Rickenbacker Toaster Question/s -- chime, fuzz, Creamery???

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dffny
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Rickenbacker Toaster Question/s -- chime, fuzz, Creamery???

Post by dffny » Wed Aug 08, 2018 2:30 pm

Hello All--

I recently picked up a Rick 360. Great guitar, love the neck, love the feel, but the stock hi gain pickups don't quite have the sparkle I was hoping for.

I was recording recently and my jaguar w/ Duncan antiquity firebird pickups totally out-chimed and out-jangled the rick.

Swapping pups for toasters seems like a no brainer, but I've never tried them.

I'm looking for a straight British Invasion/garage rock sound. Wondering if anyone has done the swap and if they got the results they were hoping for.

I've also heard that toasters don't do pedals very well. Any truth to that? I use a Mk. 1 Tonebender clone so don't mind if it's thin and nasty sounding.

Finally, I found some British-made toasters from Creamery that look good (two varieties, 50s or 60s, with different output levels) and that, due to the exchange rate, are quite a bit cheaper than Rick or Lollar pups. Anyone tried these things?

Thanks for the assist!

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Logrinn
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Re: Rickenbacker Toaster Question/s -- chime, fuzz, Creamery???

Post by Logrinn » Wed Aug 08, 2018 10:08 pm

I haven’t tried toasters but I’ve got a couple of other Creamery pickups in my Mustang. I like them a lot.

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Re: Rickenbacker Toaster Question/s -- chime, fuzz, Creamery???

Post by UlricvonCatalyst » Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:32 am

If the price is right I'd say go with the Creameries. Chances are you'll be able to get most of your money back or maybe even make something on them if you're not happy. Can't speak to '50s toasters, but my 360/12 supposedly has a '64 in the bridge which sounds better than even I would've expected.

Re. Pedals - I've mostly only used compressors/Janglebox with mine, usually straight into a DAW, so not sure about that aspect.

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Re: Rickenbacker Toaster Question/s -- chime, fuzz, Creamery???

Post by garyfanclub » Thu Aug 09, 2018 4:17 am

Can’t speak to the Creameries, but I’m in the same boat insofar as high gains.

Proto guitars also builds custom Ric-size pickups, you may want to look into those as well. I’m thinking about having him build me some mini-humbuckers in Ric covers for my 360.

That said, the Creamery ‘64s are looking pretty interesting right now.

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Re: Rickenbacker Toaster Question/s -- chime, fuzz, Creamery???

Post by UlricvonCatalyst » Thu Aug 09, 2018 4:29 am

In the interest of clarity, the '64 pickup I was talking about is an old Rickenbacker one, not a Creamery one.

Also, as the OP seemed uncertain about the sound of the old toasters, rather than in the interest of self-promotion, you should be able to hear the sound they make from about 01.50 onwards in this toon of mine. (More Byrdsy than British Invasion, but, without George's Ric, McGuinn wouldn't have jangled that way.)

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Re: Rickenbacker Toaster Question/s -- chime, fuzz, Creamery???

Post by jakeisjake » Thu Aug 09, 2018 6:58 am

UlricvonCatalyst wrote:
Thu Aug 09, 2018 4:29 am
In the interest of clarity, the '64 pickup I was talking about is an old Rickenbacker one, not a Creamery one.

Also, as the OP seemed uncertain about the sound of the old toasters, rather than in the interest of self-promotion, you should be able to hear the sound they make from about 01.50 onwards in this toon of mine. (More Byrdsy than British Invasion, but, without George's Ric, McGuinn wouldn't have jangled that way.)
nice song!
If I was a byrd, I'd be mighty sore every time they shut the door and I don't think I'd sing...

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Re: Rickenbacker Toaster Question/s -- chime, fuzz, Creamery???

Post by jakeisjake » Thu Aug 09, 2018 7:09 am

at one point, i had a Ric 620-12 with Hi Gains and a Ric 330-6 with Ric re-issue, low out put Toasters.

there was a definite difference.

i heard from many people that the toasters were more desirable for the 12...so, i switched them...only to switch them back. i thought they lacked clarity in the 12...but were perfect in the 6.

just to throw in the mix...i have a fake Ric from china and the toasters in that were indistinguishable from the Real Ric toasters.
If I was a byrd, I'd be mighty sore every time they shut the door and I don't think I'd sing...

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Re: Rickenbacker Toaster Question/s -- chime, fuzz, Creamery???

Post by mediocreplayer » Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:08 pm

I was going to say that Roadhouse pickups make Ric pickups, but I went to check and it seems they closed down? Anyone knows what the deal is? Their Supro pickups --the only ones I tried-- were pretty good.

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Re: Rickenbacker Toaster Question/s -- chime, fuzz, Creamery???

Post by Con-Tiki! » Thu Aug 09, 2018 2:00 pm

mediocreplayer wrote:
Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:08 pm
I was going to say that Roadhouse pickups make Ric pickups, but I went to check and it seems they closed down? Anyone knows what the deal is? Their Supro pickups --the only ones I tried-- were pretty good.
i don't have any details really, but all of ken's supro pickups are now being made overseas. i don't know what that means for his site, but he's totally offline currently.
i found one of his old pickups on ebay last week and grabbed it, in case he's not making them at all anymore...
(Christopher, also)
I've been to one World's Fair, a picnic, and a rodeo, and that's the stupidest thing i ever heard come out a pair of headphones.

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Re: Rickenbacker Toaster Question/s -- chime, fuzz, Creamery???

Post by dffny » Thu Aug 09, 2018 5:39 pm

Thanks all for the comments and the music -- nice jangle there jakeisjake!

Doing the math on the exchange rate, a set of the Creamery toasters would cost $193 (plus shipping) compared to $320 for the Rics, so I think I will give them a shot. If I can then sell the hi gains that will offset the cost, as well.

I need to do something with that Ric to make me love it enough to justify lugging it around in the hardshell case! If the pickups are good, then I can start planning for a bigsby...

Cheers

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Re: Rickenbacker Toaster Question/s -- chime, fuzz, Creamery???

Post by dffny » Thu Aug 09, 2018 5:41 pm

Sorry --UlricvonCatalyst! Nice tune.

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Re: Rickenbacker Toaster Question/s -- chime, fuzz, Creamery???

Post by UlricvonCatalyst » Thu Aug 09, 2018 11:17 pm

dffny wrote:
Thu Aug 09, 2018 5:41 pm
Sorry --UlricvonCatalyst! Nice tune.
Thanks (and thanks also, Jake).

I think you're making a good choice going for the Creamery pickups, but you should be aware that they could come with a lengthy wait and customs charge. Haven't heard them, but the company has an excellent rep and taking advantage of a blip in the exchange rate is definitely worthwhile as the price could be vastly different in a few months' time. I'd say hang onto the hi-gains for a while, if you can afford to, until you're absolutely sure you're not going to change them back.

Looking forward to hearing what you think of the pickups....eventually.

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