Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

While browsing through a Google search yesterday, I found several places that sell RIC toaster pickups for about 2/3 of what the going price is. I'm wondering if anybody has purchased one of these? Are they B-stock or what? I like supporting North Coast, Rhoads, etc., as much as anybody. But if these are the same thing, why would I pass one up? Anybody have any feedback?

Pat,

I recently purchased two new toasters for $66.00 USD each from Music 123.

There is nothing wrong with them. Welcome to the forum BTW.

Thanks, I'll get my order for one in. I tried the high-gain/toaster combination (high-gain at the neck/toaster at the bridge) and it seemed to work for a while until I picked up a ToneLab and Euro-tubed and "Webered" my amp. Now, I've changed my mind, the high-gain is too dark and muddy (maybe because it's a 24 fret?). The only thing the high-gain is good for now is blending in with the 5th knob. I don't use the high-gain by itself any more.

Pat,

we have lots of threads dedicated to pickup selection on this site. Well worth perusing if you have a few hours of surf time available.

There are quite a few people on the forum who have lots of experience in this area.

Good luck, Pat. Hope you get it at the right price!

Pat, you might want to consider putting the high gain in the bridge position and the toaster at the neck. I did that with my 620/12, and it's the best of both worlds as far as I'm concerned.

I agree with Ted. I have a hi-gain in the bridge of my 350V63 & toasters in the mid & neck. A really great mix IMO.

If you were using a 7.4k in the bridge, then the hi-gain would have overpowered it & I could quite see that the sound could be a little 'muddy'.

You can pull the high gain/toaster combination off providing you have a hot toaster at the bridge.

What Ted and Peter said.

Plus, the 24 fret neck does make a big difference in how the neck pickup (of any type) sounds too. Actually, you should be getting a bit MORE treble response because the neck pickup is closer to the bridge - so I wouldn't worry about that at all.

Just swap your existing toaster and hi-gain positions and see if that isn't better for you.

I got 2 of those toasters from Music 123.I am putting them in my 620.I want my guitar to look like Ron Nasty's.

I've been thinking of putting a toaster in either both positions or just the neck position of my new 330 for a little while now. I was concerned about how well this combination would work out, but it seems like folks are already doing it. It also doesn't seem to be as much of a cost as I had originally anticipated.

Two questions about the toasters. First, is there a neck and a bridge option available, or is there just the one 7.4K model?

Second, do most of you guys change the pups on your Rics yourselves or do you send it out? I've changed pups on a number of guitars in the past but the Ric is far and away my nicest guitar.

I've also been toying with the idea of swapping out both pickups for toasters, but I'm afraid I'm not going to have enough gain if I do that. Of course, that's what booster and od pedals are for!

Anyone know if Paul Weller's Jam era Rics had toasters in them?

You can easily swap the pickups yourself, Jerry.

I saw Paul Weller using a Rose, Morris with toasters on 1 song only : News Of The World. (the video)
The guitar in the song sounds as one with toasters anyway.
The others are all hi-gains you hear, I think.

Just checked the high gain pick up I'm considering selling when I replace it with a new toaster. I'm getting a reading of around 16 ohms! Seems awfully high. I've checked that the volume knob setting was full and the other toaster (replaced the other original high gain, last year) and it reads 7.8 ohms. So I'm wondering, has my meter gone FUBAR or is this a reasonable high gain reading?