Pickup Advice if you please

chris · Post by **chris** » Wed Feb 09, 2005 3:42 am

Hi there folks. Im new here and this is my first post. Ive looked here many times before and found the information beneficial, informative and interesting. I play in a Beatles tribute band and have all the original gear apart from a geniuine 4001. As of yet, I haven't found one within my price range and in the right colour. So to the disappointment of some of you, I purchased a Rickenfaker. Its an Aria copy (which i didnt know they made them) but it does look very good compared to some of the shoddy timber wannabies ive seen. (Ill get a picture on for your comments as soon as i work out how) Anyway, the pickups are "OK" but i want to change them to something with a nice round tone, but also have the option to get the "Growl". I know the McCartney pickup combo, but i want this to be my all round bass with a variety of tones. Any suggestions on what pickups i should get would be most welcomed. Once again i appologise for purchasing a fake but id like to make it into a better sounding fake until I find the pounds to get the "Real Deal"

Cheers Ladies and Gents

Chris

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Wed Feb 09, 2005 4:10 am

Welcome, Chris.
Good luck on getting a real Rick bass soon.

Currently, Sir Paul's 4001S sports a toaster (original) and a high gain (non-original) treble pickup.

I find the toaster+high gain combination to be very versatile, the toaster providing the ambient lows and the high gain providing the growl. However some may prefer high gains for both the bass and treble positions. Here's my '98 in the toaster+high gain combo before being replaced by Sergio's (this forum's pickup guru) high gain toaster and tone monster treble pickup in 2003.

Beware that the neck pickup opening in the Aria copy may be a tad too small for a genuine RIC pickup. You might have to do some filing in order to install one.

I suppose your Aria has a bolt-on neck?

chris · Post by **chris** » Wed Feb 09, 2005 7:13 am

Thanks for the response and yeah, its a bolt on neck. I got it from ebay which was lucky. they normally pull em off when they find out. Im not full of knowledge on ricks like you guys but i like them (some of em) and i like reading about peoples experiences and upgrades etc. The only thing that i can see so far that says its a copy is the strap nut is a little past the halfway point on the horn, whereas i believe ricks to be dead centre. About the high gain pickup, what should i be looking for? An actual rick one or some other company??

Cheers

henny · Post by **henny** » Wed Feb 09, 2005 7:23 am

Hey Chris, mate. Welcome to the madhouse.

Nice to see Brits join the boards.

Shove some standard 4003 Hi-gains into your copy, if you can't afford a genuine 4001 right now. It'll at least sound much better!

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Wed Feb 09, 2005 7:43 am

Chris, if it's a variety of tones you want, try a 4003 high gain in the bridge position and an Rickenbacker HB1 humbucker in the neck position. Lots of bite from the high gain, lots of punch from the humbucker.

marty · Post by **marty** » Wed Feb 09, 2005 9:23 am

Hi Chris and welcome.

There's a set of 4003 pickups going on ebay at the moment which should be ideal for you.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=3780947570&ss

Keep your eye on them...they might get a bit pricey ,but you never know... you might get a bargain

chris · Post by **chris** » Wed Feb 09, 2005 9:35 am

Thanks. Ive added that to my ebay watchlist.

Cheers people!!!!

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Wed Feb 09, 2005 2:13 pm

Chris, no substitute for the real thing, putting Ric pickups in that one is the way to go! Welcome!
I prefer the toaster/new high gain combo myself.