381/12V69 Questions

[Folkie]

I just purchased a 2000 381/12V69, and the clean sound I'm getting is very deep and throaty, much more so than my 330/12 and 360/12c63. Shouldn't a 2000 model 381 have scatterwounds rather than hot toasters? Can someone tell me what the screws look like on scatterwounds?

[jps]

Slotted in the corners.

[Folkie]

Thanks. My 381 does have scatterwounds. In addition to the tone deficit, I've been having problems with the selector switch and the blend knob, and I think this may be related to the overly bass-heavy sound I'm getting. Sometimes I get no sound whatsoever in the three different toggle positions or the sound rapidly fizzles out. Even with just the bridge pickup selected, or with both pickups together and the fifth knob turned all the way clockwise, the sound is very muddy. Any ideas as to what might be causing this? Am I getting too much signal from the neck pickup?

[jps]

Why don't you bring the guitar over sometime and we can check it out?

[Folkie]

That would be nice. I'm sure you'll have a better understanding of what's going on than I do. But, if the guitar does have problems, I want to get it back to the store I bought it from as soon as possible.

[Folkie]

I'd like to clarify the problem I'm having with the 381/12v69, so that I can determine if it's only a simple contact issue with the switch, or something more serious. About 80% of the time the switch is operable, meaning in the "up" position it selects just the neck pickup, in the "middle" it blends the two pickups (with the small fifth knob dialing in the desired signal from the neck pickup) and in the "down" position it selects just the bridge pickup. This is all as it should be. But other times after I switch to the "middle" position, the sound gets muddy, the fifth knob doesn't do anything, and the other two switch positions silence the guitar completely. There is also some mild static when this happens.

I hope this clarifies the problem, and I'll welcome any suggestions.

Robert

[Folkie]

Not a problem with the pickup selector switch, as I had the contacts cleaned yesterday. So the guitar has some electronics issues, and it looks like the chain store where I bought it is unwilling to pay for the repair, or even for a proper setup. Good thing they have a 30-day return policy!

[aceonbass]

The tone pots RIC was using during the period your guitar was made were way under spec 250K pots that actually measure closer to 180K. These outta spec pots suck the clarity and tone out of everything they're in. To a certain extent you can compensate for this with a good amp, but not entirely. 500K pots for tone and 250K pots for volume is what RIC was using till some time in the 80's. I've been building wiring harnesses with matched pots for Ricks for a few years now to correct this problem, and open up the tone.