Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Anyone out there care to share opinions on their 340/6 with reissue vintage toasters? I'm ready to order and it seems prudent given the cost and waiting period to get 3 pickups instead of two. I understand the middle and neck pups are tied together but the middle pickup must offer something over a standard 330/6 2 pickup arrangement?

A 340 is on my shopping list for next year, but with hi gains. As I already have a 360 with toasters & 2 360s with hi gains, I thought a 340 would be good to compliment my 350v63. As you know, these have 3 toasters on & you are right..the neck & mid p/up are treated as one. The sound of these two together is nothing short of stunning. It is remarkably 'Strat' like, but much better. It really does open up another world of Rickenbacker sound. I know a 350 & a 330 are differant, but I can't believe that they will be a million miles apart in sound.....go for it!

I'd change the little knob to a middle pickup volume.

I'm very happy with my 340/6VP, and have played it for 10 years now. It has the older toaster reissues, which supposedly sound more like high-gains than the newer scatterwound pickups. I'd like to offer an opinion on 330 vs. 340 and how much of a difference the extra pickup makes, but I've never had the opportunity to play both and compare in a controlled setting. If you can find a store that has both kicking around in their inventory, it's probably worth having a listen to each and seeing which one you prefer. I'm sure there are others here who can offer their thoughts on the merits of a third pickup....
Good luck, and post a pic of the one you choose!

here's mine, I LOVE it.

Thanks, all. Ultimately I went and ordered a 330/6 with vintage pickups. I visited a store long enough to handle a right-handed 325 (3 vintage pickups) and knew the placement/size of the middle pup would interefere with my picking style. But all comments and friendliness appreciated. Now it's just a matter of 12-16 weeks before I can handle a proper guitar - alefty! I'll post the pic but don't hold your breath

It's funny Bruce, but I have never been able to play a 3 p/up 'F' of 'G' for the very reason that you say, but my 350v63 is so natural to play, that I really don't notice the middle p/up. I don't think that I've just got used to it, I think it's the placement. I have never played a 325, but I believe the p/ups are a lot closer together than on a 350 or a 340. If not, then some one will correct me, but if so, then perhaps you should reconsider. I love the sound of my 350, the third p/up really does give some variation on the standard sound & Johns idea of changing the blend to a seperate volune control really would give you the best of both worlds.

I've picked up my Strat, PRS and Dano and watched my thumb and the way my hand relates to the strings when finger picking (I often play without a pick) and that middle pickup would definitely interfere, extending beyond the strings. The Strat pickup is not as large and it lays low. Unlike some I AM after the classic Rick sound and am not looking for the Rick to be multi-purpose. I know I'd be whacking the pickup with either my thumb or a stainless steel pick - not a pretty sight. But again, thanks for all opinions.

I've disconnected my middle pickup on my 325V63 for that very reason. I kept hitting it with my pick, it's right in the line-of-strum and they're packed really close together on a 325.
I don't miss it really, I think it sounds great with just the bridge and neck.

I held out a LONG time for a lefty 340FG. After comparing a 330 with a 340, the mid p/u made all the difference to me. I almost always play with the p/u selector in mid position-all 3 pickups.

I've sadly never played a Ric other then my 370 and I don't know why but I never experienced the picking problem most people seem to have...

I know depending on the year the pickups were adjusted differently because I've seen them in pictures... Eitherway it's a '79 and the pickups are close together.
Everyone have their own ways to fingerpick and this is what I do...

If I'm using a pick, my hand will almost be laying in between the bridge and the tailpiece. That way my fingers will be exactly in between the bridge pickup and the middle one. I actually find that comfortable, and yes I do have the bridge cover.
If I'm not using a pick it'll depend on the song, but usually I'll fingerpick between the neck and the middle and I place my pinky on the upper-pickguard as a guide if I need to. After awhile you really don't need to and I find it to work that way...
But I prefer using a pick so I tend to play the first way.

Now has anyone noticed that hi-gains are really hard to clean? All that nail residu isn't fun to get rid of. It gets everywhere, even the space between the pickups aren't easy to reach.

Seems I can't add a picture to a post by editing it and I felt like adding a pic of her... As soon as I saw this on eBay I knew it had to be mine.

I notice Patrick, that you call that beauty 'her'. I know this is touched on accasionaly, but I've always considered my gtrs to be boys & my basses to be girls. Odd how we perceive our Rics. Whichever though, what a beautiful guitar....pure art!