Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

It does seem that the original incarnation of the toaster was as a flat back (short pole) version, back in the 50's. Possibly made as Ric's own version of the Dearmond that was finding it's way onto some combos of the era. The flat-back design made it possible for them to easily fit into models that had the pickup suspended in the control plate (combo 400 etc, and later the Basses), but the other nice thing about them was that they could be fitted onto the top of various models of Ric without the need for routing. All that was required were the two small holes for the mounting screws, and the coax was often snuck in by raising the control plate on spacers. This principal was carried on into the 60's with 2 pickup models apparently being easily converted to 3 pickup by quickly adding a flat back toaster on demand.

I won't go out on a limb and try to say when the long poles first appeared but I suspect early 60's, and at first it seems that they were mainly used for the bridge position.

Rickenbacker did reproduce the flat back toaster for the 325c58 reissues but I don't think these have ever been available as a spare part. The reissue was a low gain pickup

Photo compliments of Tony Blair (I think) Even though the lower one has a cutout to show the poles, they did not protrude through.

That has always been my understanding as to the cause for the short polepieces as well.

Nice post Glen, on those ever elusive "shorties"...

here's a side by side photo comparision I did showing an actual 50's toaster bobbin, and a 3.7k 325c58 re-issue bobbin.

If I am remembering correctly, The early 1958 360F that David McLaughlin owned had a long-pole toaster in the bridge position....

leftybass wrote:If I am remembering correctly, The early 1958 360F that David McLaughlin owned had a long-pole toaster in the bridge position....

Must have been a RI John....