Weak pickups

[pflash4001]

Hi, all. It has been a while since I last dropped in. I hope you all had a blessed Christmas and New Year. My question is this, just how weak are the pickups on old Rics? The difference between my 1968 and my 1979 4001's is incredible. The '68 really has low output. I don't know anything about voltmeter readings or numbers on these pickups. Another thing I am wondering about is if you others have the same issue I am having with the horseshoe p/u. If I set the pickup height where the E string rings freely when open, the string will hit the pickup when fretted at or anywhere above the 11th or 12th fret. If I set it to clear in the upper register, the open string will rattle against the horseshoe cover. Is my bass in need of an adjustment, or is that just an issue with these pickups and basses. Is there anything that can be done to increase the output of these pickups? Should anything be done about these pickups? I live the feel of the neck, but don't play this bass as much because I need to find a solution to these pickup issues. I would really appreciate any info you guys might have.

[wints]

Javier,

To answer your question, yes, they are weak compared to the 70/80/90's pick ups. They are usually wound low, and are not 'hot" like the later p/ups. They also have that bass suckin' cap in them, which dramatically lowers output when compared to others.

The horseshoes don't leave much clearance usually, and they vary with that clearance. Mine have a limited space between polepieces and the covers and aggressive playing will result in the E string occasionally being impaired.




Your neck may need adjusting, but IIRC I thought you sent it to Dale for a set up a while back. Did that happen?

[rickcrazy]

Hi Xavier. Long time no see indeed Hmm... Yes, it sounds like your '68 4001 is in dire need of a neck adjustment for starters. As for the low output pickups, I think you can guess what my advice is: make them much hotter by rewinding and/or regaussing them, or simply replace them with modern versions or custom-made units (hint, hint) My trusty 1970 21 fret 4001 had that very issue when I got it in late 1986. It was perfect in every way except for the very low output pickups. A new set of ridiculously hot pickups built out of scratch by yours truly took care of the problem. Take your pick. All the best.

[jwr2]

I played a 1968 4001 for 30 years ... then about 2001 I got a 73 4001 ... I rewired it with 250 k ohm pots and no .0047 capacitor ... it was much louder than my old 68 ... then I got a 4003 it was even louder yet ... finally when I put 11k ohm 4003 high gain pickups in my old 68 it had balls ... Horseshoe pickups are prone to degaussing and they are wound to about 6 or 7k ohms ...

[pflash4001]

Thanks for the quick responses, guys. Yes, Dale did do a restoration on this bass. I was still getting that contact between the p/u and the low E string. Sergio, I was hoping you'd chime in here. Contact me via email to talk a bit more about pickup remedy options. Is there any way to increase the gap in the pickup to give it more clearance? I am not even talking about playing aggressively at all. I mean even just striking the string while tuning will do it. Thanks again for your help, guys!

[weemac]

The old horeshoes can be regaussed whilst still in the bass by waving a rare earth magnet along the sides of it (make sure you get the polarity right or you get even less output)
Don't wave the magnet near the toaster though.....
emac.

[jwr2]

I have wondered for years if someone placed 2 of the really small rare earth magnets on a horseshoe pickup and just left them there if it would make the horseshoe pickup work better ...

I know too strong of a magnetic field is bad and too weak is also bad, but I wonder if a properly placed magnet could be a permanant fix for a horseshoe?

[weemac]

I have wondered for years if someone placed 2 of the really small rare earth magnets on a horseshoe pickup and just left them there if it would make the horseshoe pickup work better ...

I know too strong of a magnetic field is bad and too weak is also bad, but I wonder if a properly placed magnet could be a permanant fix for a horseshoe?

Thats how I discovered that they can be regaussed by accident..... However leaving the magnets on the horseshoe will stop it sounding like a real horsie!
emac.

[pflash4001]

So, where do I find one of these rare earth magnets?

[weemac]

Here:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Clamp ... gnets.html


I feel on the old horeshoes that is worth bypassing the Capicitor as well, as the old horsies need all the help they can get. However just remember that this is only my opinion on my bass, another bass may sound better with the cap in......

emac.

[jwr2]

you can get little ones at your local radio shack ...

[pflash4001]

So how exactly do I do this without screwing anything up? Or should I just send my p/u's to Sergio and have him work his magic?

[weemac]

Well. if a horsies degaused you can't do to much harm to it by fiddling with it in situ.
And I don't recommend rewinding pickups that are not dead (particualy vintage ones)
But if you do not want to mess with vintage pickups either find some newer ones or see if Sergio could make some really flash ones for you!

That aside the magnet wiping trick will also work with one of those ceramic bar magnets that you find on the bottom of cheap strat pickups.

What you do is:

1 Plug in your bass and turn it on
2 With the bass on a table or on your lap, select the treble pickup
3 get your magnet and hold it so north is up or down (not sideways)
4 Pluck a string and while it is ringing......
5 SLOWLY Move the magnet near the side of the horsie that is closer to the bridge. If the tone from the pickups starts to distort and drop in volume STOP! and move the magnet away.. Turn the Magnet over and try again!
6 If volume gets loud and proud, you are on the right track...
7 Pluck the string again and move the magnet along the side of the horsie and then do the same along the other side of it while plucking and listening (keep the magnet up the same way). Remember to keep the magnet away from the toaster!
8 It takes a minute to get it right and all of the strings running at the same volume but if you get it right the Horsie will come up as strong as the toaster.

I have tries a few ways of regausing the Horsie and have found this way to be the most effective. However, It seems I have to do it every few years on mine to keep it sounding it's best.

emac.

[pflash4001]

Thanks for the info. I think my brother has a few old strat pickups in his stash somewhere. I will try this as soon as I get home! You guys once again have pulled through.

[pflash4001]

On the other issue...is there anything that can be done to increase the gap so the strings don't rattle?