Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

my question is regaurding the differences in the Hi-Gains and the 80s toaster vintage style.

Q. are these 2 PUs basically the same PU with a different cover?
I know that the newer scatter wounds are like the 60s, do they put these on all the reissues or just the Carl Wilson 360s?
is there 3 different PUs available from Rickenbacker now?
1.Hi-Gains
2. regular hi-output Vintage
3. scatter wound vintage
thanks

Can anybody provide info on the different PU's ? Specs that would highlight the differences, perhaps ? And compared to the new humbuckers on the 600 series guitars ? I'm not sure what specs would do that, but if maybe Mark the MD or John Hall could comment I and others could possibly be enlightened.

The tonal difference is not huge but significant.

The Toaster pickups have a crisp sound ,this is due to two factors.

1- the polepieces are the magnets and are up against the top of the bobbin ,close to the strings . (Example of another brand-Fender)

2- the amount of coil wrappings .The more wraps you have ,the less treble you get.This is the difference between old toasters and new scatterwound toaster (you know ,to make the old ones more 'vintage' ...just unwind them)

The High Gain pickups are darker sounding as the magnet is on the bottom of the coil and the magnetic field is transferred via the ferrous button topped screws that are the polepieces.

As the magnets are ,one a different type and the location different ,this will change the tone .
Also the high gain coils have had varying amounts of windings over the years and again you have ...more windings less treble (another brand example-Gibson P-90 soapbar )

The bobbin materials are exactly the same ,the wire the same ...the magnets are different .The covers are even the same cover ...just the center bar is removed to make the High Gain cover.

Old topic, a few new questions.........
A pickup rewinding service suggested I not unwind my 11K toasters (from a 99 360/12) to 7.4K. Differences in tone comparing vintage toasters with short magnets verses newer toasters with long ones and 44 wire verses 43, I was lost pretty quick. But it started me wondering how different tonewise vintage and reissue 7.4's actually are. Anyways, I think I'll just order new 7.4's, and put the 11's aside.

So now I'm thinking capacitors. There's a lot of discussion at the LP Forum about caps, and raised my curiosity about my Ric. How good are the caps in Rics? Other than .0047's, I presume 400v? Are there better quality caps that improved tone to replace them with,(paper/oil, foil/oil, ceramic). Which specific caps were used GH's guitar, manufacturer? I changed pots and caps in my LP, improving the tone and harmonics noticeably.

While I have this disassembled, thought I'd shield the cavities? I'm doing this to my other guitars. Haven't heard many on this forum doing this.

Excellent board, lots of info, great guitars.