Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Bom dia, Sergio!

A question for you pertaining to those horseshoe pickups.

I've seen some people say that the shoes are "cosmetic" only.

Others (myself included) say that the shoes "bend, shape and focus" the magnetic field around the strings, to "emulate" the original horseys. The evidence that this is the case (I believe) is the fact that the E and G polepieces on a reissue horseshoe are so much shorter than the A and D polepieces. Since those "outside" polepieces are so close to the "bend" of each shoe, I imagine that is where the magnetic field would be concentrated, therefore a shorter polepiece is necesitated for the sake of sonic balance.

Have you come to any conclusions about this? Or have you heard any definitive word from any official RIC source(s)?

BTW, many thanx for your wonderful contributions to the forum!

John Hall has stated they are cosmetic only. I have tried to magnetize them and they won't. The varying heights of the pole pieces you observe is to emulate the curve of the fretboard - just like the high gain pickup poles do. My take on it.

I agree that the magnet stagger is to produce even string balance, but I do recall John mentioning several times that the shoes do have some affect on the magnetic field.

I'm sure that the shoes do have some effect on the magnetic field, but the pickup will still function without them. There have been a few forum members that have removed the shoes. I don't recall reading about complaints of poorer output or tone.

My Halfway House for Hapless Horseshoes is taking in refugees, all are welcome.

An aesthetic only....

Take them off, dig in properly, and it won't make the slightest bit of difference to what you hear.

Boa tarde, Alvaro
Well, I couldn't have explained it any better. Anyways, one thing the RI 'shoes certainly are useful for is grounding the magnet and coil assembly.
As for the fact that on re-issue HS pickup both the A and D polepieces are much taller than the E and G ones, I think this is rather by accident than design. Just my opinion.

rickcrazy wrote:As for the fact that on re-issue HS pickup both the A and D polepieces are much taller than the E and G ones, I think this is rather by accident than design. Just my opinion.

Sergio, the magnet rods are actually different lengths, so I do not believe it is by accident. It is to follow the curve of the neck/nut/bridge.

Well, I know What I was trying to say was that both the A and D polepieces are way taller than they should be, which sometimes results in either the G or E string, or both, having less output than the A and D ones. Take any high-gain pickup: all four polepieces on it are set at the right height.

I get even string response from the two RIHS I have.