Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi Sergio,

I just wanted to share with the other guys about our look under the covers of my 430.

To catch everybody up, I will say that I was specially unhappy with the sound of the neck pickup, after a trial and finding both pickups pretty muddy and lifeless without a healthy dose of EQ and much tweaking. Sergio advised me to check whether the pole proximities might be a factor. First I checked the height of the covers.



Not great but no excuse for what I was hearing. So we opened her up.




Both pads were just flat and the ends of the brackets (holding the magnets) were sandwiched between body and foam, placing the pole heights too far below the already sagging covers. Well we removed the old foam and cut some new ones from some scraps. Here's what the pickups look like with old foam removed:




We installed the new pads, this time placing the bracket on top of the foam and the pole pieces more raised against their covers. Everything sat higher because the pads are new, also. I even had to dog them down a little. Looks good and the difference in sound is remarkable. This guitar now sounds fine without any boost, just the way it should by me.

Kudos to Sergio for nailing the diagnosis on the first guess. I feel like I've been to the fortune teller.

Anyway, I hope someone finds this interesting. I find the black plastic covers cool and unusual even though they hide ordinary hi-gains. But the bracket feature is unique. On this economy model Rick those little brackets save the need for a bottom plate (and the four screws to tap and set). Pretty clever and a time and money saver. I wonder what the bobbins are made out of? It looks like electronics board?

Yo Kira!

Thanks, and cool post.

"Electronics board"? Yes, PC board. Tough as hell, but quite easy to fashion into pickup bobbins. Except for both the early and the modern HS bobbins, Rick pickups are virtually indestructible.

You're welcome, Sergio.

What's the bobbin spindle made of?

Here's a concluding look at the refit, with the new pads as well as the newly added upper pickguard, all executed by yours truly.

I see you still have those knobs on the 430!

What's with those two extra pickguard screws, the ones on either side of the jack?

Well it's been all of a day since we discussed it.

I suspect the extra screws are there by design to help take the stress on that corner from repeated jacking and unjacking.

Nice job there Kira, I have a old 4 pickup Tiesco Del Ray I should have you fix up

If that's what I remember, it's a cool old bird. Absolutely, send it on out. I need a new hobby.

kiramdear wrote:Well it's been all of a day since we discussed it.

I suspect the extra screws are there by design to help take the stress on that corner from repeated jacking and unjacking.

So that is the normal location for the output. I thought my 4005WB was the only one with a jack in that place.

Great post Kira i enjoyed it.

Very cool thread and thanks for the pics, Kira! First time for me to see the inside of the 430 Hi-Gain pickups and it sure is very interesting. Congratulations on reviving the sound of the pickups!

Sérgio's wisdom and knowledge on Rickenbacker pickups are unbeatable! We're lucky to have him.

paul_yan wrote:Sérgio's wisdom and knowledge on Rickenbacker pickups are unbeatable! We're lucky to have him.

Amen, Brother. You said a mouthful.

jps wrote:

kiramdear wrote:
I suspect the extra screws are there by design to help take the stress on that corner from repeated jacking and unjacking.

So that is the normal location for the output. I thought my 4005WB was the only one with a jack in that place.

Yeah, that's normal for 430, and a cost-cutting decision maybe?. Could be they felt nervous about not havin' the jack on the side, so they compensated with a couple of extra screws. Nah, I like the jack on the guard because I play sitting down 95% of the time and I'm always stressing that side connection by bumping the cushion or the chair frame with the plug, you know what I mean ...

I'm glad everyone enjoyed this. It was fun for me.

Yo, Paul!

Rest assured, I'm still around I trust you're doin' fine. Thank you for your kind words.

Thanks, Kira. Huh... Sorry, but what do you mean by "bobbin spindle"?

rickcrazy wrote: Thanks, Kira. Huh... Sorry, but what do you mean by "bobbin spindle"?

I mean the center part of the bobbin around which the coil is wound, not the ends that we see in the pics. I guess a bobbin is made of three parts and the poles go through the axis of the spindle.