Vintage Reissue Higains anyone?

loverickbass · Post by **loverickbass** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 5:37 pm

As of late I've been so tempted to throw some Higains on my 381 since, I've been told, where the first model to recieve them. But, I know the modern Higain are not the same as the late 60s early 70s versions.

Sergio, what was the makeup of those early Higains? Would it be possible to convert a modern one to more vintage specs?

Cole

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 12:14 am

Affirmative. Unwinding a modern high-gain will get you pretty close. But there is a better answer. E-mail me, please.

loverickbass · Post by **loverickbass** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 3:05 am

Email sent Sergio.

Cole

loverickbass · Post by **loverickbass** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:54 am

Does anyone here have any closeup pictures of the early Higains that they could share?

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 12:13 pm

Hmm... Where did the Rick Forum archives go?...
Anyways, no, I don't have any such pics, but for it's worth, the early bass high gain pickups had slotted round head screws for polepieces, whereas the polepieces on those for 6/12 string guitar were simply screw shafts protruding somewhat from the top of the pickup.

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 3:59 pm

Those early ones were probably somewhere around 8k-9k right Sergio? I'd guess they were scatterwound too, although that wasn't a big deal back then as most pickups were made that way.

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 12:38 am

8.0/ 9.0 K? I'd say around 6.0 K.

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 7:29 am

Here are a couple of not-so-good pics of the hi-gains on my 331LS:

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 8:10 am

Hey, thanks, Gary. While you're at it, can you measure the ohm rating of those pickups, please?

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 8:20 am

I'll see if I can get to that in the next day or so.

loverickbass · Post by **loverickbass** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 9:04 am

Gary, do you like the tone of those Higains? How do they compair to toasters?

BTW, what year is your 331?

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 12:44 pm

6.0k huh Sergio? My old '73 4001 was around 8k for the neck pickup and the bridge was dead, and TVJones rewound it to around 9k and it sounded great. Maybe the older ones or the ones on the guitars were lower?

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 12:54 pm

Cole, it's an August 1970 (JH date code). Although I have not played it lately (or very much, for that matter), my recollection is that the pickups have a bit more low end to them compared with toasters. When I get some time, I'll try it out against my 1966 340.

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 1:29 pm

Greg:
Yes. I'd say somewhere between 6.0 and 7.0 K.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 5:07 pm

The 70s high gains that I tested came in around 8k ohms