Very interesting for me...I have 1979 330 Doublebound...that I bought for almost nothing due it's condition. It sat unplayed and uncased for years...I had to replace everything on it. Oddly the guitar does not have the Rico-Sound Jacks...only standard. It has a new Mastery Bridge, and 3 Kent Armstrong Vintage Toasters...Had a friend make a new pick-guard and replaced the shot pots with new CTS Pots...Replaced the damaged Tuning Heads with Grover Roto-Matics. New bone nut...Re-fretted and refinished the neck...the body miraculously was in good shape. Its a brand new guitar...but probably not worth what an Original 330 of that vintage would go foe because of all the Frankenstein work. None the less it's a beauty.
330s didn't have ric o sound they were for the 360/660 models Quite a few 330 had binding added by owners. Usually the presence of ric o sound, triangular inlays, slash sound hole and binding means 360. Dot inlays are 330 tends to mean 330
Once you removed the pick guard, it looked like a bowl of spaghetti; there had to be an easier wiring method than that! The new pickups, pots, and wiring you installed made the guitar sound so much better, much fuller while keeping the vaunted Rickenbacker tone - priceless! Great video, thanks for posting!
I'm a huge Paul Weller fan so I dig the tones you can get with the hi-gain pickups but the sixties Rick sound is the "classic" Rick sound and is its own thing; very cool
Same here , always wanted a 330 because of The Jam connection. Which is great but... Also would love a model 1997 reissue to get that My Generation LP tone !
Great video - and somewhat timely for me, as I'm currently doing nearly exactly the same thing!! I bought a lefty 330 and I've got some videos recorded (though not yet released) of taking it from 330k pots all round to vintage-spec wiring (also featuring the Gemini wiring diagram!), looking at what the 0.0047uF cap does (though I've wired mine onto a 2-way toggle switch in place of the blend knob rather than a push-pull), and I'm now waiting on a set of the Creamery Toasters (which should be here in a couple of weeks) to compare them to the high-gains. It sounds like those pickups are going to achieve _exactly_ what I'm hoping they will. Hopefully we can start a Ricky revival! :-)
The Korean / China made "toaster" pups inside are constructed like Gibson Firebird type humbuckers with two ceramic flat bar magnets inside a bobbin / coil pair, so they only have "toaster" pickup covers. Rickenbacker toasters actually are single coils, with 6 alnico 5 rod magnets, under each string. Creamery do make them like the originals.
Great stuff. I actually did this same mod, about a year ago. Had to wait several months to get my Creamery toasters--but well worth it. I even did the Bigsby as well. Took mine full "Lennon" with gold pick guard, truss rod cover and chrome tone volume.
If you fully soldered it on your own, could I get some help please? I had a local shop solder my stuff together and it’s very wirey and dull. Plus, the bass cut isn’t noticeable at all.
@@Spokahno That's unfortunate. Maybe take it back to the shop and perhaps even show them this video. I'm not an expert on wiring pickups, I was just very care and tool lots of pictures as I was taking out the old ones and used them as a reference when I put the new ones in. Wish I could be of more assistance. Good luck!
Thanks for the great video. Any chance you might modify the Gemini diagram to show the push pull .0047 circuit? I see there there is more going on than the switch wiring, but I can’t quite see it fully. Thanks for consideration
Great video! Thanks. Both original and new pickups sounded good to my ears. Just different. I own the 12 string version, well built guitars. Totally agree on the frets, refretted mine with Jescar mid Jumbos, total game changer for the playability.
I have a new 620 and would definitely like to change the frets to my preferred narrow tall 6105, just anxious of doing this on the lacquered fretboard.
Thanks for this - very helpful! The Creamery 63 Toasters sound right for me . . . I grew up with the Fabs! Will have to see if my Guitar Tech can sort out the Bass Cut thingie - essential, I think.
BIG improvement on the sound Huw, but I see those Creamery pick ups seem to use alnico slug magnets instead of the RUBBER magnets Rick always used in their pick ups! Cheers!
Thank You for a wonderful video. Pretty much agree with everything you say. But can't help thinking that anyone who really wants the sound of the 60's RIC tones should just go out and purchase a 330/12 or 360/12. The 6 string RICs are just that. They have their own character. They don't try to be something they are not. Cheers from the Land Down Under.
