Rickenbacker Guitar Pickups

Eric Jaeger · From: Oakland, California, USA

I'm looking to replace the pickups on a recent-vintage 330/12 with something that's closer to the mid-60's McGuinn sound. The pickups currently on it are high-output single coils that sound nothing like the old ones (I used to have an old 360/12 with toasters. I should never have sold it).

I can't find anyone who sells Rickenbacker-type pickups. Anyone else tried this?

Thanks,

-eric

Ben Elder · From: La Crescenta, California, USA

Rickenbacker is monstrously back-ordered and guitars with toaster-top pickups are especially bad. I talked to my local mom-and-pop store (nevertheless with prices that kick GC, MF, Zz and M123 big time) and they've been waiting as long as FOUR YEARS for some Rics on back-order. (660-12, solid body, wider neck, toaster pu's. They also had just gotten in a limited-edition 360 in a blue sunburst, a color only available in 2005.) I recently sold a 360-12 thinking I can get another when some money falls on me in December. I thought I'd give the local store a shot, but even he said it would be better to search the used market for the color I wanted (Mapleglo--ONLY) on eBay etc. than to wait for his orders to show up.

I'd be very surprised if you could order toaster-top pu's (and get them) directly from Ric any time soon. But ask some of their larger dealers. I also can't recall seeing or hearing of a reputable toaster-top knockoff, a la Seymour Duncan, et al.

Leslie Ehrlich · From: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

I believe Roger McGuinn used a treble booster when he played his electric twelve string guitar on the Byrds recordings.

I wanted a Byrds-like sound too, but instead of buying a Rickenbacker I bought a Fender. The Strat pickups are bright enough not to need a treble boost to cut through the mix.

Eric Jaeger · From: Oakland, California, USA

Geoff Barnes · From: Sydney, Australia

I bought toasters for my Ric 360/12 a few months ago.

I bought them from Rickenbacker Asia (Jimmy Oshini).
Genuine parts and although not advertised on the site he had them in stock and was able to get them to me within 7 days.
http://www.rickenbacker-asia.com/top.html

The Ric “boutique” on the official Ric US site claim to have them in stock right now
http://www.rickenbacker.com/cart.asp?category=Pickups

These folks also carry official Ric parts and are worth keeping an eye on.
http://www.the-music-connection.com/ricpart.htm#pickups

http://www.pickofthericks.com/cart32_ric_pickups.htm

hope this helps Smile

Geoff
Edited to add this thread on the Ric forums is all about the onboard compressor on McGuinns guitar...and a workaround... not for the faint hearted... but hey, if you are handy with a soldering iron and chisel.
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Too much equipment....I think I need help.

Michael Johnstone · From: Sylmar,Ca. USA

I was in a band that opened for the original Byrds a couple times - once around the time "Turn,Turn,Turn" was on the charts - 1966 I think and again later when they had "8 Miles High" out,Gene Clark had quit and they were only 4 pc. Anyhow we hung out in the dressing room and during soundcheck so I saw their gear up close and we even played thru their amps which were Dual Showmans with the cabinets stood up on their ends with the heads on top like everybody used to do in those days. Jim played a blonde Ricky with only a Vox treble booster as far as efx - which was a little rectangular silver box that just plugged into the amps input and he plugged his curley cord into that.He was plenty trebly. I was mighty impressed with the Byrds and ran out and bought the exact same rig except I got a fireglow 330 12 string like George Harrison cause it seemed cooler to me. Before the 60s were out I had three of those and the necks kept coming off from the tension of 12 strings so I finally gave up and started using a Fender 12 string that looked kinda like a Jazzmaster and played that till I got the Byrds out of my system.

Tucker Jackson · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

I heard a review with McGuinn on the radio about ten years ago, and he said the key to his twelve-string sound was the use of a compressor.

I don't remember him mentioning a "treble boost," but my ears think he used one of those too Smile

Geoff Barnes · From: Sydney, Australia

The holy grail for a lot of Ric affecionados is the “370/12RM - Roger McGuinn signature model from the early 1990s. This model accurately reflected the appointments of McGuinn's 370/12 from his years with the Byrds, and came with an optional internal compressor to recreate the "jangle sound" of the Byrds recordings (previously achieved by using extreme outboard compression). Limited Edition of 1000”...(From Wikipedia)
A stompbox that sounds promising...without modding yer Ric has to be the "Janglebox" ..these samples are pretty convincing even using Non-Ric guitars.... but any half decent prosumer compressor should give the same result with a bit of tweaking.... this unit is purpose built to give it from the "get go". Very Happy

Edited to add; This interview with the man himself, talks about the Signature Ric and the janglebox.
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Too much equipment....I think I need help.

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

I am a big Ric fan and have owned several vintage and more recent Rics.. The Newer Ric 33/360/370 six or twelve string guitars are ALL classic Ric tone...Many of the old Ric toasters were a tinny trebly mess... Don't buy the vintage hype on a Ric guitar, they are 100% Ric and always have been..

If you want that classic Ric 12 string tone, use a good clean amp and a good compressor. String it up with Pyramid flatwounds ad watch what happens.

I saw the Byrds 4 times and Mcguinn and Clarance White EACH used FOUR!!! Super Reverbs!!!!

My late model Rics sounded better and more "Ric" tham my old ones.... bob

Stephan Miller · From: Silver Spring, Maryland, USA

Bob-- thanks for the tip about Pyramid flatwounds, I'll try 'em on my DiPinto 12.

Geoff-- that was an interesting interview with McGuinn...evidently the Janglebox is the only piece of outboard gear he uses to perform and record...I'm GASsin' for one in spite of already owning a pricey Demeter stompbox compressor that I really like. Man, I'm gonna have to get a paper route or something. Rolling Eyes

Eric Jaeger · From: Oakland, California, USA

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