover on it. The flat head screws assure that there will be no drop off when string bending.
I did grind the screws lenghs to the same dimention as the bobbin thickness (0.400").

I'm sorry to seem so cautious: are the pole-pieces themselves magnets? or if I put screws in there will they magnetize over-time?

Hi-gain pole pieces are not magnetized.

paologregorio wrote:

pfflam wrote:Thanks for the replies folks.

I guess hearing that the winding might undo will keep me from doing anything rash for a while. I suppose I'll either live with the aesthetic demerit of not having Toasters or I can wait till I am flush with cash (HAHA!)

I think these sound great - anyone know what the chances of hurting the winding are? I mean in percentages?

It was 100% in my case; my advice is to remove and replace them one at a time. PM John Allgaier for specific tips if you're looking to replace the pole pieces with alnico slugs. A lot of the guys use Alnic 5s, but if you're going to stick with the same output (not unwinding the pickups at all), then Sergio Silva, forum pickup whiz, recommends using Alnico 3s.

Where does one get these slugs?

are they the right size?

I kinda like the idea of having wide heads, perhaps I will invest in a dremmel (mine's broken) and merely ground the heads of the mushroom knobs down flat.

I re-use the existing high gain magnet with the new pole pieces. This only gives the look of a toaster and retains the sound of a high gain. The flat head screws I used were close in diameter to the shaft of the original push pins and the heads of the screws were close to the diameter of the heads of the push pins.

On the pickups that I drilled the bobbins for 1/4" pole pieces the pickups had more growl due to the increased iron. I also re-used the magnets for these.

pfflam wrote:Where does one get these slugs?

Stewart-McDonald has many guitar related supplies.

Another question: do the bottoms of the pins have to remain in contact with the magnet?