Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

What? China...factory...Rickenbacker...what? Say it ain't so! Is there something I'm missing here?


Cole

Take a deep breath Cole - it was just a little joke.

I will take that asprin out from under my tounge(sp?)now. Wow, the only thing I could see is little red flags on Ric pickguards saying "Made in communist China." LOL

Cole

And they would all be red.

tranny red!

color of the year...."Commie Pinko"

BTW....Happy Holidays Mr. Hall!

I have never heard any kind of description of the 4002 pickup before. If I am interpreting bifilar correctly it means that 2 wires were used in each coil and then joined it a way where the coils are wired in series. Apparently, Tesla patented this technique and used it to increase the efficiency of electrical coils. It turns out that electromagnets wound this way are about twice the strength of single coil electromagnets with a give current. Applied to a pickup, it would seem that the pickup would then be twice as sensitive. The coils of the 4002 pickup are sealed with rivets and not easily seen without damaging the pickup. I have always wondered what was going on in there. Thanks for the info John.

"... Applied to a pickup, it would seem that the pickup would then be twice as sensitive"

Is that a good thing? at my current level of bass playing (and after 30 years I don't think it's going to improve) I prefer the more "forgiving" pickups, over the super-sensitive pickups like Alembic's, which put a sloppy style under a magnifying glass. Ted, you own a 4002, are the pickups significantly more sensitive? How does it affect playing?

Maybe sensitive is not the right word then. Sloppy play seems to be less noticable on the 4002. Further reading about bifilar coils suggests that they are less affected by eletromagnetic noise. Less buzzing and hum? Quieter? The tone of the 4002 is more defined than the 4001/3. To my ear, the dynamics are better - smoother. Perhaps pickups wound this way are able to "hear" the strings better. In any event, this is a very interesting piece of information.

"... Sloppy play seems to be less noticable on the 4002"[/size]

I want a 4002! But seriously, I wonder if such pickups could be offered by RIC as an option on the 4003, like the VP option.

All bifilar means is that it has two separate windings, interwound on the same bobbin. In this case one is high impedance, the other low and they are not connected in any way.

My trip to China is strictly as a tourist- we thought that Christmas in Beijing and New Years in Hong Kong would be just a bit out of the ordinary. I plan to not think about guitars even once on this trip . . .

Hong Kong sure is a fabulous city. The electronic stores are brilliant. Gadget heaven.

"I plan to not think about guitars even once on this trip . . ."

Good luck, John. I don't know about you, but for me that would be impossible. I'm addicted!

Have a fun trip. Merry Christmas/Happy New Year!

Hong Kong is a fabulous place, I lived there for three years, John if you'd like some suggestions for restraunts and some things to do, especially on the Island let me know.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all my Rickenbrothers (and sisters if there are any more), even people who are just lurking. You too Mr Hall, have a fun safe trip. Hopefully next year Mr. Hall will again post here regularly and we can all respect the way he knows that he needs to manage RIC.
I want to that all you guys for sharing knowledge. Thanks to Dane Wilder and Paul Yan for parts I needed.
Very special thanks to Sergio Silva.


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From me and my Ricks to you and all that are special to you. All the best.