This spring I purchased a late-2016 Rickenbacker 4003 . I love the thing but I have some questions about/issues with the performance of the bass' electronics.
1) The hum is insane. To the point that the sustain is overcome by hum if I use any gainy effects pedals. I have settled on replacing the stock pickups most likely with Rickenbacker HB1s (both neck and bridge). But I am worried about getting new pickups before I figure out what to do about my ric-o-sound problem.
2) It doesn't sound like there is any signal separation in Ric-O-Sound with the pickup selector in the middle position. When I asked Rickenbacker about this, I was told that signal bleed is to be expected. So what should I be expecting from ROS in terms of signal separation?
I thought the stereo output of a Rick can/will send each pick up through its own half of the stereo output signal. The pickup selector in neck or bridge positions sends neck or bridge through both left and right, as expected. But in the middle position it sends both neck and bridge pickups at the same time through both left and right channels - there is no difference between the two sides of the stereo signal.
I did some experimenting to see what happens with ROS:
- -a stereo TRS cable plugged into ROS with the 2 mono ends are into separate mixer channels.
-One channel is panned 100% right, the other 100% left
-with pickup selector in middle position and both volumes and tones at 100%, I should hear the bridge pickup in one ear and neck pickup in the other, correct? I am hearing the exact same thing in both ears.
-selector in middle position with neck volume and tone at 0% & bridge at 100% -> I hear only the bridge pickup but in both left and right channels at equal volumes.
-selector still in middle position with neck volume and tone at 100% and bridge at 0% -> I hear only neck pickup in both channels at equal volumes.
-selector in neck position with neck pickup volume and tone at 0% = I hear nothing (makes sense)
-selector in neck position with neck pickup and tone at 100% = I hear bass in both channels (also makes sense)
-selector in bridge position with bridge volume and tone at 0% = hear nothing (makes sense)
-selector in bridge position with bridge volume and tone at 100% = I hear bridge pickup in both channels (also makes sense)
I have tried this with a few different stereo cables, so I don't think think is a question of poor quality cables.
Does anyone have advice on solutions for these two issues? Will a new harness achieve better signal separation between the signals or are my expectations too high for ROS?
Would love to get some input! I love my bass and I want it to be perfect!
(edited for clarity)