Hi Mark,
you once did a strat set-up for me many years ago
when you had the shop on Leary. Anyway, I'm new to the world of RIC. Could you fill me in on the wiring set-up? Overall the wiring seems to be backassward Gibson 335,LP,SG. But how does the blend function? I like it, it works with any pickup setting, but could you give a brief explanation? Also the dual input jacks, the lower
with serial# and the upper with an I8( 8 ohm impedance?) How are these inputs different? This
isn't stereo is it? Sorry for the kindergarten questions. I'm a RIC neophyte. One last comment, I've always known these guitars were out there, but I never knew how good they were.
Thanks, ArtC
RE
Moderator: jingle_jangle
Long time no see !
well I'm still in the business ,so here is how and what the controls do.This is NO the official explanation and only my own interpretation .
On a 360-12 string that has two jacks ,5 knobs and a selector switch this is what you get.
when plugged into the 'Standard' jack,each pickup has it's own volume and tone control.
If you are holding the guitar and you are right handed...this is the layout .
The selector switch is closest to the neck,the tone control for the neck pickup is on the up side nearest the strings and the knob on the bottom closest to the switch is the neck pickup volume control.
The Bridge pickup tone control is on the up side closest to the strings and toward the tailpiece.
The bridge pickup volume control is on the bottom and next to the neck pickup volume control.
Next is the 'blend knob'
Originally ,All the 2 jack guitars had a .0047mfd capacitor in them.This shunts low end causing a brighter sound .These guitars also came with flatwound strings and to get the clarity/brightness the capacitor was added.
This cap was only on the bridge pickup.
In the "Rick-O-Sound jack (this is just a stereo jack by the way)you split the signal.One pickup goes to an amp to the left and one pickup goes to the right.This was a new and exciting thing in the late 1950's and was very inovative at the time .(Gibson also had stereo guitars -the ES-345 and the ES-355,Gretsch had the stereo White Falcon and the Projecto matic guitars).Everything was going stereo...the recording industry had gone from one and two track tape recording and mono records to this new dynamic sound.Stereo was the thing.
Well here we are in the 21st century and only rickenbacker has stayed with this futuristic sound!
In the Rick-o -sound mode the blend knob is there to give a spacial balance between the two amps that are used.You may shift it from one side to the other.This is NOT the same as the pan pot that is in a Stereo receiver!!!!
That is two pots ganged on top of each other .This literally shifts the sound from one side to the other.The rick version merely turns the volume up or down on the neck pickup.Because the capacitor is removing some of the ouput of the bridge pickup,it seems to balance the two pickups .In reality it is only a backwards wired neck pickup volume control.It is only usful in the stereo mode .
Turn it off in normal /mono and use only the 4 standard controls.
You will also notice that when you have both pickups on and you turn down one of the volume controls ,it does not act as a master volume control like a Gibson,gretsch or any other 4 control guitar.
So ,yes you have a stereo output jack and a mono output jack.
For anyone that has come to Rickenbackers after years of all / any of the other brands of guitars on the market ...they are layed out differently and sometimes confusing.I rewire many Ricks, so the knob layout is the same as everyone else.This gives the customers a less confusing layout and they have that layout in their minds as second nature.
What model did you get ?
What are you playing it thru and have you tried the stereo setup ?
well I'm still in the business ,so here is how and what the controls do.This is NO the official explanation and only my own interpretation .
On a 360-12 string that has two jacks ,5 knobs and a selector switch this is what you get.
when plugged into the 'Standard' jack,each pickup has it's own volume and tone control.
If you are holding the guitar and you are right handed...this is the layout .
The selector switch is closest to the neck,the tone control for the neck pickup is on the up side nearest the strings and the knob on the bottom closest to the switch is the neck pickup volume control.
The Bridge pickup tone control is on the up side closest to the strings and toward the tailpiece.
The bridge pickup volume control is on the bottom and next to the neck pickup volume control.
Next is the 'blend knob'
Originally ,All the 2 jack guitars had a .0047mfd capacitor in them.This shunts low end causing a brighter sound .These guitars also came with flatwound strings and to get the clarity/brightness the capacitor was added.
This cap was only on the bridge pickup.
In the "Rick-O-Sound jack (this is just a stereo jack by the way)you split the signal.One pickup goes to an amp to the left and one pickup goes to the right.This was a new and exciting thing in the late 1950's and was very inovative at the time .(Gibson also had stereo guitars -the ES-345 and the ES-355,Gretsch had the stereo White Falcon and the Projecto matic guitars).Everything was going stereo...the recording industry had gone from one and two track tape recording and mono records to this new dynamic sound.Stereo was the thing.
