Differences between 4001s & 4003s

captain_jetglo · Post by **captain_jetglo** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 1:52 pm

Thank you Greg, that's precisely what I was trying, but I thought the solution was something more technical. You know "if you can complicate it, why should you make it easy?"

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 2:52 pm

No problem Sergio. With most vintage guitars of all brands, the bridge pickup usually had less power than the neck pickup anyway. The main reason for this was that companies would make one pickup model, but use it in the neck and in the bridge locations. There isn't as much string energy at the bridge so an identical pickup in both places will always be quieter in the bridge. When you add a cap in series to the bridge pickup, that gives it even less power than it might have had. Nowadays of course, most companies design a pickup specifically for each location so the volume will be equal, or slightly higher for the bridge pickup, but since the RICS are often reissues of vintage instruments, then you end up with a vintage sound setup....and there are pros and cons to that.

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 2:56 pm

Olá, Javier. How have you and your family been? Me I'm doing great: I became a grand-stepfather - or should I say stepgrandfather? - two months ago, turned 50 two weeks ago... Oh well haha!
You mean you are contemplating installing the '79 neck pickup on the '68 4001? That should work, but not cosmetically - a high-gain neck pickup on a late '60s 4001 does not cut it looks-wise IMO. Well, since I still owe you one pickup, how about a 'high-gain in toaster's clothing'? I can't spare a further toaster cover though.

pflash4001 · Post by **pflash4001** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 3:15 pm

Great! Congrats on being a new step-grand somehow or other father! Additions to the family are always great. My little one, Elias, just turned 6 months old. I have my hands full with my two boys, but I love them more than anything! Yeah, I am thinking about the '79 p/u in the '68, but like you mentioned, I really want to keep the bass as close to stock original as possible. Is the toaster cover available anywhere and can it be put onto a pickup easily? Thanks for the pickups and info! Great to hear from you!!

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 4:22 pm

Well, yes, I believe toaster covers are easily available from the likes of www.the-music-connection.com or even from forumites. Fellows?

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 10:06 am

If it was me, I'd probably stick with the toaster in the '68, to keep it more original. You can buy a toaster from Mike Parks at www.the-music-connection.com . You'd want to get the one for bass, as it mounts differently than the on for guitar. I have two toasters for bass that I'm not using at the moment, but am not sure that I want to sell them. They're from 2000, and are about 6k/scatterwound instead of the 7.4k/scatterwound ones now available. Because of the lower wind, they don't work as well on a bass as a hotter pickup would...I was thinking of rewinding them hotter but haven't gotten around to it yet.

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 4:11 pm

Sergio A - play with the pickup heights to balance them also.

Sergio S - Happy belated birthday and congrats on the grandfatherhood!

Greg - great info on pups - thanks.

pflash4001 · Post by **pflash4001** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 6:39 pm

Greg, let me know if you want to sell the p/u. I guess I will just have Dale put in the one from the '79 and take the toaster cover off the one in the '79. The pickup can be changed later, but what I am really concerned with is getting that neck fixed.

bob_atherton · Post by **bob_atherton** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 1:19 am

At a slight tangent... I have on order a new AFG 4003 and am getting it with a new toaster at the neck. I guess this will be a 7.4K scatterwound and a good match for the high gain at the bridge.

Is there any reason that this should not be a good match. I have no real problem with a high gain at the neck, I just wanted this bass to get me through a whole set without switching to my Fender J from time to time. I felt the toaster with a bit of tone roll off will get me into a more Fenderish zone. Any thoughts?

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 1:24 am

Many thanks, John.
As soon as I can find the time, I'll send you one of my state-of-the-art 4001/4003 "high-gains". They use the oversize polepieces you sent me, and they are... well, insanely hot. No more weak bridge pickups haha.

jps · Post by **jps** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 5:13 am

You will love it Bob.

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 6:10 pm

Javier, I'll probably hang on to these toasters. I can change the bottom mount and be in good territory for a fifties RIC with the weaker pickups if I want to.

If your horseshoe in the bridge isn't completely demagnetized from age, and still has the series cap in place, then it will be a great match for a neck toaster. If the cap has been taken out, then it will over-power the toaster when the switch has both pickups on. As I said, you can get a brand-new, 7.4k scatterwound toaster from places like Mike Parks, and that would fit in perfectly and look great.

captain_jetglo · Post by **captain_jetglo** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 7:51 am

Thank you very much John I'll do it and then I'll tell what happened. Definitively this forum is "The Word"

captain_jetglo · Post by **captain_jetglo** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 8:02 am

Hi Sergio, what is all this about oversize polepieces? Do they really make bridge pickups stronger and hotter? That sounds good, anyway I'll try what John told me.

Muitas congratulaÃ§Ãµes avÃµ.(is that ok?)

pflash4001 · Post by **pflash4001** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 8:55 am

Thanks Greg. Oh, and thanks for the pickup cover. I'm getting ready to send off my bass to Dale in the next few days. I took my '79 with me to Guitar Center yesterday asking if they had any cartons to fit the case so I can ship my bass off. As soon as I walked in 3 of the visiting managers came and offered to buy my Rics off me. One kept insisting even after I said they weren't for sale. He finally backed off when my son said "That's going to be MY RinkyBonker!"