Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi gains would have to be "de-buttoned" to fit on a 4004 due to string clearance.

if you enlarge the hole the pickup sits in slightly then you can lower the pickup to make it fit ... I went through 5 or 6 different pickup schemes on my 4004L5 and finally decided that the hb1 pickups were best for that bass ... wired in a VVT arrangement with either 1000k ohm pots or 500k ohm pots ...

Jeff, do your 2000 series basses have the HB1 pickups in them, or are they the older single coils that look like the HB1's? How would you compare the sound of the modern HB1's to the humbuckers that came int he 2000 series and the 200 series? Still the same pickup? Thanks!

I think they called them HB2s when they are used in the 2000/200 series. I suppose they could be the same on the inside though. Sergio?

the hb1 and hb2 have the same guts ... both are 15k ohm series humbuckers ... they have a p-bass type sound but a little hotter ... they look different outside ... the 80s 2000 basses and 200 guitars had 11k ohm single coil pickups that rock ... they have the classic Ric sound the 90s 2000 basses and 200 guitars had the hb1 pickups ...

I have an alder p-bass with a quilted maple top that has a single coil 2000 bass pickup in the bridge and a hb1 pickup in the neck ... it is one of my favorite basses ... it is pictured here ... http://www.3dentourage.com/425/c5pbass.htm but that was when it had 2 hb1 pickups ... since I put the single coil it has a sort of Geddy 4001 sound ...

Jeff, I take it that one was withheld from the current house-cleaning.

oh ya ... I just sold 4 basses ... a few more may be on the block ...

Sounds like I need to get one of those 80's single coil pickups that came on the 2000 series basses and 200 series guitars to experiment with.

Jeff, my 1989 230 has the hb2's on it stock, so they must have switched before the end of the 80's.

my 2 86 2030 basses had single coils ...

Yah, I think Mr. Hall told me once that 1989 was the transition year for when they switched the single coils to humbuckers.

Anyone ever tried humbucker in the neck?..

With the standard hi-gain in the bridge?(on a 4003)


I use the bridge pup wide open on my 4003, and about 30% tone and volume on the neck pickup...My sound comes predominantly from the bridge pup - the neck just gives it a touch of girth(anymore, and I lose "that" sound!)...just wondering how toasters and 'buckers sound in the neck compared to regular hi-gains..


"That guy's a real humbucker in the neck!"