Fifth knob appreciation

beefandbones · Post by **beefandbones** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 10:00 am

I usually keep flatwound strings on my 330, with the tone controls and the fifth knob all the way up. But this weekend I threw some rounds on the guitar, just to try it out.

Man, is it BRIGHT! The rounds have made it so bright that I discovered how useful the tone controls can be, and in particular, the fifth knob. So far my favorite setting is both pickups selected, neck tone rolled all the way off for a darker, fuller sound, and the bridge tone rolled back a hair to keep that bright edge. I can take the guitar from a chimey and full lead tone to an acoustic-y rhythm sound, all with a slight twist of the fifth knob. Sounds *incredible* through my Victoria 5112.

Anyway, it's amazing to me that I can affect such a sonic change using just that little fifth knob! So, three cheers for the little guy!

squid · Post by **squid** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 10:13 am

Most things would sound amazing through a Victoria 5112! Nice amp! I can see how that might get a little bit too bright, though. I have to admit that I'm not good with the fifth knob. I'm changing its position all the time in order to make up for the damage I've done with the other four knobs ...

dean712 · Post by **dean712** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 9:50 pm

The Rickenbacker's Fifth Knob is controlled by the Theory of Rick-ativity:

e = RIC-squared

Or... something like that... I love the 5th knob on my 660/12, but it is a mystery!

tony_carey · Post by **tony_carey** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 10:54 pm

The fifth knob is the only control that I use. All the others are set full on. It is fantastic, a real Godsend live & I'd be lost without it.

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 11:31 pm

Absolutely, Tony. Everybody should have a fifth knob......

squid · Post by **squid** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 5:14 am

Kenny has those cool instructions for using it as a tremolo, too. I can't remember the settings. I forgot to try it out. I'll do a little digging in the archives and see what I come up with.

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 8:27 am

Thanks Ethan for kicking this off. Last night I played around with t he knobs. I think the whole thing can be summed up like this...

"The greater the pickup sonic separation, ie: the more the neck pickup is panned bass and the more the bridge pickup is panned treble, the greater the sensitivity and effect of the 5th knob".

I did this last night and got a whole new appreciation for that quirky little knob. Thanks again.

firstbassman · Post by **firstbassman** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 10:31 am

What is the fifth knob really supposed to do?
I have to admit, I don't hear any difference one way or the other - 360/12.
[I usually have the volume set at about 20% for the neck p/u and about 80/90% for the bridge. Tone is set almost all the way to Treble.]

rkbsound · Post by **rkbsound** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 4:02 pm

I think there was once a movie entitled "The Fiftth Knob". Rumor has it that this inspired RIC to add a fifth knob to the design in a tribute to the film. Legend has it that when the fifth knob is set at a precise position, relative to the precise position of the four other knobs,....well, it's a secret really.

Did you hear the one about the Ric-O-Sound jack?

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 8:49 pm

I

the Fifth Knob

qmoder · Post by **qmoder** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 10:03 pm

I'm not sure what it was orginally intended to do. But it sure does something thats cool.

voobacker · Post by **voobacker** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 7:02 am

i know id be lost without my 5th knob......................

ramonesfreak · Post by **ramonesfreak** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:19 am

can someone please describe what the 5th knob does, specifically. i just got my rick a few days ago and have noticed that the 5th knob does change the tone. however, the instructions that came with the guitar regarding this knob are very confusing and useless to me, and, in the past i had heard people refer to the 5th knob as a "blending" control when you have the pick-up switch set in the middle. it does not seem like a blending control to me. it seems simply like an extra bit of control over the tone of which ever pick up your playing.

what exactly is it?

thanks

jdogric12 · Post by **jdogric12** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:46 am

Sit tight gang. I'll try to field this one.

Search this forum for other similar posts, I'm sure there are a bunch. I'll try to be succinct.

Yes it is a mix knob. When the pickup selector is in the mid position, it will adjust between the two. Some have said it's more like a second volume knob for the bass pickup, but no matter how you call it, it does pretty much what it says. See my other post this morning in the Rickenbacker General topic where I talk about how I'm currently using it and ric-o-sound. It is much more useful with two amps.

Hope this helps. -J