This may have been asked before but I have a Ric Montezuma Glo 360 with Highgains. I love this thing. I was thinking about some changes. I was wondering if the Ric humbucker be hotter in the bridge postion?
Will it drop right in? What I mean is no drilling holes and such and just using the existing mounting screws and such.
Another Q is The neck pickup by its self seems a little dark to me. Would a Toaster brighten up that position? Will it drop right in with no changes?
Thanks
Changing Ric pickups
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adam_swapp
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Perhaps, perhaps not. Maybe. Could be. Yes.
Does that help?
Allow me to elaborate...
All three pickups use the same mounting screw pattern. You shouldn't have to drill anything.
I don't know the size of the bridge pickup cavity on the 360, but a humbucker will not drop in to all guitars past and present that were originally equipped with toasters (yes, I know you have hi-gains). There is some wiring and solder on the bottom that may require that the stock cavity be slightly enlarged (from 1/2" width to 5/8" width) so that the pickup drops down far enough for proper distance from the strings. Your guitar may not have this problem; I don't know. Maybe you should tell us what year it is so someone who has tried this can weigh in with a more definite answer.
My experience is that the hi-gain is the "hottest" pickup. You might try changing the volume pot to a 250K (if it isn't already) and/or the tone cap to .22 mfd. Both changes should give a little more cut to the sound, and they're a lot cheaper than a new pickup.
IMHO, a toaster with a .047 mfd bleed cap and a 250K volume pot is the brightest sound you can get from a neck pickup. Both the humbucker and the hi-gain seemed a little muddy, regardless of the other components in the circuit.
I tested a whole slew of pickup and component combinations a few weeks ago. You can see (and hear) the results here: bridge pickups, neck pickups.
Hope this helps.
Does that help?
Allow me to elaborate...
All three pickups use the same mounting screw pattern. You shouldn't have to drill anything.
I don't know the size of the bridge pickup cavity on the 360, but a humbucker will not drop in to all guitars past and present that were originally equipped with toasters (yes, I know you have hi-gains). There is some wiring and solder on the bottom that may require that the stock cavity be slightly enlarged (from 1/2" width to 5/8" width) so that the pickup drops down far enough for proper distance from the strings. Your guitar may not have this problem; I don't know. Maybe you should tell us what year it is so someone who has tried this can weigh in with a more definite answer.
My experience is that the hi-gain is the "hottest" pickup. You might try changing the volume pot to a 250K (if it isn't already) and/or the tone cap to .22 mfd. Both changes should give a little more cut to the sound, and they're a lot cheaper than a new pickup.
IMHO, a toaster with a .047 mfd bleed cap and a 250K volume pot is the brightest sound you can get from a neck pickup. Both the humbucker and the hi-gain seemed a little muddy, regardless of the other components in the circuit.
I tested a whole slew of pickup and component combinations a few weeks ago. You can see (and hear) the results here: bridge pickups, neck pickups.
Hope this helps.
You want to put that where?
Adam, thank you for the reply. I listened to your clips. You are a very good guitar player. I ordered my 360 in July of 03 and recieved it in Jan. of 04. I'll go into a little bit of detail. I used to have and old Kustom guitar in the 70's that was pretty much a Ric clone.
So when I got the hollow body fever again I ordered the Ric. What a beauty it is. The old Kustom had weak dearmond pickups. The rymthm pickup was not too weak or too dark for rymthm. But I used and LPB2 booster by electroharmonics back in those days to pump up my leads.
Fast forwards I played a gibby for a while and even though I still have it I rarely play it. I used mostly Strats and have three of them. I rarely used the neck pickups just the bridge for leads and the mid pu for rymthm until I enstalled lace sensors in them. Gold for the neck and mid. Red for the lead.
When I got my Ric I ordered it with highgains as I am usually the only guitar player in most bands I'm in and the only rymthm player I play with kinda likes to be buried in the mix. I thought the Highgains would suit lots of music styles better.
I was kinda disappointed in the volume at first but when I raised the pickup heights that changed. Now I run the treble pickup on about eight with the selector in the middle position and the neck pickups volume up full. Then either turn up the treble pickup full for leads or turn it up and switch to it alone for leads. Now the neck pickup seems a little too dark to me to used alone. I have even thought of getting one of the Ric three pickup guitars and do my rymthm picking on the center PU.
When I was listening to your clips the highgain actually seemed a bit louder than the humbucker. Was that true to you? The toaster was brighter.
My thoughts are if the humbucker is really a little hotter then I'd like to use it in the bridge position for leads. As it would'nt need much more to pump them to and acceptable level. Then put in the brighter toaster in the neck for rymthm.
I don't wanna change any of the other wiring at this time. Have you or anyone done this?
So when I got the hollow body fever again I ordered the Ric. What a beauty it is. The old Kustom had weak dearmond pickups. The rymthm pickup was not too weak or too dark for rymthm. But I used and LPB2 booster by electroharmonics back in those days to pump up my leads.
Fast forwards I played a gibby for a while and even though I still have it I rarely play it. I used mostly Strats and have three of them. I rarely used the neck pickups just the bridge for leads and the mid pu for rymthm until I enstalled lace sensors in them. Gold for the neck and mid. Red for the lead.
When I got my Ric I ordered it with highgains as I am usually the only guitar player in most bands I'm in and the only rymthm player I play with kinda likes to be buried in the mix. I thought the Highgains would suit lots of music styles better.
