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The sound of Rickenbacker pickups
Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 8:35 pm
by pocaloc
I'm sure this is an old topic, but I couldn't find an easy way of finding what I wanted to know. Do Rickenbacker pickups have more midrange? I know they have the chimey jingle jangle, but are they overly trebly? I had a highway one tele, and the bridge pickup was so trebly that it felt like it was going to destroy my ears. I like a chiming sound, but not to much treble. Was just looking for a short hand 'cheat sheet' on what the various Rickenbcaker guitar pickups sound like as compared to the chime of other jangly guitars like tele's or Strat's, etc.
Re: The sound of Rickenbacker pickups
Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 9:02 pm
by jimk
Re: The sound of Rickenbacker pickups
Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 10:39 pm
by beatlefreak
pocaloc wrote:I'm sure this is an old topic, but I couldn't find an easy way of finding what I wanted to know. Do Rickenbacker pickups have more midrange? I know they have the chimey jingle jangle, but are they overly trebly? I had a highway one tele, and the bridge pickup was so trebly that it felt like it was going to destroy my ears. I like a chiming sound, but not to much treble.
I understand what you're saying, but the tone controls on your amp couldn't compensate?
Re: The sound of Rickenbacker pickups
Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:11 pm
by pocaloc
They probably could. I should mention that my main instrument is drums.....
I was just wondering if in general Rickenbacker pickups were known for more midrange vs. say telecaster, which might be known for more treble.
Re: The sound of Rickenbacker pickups
Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 12:08 pm
by chuck_king
As a very rough and general characterization, I would put Rick pickups somewhere on the continuum between Fender single coils and P-90s: not as bright and trebly as a Tele or Strat pickup, but not as much mid-range grunt as a P-90. Among Rick pickups, toasters are treblier and Hi-Gains are more midrangey compared to each other.
It sounds like you'd probably be happy with Hi-Gains.
Re: The sound of Rickenbacker pickups
Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 12:32 pm
by pocaloc
chuck_king wrote:As a very rough and general characterization, I would put Rick pickups somewhere on the continuum between Fender single coils and P-90s: not as bright and trebly as a Tele or Strat pickup, but not as much mid-range grunt as a P-90. Among Rick pickups, toasters are treblier and Hi-Gains are more midrangey compared to each other.
It sounds like you'd probably be happy with Hi-Gains.
Thanks for the info. That continuum was exactly what I was looking for.