Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Sergio and/or other friends,

I have a bass bobbin on the way which is of the late '60s HS type (clear green-ish bobbin, screw polepieces, 8K). Ultimately I'd like to use with real magnetic shoes, but while I'm searching for another set, I'd like to be able to use it with a Hi-Gain magnet in the meantime. What would be the most accurate/appropriate magnet to use? I've searched the forum and seen that the early bass Hi-Gains used a narrower magnet than the later black pickups. Any suggestions for what would be the closest to that type of magnet?

A quick and easy choice would be the smaller magnet off a neck high gain - it is a bit less in size (all dimensions) than the bridge high gain magnet and may be what was used - haven't seen an early HG in person to tell.

Hi Paul. Well, using an original, "narrower" magnet or one off a current neck high-gain pickup will leave you with an "undergaussed" treble pickup. Using a standard, oversize bridge pickup magnet instead is the road to go. Besides, using a neck pickup magnet will require cutting three holes in it: two for the screws that hold the bobbin to the base plate, and one for accommodating the negative terminal & lead on the underside of the bobbin. Cheers.

Thanks, Sérgio. Do the early hi-gains have the problem of being undergaussed in general?

Any other sources for those magnets, beside the obvious one of another pickup?

From the 60s through the mid 70s sometime, they pickups were weaker in at least windings. As you've observed and stated, the early high gain bridge magnets were smaller then the later ones and would be weaker too.

Because of musical (player) demands in the mid 70s, RIC started winding the high gains hotter (8.5k or so), and then in the late 80s?/early 90s? (I'm hazy on the time) they went to the 11.4k windings. Magnet strengths, I dunno. Sergio?

Hi Paul. You're welcome. To answer your questions, "Yes", "No".
Hi John. Well, the so-called rubberized magnets on modern 4003 pickups (neck and bridge) have not changed since they were introduced, 35 years ago.

Thanks, guys. Guess I'm in the market for a busted Hi-Gain!