Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

On a '74 4001,the A and D pickup pole pieces are raised about 1/16 of an inch and those 2 strings sound full and stong. The E and G pole pieces are down and those strings are tonally weak. Can the E and G pole pieces be safely raised without destroying the pickup ? Use regular pliers or rat nose ? Or is it a job better left to an expert ?

the word here is that you can't do it to the older 4003 and 4001 pickups, only the 90's 4003's, ask Sergio silver he seems to know more than just about anyone here now about pickups.

Robert: Yes, the polepieces on pre-1990 high-gain pickups are better left alone. However, what you suggest is not unfeasible. Do both pickups present the same problem, or only one of them?

Sergio, its both. Did they come from the factory that way back then ?

Affirmative. But before you go about raising the E and the G polepieces on your high-gains, check whether either the action for the E and G strings is not a bit high (relative to the A and D strings, that is) or the action for the A and D strings is not a bit low (relative to the E and G strings).
70s and 80s high-gain pickups are very simple and somewhat crude devices. They have drive screws (steel rivets) for polepieces. Though these are not meant to be adjusted, you can adjust (=raise)them if you know exactly how to go about it.
I'll be waiting for your next post.

Perhaps I'd better ask that critical question, how do I go about it ?

Well, using a pair of pliers firmly grab drive screw head and turn drive screw counter-clockwise to cause it to raise. Take great care (specially on the neck pickup) not to raise polepieces any further than about 1/2 32", or they'll come off the bottom plate of the pickup bobbin, which can lead to all sorts of trouble with your pickups...
Should you require a simple explanatory drawing, I'll be glad to send it to you via e-mail.

Thank you Sergio ! Because the margin of error seems razor thin, I'd best not do it.

The error margin for the treble pickup is not that thin - the E and G polepieces can be raised a full 1/16" without compromising the integrity of the coil/pickup.

Buy some new 4003 pickups, they are much better IMHO and much more powerful. They have a more modern sound, and can compete in the real world of all types of music rather than being primarily for a 60's type sound, also bypass the .0047 cap for the mids and bottom you are missing from the treble pickup, (it runs from the middle tab of the treble tone control to the pickup selector switch) you'll have a new bass if you do these things and they are reversible if you don't like them.
Some people here also file the E and G bridge slots to lower those two strings. Also make sure the nut slots are ok for the strings you are using. (low enough)

Bob- the modern 4003 are really something. The bridge pickup on mine is the loudest thing ever - so much power!

No clanking tone, though. Too bad. Whereas the treble p.u. on every one of my Ricks has the power AND the clank. I wish you could listen to them - they're the baddest 4001s on the face of the Earth, haha! No offense meant to all 90s 4003s out there, of course...

Some of us don't want clank. I sure don't.

Sergio, my 4003 is clanky. very clanky

Nothing wrong with clank