Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hello Everyone,
First post here...
When I was 11 I wanted to get a blue Rickenbacker, but my teacher said that it was too big for me. I ended up getting a Les Paul recording bass (short scale) and to this day (I'm 43 now) have always played short scale basses.... BUT, I've never seem to have gotten over that first Ric sighting and subsequent desire.
Please pardon my ignorance, but I'm wondering about these "horseshoe" pickups on the early basses. I know that lap steel guys LOVE them, but how were/are they on the basses? Do certain models still come with them? I know it's all a matter of opinion, but are they worth seeking out?

Thanks for any help you could offer.

Keith

WELCOME to the FORUM Keith,

You will find this is a fantastic place to do your Rickenbacker homework or just to hang out for a few laughs!

I'm partial to the Horse shoe pickups. I have two RIC basses that I'm always comparing all the others to.

Be prepared to put down some four digit numbers for a bass with the HS on it. RIC makes a current model, the 4001 C64 that I've never played, but they have some RAVE reviews.

I own a 1988 V63 and a 1995 4001CS. They both have a unique sound unlike the 4001 or 4003 basses.

I also own a few standard 4003 basses that IMHO don't have the same PUNCH the ones with the HS pickups do.

Be patient, do your homework, and wait until the folks on this forum that have MUCH, MUCH more experience than I to give you some more percise information!

Again, WELCOME!

Hey Keith and welcome to the forum. Horseshoes are one of the most debated topics here. Some guys think they are weak and thin while others think they are gifts from heaven. I am somewhere in the middle. I have a vintage 4001 with an original horseshoe. It has plenty of punch and most people who play it are surprised by how clean and clear it is. Mine records well and has plenty of bottom. Among the litany of HS complaints is that the shoes (as they are called here) get in the way. Some players like to rest on them (ala Chris Squire) but most (like me) find them to be restricting. They do look sweet though.



The current HS pickups are very different from the originals. They are merely cosmetic approximations of the vintage pickups. The shoes are non-magnetic because the poles are alnico rods. The vintage pickups have true horse shoe magnets and screw pole pieces. The vintage HS pickups will not work if the shoes are removed where the modern ones will. As I said, merely cosmetic.

I have seen many pics of 60's hs pickups, but never a detailed side shot of the new unmagnetized pup. Does anyone have a shot that shows a side view of a new one out of the bass from the side?

Hey, Thanks for making me feel welcome.
So, if I understand correctly, the 4001 C64 is the only current Ric in production that has the HS pickups, but they are only cosmetic reproductions and don't operate like the originals?
More questions.. sorry! Does Rickenbacker sell HS pickups to fit a 4003? (The Rickenbacker site isn't working for me, otherwise I'd try to find this out for myself).

Thanks again.

Not yet. They used to sell HS pickups but not anymore. The boss of Rickenbacker has stated that in the future we might get an update on this. Maybe they will sell them again or only under some circumstances.

Welcome Keith. I have a V63 with a horseshoe pickup, along with a few 4003's with the standard high gains.

I love the look and sound of the horseshoe, but it sits right in the sweetspot, and gets in my way. I prefer to play my 4003's with the pickup guard removed.

Hello everyone,

I play in a hard rocking chuggin` rock band. Going to buy a Rickenbacker bass, and wanting any advice on which model would suit my sound.

Run a Trace Elliott 300 watt head 1x15 and 4x10 cab

Any Ric will do! I'm in a metal band and prefer the better lowend response of the 4004 series but I've used 4003's with great success as well. Try a few out if you can and pick whichever you like best.

Welcome Keith and Michael.

I like horseshoes

Dave:

Didn't your mom ever tell you that it is nice to share?

That is UNREAL. A man after my own heart.

Long, deep, sigh..........

I have HS envy.

Humbuckers.....

Dave,,,thats just wrong on so many levels.