Fellow Rickists!

I've been a bit quiet for the past few years, but need your help again! My trusty 4003, that was built up, following the purchase on eBay of just the body neck, was beefed up last year, with the addition of the HB1 humbucker.

At the bridge, I still have the recent hi-gain (with adjustable pole-pieces). I have 4001 style wiring (with 250k and 500k pots).

Problem: Either pickup sounds great, and quite distinct, but together, the combined signal deadens somewhat - like they're out of phase - but worse! (They can't be out of phase, as each pickup has the hot wire and screen only, and each hot wire to matching legs on the volume pots etc.

Actually, backing off the volume on one of the pickups (sorry - can't remeber which) improves it somewhat.

Is it a problem with the pots?????

Guy

No. It is more than likely an impedance mismatch common to all 2-pickup instruments that have pickups that have different amounts of windings, and therefore different impedance characteristics.

Does the treble pickup have the .0047 capacitor inline? If not, try adding it. It can help.

I was in conversation with Robbie (From Rickysounds - where I bought the HB1), and he suggested swapping over the two end wires of the HB1. He suspected that the issue may have been a phase problem, and putting the blue from the HB1 to hot, and the red to ground, makes a huge difference! This is the reverse of the wiring diagram in the schematics section. (sorry - in my original post, I stated that there was only one hot wire and a shield in the HB1 - that post was done from memory, and I hadn't checked inside the bass!!)

The bass has its balls back!

So it seems that the new high gains (with the hex pole pieces), and the HB1s are naturally out of phase!

Anyhow - I am a very happy Creedler, now that my favorite "Rickenstein" 4001/3/4 has it's big growl back!

Just a thought. Having put the HB-1 in the neck position of my 4003, retaining the 2011 Hi gain in the bridge, I'm going to change the pickups in my 4001 too.

What's the opinion pf the board? I'd like to retain a bit of 4001/3-ness, in the sound, but I do like an HB-1 combined with a single coil. Is there a general preference to put an HB-1 in the bridge, or the neck postiion?

Hotter pickup usually goes in the bridge position but the other configuration is viable too. It's all about what you want. Generally the bridge position, which has more mids, complements the resonance of a humbucker better than the neck position which is more woody and raw.

I prefer a duller tone. My 4004 L gives me exactly what I want. I Put flatwounds on her and she almost sounds like a fretless. Those HB-1's are incredibly versatile with tone and hot as hell. When I use both pickups at once and turn the tone up, I get such incredible brightness, even with the flatwounds.

I'm considering doing exactly the opposite, by putting a vintage re-issue Toaster pup in the neck position of my Cheyenne. The only thing that's held me up thus far, is the fact that the Toaster is chrome, and the Cheyenne is all gold hdwe. I'm thinking about spraying a coat of light gold paint over the cover, and sealing it, but would I run into any other technical issues with these 2 pick ups together?

Thanks. I would most likey use one or the other, and not both together. In fact, as it is now, from the factory, I never use both together, as it sounds a bit "hollow". Either pup solo's is massive, with just a bit more ooomph from the bridge. This is why I'm considering the Toaster instead. Always loved the Toaster on my 4003's.