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Topic: Adjusting balance on Bakelite Rick |
Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 18 Mar 2005 6:00 pm |
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I've now had a chance to really put some playing time in on the Rick and I finally have a decent amp with the new Nashville 112. It has really got quite a sound.
One issue is that I notice the top e string has a little less volume than the other strings and is out of balance a bit with the 5 other strings. I belive someone posted something at one time about adjusting the poles to correct for this, but I can't find it. If anyone has a tutorial on making that adjustment (remembering that I'm a complete dope when it comes to fixing things), I'd appreciate it. |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 18 Mar 2005 7:08 pm
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I'd be very cautious of trying to "push" those pole pieces up or down.
Some slide readily ... but most are pretty much locked in ... and forcing them can shatter the whole bobbin.
You should be able to adjust the entire units height ... using the thumb/knurl nuts ... well enough to balance your signal.
Sometimes the springs are rusty and stiff ... you can pull up on the magnets abit to help raise the unit ... but again ... be careful ...
Those hardened cobalt steel magnets are super brittle ... and they have been known to snap in half ... mostly folks tryin' to even up the top flanges.
You can easily replace the springs ... to make the height adjustment smooth.
Here's my method of for Findin' the Sweet Spot ... scroll down ...
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Aiello's House of Gauss
My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield
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Harry Sheppard
From:
Kalispell, MT USA
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Posted 18 Mar 2005 7:31 pm
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Bill,
Are all of the pole pieces flush with the top of the bobbin or do the get progressively higher from one side to the other? If they are all flush you should be able to raise the treble side as Rick said. If they are not flush, make sure the lowest pole piece is under the 6th string and the highest is under the 1st string. I have seen a lot of these reversed and it is very hard to balance the strings. If it is reversed, you should be able to switch it back by turning the pickup around.
Harry |
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 19 Mar 2005 1:46 pm
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Howard,
You were right. The bobbin was in backwards. While I had it apart, I took the magnets out and I'll be sending them to Rick to be recharged. If it sounded great with a bobbin in backwards and magnets needing a charge, I can't wait to hear it when it's back in one piece. |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 19 Mar 2005 3:52 pm
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anytime, Bill....  |
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 19 Mar 2005 4:46 pm
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| Opps . I must have Howard on the brain. Harry! Howard! Uma! Opra! |
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Derrick Mau
From:
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 20 Mar 2005 5:03 pm
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Hey Rick, I tried your 12 step program for "Finding the sweet spot". Mahalo! My Rickenbackers really sings now!
Does this apply to 7 and 8 strings steels too? Also, should all 6 of the pickup poles be flat and in line with the bobbin?
I have some that are slightly higher than the others.[This message was edited by Derrick Mau on 20 March 2005 at 05:12 PM.] |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 20 Mar 2005 5:29 pm
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That whole "Sweet Spot" thing revolves around getting the downward force vector (coming from the bottom flange via the pole pieces) ...
To be equal and opposite to the upward force vector coming from the top flange.
Same thing goes for any Ricky bobbin ... no matter how many strings.
As far as the stagger ... seems that my oldest bobbins are basically flush ... but most all the others have a stagger.
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Aiello's House of Gauss
My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield
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