Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

The HB1s in my 4004Cii were dead quiet. The HBs in my 4003 buzz a little in humbucking mode. Is this because they are wired for both humbucking and the single coil option? Of course the single coil setting buzz like single coils. Dane,Josh............?

What happens when you touch the pickup surround and the strings at the same time? Do you know your string ground is still intact? Is it influenced by what direction the bass is facing?

cassius987 wrote:What happens when you touch the pickup surround and the strings at the same time? Do you know your string ground is still intact? Is it influenced by what direction the bass is facing?

I'm pretty sure I beefed up the string ground with a heavy washer to be sure it made contact with the tail. Buzz IS influenced by bass direction.

VRICKY63 wrote:Buzz IS influenced by bass direction.

Sounds like a single coil problem to me. Are you sure you can still put the HB1s in humbucker mode?

johnallg wrote:

VRICKY63 wrote:Buzz IS influenced by bass direction.

Sounds like a single coil problem to me. Are you sure you can still put the HB1s in humbucker mode?

+1 ... Do you hear the sound change to a thicker, fatter type when you "un-tap" the coils?

cassius987 wrote:

johnallg wrote:

VRICKY63 wrote:Buzz IS influenced by bass direction.

Sounds like a single coil problem to me. Are you sure you can still put the HB1s in humbucker mode?

+1 ... Do you hear the sound change to a thicker, fatter type when you "un-tap" the coils?

Yes. There is still a dramatic difference between the single coil and humbucking sounds. The buzz is much less (as it should be) in HB mode but I think it should be dead quiet.

aceonbass wrote:Rick, how are you "tapping" the coils. Perhaps there is a wiring issue.

The two unused wires on the HBs to center lugs of the tone pots. Roll back the tone for humbucking mode.

aceonbass wrote:Hmmmm....not my preferred method of doing this, so I can't comment on how well it works or what's going wrong here. If you're using stock value pots and tone caps in your 4003, you also won't get the most out of having HB1's.

I know you recommend 500K pots but what were the cap recommendations? Also you prefer push/pull pots?

Using the "pot trick" instead of an actual switch will allow you to get somewhat of a blend between HB and single coils sounds. BUT, it's not uncommon for pots to not go quite all the way to zero, so, when you think you are in HB mode, you don't have a perfect connection and don't get perfect hum cancellation...

cjj wrote:Using the "pot trick" instead of an actual switch will allow you to get somewhat of a blend between HB and single coils sounds. BUT, it's not uncommon for pots to not go quite all the way to zero, so, when you think you are in HB mode, you don't have a perfect connection and don't get perfect hum cancellation...

Well that's a perfect explanation. I like the Blend feature but it is a compromise I guess. Thanks CJ.

aceonbass wrote:Yes, I do like using 500K push-pull pots in the volume position as my coil taps. I also like using .022uF tone caps with HB1's.

So if I use the push/pull system the pots will be in full HB or full single coil modes. Dane,is there a link to the wiring? I'm assuming CTS pots?

aceonbass wrote:Yes, I do like using 500K push-pull pots in the volume position as my coil taps. I also like using .022uF tone caps with HB1's.

Me too. But I use the tone pots for the push/pull...