Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'm sure this topic has come up many times already.. but anyway.. what are the pros and cons of removing the bass pickup cover from my Ric ?

It's in the most inconvenient spot possible for my playing style and I'm debating whether I should remove it or just get used to it.

Does it have any effect on the sound of the instrument whether it's there or not?

its plastic and serves no purpose. Some people like it and use it as a comfortable rest, but its basically worthless just take it off. It has no effect on the sound.

The cover is a relic that traces its ancestry back to the venerable horseshoe pickup. When Ric went to the high gain they kept the surround the same and made to cover to be similar to the horseshoe. You must remember that fender and gibson basses form the 60's and 70's also had useless covers on some of their basses.

It's a relic from a bygone era ... like the .0047 bass cut capaciter, the ric-o-sound, and the bridge mounted mechanical mute.

But, some of us love the "hand-rest" and the treble bite the .0047 uF capacitor brings out

While it is plastic, it is also copper plated beneath the chrome and provides some level of shielding. The bottom line is that some like them on, some like them off. I have the cover off on my 4003 but have left it in place on my 4001 and 4001CS.

Well, ive found that it provides no shielding at all! at least not that i can notice, also on black hardware basses like my 4003, the covers just a bit of black plastic.

I've gone through periods of having the cover on, then off, then on again, but I pretty much like having it on. It just feels weird without it for some reason. But for other basses I don't miss not having a handrest at all, strangely enough.

I think I'll take it off. But while we're on the subject, I came across this: http://www.pickguardian.com/pickguardian/RICBridgePUPlate.html

For me, I think I prefer the "gaping, sharp hole" to what they're selling (I like the look of the chrome with or without the cover). What do you guys think?

first of all ... it is a reversable mod ... that's a plus ...

For me ... I would prefer chromed metal myself ... so it is a matter of taste ...

That's interesting, and nice enough looking, but the clear top plate would get in my way. I usually pluck right at the pickup and that's the last place I would want a raised area. I've never had a problem with the hole being there and I'm used to resting part of my hand against part of the surround.

OTOH, it might work well for some players.

Any suggestions or warnings before attempting to remove the pickup cover?

I would look at http://www.rickenbacker.com/pdf/bpickups.pdf
before making any modifications to the pickup (just to make sure you put everything back in the right place).

I know a lot of players prefer to remove the cover but I've gotten use to it. I really hate putting them back on.

I can't say I dislike the novel replacement 4003 treble p.u. surround. I would never use it, though.

With that mod, whether I liked the look of it or not (which I don't), I couldn't rest my thumb on the pickup to play fingerstyle.