Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

So, has anyone ever done a comparison of the various RIC bass pickups, impedance, single/humbucking, sound, etc. for all the various ones that have come out? We've got the Horseshoe, the toaster, the hi-gain for bridge and neck, the HB1 humbucker, the 4002 pickups. I'm sure I've missed something in there.

In particular, at the moment, I'm interested in the differences between the 4002 pickups and the HB1, both in normal and single coil mode. And then a comparison to the 4001/4003 types might be nice too.

I'm kind of wondering what a 4004 withe HB1's with the 4002 tone circuit might be like...

I may have missed discussion about this, but I'm also curious about the differences within the hi-gain versions, other than cosmetic. Button top, adjustable pole, the original non-adjustable with screw buttons vs. later with no screw type heads, and the ones that have the raised flat part along the long edges, etc.

Anyone know what PU is in my 1974 Rick 4000 bass? It is stock, that's all I know.

Hope these links work:

Highgain

Toaster

These are samples I made using my '94 4003FG with the original highgain and my '04 4003BB with a toaster. Both samples use only the neck pu. All other noises come from fooling around with AbletonLive. BTW, this is not music...

Rob, yours is the first generation "Hi-Gain" treble pickup.

loves4003 wrote:Hope these links work:

Highgain

Toaster

These are samples I made using my '94 4003FG with the original highgain and my '04 4003BB with a toaster. Both samples use only the neck pu. All other noises come from fooling around with AbletonLive. BTW, this is not music...

I haven't been able to listen to these clips 'cuz I'm at work, but I see another factor here that makes this not a direct comparison. In '94, a 4003 would have had 250Kohm tone pots, whereas an '04 4003 would have had 330Kohm tone pots. All else equal, the '04 should sound brighter.

paul_yan wrote:Rob, yours is the first generation "Hi-Gain" treble pickup.

Yeah, the 8k ohm best sounding one.

rickaddict wrote:

loves4003 wrote:Hope these links work:

Highgain

Toaster

These are samples I made using my '94 4003FG with the original highgain and my '04 4003BB with a toaster. Both samples use only the neck pu. All other noises come from fooling around with AbletonLive. BTW, this is not music...

I haven't been able to listen to these clips 'cuz I'm at work, but I see another factor here that makes this not a direct comparison. In '94, a 4003 would have had 250Kohm tone pots, whereas an '04 4003 would have had 330Kohm tone pots. All else equal, the '04 should sound brighter.

And it does. The only TRUE way to do these pickup sound comparisons would be the same bass, same circuitry. But then if you used a 4001/3 the HB1 would be at a disadvantage because of the pot values. I don't know what the answer is. But I would think it entails using the same physical bass.

I do think those clips are fairly illustrative, though, of the OVERALL differences. The Toaster is obviously fatter and the Hi-Gain has more grind. This is exactly what I experienced in them move from Hi-Gains to Toasters before. For that particular clip I thought the Hi-Gain fit much better.

My experience with the current higains is they are more aggressive but less distinct sounding, whereas putting in a current toaster refines with more note delineation but very similar tonal characteristics, just not as aggressive sounding. With the higain I had trouble from open E to G# hearing the exact note. My experience.

I feel like the low E issue also comes from string choice, though (and of course the relief and action). If I throw TIs on ANY of my Rics the E string opens up a hundred fold.