Re: What Are My Pickups On My 360/12?
Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 12:37 pm
When I got my 360/12FG, I knew I would be putting toasters in it. I would have ordered the guitar that way, but you no longer could, so I bought a pair. I had a very specific sound I was looking for, that the stock strings and hi gain pickups weren't giving me. After putting flatwound strings and toasters on it, the guitar sounded exactly the way I wanted it to, just like early Who, Byrds, and a whole slew of 60s garage bands. To me, this is what a Rickenbacker 12 string electric guitar is supposed to sound like. Not too terribly original on my part, but I'm not looking to storm the castles of popular music with this bird. I just have always loved that sound, and you cannot get it any other way.
Both my 330FG and my 360/12FG came with the button top hi gain pickups on them. I knew the 12 was getting the toasters, but was looking forward to more of that early Jam sound with the 6. I really found the pickups to be muffled and muddy,so I bought a second set of toasters and threw them on the 330. They sound great clean and overdrive nicely, but I don't really want the overdrive to be nice. Still, it sounded light years better than the stock ones.
So, RIC re does their hi gains with adjustable pole pieces, and the praises flow in. They are supposedly clear, bright, and crunchy, instead of muffled and muddy. Not ever content to leave well enough alone
I get a great deal from Chris Clayton at POTR, and I pull the toasters off, and put these on. I'm still fine tuning the poles, but I'm really liking what I'm hearing. I'm still undecided whether to use these or the toasters, as both have their pluses and minuses, but these new hi gains sound very much like what I was hoping for when I bought the guitar.
My whole point here is that I purchased each instrument with a specific sound in mind, one that nobody does better than Rickenbacker. I've discovered ways with these instruments to acheive those sounds be it pickup swapping, different strings, or changing the wiring. I must add that many people are very happy with the pickups I didn't like, and that's what makes this whole thing such an exciting adventure.
Both my 330FG and my 360/12FG came with the button top hi gain pickups on them. I knew the 12 was getting the toasters, but was looking forward to more of that early Jam sound with the 6. I really found the pickups to be muffled and muddy,so I bought a second set of toasters and threw them on the 330. They sound great clean and overdrive nicely, but I don't really want the overdrive to be nice. Still, it sounded light years better than the stock ones.
So, RIC re does their hi gains with adjustable pole pieces, and the praises flow in. They are supposedly clear, bright, and crunchy, instead of muffled and muddy. Not ever content to leave well enough alone
My whole point here is that I purchased each instrument with a specific sound in mind, one that nobody does better than Rickenbacker. I've discovered ways with these instruments to acheive those sounds be it pickup swapping, different strings, or changing the wiring. I must add that many people are very happy with the pickups I didn't like, and that's what makes this whole thing such an exciting adventure.