Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'm none too happy with the neck pickup on my '68 330 - it's a really low-wound c58 toaster. I want to try something different. Thoughts? I'm up for anything that won't require routing.

Edit: Just want to add that I have a 7.4k Scatterwound at the bridge.

My favorite has to be the fiber topped Hi Gains from the mid to late 1980's. Unlike the Hi Gains of today, the neck was significantly hotter than the bridge pickup. The tone can get pretty fat and jazzy. The 5th knob really comes in handy on my '87 620. I don't know what the Ohms ratings are for these or if they're available anywhere, but if you come across one I highly recomend them.

I put the hotter toaster from my v64 in one of my 330s and really liked it but i keep coming back to the Hi gains they seem to sound a more fuller tone that i like.Might have to go with the stock higains on this one.

Toast toast toast!!! and just as a toaster should be... hot hot hot!!!

Of what I've owned in the past: hot toaster, but I'm sure HB-1 sounds pretty good, too.

My 1981 360-12WB FG ckbd has its original button-top high-gain unwound down to @ 8kohms. Because it's placed at the end of a 24 fret board, it has clarity and an almost acoustic character about it.

For everything else, I like a Gibson Minibucker with @ 7.5 kohm's worth of wire, equal coil winds, with an alnico II magnet that has been degaussed slightly, with the pole pieces down, under what would be about the 26th fret. The positioning keeps it from sounding hollow, and I prefer mellow, not dark, to a neck pickup on a regular 6-string.

I've tried FOUR neck pickups on my 340MG.

It came with a very muddy higain, which i changed for a toaster, but found it too thin for the jazzy sounds i wanted. Then i made a Firebird mini-humbucker to Ric conversion which was nice but is now in the middle. Finally I'm using an HB-1 and like its furry sound. I mix in one or other of the middle or bridge for more attack.

Long pole or short pole 7.4k toaster? I'm partial to the former.

4002 bridge pickup (I used it in a bass obviously). Nothing has ever sounded as good in the neck position (of a bass) to me.

I'm just having the "hot" higains on my 330 replaced with scatterwound toasters (thanks to Ken Joseph!). I found the higains far too muddy for my liking. I'll vote and provide a critique once it comes back....

I have toyed with the idea of swapping out the factory standard hi-gains for toasters on my 360/12. But every time I plug it in and switch on the Jangle Box, I think to myself "Nah...why bother?"
JimK

parker_knoll wrote:I've tried FOUR neck pickups on my 340MG.

It came with a very muddy higain, which i changed for a toaster, but found it too thin for the jazzy sounds i wanted. Then i made a Firebird mini-humbucker to Ric conversion which was nice but is now in the middle. Finally I'm using an HB-1 and like its furry sound. I mix in one or other of the middle or bridge for more attack.

and now i'm using an overwound toaster which Aaron Armstrong did. Sounds good, a bit more rounded and mellow than stock but still defined. Been using this for a few months now, hopefully it will stick

I put HB1's in the neck positions of both of my 480's and I love it. I keep the PU selector in the middle (12k toasters with the 0.0047 cap in the bridge positions) and adjust the HB1 in to my liking. They add sustain and a little low end punch to the aggressive toaster.

This one was not on the last, so I'm throwing my cat in the ring-

Screw end Hi-Gain (69-72)

Just got my 330 back, and it is transformed by the RI Toasters. Gone from being nasal and honky to shimmery and transparent. Superb!