Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

This is my first post. I have a '97 360 MG with the stock Hi-Gain PUPs.

The problem I have always had is that the output level falls off too much on the high "E" string.

Does anyone know what the effect will be if I push the pole pieces further down into the pickup under the A-B strings?

I'm hoping it will even things out some by reducing the output on those strings.

Thanks for any advice!

John

Hi John. Welcome to this Forum where everyone is Rickcrazy like me haha.
Pushing the A and B (or did you mean G and B?)string polepieces further down into the pickup is not an option - the magnet is standing in the way so to speak. What I did some years ago to address the very same issue on an '89 360 I owned was switching the high E and the G string polepieces. It worked. However, it was a somewhat risky procedure, as pre-1990 high-gain pickups depend on the polepieces structurally and I stood a definite chance of ruining the pickup by messing with its high E polepiece.

Sergio,

Thanks for the reply. From what I could see, the outside poles, both E strings, are not sticking out of the pickup, but the poles under the A, D, G, & B strings are higher. I was hoping to level them off flush as with the other 2 poles.

Because my 360 is a 1997, i'm hoping I will be okay.

If switching the G and E works, I might give that a try.

Also, do you know if it is possible to pull out the higher poles pieces and grind a little off?

And finally, do the pole pieces get damaged or scuffed up when you remove them?

Any advice on the last question is appreciated.

Thanks!

John

Yes, the higher set polepieces can be pulled out and re-inserted.
Since the polepieces are not exactly easy to pull out, the best way to remove them without damaging them is by removing the magnet and pushing them off the bobbin by tapping on their bottoms (I'm sure they'll love it haha!).

Sérgio, what is a safe way to remove the magnet and what is a good kind of glue to replace it with?

"Sérgio, what is a safe way to remove the magnet and what is a good kind of glue to replace it with?"

Yeah, I was wondering this also - I've tried to pry the ceramic magnet off a high gain but got nowhere.

In another post it says to pry it off with a pocket knife, think I'll wait to hear it from the guru himself.

Yes, use a pocket knife to remove the magnet from the bobbin. To glue it back on, I use the good old UHU glue. Sparingly that is.

...and all the Whos in Whoville reglued their uhus with UHU glue and lived happily ever after...
What's UHU glue?

Better yet, do U UHU?

Is it easy to undo UHU?

Easier than UHU might think.

But it's tough to re-do UHU.

UHU is not that easy to undo, mind you.

http://www.reuels.com/reuels/product20442.html

The glue sticks I'm familiar with would not hold the magnet to the coil. What are we missing?

I also tried to use a knife to remove the magnet (factory glued) and only started to distort the magnet - it never even started to come loose. Help?

Help is on the way. A UHU glue stick ('UHU Stic') is not suitable at all to our purposes... UHU 'All Purpose Adhesive' is. Pattex is another brand that comes to my mind.
A pocket knife is fine for removing the magnet from a high-gain pickup, believe me. Just be careful not to cut through the magnet or your fingers...