Rickenbacker B6 pickup oddity

[Jon King]

Anyone seen one like this or know anything about it? The owner sent me these photos. He's had it for about 20 years. This is the way it came when he got it.

[Rick Aiello]

That looks like a a Rickenbacker 4003 bass pickup cover ... And the bobbin looks like one too, albeit a 6 stringer ...

They fit in the same surround used for all the 1.25" units ... Steels , 4001 & 4003 bass, etc

Rick bass players have been harvesting 1.25" horseshoe magnets for more than 20 years ...

[Jon King]

Thanks Rick. I thought of you right off when I saw this pickup. I think you hit it right on the money. Now the mystery narrows to whether there are other such 6 string pickups out there.
What's consensus on a guess this was a factory job? I can see putting a 6 pole bobbin inside a bass enclosure. Which leaves the question of why this wasn't more commonly done.
I think it looks pretty cool. (Not up to Aiello pickup standards, but aesthetically better than the split on top.)

[Rick Aiello]

This wasn't done originally by Rickenbacher ... IE: that B6 had horseshoes originally ... That were taken for a bass ...

As far as the bobbin/coil ... Any pickup guy could have fashioned that ... Using Ferrite or Alnico magnets under the bobbin to feed the screw pole pieces ...

As with so many vintage steels with pickups sought after by electric guitarists and bassists ... It was/is very common to buy a steel for it's sought after components ...


PS: Anyone notice that Rickenbacker now advertises replacement "faux" horseshoe pickups ... Unusual timing, if you know what I mean.

http://boutique.rickenbacker.com/Pickups_c_12.html

[Jon King]

If 2 can make consensus, then consensus we've got.
I recall visiting with Jason Lollar and a few others about the faux Rick horseshoes. This was many moons ago. Personal experience says Ric stopped supplying horseshoe pups in 1971, meaning the last year they were available was '70. And from the early-mid 60s, the horseshoe wasn't magnetic. I referred to them as look-a-likes. I knew they started using look-a-likes again in the mid 90s but the supply was intermittent. Several friends & I asked for them, both as replacements & installed in any of their new guitars. Ric was unable to supply them.
Rick, your link leads to a page that looks the same as when we tried to order horseshoe p'ups from Ric way back then. And we tried several direct queries. It'd be interesting to know if anyone's been successful at getting one from Rickenbacker.

[Bill Creller]

Derrick Mau had a pickup like that in a late bakelite. Just a cover over the top, with a conventional coil. I believe I put a horseshoe in it. (?)don't remember.. Rickenbacker did some strange things....
Seems that when we think we've seen it all, another one comes out of the woodwork...

[Michael Brebes]

The six-string pickup is actually the newer Rickenbacker high gain pickups that replaced the original "toaster top" pickups, minus the chrome cover. The black "buttons" is the giveaway.

[Jon King]

Thanks Michael, That fits. And so does the mounting for the cover plate. The owner claims a lack of comparison experience, but thinks it sounds like recordings of other B6's.