Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

The bridge pickup on my '86 4003 has died. Planning on having my guitar guy, Michael Dolan, rewind it, but I also saw a set of Bartolini Rickenbacker replacement pickups for sale at a decent price. Considering checking them out. Anyone have any experience with them to share? If so, how do they compare to the stock pickups?

- TS

My 4001 had some Bartolini's in it when I got it. They sounded OK but not at all like a Rick should sound.
If you want your Rick to sound more like a Spector/Tobias/Modulus/whatthehellever than the Barts would be a good replacement. But if you want it to sound like a Rick stick with the rick pickups.

I swapped the Ric p/u's for Barts when I played 4003's and found they sounded Ric-like with the exception of stronger low end (which, for me, was a plus).

My Shadow came with Barts. I haven't changed them out yet. I think they sound pretty authentic, and I agree about retained lows. I haven't spent much time with late 80s high gains for comparison, but the Barts I have are also pretty hot. I rather like them. To me, they sound like stock pickups, just more so.

Plus, on a dark stage, I can pretend they have my name on them.

I acquired a 4003 with one in the neck position. Mixed it seemed very Ric like. Soloed it was deep but not the tone I wanted. Ripped it out, gave it to Dane, replaced with new adjustable pole higain. Very happy with the new pickups.