Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I actually did a somewhat less scientifically accurate test of a similar sort, by picking up a couple things close at hand before and after (mounting screws, RI shoes I happened to have disassembled). It's hard for me to think of a standard test to tell what degree of improvement has been made, but it seemed that it may have required marginally more effort to remove small things like the mounting screws after recharging than before. Before the charge, the "real" shoe was able to hold the RI shoe, but I didn't shake it around much to see how strong it would hold! After, I was able to pick up the whole reassembled RI HS pickup by one of its shoes - but only barely. (I didn't think to try that before the recharge, plus, I hadn't reassembled the RI HS yet.) In any case, it's just that bit hotter now, and it was certainly worth the effort. Nice to know that I have the tool to recharge my own pickup contained neatly as part of my regular gigging equipment!

Paul, I'd say if you can pick up a whole RIHS pickup with one shoe, you are doing just fine!

I suppose you have a point!

9 hours seems about right to me, before I first recharged my then newly acquired shoes they could barely lift something as light as a paperclip and were so weak I was getting virtually no signal from the pickup. Afterward one overnight session metal cutlery stuck perfectly well.

I find my shoes lose maybe 30-40% over a year or so (although I freely admit I haven't measured that scientifically, it's a wet-finger-in-the-air figure!) so I recharge them at least annually.

Regards,
Steve.