Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hey guys.. Like many of us out there I have removed the treble pickup cover since I play mostly with a pick. I find that this thing just gets in the way. So off it comes. I have seen the PickGuardian replacement surround which looks ok I guess. But not as good as the original part. Have any of you guys created some sort of insert or seen anyone that has created an insert for the original PU surround? That covers up the gaping hole now visible? I was thinking you could get a piece of mirrored plastic and with a dremel tool create an insert that fits inside the original part. Use some adhesive to adhere it to the underside of the original pickup surround. Sound like a good or bad idea?
Thanks...

I would think if you tried to use adhesive to try and hold an insert like that to the inside of the chromed surround, you'd get frustrated quickly with it repeatedly coming unglued.

Aaron, if the piece you make fits well and does not compromise the functionality and playability of your bass, it's not a bad idea. If you have the plastic piece shaped right and have holes drilled in the correct positions, maybe the pickup height adjustment springs could hold up that piece of plastic.

Joey is right, using the right sized holes would allow the springs to hold it in place. The tricky part of the project is making the cutout in the piece for the pickup to sit in and the mount holes all line up in the area the overall shape has to fit in. Not impossible at all, just takes good measuring, layout, and execution.

The pickup cover could be used as the start in the making of a template. Then you would have to square the ends and make it a bit wider from front to back to sit under the opening.

I LOVE my cover-less treble pick ups, mysterious crevices and all!

This might be a good starting place - do a paper cutout and go from there.
http://www.pickguardian.com/pickguardia ... 0Plate.pdf

rickaddict wrote:I LOVE my cover-less treble pick ups, mysterious crevices and all!

I'm with ya' Jeff! Check out the gaps here!!

Seriously...For me, it's become a VERY important thing (The cover-less bridge pickup). I play finger style, and I've been playing Ricks pretty much exclusively for 27 years now. I never look at my right hand when I play. The hand just goes down by the bridge pickup, finds the surround (and it's screws) and knows from there exactly where each string is. My playing is nowhere near as confident without it. As you all know, my 4002 doesn't have the same surround. As cool as that bass is, I can't play it as confidently as a 4001/4003. I can play it well, just not on "autopilot." Likewise, playing a 4001/4003 with a mirrored plastic Pickguardian surround, or playing with a horseshoe or pickup cover on doesn't work for me either.

This is one of those great ‘matter of opinion’ things. I love the look with the cover on, but it gets in my way. I am a pick player (mostly) and with the 4001 find my little finger occasionally ending up in the well below the bridge pickup... one of my many bad habits.