Something Interesting in the RIC Boutique

[coolhandjjl]

We still don't know when. It could be two years from now. Who knows!

Anyway, I've got a 4001v64 coming in on Thursday. We'll see how well this contemporary horseshoe pup sounds. Already going to bypass the cap.

[aceonbass]

We still don't know when. It could be two years from now. Who knows!

Parts aren't usually on back order at RIC for more than a few months at a time.

[lucky]

PLEASE let it be sooner rather than later time to start saving.

[T.A.R.]

How hot are the RI Horseshoes? Would they be a good match for the '74 Neck Pup? Maybe I'll get one of those RIs to replace the old DP120 that's been there forever. Someday I'd love to find a '74 High Gain for the bridge to put her back to original. If you have an opinion please let me know.

[rictified]

Temporarily unavaiable is just that. I'm sure as soon as the current and last batch of C64's is done, they will be back in stock.

Haven't they been "temporarily unavailable" for about 5 years now?

[ricosound]

The reissue HS is still just a hot single coil with big magnet slugs like a Seymour Duncan Quarter Puonder series PU. Other than vintage asthetics I honestly don't see the thrill. A true magnetized shoe on a real pre-69 is cool however for what it is. Most people here seem to think that a 68 with a hi-gain is the holy grail tone wise and some V63 guys take the shoes off anyway. To each his own I guess.

[cassius987]

Now all you crusty old baby boomer dinosaurs can stop elbowing each other in the face to pay $900 for these!

Oh man... did a spit take...

Temporarily unavaiable is just that. I'm sure as soon as the current and last batch of C64's is done, they will be back in stock.

Haven't they been "temporarily unavailable" for about 5 years now?

I think Dane is saying, *now that it's in the boutique*, it's probably on a similar schedule to other items.

[antipodean]

The reissue HS is still just a hot single coil with big magnet slugs like a Seymour Duncan Quarter Puonder series PU. Other than vintage asthetics I honestly don't see the thrill. A true magnetized shoe on a real pre-69 is cool however for what it is. Most people here seem to think that a 68 with a hi-gain is the holy grail tone wise and some V63 guys take the shoes off anyway. To each his own I guess.

The HS on my '00 V63 is a screamer of a pickup. With the HS soloed, the V63 is the only bass that comes close to being as nasty and aggressive as my '74 4000 - despite the fact the HS is wound way hotter and the magnets are way stronger than the '74 higain. It is clank city all the way....
and I leave the shoes on.....

[johnallg]

What is the point of having a RIHS and taking the shoes off?? Besides, the Higain treble pups sound so close to the RIHS you are effectively going for looks. I have two RIHS basses (three if the other one ever shows up) and one magnetic shoe bass and the magnetic shoes sound different.

Scott, the RIHS is wound to around 12-14k and the '74 higain is wound to 8.4k. There would be a mismatch you'd need to balance out with height adjusting, but might possibly take the RIHS out of the tonal sweet spot by being too low.

My '93 V63 has a toaster that is also 12-14k so it matches up with the RIHS better.

[FretlessOnly]

Scott, the RIHS is wound to around 12-14k and the '74 higain is wound to 8.4k. There would be a mismatch you'd need to balance out with height adjusting, but might possibly take the RIHS out of the tonal sweet spot by being too low.

In addition to possibly lowering the bridge PU out of the sweet spot, do the shoes move with the PU when adjusting? I've wondered about using a toaster sometime, but since I generally like higher action, could lowering the treble PU cause buzzing against the shoes?

[weemac]

could lowering the treble PU cause buzzing against the shoes?

For sure! Usually the "A" string will buzz first, which is why some folks will bend the shoes up a bit in the middle (if done correctly it looks a bit more vintage) I suspect when the new Horses appear they will have the "vintage bend" as demonstrated on the last of the C64 basses..

Eden.

[johnallg]

And yes the shoes move with the coil - the gap remains the same but lowering brings the shoe tops closer to the strings.

[weemac]

Yes. Not the same as original horseshoes.

What Rickenbacker tried to do was reissue the sound rather the exact spec of the original Horses. I must say that once the nasty bass cut cap comes into play there is a fair bit of sonic similarity between the old shoes and the new ones. However they don't sound exactly the same (to be honest you probably would not want them to)
New and old shoes have more in common in sound than comparing with a modern Higain..

Eden.

[T.A.R.]

Great info guys thanks. Looking up the Dimarrzio it's wound to 11.3 which explains it's over powering the '74 HG neck Pup(8.4). The RIHS isn't going to be the answer although it would look cool. I'll have to wait 'til a bridge Pup shows. Can anyone tell me what mid seventies Bridge Pups would be suitable?

[gearhed289]

the Higain treble pups sound so close to the RIHS you are effectively going for looks.

My '93 V63 has a toaster that is also 12-14k so it matches up with the RIHS better.

Totally agree. I HAD a RIHS on my 4003S, along with a "hot" toaster. The shoes were just a nuisance, so I took a chance on a newer, adjustable pole high gain. Love it! It sounds so, so much like the RIHS I've never looked back. My shoe fixation vanished! LOL!