Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

jps wrote:

henry5 wrote:The h/shoe overpowered the toaster somewhat on my V63, but that mainly seemed to be because I couldn't get the toaster close enough to the strings. The balance between the two is fine on my CS.

Can you measure the DC resistance of those two HS pickups for comparison?

That would be really interesting to know. Also in balancing the toaster and the horseshoe, take the rubber washer out of the adjusting screws so you get that little bit more height. Then raise/lower the HS pup to get the balance/tone where you want it. The balance does not need to be way in favor of the treble pickup.

There is a limit to how far the RIHSPU can be adjusted beforre the strings hit the underside of the HSs or the tops of the magnets. Since the HSPU is too hot I would suggest the JPSRIHSPUMOD.

David, look at your bass at the angles Jeff photographed from, and compare to his. He pulled the shoes, used pliers, opened the shoes up, and can move the pickup lower away from the strings as a result.

johnallg wrote:...He pulled the shoes, used pliers, opened the shoes up, and can move the pickup lower away from the strings as a result.

The first set I used pliers, that was on the FG '73 4001. The second time I did it, on the V63, I used a better method; I took a 1/2" stud that was long enough to fit within the gap of the shoes, with two nuts on the ends of the stud that were turned with wrenches in opposite directions to spread the tangs apart. I placed thin sheets of aluminum about an inch square between the nuts and the inside surfaces of the shoes to protect the finish. You want to spread the tangs a bit more than you ultimately want as when you release the tension on the shoes the gap will get a bit tighter. I opened them up enough so that the underside surfaces basically matches the radius of the strings, providing quite a bit more downward adjustability of the pickup.

Plus, it just looks so much better, more vintage like. See example below of vintage '60s horseshoe pickup.

If you bend the tangs too much you may get shoes that look like this:

jocal62 wrote:OK, maybe this would be the case: I want to move the treble pickup away from the strings because as it is, it is already too loud and hot, is this right?

Right on!

Here is a shot of the horseshoe pickup on my 4001 before the JPSRIHSPUMOD:

Without the JPSRIHSPUMOD the A and D strings would hit the shoes preventing lowering of the pickup the desired amount. Even with the JPSRIHSPUMOD the toaster is still weaker than the RIHSPU but it does provide a much better overall balance than before.

I've been here almost 2 years and there is always something new to learn . I did'nt know the vintage horseshoes had that kind of angle to them . Tricksy Mr Scott is .

johnallg wrote:

jps wrote:

henry5 wrote:The h/shoe overpowered the toaster somewhat on my V63, but that mainly seemed to be because I couldn't get the toaster close enough to the strings. The balance between the two is fine on my CS.

Can you measure the DC resistance of those two HS pickups for comparison?

That would be really interesting to know. Also in balancing the toaster and the horseshoe, take the rubber washer out of the adjusting screws so you get that little bit more height. Then raise/lower the HS pup to get the balance/tone where you want it. The balance does not need to be way in favor of the treble pickup.

Unfortunately I only have the CS now. I don't have anything to measure them with anyway, but that's a minor detail.

I tried everything to raise the height of my V63 toaster,but without success. The output of the CS toaster, allowing for the difference in height, certainly seemed greater. Of course as John says you can just lower the shoe....FWIW the V63 was a '98 and the CS is a '91. If anything I thought the V63 was sweeter sounding, but it wasn't quite as powerful.

The issue is not that there is a difference in output of the toaster so much as the output of the horseshoe pickup. I have had a 12k toaster and then a 7.4k toaster in my V63 and the output difference isn't all that great, the HS is/was still a lot hotter.

I like the JPSRIHSPUMOD. Its both functional and aesthetic, allowing the HS to be lowered more for better pickup balance.

But I prefer to get the whole heavy, stinkin', in-your-way-assed-things OFF my basses! When they're off, you can lower the pickup enough that it will balance as well as any hi-gain equipped 4001/4003.

henry5 wrote:The h/shoe overpowered the toaster somewhat on my V63, but that mainly seemed to be because I couldn't get the toaster close enough to the strings. The balance between the two is fine on my CS.

#

I simply remove the four toaster cover screws and the two black rubber washers(beneath the adjustment screw and pick guard), slightly glue the cover to the inner PU and insert it back to the pick guard and thoroughly fix it with the two adjustment screws to the highest position. That difference gives a tremendous raise in volume of the neck PU!

Jeff T. - Just send all those lonely shoes to the Allgaier Home for Unwanted Rick Shoes!

johnallg wrote:Jeff T. - Just send all those lonely shoes to the Allgaier Home for Unwanted Rick Shoes!

Then what am I going to use to anchor my boat?