Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

i read in another post somewhere that the hb1 pickups have 2 leads (1 per coil) i am FAR from technical-headed,but does that not mean that these pickups could potentially be wired for coil splitting...i like this idea...would save changing out hb's for toasters AND give you both sounds (more or less)....anyone? i had a similar wiring setup with my 4002 although that was with seymour duncan pickups(i know,i know...wasn't my call!)

No, the HB-1s have 4 wires.

The earlier ones had 2 wires. I don't know when the change was made. The HB-1s that were 2 wire have the smooth glossy black plastic that sits below the metal surface. The new ones with 4 wires have a textured surface that is flush with the metal surface. The gold pickup is a 2 wire and the chrome one is a 4 wire. I tried to capture the difference of the plastic top. I did these on my scanner.

RIC did a really cool thing with the HB-1. Below the coil is a small piece of PC board where the 4 coil wires terminate. The lead wires connect on adjacent holes allowing for every possible combination of sequence, selection and phase.

The 2 wire HB is not potted where as the 4 wire is. The 4 wire will not come apart. Maybe Sérgio can chime in on this. Here is what Ted is talking about. The 2 wire in the photo is installed on a friend's bass so I cannot scan its underside.

actually 5 connectors if you count the shield wire ...

http://www.rickenbacker.com/pdfs/19521-HB1%20Wiring.pdf

I have not seen a potted HB-1. While there is epoxy in the assembly, it does not surround the coils. HB-1s can be re-wound if you are willing to replace the black plastic part. The expoxy sits just under it and over the tops of the coils.

On the 2 wire gold one above the black plastic piece just falls off when taken apart. It also did not have the circuit board type construction if I recall right.

Sorry, but I'm not familiar with the 2-wire humbucker, only the 4-wire one which is indeed potted. I've taken apart a "dead" one wherein the epoxy surrounded much of both coils.

I ripped a dead one apart and was surprised to find no epoxy at all on the coils windings. Just the top. I wonder if that one was under-filled.

Im still confused.....Ted......are you saying the based on the current wiring.... the coils can be split ? Did I install toasters for nothing ? I like them anyway

I wired my 4004 with a toggle switch that had 3 settings ... single, parallel, and series ... I didn't like the single or parallel sound from the hb1