Well here we are in the 21st century and only rickenbacker has stayed with this futuristic sound!
In the Rick-o -sound mode the blend knob is there to give a spacial balance between the two amps that are used.You may shift it from one side to the other.This is NOT the same as the pan pot that is in a Stereo receiver!!!!
That is two pots ganged on top of each other .This literally shifts the sound from one side to the other.The rick version merely turns the volume up or down on the neck pickup.Because the capacitor is removing some of the ouput of the bridge pickup,it seems to balance the two pickups .In reality it is only a backwards wired neck pickup volume control.It is only usful in the stereo mode .
Turn it off in normal /mono and use only the 4 standard controls.
You will also notice that when you have both pickups on and you turn down one of the volume controls ,it does not act as a master volume control like a Gibson,gretsch or any other 4 control guitar.
So ,yes you have a stereo output jack and a mono output jack.
For anyone that has come to Rickenbackers after years of all / any of the other brands of guitars on the market ...they are layed out differently and sometimes confusing.I rewire many Ricks, so the knob layout is the same as everyone else.This gives the customers a less confusing layout and they have that layout in their minds as second nature.
What model did you get ?
What are you playing it thru and have you tried the stereo setup ?
So you too want yours "ALAPWOB"?!?!
-
Art_Cothary
Mark, thanks for the response. I traded a Custom Shop Strat for a beautiful fireglow 360V64 12. I play this unmolested thru a 1965 BF Super. I keep the amp on bright and play it thru the Reverb channel. I use minimal reverb and the neck or middle pup setting. The bridge is a bit too intense for me at this time. I just bought a 69 Princeton Reverb (mainly for my Tele), so I will be able to try the stereo mode. I've moved out of Seattle to Hood Canal but make it once in a while.
Where are you located now? If I need some tweaking
I'll pay you a visit. Thanks, Art.
Where are you located now? If I need some tweaking
I'll pay you a visit. Thanks, Art.
I'm in the Snohomish/Lake Stevens area workinh out of my "Barn"
since the bridge pickup is too bright ,take off the pickguard and see if you have a capacitor that runs between the bridge pickup volume control and the selector switch.
If you do have it ,remove it and replace with a wire.
That will give you a smoother sound .
BUT ,if you want the Byrds tone ,you need tohave that cap and a compressor.
since the bridge pickup is too bright ,take off the pickguard and see if you have a capacitor that runs between the bridge pickup volume control and the selector switch.
If you do have it ,remove it and replace with a wire.
That will give you a smoother sound .
BUT ,if you want the Byrds tone ,you need tohave that cap and a compressor.
So you too want yours "ALAPWOB"?!?!
-
Jim_D
Hi Mark, maybe you can help me with this. A couple of questions about a 360/12v64 I'm looking at.
The the nut is flush on the low E string side of the neck, but is at least 1/16"(binding thickness) less than the the neck on the high e string side. I know the nut had come loose and was re-glued. But I'm not sure if it is original. I think it should have been perfectly flush with the neck binding? Second, the truss rod nut has scratched the paint under the truss rod cover plate. The truss rod nut is about 1/8" higher than the headstock surface. The cover cannot be screwed down to tightly fit flush with the headstock. With a straight edge, the threads of the truss rod are even with the headstock surface. Am I being too critical, or are these indicatons of poor set up or repair work? Could this be an indicatian of too much stress on the truss rods to straighten the neck?
Thanks,
Jim D
The the nut is flush on the low E string side of the neck, but is at least 1/16"(binding thickness) less than the the neck on the high e string side. I know the nut had come loose and was re-glued. But I'm not sure if it is original. I think it should have been perfectly flush with the neck binding? Second, the truss rod nut has scratched the paint under the truss rod cover plate. The truss rod nut is about 1/8" higher than the headstock surface. The cover cannot be screwed down to tightly fit flush with the headstock. With a straight edge, the threads of the truss rod are even with the headstock surface. Am I being too critical, or are these indicatons of poor set up or repair work? Could this be an indicatian of too much stress on the truss rods to straighten the neck?
Thanks,
Jim D
sounds like you have a premade replacement nut on the guitar.
Not all necks are the same width ...this is due to the human factor;sanding in the woodshop,spraying more clear that another guitar,scraping of the binding was less at that area,etc.
I feel that precut nuts are in general okay as it serves the customer,especially if the store repair deptht is not up to cutting nuts on a 12 string .
