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Sound of added Capacitor to 1990's P/U Vs. 1970's 40
Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2002 9:57 am
by geddyleewannabe
If I purchased a 4003 built in the 90's and added a .0047mcF capacitor to the bridge pickup, would it sound identical to the sound of a high-gain bridge pickup found on an early to mid 70's 4001?
Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2002 10:13 am
by rob
Not quite. The pickups of the 90's until now are a bit hotter than the 70's. If you're looking for the 70's sound, you'd probably have to buy pickups from the 70's basses. OR, ask Sergio on this forum. I heard he makes fabulous pickups that might be able to replicate, or come close to what you are looking for.
Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2002 11:01 am
by rickcrazy
Many thanks, Rob, I appreciate the endorsement. Jon, Rob is right about Rick pickups of the 90's not sounding like the 70's ones. Quite simply, they are overwound which makes them sound different. Plus, the coil is not wound as close to the polepieces as on 70's pickups, which makes for a pickup with less output if you partly unwind it to 70's specs. The answer is finding a pickup from the 70's or having someone make you one that duplicates its specs.
Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2002 5:29 pm
by jwr2
There are a few different types of Ric bass pickups ...
1 - you have the old vintage 60's horseshoe and toaster pickups.
2 - you have the reissue horseshoe and toaster pickups.
3 - you have the high gain from the '70s
4 - you have the high gain from the late 80's to present.
All of them sound different, all of them sound good.
The old horseshoe and toaster make a classic sound with the capaciter added. The new horseshoe and toaster pickups are similar but not indetical to the old ones. For instance the magnets on the new toasters are longer.
The 70's high gain pickups were hotter than the toaster and horseshoe pickups.
The 4003 high gain from the late 80's to now are hotter and thicker sounding, they are wound different.
I prefer the newest Ric pickups. For those of you who think this is too thick, then turn up the treble and high mids and cut your 250k on the eq ...
A nice combination is the new hot pickup in the bridge and a toaster in the neck.
Another nice combination is a 70's high gain in the bridge position and a new 4003 in the neck.
I personally only like the capaciter with the horseshoe pickup ... for all of the rest I remove it.
I prefer the newer hotter pickups, then I like the high gain from the 70' and early 80's, and then I like the reissue toaster and horshoe pickups, and least of all I like the old toaster and horseshoe with the capaciter. They are all good sounds, but because I play modern music, and use 5 strings alot so I prefer the newer pickups.