Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

How does it compare sonically to the modern hi gain? I was contemplating changing my high gain out on my new 4003 for a different sound. Since it doesn't have the elevated button tops on the magnets, can I raise the top of the toaster up close enough to compensate for this?

well i cant tell you what the new toasters sound like - but yeah you can raise them up way higher with a little alteration,

The toaster on my 73' is not that strong, so i removed the 4 corner screws that hold the pickup together (the adjustment screws hold it together fine) and also removed the rubber grommets.

I had to gently file the pickguard opening wider with a craft knife so i could get the pickup up as high as it can go - but you may not have to do this on your bass .

anyway, it looks unaltered when finished, just higher .

I can post a photo of what i did if you want

Sonically, the modern high gain is much hotter than the toaster. The toaster measures about 7.4 and the modern high gain is around 13. You can raise the toaster to maximum height. There are a couple of ways to do this and I even read a post here in which you can make it height adjustable. I usually remove the 4 small corner screws and cut the rubber gromets in half to get maximum height (the two long screws included will hold the cover in place when you attach it to the pickguard).

Thanks Owen, I'd appreciate that. I thought that the D.C. Resistance on the scatterwound toaster was about 11.5 K Ohms, which would be closer to the 13 k Ohms that you quoted on the High gains Dan.

A lot of us 4003 owners find that adding a neck toaster and leaving the high gain in the bridge is a good pickup combination ...

Big G - IMHO, the toasters sound similar to hi gains except they are smoother sounding - less spikey. I dont like mine that much as its weaker than the bridge hi gain, but a reissue with its more windings would soound pretty good. They also look much better

My new Scatterwounds measured 6.15K and 6.25K. I replaced the HB-1s in my 4004Cii with the Scatterwounds and now I have the sound I was looking for; they sound great with TI flats. They are lower in output than the HB-1s but that is easily compensated for with more volume from the amp. Compared to the original toasters in my '67 4005WB they are quite a bit hotter. Compared to the high gain in my '73 4001 they are just very slightly quieter and smoother sounding in the treble range.

Next question on the plate, do I have to alter the pickguard to get the toaster in instead of the hi-gain?

not usually ... any mod will be very slight ...

there are pretty much the same size ...

Keep in mind that both the toaster and the high-gain pickup have used exactly the same bobbin design for about a decade now, so it all boils down to d.c. resistance and type of magnets used really.