But then it's shortcomings appear easily.This nut ws glued flush on the bass side to make it appear okay .As this is the side you look at when playing.This is something that would be less noticable.
As for the truss rods ,do you have the old style (is the guitar pre 1985 or newer)?
Sounds to me like the repair person was not a Rick specialist ,nor were they confident in what they could do ,nor did they view it as a skill .
The rods if old ,can be bent down ,but don't do this yourself ...you may pop the fretboard.
If they are new rods ...the repairperson does not understand how to operate them.They think they are the old style .Plenty of confusion in the repair business .
Some of this is due to a lack of communication between the factory and the stores.
The up curl has nothing to do with excessive stress.This has to do with a repairman putting the rod wrench on and gently bending the ends up.On the old rods you HAD to do this ,as when they were tightened ,they curled down.The new rods do not curl .They are the same as Gibson and Fender rods.There just happens to be two of them per neck .
Not all necks are the same width ...this is due to the human factor;sanding in the woodshop,spraying more clear that another guitar,scraping of the binding was less at that area,etc.
I feel that precut nuts are in general okay as it serves the customer,especially if the store repair deptht is not up to cutting nuts on a 12 string .
But then it's shortcomings appear easily.This nut ws glued flush on the bass side to make it appear okay .As this is the side you look at when playing.This is something that would be less noticable.
As for the truss rods ,do you have the old style (is the guitar pre 1985 or newer)?
Sounds to me like the repair person was not a Rick specialist ,nor were they confident in what they could do ,nor did they view it as a skill .
The rods if old ,can be bent down ,but don't do this yourself ...you may pop the fretboard.
If they are new rods ...the repairperson does not understand how to operate them.They think they are the old style .Plenty of confusion in the repair business .
Some of this is due to a lack of communication between the factory and the stores.
The up curl has nothing to do with excessive stress.This has to do with a repairman putting the rod wrench on and gently bending the ends up.On the old rods you HAD to do this ,as when they were tightened ,they curled down.The new rods do not curl .They are the same as Gibson and Fender rods.There just happens to be two of them per neck .
So you too want yours "ALAPWOB"?!?!
Mark: While we are on the subject of two rods, given the newer rods, would one rod have been sufficient to do the job on full scale 6 and 12 strings? OK, before you beat me to it, would sparing the rod spoil the neck?
Life, as with music, often requires one to let go of the melody and listen to the rhythm
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Please join the Official RickResource Forum Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/379271585440277
well this is again ..only my opinion and I mean no disrespect by it .
One will certainly do the job .
ALL of my other guitars work extremely wel with just one.I own 24 and only one has two rods.The Rick 12 string.
My Takamine acoustic 12 (it was given to me folks)has one ,the 12 string that I made has one rod and I use acoustic gauged strings on it ...BIG sound.
One will certainly do the job .
ALL of my other guitars work extremely wel with just one.I own 24 and only one has two rods.The Rick 12 string.
My Takamine acoustic 12 (it was given to me folks)has one ,the 12 string that I made has one rod and I use acoustic gauged strings on it ...BIG sound.
So you too want yours "ALAPWOB"?!?!
-
Jim_D
Following up on the replaced nut and bent truss rods I posted earlier.
The nut being slightly narrower seems to make playing open chords a bit more difficult. The strings are closer making it harder to cleanly press down on the strings. Also the angle of the strings coming off the neck to the headstock is greater than that shown on the photos of the 360/12 cover plate reshaping. I'll have the nut replaced with a new one from Ric.
The truss rod ends that are bent up, the guitar is a 1999 360/12v64. Can they be safely bent down without weakening them or lifting the fretboard. I had received a suggestion to replace them. The cover plate will have to be painted or replaced. Any thoughts?
Also, to all that post on The Forum. I've learned more about Rics in the past several months than any other guitar I've owned.
Thanks
Jim D
The nut being slightly narrower seems to make playing open chords a bit more difficult. The strings are closer making it harder to cleanly press down on the strings. Also the angle of the strings coming off the neck to the headstock is greater than that shown on the photos of the 360/12 cover plate reshaping. I'll have the nut replaced with a new one from Ric.
The truss rod ends that are bent up, the guitar is a 1999 360/12v64. Can they be safely bent down without weakening them or lifting the fretboard. I had received a suggestion to replace them. The cover plate will have to be painted or replaced. Any thoughts?
Also, to all that post on The Forum. I've learned more about Rics in the past several months than any other guitar I've owned.
Thanks
Jim D