'Horseshoe' question

lucky · Post by **lucky** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 3:55 am

Andrew any chance of getting a full size diagram of the horseshoe pickup so i can get one made for my '92 4003.So i will have the hi gain pickup but with a horseshoe cover.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 4:54 am

Lollar did not get permission from RIC. The last I heard, he received a letter from RIC's attorneys. I hope that perhaps they can get together on this.

The pickups are beautifully crafted and list for $300.00.

Shawn, replicating a horseshoe is not something to enter into lightly.

lucky · Post by **lucky** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 6:01 am

I don't want to fully replicate the horseshoe just get a cover made to look like a horseshoe.I like the rick pickups,but the look of the horseshoe cover to me is better than the hi gain cover that's all.

ken_j · Post by **ken_j** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 6:30 am

Shawn, Someone here makes what you are looking for. I believe it is Jared Nakanishi but I'm not sure. It is a bottom plate with two faux shoes welded to it. All you do is add your high gain.

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 7:38 am

The horseshoe design has been a trademark of Rickenbacker since the 1930's. We began the federal registration process some time back which is the first step to bringing a claim of infringement in federal court. The government examiners are always slow in their attempt to be thorough, always reject an application at least once, but we've been through this procedure so many times before that I know we're almost done and the shtuff will hit the fan shortly thereafter.

lucky · Post by **lucky** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 8:09 am

Mr Hall do you have any objections to any 4001/4003 owners making a horseshoe type cover if they do not in any way profit from it.As i have explained to you before all i would like if the horseshoe is not re released is to get a cover to give the look of the horseshoe.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 8:33 am

it seems the only way to get a horseshoe pickup is to buy a $2000 4001c64 bass ... or find a black market ... myself I prefer high gains ... they come on $1100 4003 basses ...

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 10:15 am

Shawn, why go for the look of the horseshoe unless you've got the sound, too?

The reason the "new" RIC faux cover is made the way it is (without the center split) is for durability. In order to do a "split-looking" cover, it would have to be made out of steel to offer sufficient strength.

Do you see where my own reasoning is heading? To tool the steel "fake" is most of the work of tooling the real working thing.

lucky · Post by **lucky** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 10:36 am

I understand your point it is a lot of work and if i had the spare cash,i would have a v63 or a chris squire (my bass hero)but until then having a fake cover is the only answer.Years of looking at pics of rm1999's and chris squire's bass.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 10:45 am

Well, Shawn, if you don't have the spare cash for a V63, you wouldn't have the spare cash to tool a fake steel horseshoe and produce a batch...

Unless you own a fabrication and plating shop.

Horseshoe + plating + base plate + fasteners + routing jig= fake.

Horseshoe + plating + magnetizing + base plate + fasteners + routing jig + pickup (available in open stock)= the real Mc Rick Coy.

lucky · Post by **lucky** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 10:52 am

I would think the cost of a cover might not be that bad, we'll just have to wait and see.And the price of v63's and chris squire's in the u.k are quite high,but rickenbacker's are worth it.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 12:05 pm

We used to be able to buy the re-issue horseshoe pickup from Rickenbacker for $150 complete ... but it is no longer available ... heck they could sell them for $250 and people would buy them ...

As per the trademark issue ... I am not a lawyer but I think if a trademark is not used for 10 years then it is no longer a trademark ... didn't Rickenbacker quit selling horseshoes from '68 to about '84?

And I know why Ric enforces their trademarks ... lack of enforcement can mean a loss of a trademark as well ...

anyway ... I am not a lawyer so I may not be accurate on that stuff ...

For me I don't want a cover on my pickups ... but a lot of Ric players have a strong desire to have a horseshoe pickup on their bass ... it would be nice if Ric would sell them or if they would license someone else to make and sell them ...

lucky · Post by **lucky** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 12:15 pm

Amen..

dswp · Post by **dswp** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 12:19 pm

I say if they were available, almost no one would want them. No heated discussions about toasters...

Of course this is coming from someone who paid over $400.00 for my last Horseshoe.

wim · Post by **wim** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 12:25 pm

"The stuff hits the fan"

serious now: if you buy anything, it becomes your property and you can do whatever you want with it.
You can even reshape the headstock of a Rickenbacker to a Fender style if that pleases you.
Only thing you can't do is fabricate patent or copyright protected items without license or permission and/or sell them as the real thing with the intention to make a profit on it.