Wow Sounds to me like the HOT setup for those who love the 60's. I had a 12v64 360, and like a Dumbass, I sold it, now they are almost 4000, to buy. I just ordered a set of those creamery 63's, and will do the wiring like you did for the new Guitar. I must be in some weird group, when I picked up that 12v64 it was just like any other guitar, and played well, even with the narrow spacing, always felt Like I had a Cadillac in my Hands, truly unique guitars, but not everyone's flavoring. Of course I also love the Filtertron Pickups too, esp. the Super blade 68 filtertrons, they have their own unique sound. And of course I have done the Strat/Les Paul/SG thing, just don't own any currently. Unless you count the Strandberg with the Suhr Tele pickups setup. Nice REALLY NICE video. Where did you get the wiring diagrams information from? I will photo the wiring diagram you have on the video. Is there a special name for the CTS push pull pot? The Mix pot, did you use another Bareknuckle 550k or another 500k, by another maker? Thanks so much, I screen captured some of it.
The R looks lovely but is annoying for string changes on a 6 and positively infuriating on the 12. The trapeze is better, if a 6 can get an Accent vibrato from Winfield Vintage.
Not so much higher gain - strictly speaking - as higher fidelity; much more dynamic range bitting to top end. The hi-gains are mid-heavy but really want to be driven if that's your thing.
Creamery seems to be a victim of his own success, so going with Gemini after hearing em - and he does RWRP on the middle one, which I'm always after with s-coils.
I put a 1 meg pot just on the bridge pickup volume and now I have plenty of jangle from my 91 Rick 360/12 allthough this was just abit of a bodge quick job. I’d love to do exactly what you’ve done here! Do you know what resistance your pots are here? I think I’d go 500k when I do mine, hopefully soon ✌🏻✌🏻✌🏻
I have both. High output are nice. It might be because I have toasters on the 381 which I have 3 of. And an accent tremolo. High output are nice in 2022. But not necessary at all. The two octave range is what makes it extra special.
Great videio. I just got a 330 and really want to do this upgrade.I just need to find the parts. Can you post a "parts list" with links so I can get started? Thank you so much.
How much of the change can be attributed to the pickups versus the pots? Understand the bass roll off cap is its own thing, but just wondering how far along you would get with just a pickup swap?
I just ordered new foam pads for my Rick 360 because the old ones turned to garbage. (It's HOT here.) Do the pickups have to be unsoldered to get the new foam pads on or can it be done by just unscrewing the pickups?
Hello, is Rickenbacker kind of guitar that switched at neck pickup only bass adjustable and switched at bridge pickup only treble adjustable? Lately I had a 620 facing such fact...
Is this right? 2x BKP/CTS 550K Pots (BKP 550K Pot Short Shaft 10% Fast Taper "A") 2x BKP/CTS 280K Standard Shaft Pot (BKP 280k Standard Shaft Pot 10% Fast Taper "A") 1x Custom BKP / CTS Short Shaft 550k PUSH PULL (10% Fast Taper "A")
Very interesting for me...I have 1979 330 Doublebound...that I bought for almost nothing due it's condition. It sat unplayed and uncased for years...I had to replace everything on it. Oddly the guitar does not have the Rico-Sound Jacks...only standard. It has a new Mastery Bridge, and 3 Kent Armstrong Vintage Toasters...Had a friend make a new pick-guard and replaced the shot pots with new CTS Pots...Replaced the damaged Tuning Heads with Grover Roto-Matics. New bone nut...Re-fretted and refinished the neck...the body miraculously was in good shape. Its a brand new guitar...but probably not worth what an Original 330 of that vintage would go foe because of all the Frankenstein work. None the less it's a beauty.
330s didn't have ric o sound they were for the 360/660 models
Quite a few 330 had binding added by owners.
Usually the presence of ric o sound, triangular inlays, slash sound hole and binding means 360.
Dot inlays are 330 tends to mean 330
Once you removed the pick guard, it looked like a bowl of spaghetti; there had to be an easier wiring method than that!
The new pickups, pots, and wiring you installed made the guitar sound so much better, much fuller while keeping the vaunted Rickenbacker tone - priceless!
