Lollar "Broiler" pickup for Rickenbacker

[TChen]

Anyone have any experience with these? Care to share?

[vanguard]

i'd go with the real thing. they look right, and RIC is not a brand that needs to be upgraded.

[TChen]

i've had bad luck with a couple ric pickups crapping out on me this past year. the classic toaster aesthetic is not all that important to me. the lollars are suppose to be spot on tone-wise... but made better with better components. supposedly anyway. and theyre a little less expensive.

[Degle]

I am also interested in hearing from anyone who has tried these. At $260 a set (new), they are priced about the same as a used set of Ricki toasters. My experience with other Lollar pickups, especially single coils, has been more than favorable... I say go for it... I would guess that the reason people have not traditionally replaced Rickenbacker pickups has a lot to do with a lack of available aftermarket options.

[rushcentrale]

that looks tempting. i already have toasters on my 660 and they sound great though. if i were you, i'd check them out. with lollars i'm guessing you'd have little to lose.

[aidan7737]

I've got a set of Lollar Broilers incoming to drop into my '06 330 (replacing High Gains).

I don't necessarily dislike the High Gains but after playing vintage style single coil telecasters/strats for so long, it's as if lower-output single coil sound is just what works best for me. The 330 is so alive/jangly acoustically which isn't quite translating plugged in right now. I've also been toting a Clark Beaufort to rehearsals/gigs lately and because that amp compresses very early things can get a bit tubby with the High Gains (not so the single coil teles).

Considered picking up the Toasters direct from Rickenbacker but I'm such a Lollar fan that I thought what the heck - sure I can't go wrong with Jason's offering.

Will report back with Broiler thoughts once they're in.

[aidan7737]

Ok so the Lollar Broilers went into my 6 string '06 330 last night. While I might be having a conversation with myself on this thread for now, I thought I'd share my initial impressions for the benefit of those who may search this topic in the future!

After some medium-to-gig volume playing at home last night and all this morning, all I can say is "WOW". These things sound absolutely fantastic.

I don't have a heap of playing experience on Ricks, but have played through a variety of models (old/new, toasters/high gains) and of course have nestled in my subconscience my own take on the "Rick Sound". To me, the Broilers deliver this sound in spades.

Above I commented that the High Gains didn't seem to capture the acoustic nature of the guitar, and that is even more apparent to me now that the Broilers are in doing just that. The Broilers have literally transformed the 330 into a genuine Rick! Alive, punchy, sparkly jangly sounds that can still get rude.

I've heard a lot of comments on Ricks re: High Gains sounding better in 6s and Toasters in 12s. Also that High Gains are more Smithsy/REM-y (ie, "modern Rick"). After replacing the High Gains there's just not an application I could think of where I would prefer their sound. Really looking forward to trying these live.

Plus, they look fanstastic!



Edit: Should also say that these Pups got to me within 5 days (ordered Monday, arrived Friday) to Perth, Western Australia. One week earlier my Lollar order on was made Monday night and arrived Friday. Can't speak highly enough of Lollar's quick turnaround and delivery half way across the world!

[walterw]

"broilers" instead of "toasters", nice!

replacements for rics seem to barely exist, so it's cool to see these.

(i'll never understand why duncan's only ric bass pickups are these weird humbuckers; surely there's a market for the original vibe, just improved, say with more output, better balance on the guitar pickups and RWRP between the two.)

[Gibby60]

Originally Posted by aidan7737

Ok so the Lollar Broilers went into my 6 string '06 330 last night. While I might be having a conversation with myself on this thread for now, I thought I'd share my initial impressions for the benefit of those who may search this topic in the future!

After some medium-to-gig volume playing at home last night and all this morning, all I can say is "WOW". These things sound absolutely fantastic.

I don't have a heap of playing experience on Ricks, but have played through a variety of models (old/new, toasters/high gains) and of course have nestled in my subconscience my own take on the "Rick Sound". To me, the Broilers deliver this sound in spades.