I was kinda disappointed in the volume at first but when I raised the pickup heights that changed. Now I run the treble pickup on about eight with the selector in the middle position and the neck pickups volume up full. Then either turn up the treble pickup full for leads or turn it up and switch to it alone for leads. Now the neck pickup seems a little too dark to me to used alone. I have even thought of getting one of the Ric three pickup guitars and do my rymthm picking on the center PU.
When I was listening to your clips the highgain actually seemed a bit louder than the humbucker. Was that true to you? The toaster was brighter.
My thoughts are if the humbucker is really a little hotter then I'd like to use it in the bridge position for leads. As it would'nt need much more to pump them to and acceptable level. Then put in the brighter toaster in the neck for rymthm.
I don't wanna change any of the other wiring at this time. Have you or anyone done this?
I listened to your Toaster in the neck position and I still like it better (less bassie). But its still odd to me too that the Highgain is louder in the bridge than the humbucker. Did you measure the heights that the pickups were set up.
The reason I asked is because just a height adjustment on mine made such a difference in the output.
The reason I asked is because just a height adjustment on mine made such a difference in the output.
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adam_swapp
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There was nothing "scientific" about this. If memory serves, I didn't even screw the pickups in if they would stay by themselves. I just slid them under the strings into the cavity and connected the leads with clips. I didn't do any fine tuning, as it were. You probably would get somewhat different results if you took the time to adjust the height for whatever your optimal tone might be.
If memory serves, I didn't even screw the pickups in if they would stay by themselves. I just slid them under the strings into the cavity and connected the leads with clips. I didn't do any fine tuning, as it were. You probably would get somewhat different results if you took the time to adjust the height for whatever your optimal tone might be.You want to put that where?
I was really amazed at how different my highgains sounded with just the pickups being moved up. That toaster in the neck position on your clip sure had a much brighter cleaner tone to me.
The output I'm getting outa of the bridge highgain now is pretty good now. If a bucker would push it just a little hotter I think thats all I would need. You don't have any pics of the Humbucker on there next to a highgain or toaster in the neck do you? What are the demensions of the Humbucker?
The output I'm getting outa of the bridge highgain now is pretty good now. If a bucker would push it just a little hotter I think thats all I would need. You don't have any pics of the Humbucker on there next to a highgain or toaster in the neck do you? What are the demensions of the Humbucker?
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adam_swapp
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Dan: As you can see the footprint of each of these pickups is the same. One of the great features of changing pickups in Rickenbackers is that they are, for the most part, interchangeable.
Life, as with music, often requires one to let go of the melody and listen to the rhythm
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Adam thank you very much for putting these pics. Peter thank you very much for the sound bites. You're right the footprints do look the same. Now how cool was that for Ric to think of.
About how much do the humbuckers and toasters run and where is a good place that can you get them thru? I have heard that parts are hard to come by thru Ric. But you must be able to get them somewhere.
About how much do the humbuckers and toasters run and where is a good place that can you get them thru? I have heard that parts are hard to come by thru Ric. But you must be able to get them somewhere.
I know NorthCoast sells the Vintage pickups for $100USD a piece. You can buy from them if you live in North America... I've never dealt with them but I'm pretty sure they're a decent dealer.
http://www.voxshowroom.com/northcoast/rickenbacker/parts/index.html
I can't recall the place but I know there's somewhere who sells the Toasters for a bit cheaper, something around $90USD.
I actually never seen the Humbuckers for sale but I never payed attention to them... Maybe eBay would have a good price on some pickups if you don't mind buying on eBay.
Good luck buying your pickups. Be sure to post the results whenever your done, everyone likes the follow-ups... (well I do, hehe)
http://www.voxshowroom.com/northcoast/rickenbacker/parts/index.html
I can't recall the place but I know there's somewhere who sells the Toasters for a bit cheaper, something around $90USD.
I actually never seen the Humbuckers for sale but I never payed attention to them... Maybe eBay would have a good price on some pickups if you don't mind buying on eBay.
Good luck buying your pickups. Be sure to post the results whenever your done, everyone likes the follow-ups... (well I do, hehe)
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spencer
It's Jim Rhoads that has Toasters for $90.
I've got a couple from him and he seems like a good guy, I received my order promptly. Also got a AC30 chrome stand from him.
Good luck - you'll dig some toasters.
http://members.aol.com/rhoadsmusi/store.html
I've got a couple from him and he seems like a good guy, I received my order promptly. Also got a AC30 chrome stand from him.
Good luck - you'll dig some toasters.
http://members.aol.com/rhoadsmusi/store.html
I think I would dig the toaster in the neck position. I want some more brightness there. Thanks for the ball park figures on the pickup prices too as well as some spots to get them from.
I should have thought about Gary at northcoast. I ordered my Ric from him.
I already had a set of High gains that I got used back when I was thinking of buying back my old Kustom guitar and restoring it. Then it finally dawned on me that the Ric would be a better guitar for less than I would have in the Kustom.
I'm so glad that I got it. Probably the right thing to have done though was to order the toasters on it orginally and then just changed the bridge for one of the highgains than I already had.
Oh well I always seem to have to learn the hard way LOL.. I still just love looking at these Ric pu's.
I should have thought about Gary at northcoast. I ordered my Ric from him.
I already had a set of High gains that I got used back when I was thinking of buying back my old Kustom guitar and restoring it. Then it finally dawned on me that the Ric would be a better guitar for less than I would have in the Kustom.
I'm so glad that I got it. Probably the right thing to have done though was to order the toasters on it orginally and then just changed the bridge for one of the highgains than I already had.
Oh well I always seem to have to learn the hard way LOL.. I still just love looking at these Ric pu's.