Great video, thanks for posting!
Huge improvement in tone to my duff ears. More clarity, emphasis and seemingly sustain. Overall just a more "hi-fi" sound.
Good job
I'm a huge Paul Weller fan so I dig the tones you can get with the hi-gain pickups but the sixties Rick sound is the "classic" Rick sound and is its own thing; very cool
Same here , always wanted a 330 because of The Jam connection. Which is great but... Also would love a model 1997 reissue to get that My Generation LP tone !
Weller gave up the Rick in 82.
Great video - and somewhat timely for me, as I'm currently doing nearly exactly the same thing!! I bought a lefty 330 and I've got some videos recorded (though not yet released) of taking it from 330k pots all round to vintage-spec wiring (also featuring the Gemini wiring diagram!), looking at what the 0.0047uF cap does (though I've wired mine onto a 2-way toggle switch in place of the blend knob rather than a push-pull), and I'm now waiting on a set of the Creamery Toasters (which should be here in a couple of weeks) to compare them to the high-gains. It sounds like those pickups are going to achieve _exactly_ what I'm hoping they will. Hopefully we can start a Ricky revival! :-)
You did a fantastic job on your review as well! Ricky revival indeed! I’m doing the same thing to mine!
Beautiful job and guitar! Nothin' like a Ric, I say...!
The Korean / China made "toaster" pups inside are constructed like Gibson Firebird type humbuckers with two ceramic flat bar magnets inside a bobbin / coil pair, so they only have "toaster" pickup covers. Rickenbacker toasters actually are single coils, with 6 alnico 5 rod magnets, under each string. Creamery do make them like the originals.
Nice to know thanks.
Great stuff. I actually did this same mod, about a year ago. Had to wait several months to get my Creamery toasters--but well worth it. I even did the Bigsby as well. Took mine full "Lennon" with gold pick guard, truss rod cover and chrome tone volume.
If you fully soldered it on your own, could I get some help please? I had a local shop solder my stuff together and it’s very wirey and dull. Plus, the bass cut isn’t noticeable at all.
@@Spokahno That's unfortunate. Maybe take it back to the shop and perhaps even show them this video. I'm not an expert on wiring pickups, I was just very care and tool lots of pictures as I was taking out the old ones and used them as a reference when I put the new ones in. Wish I could be of more assistance. Good luck!
Great video. I also enjoyed the demo song you played at the end.
Thank you.
In the past, I've heard jangle out of Hi Output Rick pickups. But those Creamery Toasters do sound nice!
Thanks for the great video. Any chance you might modify the Gemini diagram to show the push pull .0047 circuit? I see there there is more going on than the switch wiring, but I can’t quite see it fully. Thanks for consideration
Great video! Thanks. Both original and new pickups sounded good to my ears. Just different. I own the 12 string version, well built guitars. Totally agree on the frets, refretted mine with Jescar mid Jumbos, total game changer for the playability.
I have a new 620 and would definitely like to change the frets to my preferred narrow tall 6105, just anxious of doing this on the lacquered fretboard.
Thanks for this - very helpful! The Creamery 63 Toasters sound right for me . . . I grew up with the Fabs! Will have to see if my Guitar Tech can sort out the Bass Cut thingie - essential, I think.
One word: WOW.
BIG improvement on the sound Huw, but I see those Creamery pick ups seem to use alnico slug magnets instead of the RUBBER magnets Rick always used in their pick ups!
Cheers!
Hi from England!
Hi from Wales ;)
Thank You for a wonderful video. Pretty much agree with everything you say. But can't help thinking that anyone who really wants the sound of the 60's RIC tones should just go out and purchase a 330/12 or 360/12. The 6 string RICs are just that. They have their own character. They don't try to be something they are not. Cheers from the Land Down Under.
