Well, I never ...

teeder · Post by **teeder** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 4:30 am

... Heard anything as beautiful as the toaster in this '72! It has everything, punch, ring, growl, totally tone-city!
It just makes me smile when I'm playing her! I wish the toaster in my V63 sounded as good. What's different?

jps · Post by **jps** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 4:38 am

For one thing, it is older and has changed somewhat. Is the toaster in your V63 scatterwound or the higher wound version?

teeder · Post by **teeder** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 5:05 am

I'm not 100% sure. How can I tell? It is alot lower output than my HS. The old toaster is very hot and sensitive, and would be a great combo for the HS in the V63.
Another thing about the '72 is it seems more lively when playing acoustically. Like the wood can breath. In comparison, the V63 feels like a lollypop with all that finish on it.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 5:34 am

the main difference between the toaster in your 72 and your v63 is the tone pot in your bass ... it took me a few years of pondering and a couple of emails from John Hall for me to figure out why certain years of Ric basses had more treble bite than others ...

4001 and 4003 basses from the 60s to 1989 had 500k ohm tone pots ... in 1990 the 4003 had 250k ohm tone pots ... then about 2005/2006 the 4003 got 330k ohm tone pots ...

s few years ago I wondered why my 1968 4001 had a real treble bite when I put in 4003 pickups ... then I wondered why the 1973 and 1976 4001 basses sounded so smooth and round when I rewired the volume and tone pots ... Well the old 68 had the 500k ohm tone pots (plus the neck construction was different) and when I rewired the 73 and 76 I used 4003 parts 250k ohm pots ...

So if you want your modern bass to have the old Ric bite try 500k ohm tone pots ...

I have found the old toasters and modern toasters sound very much alike ... the main difference is the old toaster pickup will have degaussed a little making it a little softer sounding ...

there is one other explanation ... there were a few years in the 80s when some of the toaster pickups were wound to 8-11k ohms +/- making them fatter sounding ...

teeder · Post by **teeder** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 5:50 am

Very interesting!

I have some experimenting to do. I also have a "Sergio Special" hot treble PU to try out in the bridge position of the '72. The current one is lacking in comparison with the Toaster from Heaven!

Thanks,
Kevin

ben_brown · Post by **ben_brown** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 7:35 am

Jeff....Older toasters wound to 8-11k as apposed to? What are the older ideal sounding toasters wound to?

jps · Post by **jps** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 8:03 am

"Another thing about the '72 is it seems more lively when playing acoustically. Like the wood can breath"

This could be due to the moisture content of the wood, the older bass would have less moisture in the wood giving it a livelier feel.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 8:17 am

the early Rics were more resonant ... but they were also more fragile ...

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 8:25 am

The specs on the toaster are 7.4k ohms scatter wound single coil ... but in reality they can vary a little ... but in the late 80s some of the high gains and toasters were over wound to 11k ohms or even 13k ohms ... I had one of these high gains and I have talked to others who have the over wound toasters ... it was only a few years they did this ... in 1990 with the 250k ohm tone pots they didn't need to over wind the pickups to get the fat sound ...

disclaimer ... I am not sure if all of those numbers are 100% accurate ... but as far as I know what I stated here is essentially correct ...

henry5 · Post by **henry5** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 8:50 am

"Another thing about the '72 is it seems more lively when playing acoustically. Like the wood can breath. In comparison, the V63 feels like a lollypop with all that finish on it".

My 72, though earlier (walnut wings and no stripe) is the same. I've only once played another that had that sound, and it was a 72. All the other Ricks I've played sound somewhat strangled by comparison, although they may have had other strengths. I wish I could find another like mine. It has its faults, but I love it to bits.

rickaddict · Post by **rickaddict** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:56 am

Kevin- you have some good taste! If (god forbid) I had to only have 2 Ricks, I think your two would suit me just fine!

s4001 · Post by **s4001** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:07 pm

Do the reissues or the CS have 500k pots?

ben_brown · Post by **ben_brown** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:58 pm

Can an accurate reading be achieved by plugging in a stereo plug with vol. pots wide open and measuring at the ring, tip to ground or does it have to be completely out of the circuit?

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 1:17 pm

Quote "Do the reissues or the CS have 500k pots?"

I don't know ... but if they were made after 1990 they probably don't have 500k ohm pots ... somebody who has a 4001cs, v63 or c64 should test it ... my guess is the ones made before 1990 have 500k ohm pots and the ones made after 1990 don't ... but I have no data to back that up ... I know the 4003 models did change that year ...

cheyenne · Post by **cheyenne** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 2:00 pm

Basses age like fine wines.....