Re: Rickenbacker High Gains in a Jazzmaster? Finished!! PG 2*

nihilandvoid · Post by **nihilandvoid** » Sun Aug 15, 2021 1:43 am

Hello everyone

Planning on modifying the electronics in my Jazzmaster, and recently a pair of Ric High Gain pickups came up for sale. This got me thinking! I really like those pickups and It would be cool as hell to have them in my Jazzmaster. I did a bit of searching and can't find any photos of Jazzmasters like this before. I wanted to ask has anybody done this before? if so I'd love to see it if you can share some photos please?

Cheers!
Alex

Veitchy · Post by **Veitchy** » Sun Aug 15, 2021 1:55 am

In all my years here, going to gigs, and talking gear in general, I don't think I've ever heard of that combination. I see no reason why it wouldn't sound good though.

Professor Bill · Post by **Professor Bill** » Sun Aug 15, 2021 6:21 am

It's a cool idea, but it might not sound anything like a Rickenbacker. My understanding is that a lot of the Rickenbacker personality comes from the weird geometry, the bridge (unless you add a Mastery) and the semi-hollow maple construction. And, really, I don't think the pickup construction is all that different than a P-90.

For all the quirks, I love Rics. I've had several and still have one. I think it would be hard to capture that sound in anything else. I also prefer the high-gains over toasters (which are a lower-wind, depending on which ones you get), especially as toasters tend to be a lot quieter than the pickups in my other guitars. And I was raised on 80s college rock...

I think those who have put Lollar broilers (which are closer to toasters) into solid body guitars might have some ideas?

nihilandvoid · Post by **nihilandvoid** » Sun Aug 15, 2021 1:13 pm

I'm not so concerned about it sounding like a Ric, I just like the pickups (I have used them before in guitar builds, I had one in my main guitar for years with my band). I'm surprised though no one has done it yet!

Unicorn Warrior · Post by **Unicorn Warrior** » Sun Aug 15, 2021 5:52 pm

Idk..but I’d like to see/hear it

Professor Bill · Post by **Professor Bill** » Sun Aug 15, 2021 6:03 pm

nihilandvoid wrote: ↑
Sun Aug 15, 2021 1:13 pm
I'm not so concerned about it sounding like a Ric, I just like the pickups (I have used them before in guitar builds, I had one in my main guitar for years with my band). I'm surprised though no one has done it yet!

Indeed. And sorry to get all male-pattern-answer on you there. I'd be curious to see it, and the idea of Ric pickups in a more familiar-feeling guitar is appealing.

Embenny · Post by **Embenny** » Sun Aug 15, 2021 7:17 pm

Hi gains are structurally much like a P90, so I'm sure they'd sound great in a JM. There have been several distinct eras where they were wound to drastically higher or lower numbers of turns/resistance/inductance, so you'll have to decide which type to go for. The lower wound ones will jangle but respond differently from JM pickups, while the hottest ones would be much closer to a modern P90.

nihilandvoid · Post by **nihilandvoid** » Mon Aug 16, 2021 4:35 pm

Well I just bought the set of High Gains, and made an offer on a anodized aluminium pickguard for a JM with P90 cut outs (methinks this will suit nicely) so I'll update when its all finished with some photos!

Question, Rickmaster or Jazzenbacker?

Unicorn Warrior · Post by **Unicorn Warrior** » Mon Aug 16, 2021 5:09 pm

nihilandvoid wrote: ↑
Mon Aug 16, 2021 4:35 pm
Well I just bought the set of High Gains, and made an offer on a anodized aluminium pickguard for a JM with P90 cut outs (methinks this will suit nicely) so I'll update when its all finished with some photos!

Question, Rickmaster or Jazzenbacker?

Rickyjazzy

Ceylon · Post by **Ceylon** » Tue Aug 17, 2021 9:19 am

nihilandvoid wrote: ↑
Mon Aug 16, 2021 4:35 pm

Question, Rickmaster or Jazzenbacker?

Jazz Gains

Or, the Gainsmaster

cestlamort · Post by **cestlamort** » Tue Aug 17, 2021 10:17 am

I bet it'll sound cool. The underrated (and often overlooked) 620 model sounds great and related to the 330/360, but more solid.

I'd guess that a Jazzmaster with hi gains would sound similar, maybe even more like a 330/360 due to the scale length / size.

Having had mastery bridges on both jazzmasters and rickenbackers, they have similar results on both guitars: the same sound as before, but a bit "more" somehow.

gishuk · Post by **gishuk** » Tue Aug 17, 2021 10:54 am

Never seen this combo done before, but I would like to see it

seenoevil II · Post by **seenoevil II** » Tue Aug 17, 2021 12:19 pm

"Police walked in for Ricky Jazz..."

Now all I can think about is the opposite.

Big, broad, white JM pickups on those big, broad Ricko bodies. I bet the sound would be an interesting match too.

nihilandvoid · Post by **nihilandvoid** » Tue Aug 17, 2021 1:03 pm

seenoevil II wrote: ↑
Tue Aug 17, 2021 12:19 pm
"Police walked in for Ricky Jazz..."

Now all I can think about is the opposite.

Big, broad, white JM pickups on those big, broad Ricko bodies. I bet the sound would be an interesting match too.

Its funny, I'm sure in my searches I saw a photo of a Rickenbacker with Jazzmaster pickups

Embenny · Post by **Embenny** » Tue Aug 17, 2021 2:44 pm

Just remember that much of the Rick sound comes from spacing the pickups far apart, and particularly by putting the bridge pickup as close to the bridge as possible. If you centered the pickup in a JM rout, you'd be too far from the bridge to sound like an actual Rick (if that's the goal)