Above I commented that the High Gains didn't seem to capture the acoustic nature of the guitar, and that is even more apparent to me now that the Broilers are in doing just that. The Broilers have literally transformed the 330 into a genuine Rick! Alive, punchy, sparkly jangly sounds that can still get rude.

I've heard a lot of comments on Ricks re: High Gains sounding better in 6s and Toasters in 12s. Also that High Gains are more Smithsy/REM-y (ie, "modern Rick"). After replacing the High Gains there's just not an application I could think of where I would prefer their sound. Really looking forward to trying these live.

Plus, they look fanstastic!



Edit: Should also say that these Pups got to me within 5 days (ordered Monday, arrived Friday) to Perth, Western Australia. One week earlier my Lollar order on was made Monday night and arrived Friday. Can't speak highly enough of Lollar's quick turnaround and delivery half way across the world!

Thanks for this report, I was asking about the Broilers on the Ric site and got scolded. I just got my 330, I love the Hi Gain sound, but I'm after the vintage jangle. I saw an interview with Mike Campbell, and I think he had Rickenbacker put a HiGain in the bridge, and a toaster neck. I thought about that, and the Broilers sort of look like the HiGains, so it wouldn't look strange. Plus, I bought it to play it, whatever sounds best is going in.

[Betos]

Thanks for the report +1.

I don't have a Ric, but I love Lollar pickups and I'm always curious about their new offerings.

~Betos

[Stratobuc]

Originally Posted by Gibby60

Thanks for this report, I was asking about the Broilers on the Ric site and got scolded. I just got my 330, I love the Hi Gain sound, but I'm after the vintage jangle. I saw an interview with Mike Campbell, and I think he had Rickenbacker put a HiGain in the bridge, and a toaster neck. I thought about that, and the Broilers sort of look like the HiGains, so it wouldn't look strange. Plus, I bought it to play it, whatever sounds best is going in.

That's what I did to my 330 - toaster neck, high gain bridge. This works really well for me - very versatile. I have scatterwound toasters in my 330 / 12, and I can't imagine anything else in there. The Lollars, I'm sure are fine pickups. I have some in my other guitars. As far as being "better made - with better parts".... I doubt it. And they are only 40 dollars less for the set than originals, I would go with Rick pickups (which also look much much better). And I haven't had any "crap out on me" either.

[Gray]

Originally Posted by Gibby60

Thanks for this report, I was asking about the Broilers on the Ric site and got scolded.

The Corporate site or the RRF? Because I thought people liked these over on the RRF.
HiGains for me all day, every day though. Specifically early 80's "Super" HiGains. I use an Orange amp and we don't want jangle here.

[Gibby60]

Originally Posted by Stratobuc

That's what I did to my 330 - toaster neck, high gain bridge. This works really well for me - very versatile. I have scatterwound toasters in my 330 / 12, and I can't imagine anything else in there. The Lollars, I'm sure are fine pickups. I have some in my other guitars. As far as being "better made - with better parts".... I doubt it. And they are only 40 dollars less for the set than originals, I would go with Rick pickups (which also look much much better). And I haven't had any "crap out on me" either.

I like the fact the Broilers look a lot like the HiGains, It wouldn't look as obvious as the Toaster. Plus I can talk to Lollar to make sure I get what I want.

[mhuxtable]

Originally Posted by TChen

i've had bad luck with a couple ric pickups crapping out on me this past year. the classic toaster aesthetic is not all that important to me. the lollars are suppose to be spot on tone-wise... but made better with better components. supposedly anyway. and theyre a little less expensive.

Such as? NOS wire? Fair dust infused bobbins? Magic mojo sauce?

[Stratobuc]

Originally Posted by Gibby60

I like the fact the Broilers look a lot like the HiGains, It wouldn't look as obvious as the Toaster. Plus I can talk to Lollar to make sure I get what I want.

They look more like Rick humbuckers than high-gains. No pole pieces. What I want is an original Rickenbacker scatterwound pickup.