Volume and Tone Controls
Most Rickenbacker six and twelve
string guitars come with separate
volume and tone control knobs for
the bass and treble pickups. In
addition, each guitar has a three
position pickup selector which
allows instantaneous selection of
the bass pickup, the treble pickup,
or a tonal blend using both pickups.
When the pickup selector is com-
bined with the tone and volume
controls, three different sounds can
be present and chosen simply by
switching the pickup selector.
When the volume and tone knobs
are turned all the way clockwise,
they are in the wide open "on"
position. When the pickup selector
is down, the treble pickup (closest
to the bridge) is in use. When the
selector is up, the bass pickup is in
use. The middle selector position is
a blend of both pickups. When
using only one pick up, only that
pickup's tone and volume controls
will have an effect.
On Rickenbacker models which
have three pickups, the bass
pickup and the middle pickup are
wired together, and the instrument
is then controlled just as if it had
only two pickups. When the selec-
tor is down, the treble pickup is on.
When it is in the middle, all three
pickups are on. When it is up, both
the bass and the middle pickup are
on.
Rickenbacker basses with two
pickups have the same volume and
tone controls as the six and twelve
string guitars, as well as a three
position pickup selector.
Many Rickenbacker guitars come
with a fifth control knob providing
extra tone adjustment capabilities.
Using this control to adjust the
volume of the bass pickup in rela-
tion to a pre-selected treble pickup
lead volume setting, you can set it
at the tone you will use more often.
Or it can function as a bass/treble
equalization control.
To use the fifth knob as a bass
pickup volume equalizer, first place
both volume and both tone controls
on the instrument at their maximum
clockwise positions. Then, move
the pickup selector to the treble
position and set the amplifier to the
desired lead sound. Now, switch
the pickup selector to the bass pick
up. The fifth tone knob can now be
adjusted in order to bring the
rhythm sound to a volume compati-
ble with the already selected lead
sound volume.
To use the fifth knob in a set posi-
tion, first place both volume con-
trols and both tone controls on the
instrument at their maximum clock-
wise positions, and move the
pickup selector to the center posi-
tion. Now, adjust the amplifier, by
setting the gain controls at the
desired volume and the bass and
the treble controls at their maxi-
mum positions. Finally, adjust the
fine tone selection knob on the
instrument until the tone which will
be used most frequently is reached,
and leave it in that position. After
the small knob has been set, the
pickup selector may be moved
down for maximum treble or up for
maximum bass. The variable vol-
ume and tone controls on either the
amplifier or the instrument can now
be moved to the desired volume
and tone settings.
To use the fifth knob as an equali-
zation control, first place both
volume controls and the treble tone
control on the instrument at their
maximum clockwise positions, and
move the pickup selector to the
center position. Move the bass tone
control on the instrument to its
maximum counter-clockwise posi-
tions, and set the volume and tone
controls on the amplifier to their
desired positions. Now, with the
instrument's treble up full and the
bass at its minimum, the fine tone
selection knob can be used as a
tone equalizer, moving the instru-
ment through the entire tonal range
without adjusting the amplifier.
When using a Rickenbacker guitar
with the Rick-O-Sound effect, much
of the tonal variation produced by
playing through R.O.S. can be
better controlled through two differ-
ent amplifiers or through two chan-
nels of one amplifier. However,
when using Rick-O-Sound, the fine
tone selection knob now becomes
a balance between the two amplifi-
ers or channels, and can be ad-
justed to provide the desired blend
of treble and bass.
Reverse Controls
Some replica models have volume
or tone controls which operate in
reverse fashion or are located a
different relative position. In keep-
ing with 1950's specifications, the
Model 325C58, for example, fea-
tures reverse-wired tone knobs so
the tone is brightest when the
knobs are turned completely coun-
terclockwise.
Vintage Tone Selector on Model
4003 Basses
Prior to 1984, Rickenbacker basses
utilized a capacitor in the treble
pickup circuit to emphasize treble
tones coming from that pickup.
However, changes in tone prefer-
ence and a call for higher output
led RIC to discontinue the use of
this capacitor in favor of a more
balanced sound. Nevertheless
many users added this capacitor
back into the circuit, experimenting
with and sometimes preferring the
sound of the older configuration,
despite the resulting drop in vol-
ume.
Modern 4003 Series basses now
allow this capacitor to be easily
added or removed from the circuit.
With a simple upwards pull of the
treble tone control, the Vintage
Tone Selector will allow a player to
move between both sounds at the
drop of a hat. Pressed in, one
hears the familiar balanced tone of
the 4003, while pulled out to en-
gage the circuit, the classic 4001
tone is heard.
String Height Adjustment
Most Rickenbacker guitars come
equipped with a six way bridge.
Individual string saddles allow
extremely critical pitch and action
adjustments. Four bridge height
adjustment screws are located at
each corner of the bridge assem-
bly.
To raise the height of the strings
from the surface of the neck, raise
the bridge by turning each of the
four adjusting screws clockwise
using the adjusting key supplied
with the instrument. Lower the
playing action by turning the adjust-
ing screws counterclockwise.
Some replica instruments with
vibrato assemblies feature bridges
that have individual rollers support-
ing each string. Just like the original
instruments, it is possible for these
