Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

This may sound like a silly question, but here goes: When you special order the humbuckers in all three positions (i.e. on a 340 or 370), do they trully put all three on or does RIC put two high gains in the neck and mid and the hb in the bridge? I called them a few days ago about the HB Installation option I understood that they put the HB at the bridge and put in the high-gains in the other positions. Maybe I just misunderstood. Help clear up my confusion!!!

Weird.

I don't know if it's customary practice but I have seen a couple with HB in the bridge position and hi-gains in the middle and neck.

Your dealer should be able to tell you what is possible and what's not. If he can't, you need to contact a more knowledgable dealer.

I have misquoted Jason. I did not mean to. What Jay said was that I must get the same pickups in all three positions, I cannot order just the one and two of the same. I wanted to put a humbucker in the bridge position and have single coils in the others when I order my 370. My apologies to Jason.

Stephen: This is an easy mistake to make. In fact, what you are asking for was available with the Susanna Hoffs model in which there was a humbucker in the bridge position and toasters in the middle and neck positions. I notice that Susanna later changed the middle position pickup to a humbucker as well.

Thank you Peter---Now, if I did get all HBs, what would a Rick sound like with three 14 Ohm HBs? Is it really full and rich or is it more of a hot screaming sound? What would be the best combination of PUs to get a more bluesy sound---suitable for playing a slide as well?

Stephen: I would let Joe Walsh's slide sound on his Model 230GF be your guide. In fact, I think you may be more satisfied with this model if you like the humbucking sound.

I checked out him playing the GF model on the "Hell Freezes Over" album. It has a unique sound---it reminds me (slightly) of the sound of Duane Allman's guitar at the end of the original "Layla". It is a very serene sound. I might see what I can do. I think I will just get the toaster /toaster/hum combination. I've heard Fogerty with this combo before and it seems very impressive. Thank you Peter!

P.S. I will get three Toasters installed first and then get a pickup installation pro at my local Rick dealer to install the HB later.However, this will be ONLY after I hear and see if I like all tree toasters first. Updates will come!

Oops, I mean all three! No, I am not from Jersey!

Steve:
The Jersey contingent forgives you

Keep us updated on how your guitar sounds with the different pickups.

Has anybody put humbucking pickup's in all tree..em three positions on a twelve string and if so how did it sound?

Also has anybody heard if the Laguna model will be available in a 12-string? It would be interesting to hear the piezo (sp?)and the humbuckers.

Eddier: The last I heard was that there was some consideration in making the Laguna available in a 12-string. There are, however, technical problems to overcome with regard to the piezo pickup for this model as a 12-string.

Gentlemen, to clarify this search for the perfect sound, I am not going install HBs on a 370 12-string, I am going to put one on a 370/6. I suppose that when folks think of a 370 they automatically think "The Byrds sound, right?". I chose the 370 because I like the look of them, I also like the sounds Lennon and Fogerty got from the three pickups on their 325s, and I was wondering what it would have sounded like had they have had those deluxe thin-lines in their arsenals. Sooo, I am really just trying to be different and experiment. I tell you all how this works out, I will probably post photos on Bjorn Errickson's site. But I will let Peter know of my progress before I do post there.

Stephen;
You may not know this, but apparently Lennons' 325[at least his First one]did Not have all 3 PUs functioning on it;the middle one was reportedly disconnected or didn't work.

I remember reading about this a while back. I use to do research on the Beatles' guitars for a web site I wanted to start on them, until I found Bjorn's. Like I said before, I am just trying to do my own thing. I don't want to be like anyone. This guitar will be a working guitar.