Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Does anybody know which year Ric switched from Toasters to Hi Gains? I see it around 1970ish, but I'm not sure, anybody have Rics earlier than 1970 with Hi Gains?

Cheers,
-Collin

Did ric go through a transitional period where the hi gains were brought in or where they switched so to speak overnight,Also in the transitional Pups are they today of more value than say the standard toaster /Hi gains ?

I believe that high-gain guitar pickups were initally used in the 381, but some of the earliest 381s had toasters. High-gain guitar pickups were also described once in an internal document as "381-type coils", according to Richard Smith.

It seems that they were phased in on guitars over a period of time until around 1973 when high-gains were used all the time. During this time you'll see both styles of p/up.

Bass guitars started seeing high-gain bridge p/ups in 1968, neck p/ups in spring 1973 or thereabouts.

I have button HG on my '74 4001 for both pups and on my '00 4003s5 a toaster on the neck and button HG on the bridge pup.

ah, ok. I'm restoring a 1968 Electro ES-17 (425), and in looking for pictures, most of them have toasters.

In the book Illustrated Directory of Guitars (cheap Barnes&Noble handbook), on pg. 389, there is an identical Es-17 in Fireglo, the same year as mine, and it's pictured with a Hi Gain and chrome-top knobs. I'm not sure if it's 100% original, but the guitar is owned by Rickenbacker, so i'm assuming...?

Most others I've seen were earlier, and had a toaster p/u and all black knobs.

Cheers,
-Collin

The transitional hi-gains, like these on my 1970 331LS:
are hard to find and are thus bring a higher price.

collin wrote:ah, ok. I'm restoring a 1968 Electro ES-17 (425), and in looking for pictures, most of them have toasters.

In the book Illustrated Directory of Guitars (cheap Barnes&Noble handbook), on pg. 389, there is an identical Es-17 in Fireglo, the same year as mine, and it's pictured with a Hi Gain and chrome-top knobs. I'm not sure if it's 100% original, but the guitar is owned by Rickenbacker, so i'm assuming...?

Most others I've seen were earlier, and had a toaster p/u and all black knobs.

Cheers,
-Collin

There were a few batches of ES-17s made in the early '80s, with Hi-Gains and later-model knobs (strictly speaking, they're not chrome-topped, but rather capped with spun aluminum trim). But the majority (perhaps the vast majority) of ES-17s went out with toasters and vintage-style black knobs, as they would have been built in the '60s.

Also, guitars in books credited to Rickenbacker are often modified, as many of the guitars in the factory museum were used to test different ideas, colors, trim options, etc.

collin wrote:ah, ok. I'm restoring a 1968 Electro ES-17 (425), and in looking for pictures, most of them have toasters.

In the book Illustrated Directory of Guitars (cheap Barnes&Noble handbook), on pg. 389, there is an identical Es-17 in Fireglo, the same year as mine, and it's pictured with a Hi Gain and chrome-top knobs. I'm not sure if it's 100% original, but the guitar is owned by Rickenbacker, so i'm assuming...?

Most others I've seen were earlier, and had a toaster p/u and all black knobs.

Cheers,
-Collin

Colin,

Hi gains appear late fall 68. If you ES is a HJ, HK or HL serial, it may have been originally fitted with one.

awesome, thanks guys! I got the serial number off the old owner, and he mentioned (way after the fact!) that the guitar originally had a toaster and black knobs. Now- to the build!

Cheers,
-Collin

Some basses had high gains in '69, at least in the treble position.

ken_j wrote:Some basses had high gains in '69, at least in the treble position.

Ken,

Spot on! For basses I believe transition from HS to hi-gain was late '68-'69. Transition from toaster to hi-gain for the 4001/4001S neck pickup is late '73.

leftybass wrote:Bass guitars started seeing high-gain bridge p/ups in 1968, neck p/ups in spring 1973 or thereabouts.

My August 73 came through with a Toaster in the neck position but my Dec 73 came with a high gain neck pup.

Anytime after August 73 the high gain started to appear in the neck position(4001), I've seen examples with both.

Just to clarify...

Teeder has HB102, a 4000 with hi-gain, and I have the preceding bass, HB101, a 4001, with a horseshoe....

Confused?
You should be!