Wow Sounds to me like the HOT setup for those who love the 60's. I had a 12v64 360, and like a Dumbass, I sold it, now they are almost 4000, to buy. I just ordered a set of those creamery 63's, and will do the wiring like you did for the new
Guitar. I must be in some weird group, when I picked up that 12v64 it was just like any other guitar, and played well, even with the narrow spacing, always felt Like I had a Cadillac in my Hands, truly unique guitars, but not everyone's flavoring. Of course I also love the Filtertron Pickups too, esp. the Super blade 68 filtertrons, they have their own unique sound. And of course I have done the Strat/Les Paul/SG thing, just don't own any currently. Unless you count the Strandberg with the Suhr Tele pickups setup. Nice REALLY NICE video. Where did you get the wiring diagrams information from? I will photo the wiring diagram you have on the video. Is there a special name for the CTS push pull pot? The Mix pot, did you use another Bareknuckle 550k or another 500k, by another maker? Thanks so much, I screen captured some of it.
Also, the R tailpiece is cantankerous (doesn’t suck, it’s unique). It can be frustrating. Trapeze tailpiece is nice to change to.
The R looks lovely but is annoying for string changes on a 6 and positively infuriating on the 12. The trapeze is better, if a 6 can get an Accent vibrato from Winfield Vintage.
aka the exploding tailpiece.
Huge difference. I might consider swapping out mine. The toasters actually sound higher gain than the high gain original ones you had in.
Not so much higher gain - strictly speaking - as higher fidelity; much more dynamic range bitting to top end. The hi-gains are mid-heavy but really want to be driven if that's your thing.
Creamery seems to be a victim of his own success, so going with Gemini after hearing em - and he does RWRP on the middle one, which I'm always after with s-coils.
I’ve owned four Ricks. A 360, two 330’s and still have a 660. The best 60’s jangle I’ve had is from a Peerless Songbird. 🤷♂️
Great info and a cool Video, thanks!
Lovely sounds.
I put a 1 meg pot just on the bridge pickup volume and now I have plenty of jangle from my 91 Rick 360/12 allthough this was just abit of a bodge quick job. I’d love to do exactly what you’ve done here! Do you know what resistance your pots are here? I think I’d go 500k when I do mine, hopefully soon ✌🏻✌🏻✌🏻
They make humbuckers for the Rickys that have all the jangle of the toasters but flip a switch and you got twice the output.
I have both. High output are nice. It might be because I have toasters on the 381 which I have 3 of. And an accent tremolo.
High output are nice in 2022. But not necessary at all.
The two octave range is what makes it extra special.
Great job, that sound has Tom Petty written all over it
Great videio. I just got a 330 and really want to do this upgrade.I just need to find the parts. Can you post a "parts list" with links so I can get started? Thank you so much.
Well the pickups came from the manufacturer and the pots came from Bare Knuckle pickups. That's about it really.
How much of the change can be attributed to the pickups versus the pots? Understand the bass roll off cap is its own thing, but just wondering how far along you would get with just a pickup swap?
I just ordered new foam pads for my Rick 360 because the old ones turned to garbage. (It's HOT here.) Do the pickups have to be unsoldered to get the new foam pads on or can it be done by just unscrewing the pickups?
Hello, is Rickenbacker kind of guitar that switched at neck pickup only bass adjustable and switched at bridge pickup only treble adjustable? Lately I had a 620 facing such fact...
Tell me please, how much KiloOhms have a toaster pickup?
Could you send over the bass cut circuit mod cheers
Sounds great. Was that Bigsby a permanent modification screwed into the body?
Yes, it's permanent.
Was the CTS push/pull switch on a 250K pot?
Is this right?
2x BKP/CTS 550K Pots (BKP 550K Pot Short Shaft 10% Fast Taper "A")
2x BKP/CTS 280K Standard Shaft Pot (BKP 280k Standard Shaft Pot 10% Fast Taper "A")
1x Custom BKP / CTS Short Shaft 550k PUSH PULL (10% Fast Taper "A")
That's what I purchased. I'll let everyone know if it's right after everything's been installed.
@@fragmatic1964 idk if mine got wired weird but mine never really got jangly/chimey. It’s more wirey than anything.
Hi Gain for ever....toaster are ok too, but ....
Ta-Bo!
going from a 25ok pot to a 500 will be a little brighter and some what brittle sounding.
Stock Rickenbacker wiring is the lowest quality factory wiring I've ever encountered. No screening evident either.
Upgrading a Rick???....omg
changing pots will make NO difference in tone.
We respectfully disagree.
Why are you whispering?
@simonwilliams33 sent me here