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Re: Horseshoe Pickup
Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:10 am
by s4001
86kubicki wrote:I find it very hard to play a horseshoe equipped bass or any other Ric bass with the bridge pickup cover on. For me, that area of strings is the "sweet spot" for my playing style - the string tension feels best there and I feel like get the best tone from that spot. This is why I also prefer finding and installing the bridge pickup mounting bracket without the scoop from the 70's on my 4003's - its much more comfortable when anchoring your thumb against the bridge pickup.
I'm with you 200%. The horseshoe is right where my playing style is. I don't have a problem anchoring on the bridge pup, but a previous owner of my 4003 had filed down the corner of the surround so it wouldn't dig into the thumb. Very thoughtful of him.
Re: Horseshoe Pickup
Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 7:03 pm
by jps
rickaddict wrote:There's a good photo of the latest version of the Macca bass floating around the forum somewhere.
Is this the photo in question? I wish I had a bigger version.
Re: Horseshoe Pickup
Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 7:49 pm
by johnallg
s4001 wrote:86kubicki wrote:I find it very hard to play a horseshoe equipped bass or any other Ric bass with the bridge pickup cover on. For me, that area of strings is the "sweet spot" for my playing style - the string tension feels best there and I feel like get the best tone from that spot. This is why I also prefer finding and installing the bridge pickup mounting bracket without the scoop from the 70's on my 4003's - its much more comfortable when anchoring your thumb against the bridge pickup.
I'm with you 200%. The horseshoe is right where my playing style is. I don't have a problem anchoring on the bridge pup, but a previous owner of my 4003 had filed down the corner of the surround so it wouldn't dig into the thumb. Very thoughtful of him.
Again, let me state I am accepting all unwanted/unused horseshoe pickups to give them a good home where they will be loved and wanted.
Re: Horseshoe Pickup
Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:40 pm
by DavyR
jps wrote:Is this the photo in question? I wish I had a bigger version.
No! From what I know, this is a pic of the bass back in the early 1970s. We're looking for a recent photo with a horseshoe re-installed after it was removed shortly after this pic. I can't find the recent pic either!
Re: Horseshoe Pickup
Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:39 am
by johnallg
That does not look like an early 70s case. I don't think they made them like that back then. The surround is not like the one on his early horseshoe, whereas it looks like the one the higain from the 70s had.
Origional:
70s Higain:
Re: Horseshoe Pickup
Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 9:18 am
by teeder
There's a real good picture of it as it is today in the Beatle Gear book.
Re: Horseshoe Pickup
Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 11:07 am
by rickaddict
DavyR wrote:jps wrote:Is this the photo in question? I wish I had a bigger version.
No! From what I know, this is a pic of the bass back in the early 1970s. We're looking for a recent photo with a horseshoe re-installed after it was removed shortly after this pic. I can't find the recent pic either!
That
is a more recent photo, Davy. There is an even better photo than that one, but that one does show the re-issue HS. You can see the gap between shoes, and you can see that the horseshoes are flat [unlike the originals and the most recent (2009 models) which are angled to follow the contour of the strings more closely.] In the 70's when Macca's horseshoe was removed in favor of the hi-gain, he didn't have the pick up cover on it.
Re: Horseshoe Pickup
Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:23 pm
by DavyR
So the early/mid 1970s "sticker" was ALSO attached ALONG with a new stock replacement horseshoe pickup? What up with that? Hard to believe that McCartney would be into restoring it unless it's on its way to the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. LOL!
Re: Horseshoe Pickup
Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 6:18 pm
by jps
DavyR wrote:Hard to believe that McCartney would be into restoring it unless it's on its way to the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. LOL!
Cool, then it would be in my hometown!
Re: Horseshoe Pickup
Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 8:07 pm
by weemac
DavyR wrote:So the early/mid 1970s "sticker" was ALSO attached ALONG with a new stock replacement horseshoe pickup? What up with that? Hard to believe that McCartney would be into restoring it unless it's on its way to the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. LOL!
He still uses it in the studio but live he much prefers the lack of weight that the hofner is.....
Macca works hard and is not exactly a spring chicken anymore. I think he is entitled to take a bit of a load off his back..
It's amazing that the two most famous users of these basses, still are!
Eden.