Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

i've started to build a custom hybrid guitar. It's basically going to be a 12 string hollow (VoxBrian Jones) Teardrop with x-bracing and Ric hardware (Toasters, Ric bridge..).

Since i never use the controls for the neck PU on my 1993plus (just those of the bridge pickup or the blend knob in middle posish) i would like tho leave them out entirely. So, just Vol & Tone for the bridge PU and the blend knob. Is that even possible? I'm obviously not very good with wiring/electronics so i can't figure it out looking at my 1993+ wiring. The signal seems to go (after the neck Vol) through the toggle switch, then into the blend, then to the neck Tone, then into the bridge Tone where it meets up with the bridge signal couming out of the toggle switch (???). What the hell i even get confused listing that up...

Could someone be so kind and help me out? Maybe do a quick sketch of the wiring i have in mind? Solution might be pretty easy but i don't get it.. Help would be highly appreciated!

Thanks a lot.

B U M P

The 5th knob is NOT a blend or pan knob as that term is commonly known. It is a second volume control to the neck pickup so the player can better balance the neck pickup to the bridge pickup to taste. In short, there is no such thing that works well as a blend or pan knob for passive pickups. And there is no master volume on a Rickenbacker stock wiring, either.

iiipopes wrote:The 5th knob is NOT a blend or pan knob as that term is commonly known. It is a second volume control to the neck pickup so the player can better balance the neck pickup to the bridge pickup to taste. In short, there is no such thing that works well as a blend or pan knob for passive pickups. And there is no master volume on a Rickenbacker stock wiring, either.

So is it possible to get the 5th knob without the regular two neck PU controls or not?

For the record: I have two 3-pickup basses that have passive pickups, and wiring harnesses that are Volume/Pan-Balance/Tone.

As to the function of the 5th knob, it is a second volume control in series with the neck pickup's volume control, except that its 3rd lug is not connected to ground as a normal volume control would be, that is why it does not fully cut off the sound from the neck pickup. Given that, I don't see why you couldn't have a harness with only a tone control for the bridge pickup. Keep in mind that it may have some affect on the overall tone, though, I'm not sure without trying it out (it would not have an affect when using ROS).

Vtg36012 wrote:

iiipopes wrote:The 5th knob is NOT a blend or pan knob as that term is commonly known. It is a second volume control to the neck pickup so the player can better balance the neck pickup to the bridge pickup to taste. In short, there is no such thing that works well as a blend or pan knob for passive pickups. And there is no master volume on a Rickenbacker stock wiring, either.

So is it possible to get the 5th knob without the regular two neck PU controls or not?

Your question is a non-sequitur since the 5th knob is wired into the neck pickup circuit. In short, no. Wiring diagrams from the RIC website, both mono and Ric-O-Sound:
http://www.rickenbacker.com/pdfs/19511.pdf
http://www.rickenbacker.com/pdfs/19502.pdf

While I have not used this site/service before, it looks interesting and might be useful for your needs. Check it out thoroughly, esp. the schematic custom order service; sometimes the fee is simply "worth it." There is also an archive of schematics which seem to be free, but I did not see anything offhand that included a "blender"....

https://guitarelectronics.com/