Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hello all, I'd like to get a humbucker to replace the high gain I have in the bridge. What after market humbuckers will fit, or can replace the high gain, without widening the cavity? Besides the HB-1.

If you are not interested in the easy swap a HB-1 allows for then just buy a different bass, altogether, really. Why mess up a perfectly good instrument?

The only drop in for a rick is the HB-1. Gotta say I concur with Jeff. You'll lose a lot of re-sale value with anything that needs routing to fit.

Kevin has some HB-1s listed for sale:

... Several HB-1 Humbucking pickups with foam pads. All are approx. 15k. $75 each. ...

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=409423

Until RIC develops a "Toasterbucker," or you get something custom aftermarket, the HB-1 is it. There is only one other pickup I am aware of, a 4002 end-to-end humbucker I purchased from the factory about twenty years ago when I thought one had malfunctioned on my 4002. But it turned out to be a loose lead. But I don't have it anymore, and the person I sold it to is using it in one of his basses.

Thanks for the replies. If this were the strats I used to have, I'd just buy the pickup and modify/replace the pickguard. I care about the Ric too much to do that though lol! Yeah, I'm gonna have to save for an HB-1 then.

Smart move. Strats are a dime a dozen, unfortunately thanks to Fender's own doing.

"Toasterbucker," YES PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've always wondered if a pot change (250k to 500k) was necessary for a S/C to H/B p'up swap.....assuming the stock pots are 250k.

jps wrote:If you are not interested in the easy swap a HB-1 allows for then just buy a different bass, altogether, really. Why mess up a perfectly good instrument?

I think the OP has one of those cute little six-string instruments Jeff, not a bass....

I don't know of any off-the-shelf humbuckers apart from the HB-1 that will drop into a Rickenbacker, but if you have the budget I'm sure Jason Lollar or the Seymour Duncan Custom Shop would be able to conjure up something for you.... Mr Lollar makes single-coil drop-in pickups for Rickenbacker guitars (which are not the subject of any disputes to the best of my knowledge) that look somewhat like HB-1s, and he makes mini-humbuckers with similar dimensions, so he may be the best guy to approach. Please note this won't be cheap!

antipodean wrote:I think the OP has one of those cute little six-string instruments Jeff, not a bass....

In that case he can put PAFs in there if he wants!

The SD replacement for Firebird pickups can be modified to fit in a Rick bezel. SD used to make both a P-90 and an HB replacement for Ricks but the last time I looked at their website they were no longer listed. Both the P-90 and the HB used the same picture on their site. The gold foil paper visible in the slots looks tacky to me. It reminds me of the pickups found on many of the Japanese imports from the '60s.

From the SD website:


Sorry, we don't make direct replacements for Rickenbacker guitars. We do offer rewinding service, which generally costs $65 for a single coil, $85 for a humbucker. If you're interested, please contact our Custom Shop at 805-964-9610 between 8 am - 5 pm (Pacific) Monday - Friday.



http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/fa ... ake_pic_2/

...and I did have a PAF ('57 Classic Plus) in my 481 for a while, but she came modified.

viewtopic.php?f=68&t=409033

Still sounded like a Ric, somehow.

I would not recommend DiMarzio Super Distortions, however.

Rickissippi wrote:I've always wondered if a pot change (250k to 500k) was necessary for a S/C to H/B p'up swap.....assuming the stock pots are 250k.

Just learned they're 330k. Hmm.... never knew that. So would a 330k to 500k pot change be necessary if going from single-coils to humbuckers? What pots does RIC use in the models that have HB-1s as stock p'ups, like the 650?