Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hey everyone, first time poster here. I have a August 1980 black 4001 that I've owned for about 12 years. I want to get an original looking bridge pickup (and Chrome bezel)put back in it instead of the Seymour Duncan (and ugly black cover) that's in it now. Maybe replace the neck pickup too. THe stereo input is unhooked too. Essentially it would need to be rewired.

1st: Will the Seymour Duncan pickup fit in the original chrome bezel. I don't have a problenm with the pickup, just the black plastic cover.

2nd: Where can I get parts?, local shop here in Fredericksburg VA says that they are unable to get them and they are a Rickenbacker dealer.

3rd: Who/Where is a good place to get this work done?
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks.

My basses: http://users.adelphia.net/~sbpowell/guitars.htm

Hi Scott, welcome,
I don't know what kind of a sound you are looking for, but the new Ric high gains are great sounding pickups, especially if you want a thicker more powerful sound than the originals had in your bass. I have an 81 4003 coming with Seymore Duncans which I am going to promptly pull out and put on Ebay, I am having some late 70's 4001 pickups rebuilt by a member of this form who may also be able to help you. His name is Sérgio Silva and knows a lot about Ric pickups. I don't think that the Duncans will fit in a standard surround but I am not sure. If they did, they probably wouldn't have made that ugly black surround for it.

You can get a replacement bridge pickup with the surround for $125 at Mike Parks web site ...

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

he has other ric parts as well ...

Seymour Duncan has made a lot of great pickups ... the one on your bass is not one of them ... If that was my bass I would put the Ric pickup back in it and wire the outputs as 2 mono outputs ... nobody will ever miss the obsolete ric-o-sound feature ...

If you lived closer to Michigan I would say bring it over some Saturday and I'd fix it for you while you watch and wait ... it's pretty easy ... if you can work a screwdriver and a soldering iron then you could even do it yourself ...

Welcome Scott, you've come to the right place. This is "THE" place for Rick info.........other than the official Rickenbacker website of course

Welcome aboard, Scott.

I'm astonished that an authorized dealer would tell you he can't get parts. But better to order from someone who actually appreciates your business. Jim Rhoads at Rhoads Music http://members.aol.com/rhoadsmusi/store.html is another good source of in-stock parts.

Scott: Hi and welcome.
Yeah, your 4001 sure looks like it could use an overhaul.
I totally agree with Jeff when he says 'Seymour Duncan has made a lot of great pickups. The one on your bass is not one of them'.
One of my six Rickenbacker basses is a Burgundyglo 4001 made in July 1980. Last year I replaced its bridge pickup with one of my creations, as the polepieces on the original pickup could not be adjusted. Recently I removed my pickup from that 4001 and sent it to a former member of the Forum, a guy by the name of Greg Gibbs who had expressed an interest in replacing the bridge pickup, a (totally unsuitable) Fender Jazz pickup, on his late 60's 4001 (fitted with a Seymour Duncan in the neck position, I hasten to add), which he calls 'The Frankenbacker', which is the name appearing on the non-original truss-rod cover that came with the bass. I believe some of the guys still remember that one 4001. To make a long story short, a couple of days ago I received an E-mail from him regarding my pickup. His words: 'Hey, hey, hey! Got the pickup last night. Hooked it up in 10 minutes and it sounds better than the Seymour Duncan neck pickup. I am totally pleased with the pickup. Greg.' What I'm trying to say is not that you should fit your 4001 with a couple of my pickups (plus, for obvious reasons they look somewhat different than genuine Rick pickups, and you state you require original-looking p.u.'s), but rather that you definitely should get rid of those Seymour Duncans.
And hey, do try and buy more Rickenbacker basses -they are pure magic!

The pickup-look you are looking for...

THanks for the info everyone. I've got parts coming and can't wait to get my Rick back together. One day I'll pick up another one. Twin 4 month olds are hogging the bank account right now!