4001 pickup upgrades

dg27 · Post by **dg27** » Mon Apr 21, 2003 1:34 pm

I have a '76 Rickenbacker 4001S that, admittedly, has sat in mothballs for quite a while. I bought it new when I was 18. It hasn't seen nearly as much action as my Fenders in many years.

Any advice on pickup upgrades? I'd like to get it back on the road, but I want a fuller tone with much more bottom. I do not "solo."

I'm a little puzzled about criticisms I've read that make this sound like a permanent alteration [or blasphemy], since if I keep the origs, it's reversible. And I have no plans of ever selling any of my five basses anyway, so that isn't a concern at all, really.

I've seen some posts recommending 4003 pickups. Anyone know where are these available?

I've read somewhat mixed reviews of the Duncan replacements . Again, I don't know if it's just bias against changing anything.

My goal is to get this bass to where I'll want to use it.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

dano · Post by **dano** » Mon Apr 21, 2003 2:37 pm

Hey David,

Replace the neck with a toaster and the bridge with a horseshoe (if you can find one). This will give a better overall tone, believe it or not, than Duncans.

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Mon Apr 21, 2003 2:47 pm

True.

dg27 · Post by **dg27** » Mon Apr 21, 2003 3:34 pm

Dano:

Thanks--could you suggest specifics on those pickups? By 'toaster' do you mean rail pups? Not sure what 'horseshoes' could be.

Should I also eliminate the cap while I'm at it?

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon Apr 21, 2003 3:44 pm

I have a set of the duncans ... no personality to speak of ...

The simplest way to make it sound fuller is to take out the .047 capaciter ... that capaciter cuts all of the bass response from the bridge pickup. This is the main reason the duncans sound fuller ... they tell you to remove the capaciter when you install the pickups. I had a 1973 Ric that I restored I put it back stock except for 2 things. I removed the stereo jack and the .047 capaciter. I sold it to my good friend and he loves it that way.

If you want to take it futher put in 2 4003 pickups this will give you a full hot sound ... very aggressive and lots of attack. Your 4001 will kick major *** this way.

Putting in a toaster and a horseshoe will give it more of a 60's sound.

I am big fan of seymour duncan p and jazz bass pickups ... but I think their Rickenbacker replacement pickups are sterile sounding ...

I am a huge fan of the 4003 pickups 1990 to present version ... It give me a cross between Chris Squire and heavy modern rock.

There are others on this forum who will tell you to put in toasters, horseshoes, capaciters, and flatwound strings ... for the music I play this would be a disaster ... I play modern rock ... I need my 4003s5 to have a nasty aggressive full sound ...

I have a 1968 4001 ... it came with the toaster, horseshoe, capaciter and flatwounds ... I put 4003 pickups in it and it is much louder and fuller sounding now ...

It looks a lot cooler the old way ... and I will put it back if I sell it ...

dg27 · Post by **dg27** » Mon Apr 21, 2003 3:45 pm

Just went to the Rhoads site--got the info. Thanks.

dg27 · Post by **dg27** » Mon Apr 21, 2003 3:48 pm

Jwr2:

It sounds like our tonal requirements/tastes are similar. I'll look into those 4003s.

dano · Post by **dano** » Mon Apr 21, 2003 3:56 pm

You can find pictures of these pickups at www.the-music-connection.com. I removed the cap on the bridge position to improve the bottom end. I really didn't see a need to remove the cap on the neck pickup as the toaster is hotter. The horseshoe pickup has been out of stock for over 12 weeks. If you were just to replace the neck pickup with the toaster and replace the cap on the bridge with a single wire this would make a big difference.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon Apr 21, 2003 7:03 pm

you might be confusing the capaciter on the tone control with the bass cut capaciter the older pre 1985 rics had on the bridge pickup ...

They never had a capaciter going to the neck pickup ... I think some of the old gibson basses had a treble cut capaciter on their neck pickups ... maybe ...

Basically I like my Ric basses wired like the modern 4003 Ric ... hot pickups and no capaciter ... it is a more modern sound ...

the toaster, horseshoe, capaciter sound has less bass it is not as hot and works better with flatwound strings ... it is a great vintage 60's sound.

You can get a lot of cool sounds out of a Ric bass

jeff_ulmer · Post by **jeff_ulmer** » Tue Apr 22, 2003 7:00 am

I added a rotary switch in place of one of the tone controls on my '74 to switch the cap in and out. Now I have the best of both worlds. Removing the cap is the least expensive option by far.

ken_james · Post by **ken_james** » Tue Apr 22, 2003 8:45 pm

Quick question: someone mentioned that the horseshoe wasn't being available for sale anymore, is this another one of those bad rumors?

dano · Post by **dano** » Wed Apr 23, 2003 11:16 am

Hey Kendall,

This is just a rumor. But the fact is that everyone (and I mean everyone) is out of stock. No one knows if or when they will be re-stocked.