Ric pickups, the differences

telebob · Post by **telebob** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 3:31 am

I have a Ric 360 with Hi-gain p'ups in it so I know what they sound like, but how do the humbuckers compare? Or other modern Ric p'ups? I know this is a tough question because I'm asking for a "description" of sound and that's totally subject to the listen but, not having an abundance of Rics around, it's very difficult to compare and get an idea of what would sound best in my guitar.

will_nesbitt · Post by **will_nesbitt** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 4:13 am

I'm watching this thread carefully cos John Hall has told me in the Rick forum that us kids already have a 'metal' sounding pickup, and that is the Ric humbucker. I've never knowingly heard a Ric humbucker under distortion. Anyone got a sample of what one sounds like? Cos I'm thinking of getting one for my 620/12

tony_carey · Post by **tony_carey** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 4:30 am

I put humbuckers in a 360 & IMO, didn't suit it at all. The tone was lacking compared to a higain...again IMO. I had a 650C for a while & recorded with overdrive & although it was a very good sound, it sounded much more single coil than humbucker & was very Fenderish in tone. A great sound, but no where near a full blown 'bucker. I have one song that demonstrates it very nicely, with the intro on the 650 & every guitarist who hears it assumes it's a Tele!

I have to say IMO, because as you know, for every view, there is an exact opposite, but I just can't see the Ric humbucker as a 'metal' sounding pickup.

telebob · Post by **telebob** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 5:24 am

I used my 360 for "Hurt So Good" on my band's demo and it nailed the sound beautifully. The hi-gains are a bit weak in output though. I was hoping to find something a little hotter but with a very similar sound. If I raise the hi-gains up, my E string easily hits the pole when palm muting and makes a clicking noise while playing. Not acceptable.

I'm playing in a classic rock band right now where I use the 360 for clean and mildly driven sounds.

tony_carey · Post by **tony_carey** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 5:36 am

You could consider some extra windings on your higains Bob...this would make it hotter, but keep the sound similar.

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 6:23 am

Having played a single coil strat since I was nearly a toddler, I recently switched to a 650C as my primary guitar.

Clean it's very full and even toned.

The boxes I use are a tubescreamer and a fulldrive 2. Gets a nice b@llsy sound. I haven't tried an '80's metal-style stomp box.

telebob · Post by **telebob** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 6:38 am

Good suggestion Tony. Does Rickenbacker do custom winding? (yeah right)
I have a guy that does p'up winding. I'll ask him about it.
Is there someone you know of who is good with Ric stuff that you could recommend?

I just want a little more juice if I can get it without losing the tone.

admin · Post by **admin** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 6:50 am

I would try Sergio. Bob. He does great work.

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 7:06 am

I think quite a few folks at the 75th show at the HOB were rather blown away by the sound of Mark "Slick" Aquilar playing my humbucker equipped 330; he even wanted to buy it on the spot!

admin · Post by **admin** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 7:11 am

John: What amplifier was Slick playing your 330 through? An important part of the equation is the amplification as well. I have heard a number of positive comments about that 330. A magic night too.

telebob · Post by **telebob** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 7:21 am

For what it's worth, mine is going through a Rivera Chubster 40. I use everything from clean to a light, mild OD sound. We play some Beatles and Creedence tunes as well as other songs that are Ric appropriate.

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 10:21 am

My '89 230 with humbuckers is an excellant guitar for heavy sounds. It greatly depends on the amp however. If I use an AC30 with it, it sounds very raunchy but still has some cleanness to it. To me it sounds like a hotter hi-gain pickup, with a bit more bass and mids. If I use a Mesa Dual Rectifier, then it crunches as good or better than a full size Gibson humbucker, and is more clear and ringing at the same time. I use flatwounds on this guitar to even out the high end response, which sometimes can sound shrill...possibly due to the high power samarium cobalt magnets used in it. They're very cool pickups.

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 10:28 am

Name your requirements, Bob.

tony_carey · Post by **tony_carey** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 10:34 am

Greg, which pickups has the 230 got....are they the standard Ric humbuckers? My '80 230 was the closest I got to the raunchy sound, but that had the batteryless 'active' pickups...great, great sound, but the feedback at high volume was uncontrollable. I loved the sound though & really thought that I'd found THE sound, untill the feedback problem.

If it's the modern type of Ric humbucker, then I hear what you say, but through my Marshall stack, I am hearing different things to you..."it crunches as good or better than a full size Gibson humbucker", wow, I wish I could get that!

telebob · Post by **telebob** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 2:08 pm

Sergio, the problem I'm having is that the hi-gain p'ups have a pretty weak output and require that they be set high, close to the strings, to get a good signal out of them. When I palm mute at the bridge, the low E string touches the pole and clicks.

I can get a good sound from the guitar during a gig, but only if I completely tailor the amp sound to that particular guitar. I carry 3 guitars to a gig and need them to be user friendly so I can change quickly between tunes.

I plan on straying from the original wiring scheme and using a single volume and a single tone and a 3 way toggle. No Rickosound either. I'm hoping this will clear up the sound a bit too.

I play the guitar with a fairly clean rock sound like Creedence and the Beatles and other like-sounding bands. The guitar does well in this situation but sounds a little weak as compared to my other guitars. And when a I add a little over-drive, (not a lot), for solos, the sound totally thins out and loses it's cut. It gets shrill and gets lost in the context of the band. I would love to have a stronger sound that will get that nice, crisp, Ric tone, but will also keep up with my other guitars at a gig.

The neck p'up is a bit dull sounding as well. It lacks a nice, round bottom as well as midrange clarity.

Ideally, I'd love to have a little more low end without it getting flabby on the neck p'up. And I'd like a the bridge p'up to have a bit more midrange and a tad less highs.

I tend to like slightly hotter p'ups in semi-hollow guitars.