Author Topic: 4003 Reissue Horseshoe Problems  (Read 4436 times)

dadagoboi

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4207
  • huh?...HUH?
    • View Profile
    • CATALDO BASSES
4003 Reissue Horseshoe Problems
« on: December 15, 2016, 03:33:08 PM »
From a customer of mine:

"I’m having issue with the bridge pickup on my Rickenbacker 4003….its one of the reissue Horseshoe pups and the string to string volume is crap,well the most important string “the E” is quieter than the rest of them…..tried raising that side but that also makes the A louder,and i certainly don’t need that…..the poles on the A/D strings are significantly higher than the pole on the E/A,do you have a Pickup recommendation for the Ric?….or is it just a preference thing?"

I know very little about Rics, I do seem to remember some criticism of the RI Horseshoe pup.  Any solutions or recommendations?  THANKS!
« Last Edit: December 15, 2016, 09:17:27 PM by dadagoboi »

Jeff Scott

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 235
    • View Profile
Re: 4003 Reissue Horseshoe Problems
« Reply #1 on: December 15, 2016, 07:55:16 PM »
Is this an earlier RI HS PU with the flatter shoes?

How close to the strings is the pickup?  A lower height should balance the strings out better, but the flatter shoes only allow for a minimal amount of lowering the pickup.  The later ones that have the angled up shoes can go quite a bit lower.

I have had a couple of the RI HS PUs in basses; I don't recall my having an unbalance issue with the pickup lowered.

dadagoboi

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4207
  • huh?...HUH?
    • View Profile
    • CATALDO BASSES
Re: 4003 Reissue Horseshoe Problems
« Reply #2 on: December 15, 2016, 09:22:39 PM »
Is this an earlier RI HS PU with the flatter shoes?

How close to the strings is the pickup?  A lower height should balance the strings out better, but the flatter shoes only allow for a minimal amount of lowering the pickup.  The later ones that have the angled up shoes can go quite a bit lower.

I have had a couple of the RI HS PUs in basses; I don't recall my having an unbalance issue with the pickup lowered.

If we assume it's the earlier version, what's the solution?  Upgrade to version two or replace it with something else?

Jeff Scott

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 235
    • View Profile
Re: 4003 Reissue Horseshoe Problems
« Reply #3 on: December 15, 2016, 11:58:23 PM »
You can bend the shoes upward to allow greater range of travel of the pickup, as most likely you'd want to lower the pickup.  I have bend the shoes up on two of these pickups.  It is not hard to do but you will need to get a few things from a hardware store, or if you know a machinist shop they will have all you need and can perform the bending for you.

gearHed289

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4416
    • View Profile
    • Book of faces...
Re: 4003 Reissue Horseshoe Problems
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2016, 08:17:40 AM »
I had the same problem with the most recent reissue. The A and D poles are too much taller than the E and G, and it was audibly noticeable. I briefly had a '92 V63, and I've owned a 4001CS since new in '92, and those were/are fine. The solution? Sell the pickup and put a current model high gain with adjustable poles on the bass. They don't sound a helluva lot different.  8)

Dave W

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 22193
  • Got time to breathe, got time for music
    • View Profile
Re: 4003 Reissue Horseshoe Problems
« Reply #5 on: December 16, 2016, 08:47:54 AM »
Or, for $600, there's a real horseshoe:vader:

dadagoboi

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4207
  • huh?...HUH?
    • View Profile
    • CATALDO BASSES
Re: 4003 Reissue Horseshoe Problems
« Reply #6 on: December 16, 2016, 09:24:28 AM »
I had the same problem with the most recent reissue. The A and D poles are too much taller than the E and G, and it was audibly noticeable. I briefly had a '92 V63, and I've owned a 4001CS since new in '92, and those were/are fine. The solution? Sell the pickup and put a current model high gain with adjustable poles on the bass. They don't sound a helluva lot different.  8)

Thanks, Tom.  I'll pass it on!

Or, for $600, there's a real horseshoe:vader:

I keep wanting to add another suffix to horse besides 'shoe'. ;D

Thornton Davis

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 155
    • View Profile
Re: 4003 Reissue Horseshoe Problems
« Reply #7 on: December 17, 2016, 07:25:06 AM »
I keep wanting to add another suffix to horse besides 'shoe'. ;D

Does that word happen to have the letters "i and t" within it?.

TD
Please keep your eyes open for my stolen 1973 Burgundyglo Rickenbacker 4001 Serial # MD1582. It was stolen in November of 2006. Reward for its return. Thx!

cheyenne

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 43
    • View Profile
Re: 4003 Reissue Horseshoe Problems
« Reply #8 on: May 31, 2017, 11:02:16 AM »
You have to put in a couple of spacers, but you can remove the shoes.

steveonbass

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 71
    • View Profile
Re: 4003 Reissue Horseshoe Problems
« Reply #9 on: June 01, 2017, 05:16:06 AM »
Bending the shoes worked for me.  Not difficult to do at all - a nut, a bolt and two wrenches.  Instead of making the E and G louder, the focus is to move the shoes further from the A and D to make them quieter.  It was not difficult at all. I'm sure someone has documented the process on-line.  That's how i fixed mine (when i had it -sniff).

gearHed289

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4416
    • View Profile
    • Book of faces...
Re: 4003 Reissue Horseshoe Problems
« Reply #10 on: June 01, 2017, 07:04:46 AM »
the focus is to move the shoes further from the A and D to make them quieter.

How does that make the strings quieter? The shoes are purely cosmetic on the reissues.

steveonbass

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 71
    • View Profile
Re: 4003 Reissue Horseshoe Problems
« Reply #11 on: June 01, 2017, 09:21:21 PM »
How does that make the strings quieter? The shoes are purely cosmetic on the reissues.

You are right, I spaced - spreading the shoes gives you the headroom to move the pickup for better balance.  Sorry, I spaced - been a while