RIC HB1 pickups - versatile?

[brunfox]

Hey all. I wonder if anyone has these pickups and have them split so they 'may' sound like toasters if selected that way. I've heard because the way RIC harness them up, they are a most versatile pickup! Keen to hear from anyone that has HB1 experiences.

[weemac]

They are a versatile Humbucking pickup that does not have the usual mid hump that most humbuckers do, and they have a kind of linear response. When you coil tap them they have the even string response of a toaster but the gain structure is more like an earlier Hi-gain pickup.
Like a cross between and 7.5k toaster and a mid 70s Hi-gain...

emac.

[aceonbass]

I've installed push-pull 500K volume pots in several Rick basses for use as coil taps (actually coil shorts). It cuts the resistance in half, making them 7.5K single coil pickups. This makes them brighter and great for slapping and popping in the neck position of a 4004 or 4003.

[winston]

Dane is there any chance that you can you post or email me a schematic of that mod?

I have two HB-1's installed in my 330 (which I dearly love) and I would be interested to try that mod to see if it would give me the toaster sound as well.

[aceonbass]

Brian......I wouldn't know exactly how to draw a schematic or even email you a pic, but if ya PM me, I'll shoot you a detailed description tomorrow. I don't know if it'll sound just like a toaster, but a 7.5K single pickup in a 330 has gotta sound close.

[winston]

Brian......I wouldn't know exactly how to draw a schematic or even email you a pic, but if ya PM me, I'll shoot you a detailed description tomorrow. I don't know if it'll sound just like a toaster, but a 7.5K single pickup in a 330 has gotta sound close.

PM sent Dane. Thank you so much. I really appreciate you doing this for me

[aceonbass]

Okay, since this mod is pretty simple (as long as you can handle a soldering iron) I'll post a description of the procedure. There's more than one way to do this, but this is the simplest way. I recomend installing the push-pull in the volume position since it's a medium quality mini pot, so if you're running single coils, then use one with a 250K value. Holding the pot rightside up, you'll see a small locator tab by the pot shaft and a grounding tab on the bottom. Cut these off with a Dremmel. The grounding tab can restrict installation in shallow cavities. Next, cut off the two terminals on the bottom as they are not needed. You should still have a pair left in the middle and the top. Solder a short wire accross the top pair of terminals and ground it to the side of the pot. Now solder a short wire accross the top pair of terminals to the lug on the left on the pot (the middle if it's being used as a tone control). Now remove your existing volume (or tone) control and solder the push-pull in place of it, re-soldering the wires on your harness to the terminals on the push-pull that correspond to the same terminals that were on the old pot. Now for the last step, you'll need to locate the two wires taped back in the lead wire of the HB1. These two wires are soldered together and should stay that way. Solder a short jumper wire from them to and accross the bottom two unused terminals that were left on the pot. Make sure any exposed wire is covered with heat shrink or tape. That's it. When the pot is in, the two wires you broke out of the harness are unaffected. When you pull the pot, they are grounded and therefore shorted out, leaving you with one coil. The volume will drop a bit too.

[winston]

Thanks Dane,

This all seems very clear. However If (once I get the push pull pot of course) I have any questions, I will send you a PM.

Btw how much of a volume drop should I expect when the push pull pot is engaged?

[aceonbass]

The volume drop reminds me of when you engage the vintage tone circuit on a current 4003.

[brunfox]

Thanks for the feedback guys! Very keen to learn from others how they go (in any electronic setup) in a 300 series guitar and secondly-basses. I do like the modern higains (a lot), toasters too, and have heard the humbucking 6string Ricks, but not one possibly capable of sonically covering that range.

[brunfox]

I just had a thought about wiring. During the circuit work or wiring process, has anyone taken a picture of the original wiring, and then with the modifications to circuit, push-pull pots and HB1 wires?

[brunfox]

I've been searching through youtube to find clips of 300 series Ricks with HB1s. No luck unfortunately. I did find a comparison http://www.youtube.com/user/docjeffreyb ... Cs1NGcS4yE with a 300 series with scatterwounds, a 620 with higains, and the Dakota with the HB1 humbuckers. I know the Dakota sounded darker, and perhaps due to walnut instead of chambered maple 300 series body and bridge.

Do any members here have clips comparing or showcasing these HB1s in their 300 series guitars? Fwiw, youtube did not have the 380 Laguna either.

[brunfox]

adding a cross thread to this viewtopic.php?f=33&t=387016 which I just found.
Now to search the forums to see if "Richard Bengston (wmthor)" has a sound bite or two

[wmthor]

I had the HBs in my 360 for close to 10 years before I sold it a couple of months ago to a Ric-Less friend. Although the Hi-Gains were included in the sale, my friend has decided to stick with the HBs. I did no changes to the wiring. However, I would have loved to gotten my hands on a schematic for the 380L. The pickups were super quiet. Sadly, I do not have any sound clips available.

[wmthor]

BTW, after switching to the HBs, the 360 became a sweet blues guitar. Used it primarily with a Fender Silver-Faced Deluxe Reverb.