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Difference in output level between pickups

Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 11:07 am
by joaomachadovaz
Hi there,

I'm the lucky owner of a Rickenbacker 330/12. My two pickups have very different output levels, i.e., the neck pickup plays much louder than the bridge pickup.

Is this normal? I have no contact with other RC players so I needed your help.

Thanks!
Joao
(Portugal)

Re: Difference in output level between pickups

Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 11:29 am
by beatlefreak
Welcome to the forum. What year is your 330? Early ones (from the sixties) have an inline tone capacitor to the bridge pickup that cuts highs (and also output). 330s made within the last couple of years have adjustable pole pieces on the pickups which should allow you to balance them.

Re: Difference in output level between pickups

Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 6:04 pm
by jps
Welcome, João!

The bridge capacitor referred to above actually cuts lows, which will contribute to the lower output of that pickup. 8)

Re: Difference in output level between pickups

Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 8:45 pm
by BAD RONBO, KiLLeR DWaRfS
also remember your strings vibrate more at the neck than the bridge which will give more bass and volume in the neck position.

Re: Difference in output level between pickups

Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 5:58 pm
by rickcrazy
João? De onde?
Esse problema do pickup traseiro resolve-se facilmente com um íman bem forte em lugar do original. E o tal condensador não corta os agudos como diz beatlefreak, corta os graves e realça os agudos, embora reduza um pouco a saída. Mas é o "coração" do som Rickenbacker! :idea:

Re: Difference in output level between pickups

Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2010 6:58 pm
by BAD RONBO, KiLLeR DWaRfS
sergio has been into the "mateus" :wink: again ! the only english word was "pickup". sergio what is "pickup" in portugese ? (as far as an electro-magnetic product goes...narrowing down the obvious uses for the word) :lol:

Re: Difference in output level between pickups

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 6:50 am
by rickcrazy
Hehehehe :mrgreen:
Usually we do not translate "pickup", as it's way easier to pronounce than the ungainly Portuguese word therefor, "captador". Besides it's use has become so widespread, that very few people say "captador" these days.

Re: Difference in output level between pickups

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 11:59 am
by jps
rickcrazy wrote:Hehehehe :mrgreen:
very few people say "captador" these days.
Except when looking for a pickup, right? :wink: :mrgreen: :lol:

Re: Difference in output level between pickups

Posted: Mon May 03, 2010 7:21 am
by berth
My 650D has something similar. Any ideas on what magnet I should use and where to find them? (Preferably online, not necesarily in Europa.)