Advice Please: changing pickups out on 650s

[maddogmaulucci]

Hey guys, I have a 650s and I love the way it feels and plays. But Im not too happy with my sound out of it. Ive really wanted a 620 and single coil jangle out of the 620, I just could not afford that guitar at the time. I was thinking of selling my 650 now but don't think I could get the full value of it even though it is in mint condition. So I started to think about different options.....Changing the pickups out to what is in the 620?? Its not much for cost to buy the ric high gain pickups and install them. Has anyone done this? or heard of this? Also Should I just change out the neck pickup, Bridge Pickup, or both. Any advice would be very helpful! thanks so much

Mike

[jps]

I'd put toasters in it. Replace both pickups and you'll be happy as a .............whatever you think is happy.

[ken_j]

Welcome to the forum Michael.
I had put high gains in my former 650C and was much happier with the sound. I did put toaster covers on them though. Also I used two bridge pickups due to the wider pole spacing. 650's have wider string spacing than other Ricks.

[shamustwin]

I put hi gains in my 650 for a while, not being a humbucker kind of fellow. Sounded nice, but I did go back to the buckers, just to have the fuller sonic pallet at my disposal.

[maddogmaulucci]

Thanks guys! Ken Just a quick question, do you know if the cover that comes standard on the humbucker in the 650 comes off and would that work with the single coil pickup, all my hardware is gold and the only option for pickups are chrome. Also I think I can only afford one right now so is it better to change the neck or bridge? And your saying to order the bridge one even for the neck?

[shamustwin]

I am in the market for gold humbuckers (or covers).
Mine's been converted to gold hardware.

[maddogmaulucci]

Do you need the humbuckers as well? I can most likely sell you them as I dont think I will need them anymore, and then I could get both pickups

[shamustwin]

PM sent!

[ken_j]

As far as I know HB and high gain covers are the same and will interchange. You should have no problem putting your gold covers on high gains. Yes I would use a bridge high gain in the neck position. I did on mine. The strings remain closer to the center of the poles. If I changed only one pickup it would be the neck, but that is the one I usually favor when I play.

[maddogmaulucci]

Hey Jerry I PM's back

[grazioso]

why not put push pull pot there and split the hb's that way.. than you'd have both hb and single coils to play around with.

[maddogmaulucci]

Im not sure I would need the HB's but how would you do a push pull switch. are you saying to install all 4 pickups?

[ken_j]

Im not sure I would need the HB's but how would you do a push pull switch. are you saying to install all 4 pickups?

You can coil tap the HB's to operate a single coil from each pickup.