Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hello All,

I am getting very shrill feedback from my 2005 350/v63 (Jetglow), when playing at about 2/3 power of a 'AC15 clone'. As I really expect to use this exceptional instrument (Would anyone like to hear about the mods done by Mike Lull?), while clubbing this next year, at ~30 watts, the feedback must be addressed first!

I have read in archives here that dipping the PUs in wax helps. I have also contacted the Seymour Duncan Custom Shop--they have said that basically for $95 each, they will overhaul the PUPs. Finally, I am willing to buy PUPs from a reseller, so I can continue to use the thing for at least recording ideas. Anything I should watch out for (as it relates to resellers), here?

Finally, does anyone here have a recommendation on what else I might consider to address the feedback? Also, if anyone has any advice about suggested re-windings or different copper wire gauges for maximum chime, I'd really appreciate knowing.

Thanks,
Jackthericker

Jackthericker!

Great handle.

Welcome to the fold Thaddaeus. Im a bass player so no real help here. Im sure someone will chime in with info.

I'm sure Sergio can offer you some help, so hopefully he notices this thread.

Wax potting can help, but if not done right it can also ruin the coil. It also makes the pickup less alive sounding and less responsive.

I would not try Seymour Duncan's custom shop under any circumstances. They do good work and are nice, but they aren't very organized and are very slow. I ordered some Danelectro custom pickups from them and it took them 2 tries and 7 months to get it done right. You shouldn't have to overhaul the pickups so soon anyway, since the guitar is so new....unless you put in actual vintage toasters?

I'd suggest that the covers may be vibrating and causing the microphonics. It happens often with Tele neck pickups for instance. You can get some very thin foam and stick it under the cover between the cover and the bobbin, and see if that stops the feedback. Sometimes you can also stick a dab of hot glue between the cover and bobbin too if the foam doesn't work. Do all the pickups do it, or just certain ones?

If you're determined to send the pickups to a rewinder to fix the issue, Sergio is a great choice, and also I'd suggest Jason Lollar. He has tons of experience with pickups, and especially with Rickenbacker pickups. Another good choice is my friend Dave Stephens from www.sdpickups.com. He doesn't have a ton of Rickenbacker experience however.

Rewinding the pickups I would only do if the coil is bad, and the stock winding (scatterwind about 7.4k using 44 gauge wire) sounds the best overall.

If you want to replace the pickups with something else, you can get brand new toaster pickups from Rickenbacker directly, or from resellers like Mike Parks at Pick of the Rics among others.

Hope that helps, and welcome to the forum by the way!

Hey Jack. You can get a very nice jangle with high gains and that is what I would recommend.

Why not purchase high gains and have the toaster covers installed over them after having the pole buttons removed.

Finally, a wiring that allows for the neck and bridge pickup configuration is essential for the jangle, at least to my way of thinking.

Then take the blindfold test, and I don't think you will be disappointed with the end result. The feeback will be under control and the look will be vintage as well, no peeking!

At your service, Jack The Ricker.
"...different magnet wire gauges for maximum chime..." You mean crystal-clear tone?

Just visited SDPickups. Quite interesting. Another "brother in arms" indeed. Can't say I agree with everything he says though, but that's my problem.

Wow!

I must say: thanks much for the quick input and many welcomes to the forum.

All your comments are very interesting!

BTW: I am a kicking-and-screaming Rick Convert (RC), of eight years now--with a hi-gain 620/12 being my ++primary++ axe until a recent purchase of a 350.

Ok, in order...

+ Will try dampening the covers this week--am not sure if it is just the bridge or bridge and middle pickup.

+ I have liked the higher output of the hi-gains in most cases with the 12 strings, however they do seem less 'sweet' sounding to me in the EL84 world. Dunno if this is due to the magnet material, strength, or winding style.

In a nutshell, what I want is maximum picking articulation and dynamic sensitivity so as much of the instrument (and player), makes it way to the Blue Bells / Dogs.

Peter, your comment about pickup configuration allowing for a bridge and neck combination speaks strongly to an intuition I have had about the best sounds of the 620/12. Your opinion convinces me I need to pursue this mod.

Sergio, I am guessing the best way to describe chime is that it is clean with light picking and grit with a heavier attack. The hi-gains on the 620/12 have been great for this in the 15W EL84 world, but the toasters definitely sound 'sweeter' to my ears. Guess, I'd like to discuss some options such as higher output toasters (have read rumors of older ~11K toasters in the forum archives), or lower output hi-gains or even other magnet choices. Hopefully, we can hook-up via e-mail in the next day or so.

Thanks All,
JTR

Sergio, glad you liked the SDpickups site. Dave comes from a blues world, and all his pickups are intended for playing jump blues. He formerly did EMG's advertising campaign in the 80's, but now he hates their pickups. I get to hear his creations every week at a lcoal jam, and they never fail to impress. I especially like his broadcaster, Dirty Harry, and '59 Strat pickups, but really they all sound good. I'm working with him right now to get some good humbuckers in my Epiphone Dot.

Jack, personally I think the RIC 12's sound best with vintage spec toaster pickups for a chimey sound. My 330/12 BBR has high gains on it, but I've played some with toasters, and they do the clean chime better to my ears, so I'll be changing over. The high gains work better for blues things, and more aggressive music overall to my ears. Part of that is the higher wind, and part is the ceramic magnets. Both pickups use 44 gauge wire.

Greg,

Thanks for the information. Hey, just out of curiosity, does anyone here contribute to wikipedia.en pages for Rickenbackers? It seems like there is so much accumulated knowledge here, it can stand being codified at some point in a reference article.

Sergio,
I'll be contacting you in e-mail in the next few days after doing a bit more troubleshooting on the feedback--am really busy with a new job, so it is hard to figure when I will have a free hour next. Even if it proves easy to defeat the feedback, I may want to experiment with a hotter bridge and neck position vintage toaster pickup in the 350.

JTR.

All right.
Greg, thanks for the info.

Greg is spot on with his suggestions, EXCEPT:

Mike Parks is not Pick of the Ricks--Chris Clayton is.

Both terrific people and cornerstones of the Rick sales community here in the States.

Here is some support for two of the best RIC dealers since Rose Morris:

Mike Parks:

http://www.the-music-connection.com/ric.htm

And Chris Clayton:

http://www.pickofthericks.com/

Thanks to the Rickenbrothers!

If you're out West and looking to place an order, I can't say enough about Grayson's Tune Town in CA.

My impression was that forum or not, Mr. Grayson will take extra special good care of you. He does know the value of word of mouth. They don't really run an active web site, just a tool to get you involved. Trust me, they will do the job for ya if you make the phone call. Needless to say, I am a fan of Mr. Grayson.

http://graysonstunetown.com/index.php

Sorry about the confusion! I got my links messed up. Both dealers are grea though!!

Greg,

Thanks for the link to Grayson's Tune Town, I had not heard of them.

JTR