Replacement pickups for early 90s humbuckers?

[loverickbass]

Anyone know of a single coil that will fit in a RIC 260 footprint? Love the guitar, hate the pickups.

C LE

[soundmasterg]

Any of the modern RIC pickups have the same footprint, although I believe they do not mount the same way. I would think the modern ones could be retrofitted, but someone would have to make a good mounting system.

If you don't want your pickups, I'll gladly take them off your hands.

Greg

[johnallg]

Okay, I have questions. Not knowing what a 230 was, looking on the RIC Gallery and not finding one, I saw other models that I have questions of. What is the difference between the 460 (or 400 series) and the 650 (or 600 series)? Not the cosmetics, but are they different sizes, scale sizes, number of frets, etc.?

And how rare is this one?
http://www.rickenbacker.com/gallery_ima ... _year=1970

Oh, and I didn't intend to hijack your thread, J.C.

[loverickbass]

Thanks for the info Greg; I'll get back to you on the pickups. I've got one coming in but I used to have one years ago and remember I couldn't stand the tone of the pickups. Maybe Sergio could be my hero once again.

Cole

[sloop_john_b]

Okay, I have questions. Not knowing what a 230 was, looking on the RIC Gallery and not finding one, I saw other models that I have questions of. What is the difference between the 460 (or 400 series) and the 650 (or 600 series)? Not the cosmetics, but are they different sizes, scale sizes, number of frets, etc.?

And how rare is this one?
http://www.rickenbacker.com/gallery_ima ... _year=1970

John, the 650's would have taller frets, wider fingerboards, and more (24) frets than say, a 460 (scale length is the same, I believe). The bridges are also very different. The 650's also have contoured bodies, whereas a 460 has a bound body (though 425's and 450's are contoured, like a 650 - it's kind of like comparing an S to a deluxe bass).

The 456/12 is a pretty rare bird, but IMO not all that desirable. They're certainly quirky instruments.

[johnallg]

Thanks John, that clarified a lot.

[soundmasterg]

Yah let me know JC.

The humbuckers that came in these are epoxied and are not repairable or modifiable. The early 200 series before 1989 had single coil pickups instead of humbuckers, though they aren't the traditional RIC pickups either.

I've got a 1989 230 that was my first guitar. I refinished in Blueboy and somehow in the process or taking the pickups out and storing them for a year and then putting them back in, one of them went dead. I got a NOS one from the RIC store on ebay but it is microphonic and doesn't sound as good as my old one did. So if I could find some others I'd be really happy.

John, the 230 is the same body shape as the 230GF that Glenn Fry and Joe Walsh play with the Eagles, though Joe mainly uses it for slide from what I've seen. If you look in the guitars section here, you can find pics of my 230 that I refinished in BlueBoy. The title of the thread was 1989 230 Blue Boy I think.

Greg

[soundmasterg]

Here you go John.

Greg

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=381548

[loverickbass]

That's nice Greg!

These guitars are very under rated as far as playability. Mine has sustain for days. Balances real well on your lap and on the strap. I mean the pickups are OK but..just got too much bottom to my ears. Really jangly trebles for a bucker.

Cole

[soundmasterg]

Thanks for the comments Cole. It was a lot of work but certainly worth it!

The bridge pickup is microphonic and I'd like to either find a way to fix my old one, or get another one in there. The old one sounded better anyway. If you're looking to sell yours, I remain very interested.

I think toasters would sound good as would high gains, but my choice would be some hot toasters if I was going to go away from the humbuckers.

If you do decide to change them out, be VERY careful of the wiring on the back of the humbuckers. Depending on what year the guitar is and when the pickups were made, the wires may have a 1/8" spacing in free air with the 44 gauge wire that is oh so easy to break. Thats what happened to mine. The newer one I put in from RIC's ebay store that is microphonic had a better design with the wiring on the back, but doesn't sound as nice. They're epoxied so not much you can do with them. I think it was RIC's attempt to copy what EMG was doing at the time. The really jangly trebles are probably due to the samarium cobalt magnets. I find the trebles can be a bit harsh, which is why I use flatwounds on my 230. With the new frets it plays like a dream.

Greg

[rickcrazy]

Sorry, but I couldn't help overhearing the interesting conversation Should you come across any dead, and I mean perfectly dead Rick humbuckers, please feel free to advise: I sure could use their bar magnets Thanks much!

[soundmasterg]

Yes, those samarium cobalt magnets in them are very hot aren't they!

My former 230 neck pickup is currently dead, but I'm still hoping to fix it. If I touch the meter to the end of the wire that is flush with the bobbin, I get a good pickup....the problem is finding a safe way to attach a wire to the end of a 44 gauge wire that isn't sticking up high enough to solder to, without destroying the pickup further. Currently if I could fix the issue, then I could put it into the guitar and no one would notice. If I had to cut away at the thing much more, it would be visible when in place in the guitar.

If I screw up and the pickup completely dies, then I'll probably take it all apart and try to clone it so I can get a working pickup again.....so good luck finding these magnets...you won't get them from me Sergio! If I do find some on some other pickups, I'll give you a shout.

Greg

[johnallg]

Greg, if it comes to having to go into the pickup, couldn't you unwind a turn or two to give enough lead to work with? Or would the windings themselves be potted in epoxy?

Have you tried to melt some of the form at where the 40# wire is to expose enough to solder to, gluing the connect wire to the pickup to strain relief?

[rickcrazy]

Deal, Greg

[soundmasterg]

John, the whole thing is epoxied, including the windings. When the wire broke, I couldn't find it, even with a microscope. So I had to melt away at the epoxy with a soldering iron. Its down to the bobbin surface now, and I can see the wire, but its only the tip of 44 gauge wire flush with the bobbin surface. You need more than the tip to solder to. If I touch a meter to it, I get the full pickup output. So if I can find a way to connect to it, I can fix it. I thought about carefully dremelling a small channel into the bobbin surface so I could lay a solder bead down there, but not sure about that idea.

Greg