Alembic (rickenbaker) pickups

[4u2nv]

Just curious about the Alembic Pickups for Rickenbaker basses, someone is ofering me a '83   - 4 string Rickenbaker, but definetly i have to do some changes, and one of them are the Pu's, so i want to know if someone do that to some of his basses, i know everybody talked already of repalcing Fender Pu's, but as i remember never read or see a pic of a rickenbaker with Alembic Pu's.
 
 Also this one come with the rick-o-sound, so there's the 2 jacks, so i would like to know if also, Alembic offer you that options with their replacement Pu's.
 
 Thanks

[rogertvr]

It's your choice, but personally, someone would have to murder me before I would change the pickups on my own 4001. Rickenbackers are pretty much unique in the sound stakes the same way that Alembics are - I really cannot see the point of changing the pickups on an '83 Rick.
 
Just my point of view.

[4u2nv]

I totally agrre with you, but unfortunally, the pickups are in really bad shape, probably the bass itself, have to change bridge, and electronics for sure, so i was thinking in mixing alembic with rickenbaker.
 
 But my doubt is, if someone had done this to any of his rickenbakers?, and how's the sound differs from rickenbacker own pu's ?
 
 Thanks for ure Imput.

[rogertvr]

You could always get the replacement parts for it from Rickenbacker and restore it to the instrument it should be.

[ajdover]

Have to agree with Roger here.  If you take the Rick pickups out, you will forever change the sound - not in and of itself a bad thing, but it won't sound like a Rickenbacker again.  And Roger's right - there is nothing on God's green earth that sounds like a Rick - not even an Alembic.
 
If the pickups are bad, you could always have Rickenbacker rewind them, or get a tech to rewind them.  On the other hand, if you want a different tone, you can get bartolinis, EMG's, etc., that will retrofit easily.
 
Alan

[811952]

If it were mine, I'd stick an Alembic pickup in the chrome ring (where it could be hidden) and a Ricky pickup in the neck position.  The bridge position Rick pickup puts out nothing but mids as far as I could ever tell.  I am of the opinion the signature Rick sound comes from the neck pickup and the square-ish waves it produces when the string goes beyond the rather narrow magnetic field..  The guy in REM (Mike, if memory serves) did this sort of thing with a Jazz Bass pickup in one of his early basses and really raved about it..
John

[gare]

Interesting reading. All valid points.
I've always hated adjusting the bridge on my 4001,always thought that was a bad design,so I can see swapping that out rather than just replacing it.
Since Ricks have their neck pickup and tone controls mounted to the pickup guard it would be simple to hide any major changes. Get another pick guard and work with that. Keep all the original parts in case you wanted to put back to original condition in the future.
I also like the idea of the jazz type pickup in the bridge position, and that would be covered by the pickup cover. No one'd ever know.
Shhhhh..our secret.
But unfortunately like mentioned above, you loose the original Rickenbacker character.  
Gary  

[811952]

Back in the summer of '79 I routed my Rick and installed a Badass bridge.  I was careful with the router and used a tiny bit so I could maintain control.  I laid out where to put the hole with masking tape, clamped the bass to my Dad's bench and went for it (when nobody else was around, should I fail).  It went perfectly and many people asked who I hired to do such impeccable work.    I have no regrets, beyond parting with the fair maiden.  Since it was to generate cash for the Elves at Alembic, I suppose it's all good...
John

[gare]

I had thought of putting on a Badass bridge, but I was scared because I have more than the requisite 4 thumbs.
The bridge on the Cheyene and Laredo models look like a Badass type bridge (at least in the pictures,never seen one in real life) so you could maybe stick with Ricko parts.  

[jigme]

Please, don't do it. Keep it as original as possible.

[trekster]

I've seen it two ways with installing badass bridges  (or even a Schaller) on Rics -- either surrounding the new bridge with a pickguard or routing it further than what is already routed and gluing a slug of wood into it's place (gee, I wonder what it would be like to install a slug of brass in there -- wow, the sustain...).
 
Either way, I think it detracts from the look of the instrument.  Once ago in the 80's, someone came out with a replacement bridge for Rics that followed the original contours, but was more easily adjustable (individual saddle height adjustments, for instance), but I haven't seen them in years.
 
--J, former Ric owner

[811952]

When I did it, I routed a hole the size of the badass bridge and the same depth as the existing bridge routing.  It was the original badass bridge, which wasn't as flat as the badass II bridge.  The bridge sat in the hole as nicely as pickups fit in pickup holes.  There was no need for any sort of cover around the bridge, because the routing was done very carefully to fit the bridge.  With a badass II bridge I would imagine you'd need a block of wood (or brass - great idea!) to make it work.
John, former Ric owner/chopper upper