Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

OK, a minor nightmare... Love the 4001C64S, but right now it sounds terrible! I removed the horseshoe magnets and now have virtually NO signal from the treble pickup. It didn't seem that powerful to begin with. Could I have a dud pickup? The 4001CS kicks a$$ without the shoes; I put rotosounds on the C64S and did exactly the same thing to the new Rick and almost nothing for signal. Anyone have some ideas?

Removing the shoes on a horseshoe is like beheading it!

A hi-gain is just as effective as a shoeless horseshoe, why not simply apply a reversable mod and install a hi-gain...?

Chuck-

My C64S sounds great w/o 'shoes. Like I said before, I couldn't tell the difference in sound with or without shoes on both my v63 and my c64. But I sure could tell the difference in playability! The C64 Horseshoe is not as hi output as the v63 or CS horseshoe and obviously comparing the two will show that. Could it your problem have something to do with the ground wire that was attached to the 'shoes? I forget how I did it, but I made sure it was still hooked up. Also, are you sure the pickup height is the same now as it was before the 'shoe-ectomy?

Henny-

I like the high gains, but why would I want to buy a new pickup, solder it in, and thus alter the sound of a unique and kinda rare Rick? Removing the 'shoes is a less involved, more easily reversable, cheaper, and lower hassle alternative.

So...Bleah!

Yeah it shouldn't sound THAT much different, I would check the pickup height also. They don't have to be the same height either, I usually put the bridge PU closer to the strings than the neck for more bite.

check polarity of the p'up?

Sergio!

OK Jeff, point taken..

Yes, opposite polarity would make it less and less full to the point of being very nasel as you equaled both volumes instead of the other way around. Start with both volumes on full and back off the neck volume knob on your bass, if the sound gets a lot fuller instead of thinner your polarity is backwards. Then try the opposite, treble knob turned down.

Chuck:
Sounds like someone installed an original '60s horseshoe pickup on your 4001C64S somewhere along the line! A re-issue horseshoe pickup, as found on the CS, will not be thusly adversely affected if the 'shoes are removed. Unless... Can you measure the ohm rating on the treble pickup on your 4001C64S?

So how would you reverse the polarity then?

Thanks for all the help. I will check out all these things. Now I realize that it is the pickup or wiring because when I played it with the shoes on it sounded wimpy: I just assumed that it was where I played behind the pickup and the lighter gauge of strings. There's no way a pickup is that weak. Again, I did remove the shoes on my 4001CS and it's a monster (often get compliments on how great it sounds). I'll be checking all these things and I'm sure I can get it. If not I'll have to send it back, which I DO NOT want to do- I want to play this bass, it's just too damn sweet to be without for several weeks

Jeff, reverse the wires to reverse the polarity.
Sérgio I thought of that too but figured it would be so remote that it would be almost impossible.

So to remove the pickup cover on a 4003 it seems that the whole chromed plate assy needs to be removed, which means string removal too. Is this right?

So the polarity couldn't have changed when the 'shoes were removed unless the soldered contacts were broken and then re-connected.

Saxon-that's how I've always done it. I've heard somone here say that you can bend the plastic cover and pull it out after removing the screws, but I wouldn't do it that way.

THANKS JEFF

Yes you can bend it a little, that hint was courtesy of JH, it works I've done it ever since.