Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

On a three pickup rick (340 or 370)how is the wiring setup. How is the third pickup controled. Anyone have any experience with these and would care to comment on the sound>

Marc, the neck and middle pickup are wired together. Makes for a very punchy rhythm sound, detailed lead sound, and richly textured clean arpeggios. A three pickup Ric and an amp with plenty of clean headroom is a great combination. Most people aren't aware of the wide tonal sweep. My Telecaster and Gretsch are limited by comparison.

Cheers, Noel

Thanks for the info. I decided to pull the trigger on a fireglo 340 from pick of the ricks. Wish me luck

What about replacing one of the hi-gains on a 370 with a vintage toaster? My impression is that the one replaced is usually the neck position. Or perhaps if the neck and middle pickup are wired together, then it maybe the middle pickup would be the one to replace?

Can anyone comment? How is the sound changed?

Here's mine:

double post
Hmmm...714

HI Ronn... those look like 3 hi-gains to me. (?) If you were to replace one with a vintage toaster would it (should it) be the neck position?

Can anyone tell me where to go to buy a vintage toaster pickup ... in BLACK?... (not chrome casing)

Kent if you'd ask me to change one of my 3 pickups to a toaster it would have to be the one in the neck position.
I find that the high-gain there can get too muddy/bassy sometimes. Of course I use the fifth knob and that problem disapears if it's the case.

But personally I'll always keep the high-gains on mine.

Instead, next Ric I'll buy will have 2 pickups and they'll be toasters. Hopefully a 21 fret neck too...

I have tried most combinations of pickups on my Model 350. The type you choose certainly depends on the sound you hope to achieve.

What I did learn, however, was that mixing the pickup types did not result in a unique of desireable sound for me. I had high gains, toaster and humbucker combinations.

For a more contemporary sound I love the high gains and for the vintage sound I prefer the toasters. Both types are great, I just find the mixing of them was not a good idea as it lead to more noticeable hum on one setting compared to another.

The lack of balance between the gain of one pickup type versus the other also resulted in feedback.

Kent, I can't imagine changing a thing(except maybe the stupid upside-down R tailpiece)on this guitar, it's perfect for me.

Well thanks for the posts and with everyone thoughts I bought a FG 340. What a wonderful guitar. This really has the Rick vibe and sound. Two questions though, What is that weird smell that comes out of the case w/ a brand new Rick? And why do Rick's sound so good with compression. A little compression boosted this guitar into the stratosphere in sound. On other guitars it is not quite so overwhelming.

"Weird" smell?

That is the smell of a newborn Rickenbacker. We acquire great numbers of Ricks just to experience that smell over again!

That "weird" smell brings grown men to their knees and causes them to empty out their wallets and bank accounts only to die penniless and be buried in Planter's Fields.

It's the case glue and the conversion varnish in a secret blend.

Marc, that weird smell is heaven!
They sound good with compression because they have single coil pick ups & also because the harmonics in Ric pick ups are almost as loud as the fundamentals, which means that the 'ringing' is held over to the next note/chord & balanced via the compression.
Does that make sense?

Hmmm...compression+smell= a new aerosol spray cologne

Eau de Rick! I'd pay $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ for it.