Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I found a 220 today from 1993 that sounds just wonderful, surprisingly like a Telecaster. It's the first 200-series guitar I've had the chance to play, and I'm curious about the pickups. My understanding is that the 200 series started with single-coils and at some point got humbuckers with the same footprint. Can anyone tell me when this happened, or if there's a way to tell which pickups this guitar has?

I tried a current Ric humbucker in the bridge position of my 350v63 a few years back and that had 4 wires (I guess because of the 2 coils) so that could be a clue?

No, these are very different from the HB-1s.

Actually, I found a catalog from the same year as the guitar saying they were humbuckers at that point. I recall seeing somewhere that they were built for Rickenbacker by an aftermarket pickup company, but I don't remember who. Anyone know? Or is my memory not correct?

Wasn't it an HB-2 that was used around 88-89 when they moved away from the single coil? I have a 230GF that is Tele-like in both sound (I have a lot of WRH-equipped Teles) and feel.

Ah - looks like it is indeed the HB-2. I didn't realize that was a part name/number.

The 200 series guitars/basses were single coil up to around 1988-1989 when they switched to the HB2 pickup. This pickup is the same as the HB-1 except for how it mounts to the instrument. The early HB-2's were slightly less winds than the later ones, and weren't made as well as far as protection of the coil. I personally like the sound of these earlier ones better than the later ones. Early HB-2 = around 12k. Later HB-2 = around 14k. Rickenbacker made the pickups themselves also, and they are epoxied internally.

The most aggressive sounding pickups (in a good way) on any Rick bass I've owned were HB-2s on my old 2030GF.

jps wrote: ↑Sat Jan 20, 2024 11:07 am The most aggressive sounding pickups (in a good way) on any Rick bass I've owned were HB-2s on my old 2030GF.

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I've never played one of the 200 series basses with those pickups but given the way those pickups sound I've always thought they would sound great on a bass. Maybe someday I'll find one I can try.

Greg