450-12 weak neck pickup

[Janglyman]

I'm new to the forum and liking it a lot. I have a problem with the neck pickup on a '66 450-12. It sounds muffled, like the tone knob is on all the way. I don't know if the pickup is just weak or if this is a cap problem or something else. Is this normal on an old Ric? The other 2 selector settings (bridge and middle) sound fine. That other forum said to un-solder the pickup lead and check the p/u on a volt meter. Is this good info?

I'd appreciate any help. This guitar is way too good to not to know what's correct. Thanks,

Janglyman

[johnallg]

Russ, that is where I would start. Expect something in the region of 5+k to 6.8k or so. Also check that all 6 magnetic rods have attraction to, say, a paper clip or a steel screw. If the coil reads good, then you will have to attack the electronics. Have you had this long enough to know this worked right before?

And welcome to the RRF!

[Janglyman]

Thanks for the 411. Will give it a try. I have had this guitar 10-12 years. It was a guitar show orphan that followed me home. The guitar has always sounded like this. My 360-12 neck p/u sounds similar but it's not a big deal because of the blend control. I just assumed that all Rick neck p/u's were extremely dark sounding.

Janglyman

[grazioso]

well they (the neck pickups) would sound rather dark compare to any bridge pickup with bright 0.0047 cap. i would give it a shot with pot cleaner and lubricator first but if it is reasonably loud and just darker than the bridge pickup - that's normal. if it is weak signal i would suspect pot or switch and pickup lead first. first thing that goes is potentiometer or switch and than the cap or pickup lead. those pickups are rarely dead without going through some harsh treatment like beer bath or extreme humidity/heat or really bad repairman with huge soldering gun and no brain.

1) cleaning of those pots (with spray e.g. deoxit) and same for the switch and visual inspection of wires and connections for any weird or loose things...

if it didn't help

2) your multimeter - you do not have to disconnect the pickup leads to get reading..make sure there is no jack in the output and just flip the switch to the bridge pickup position (to take that neck pickup out of the circuit) and you will get neck pickup reading with very minor interference from other components at the pickup and at the switch/pot too so you can check the lead wire without disturbing any solder joints since it is 66' after all. and those pickups in 1966 can read anything from 5-6k all the way to like 8.5k or more....

if that didn't help but the pickup is fine i would consider changing tone pot and maybe the cap...with 500k or 1meg cts audio pot ($4) (it will sound brighter) and new 0.047 cap...($0.50).

btw. if you have modern fluke multimeter available you'll be able to check the cap too! but that will have to be taken out of circuit to be measured.