Repair and replacement questions

squirebass · Post by **squirebass** » Wed Mar 05, 2003 6:47 pm

Timothy,
Man, I had a hard time with those Tomastik-Ifelds when I first put them on one of my Ricks! The neck really took some time to adjust, and I even took it to a good luthier who got very frustrated with it. I'd had Rotosound rs 66's on it before though, and it took a while for it to get where I really enjoyed playing it. But I think they are one of the lowest tension strings around, so no matter what you better remember that trussrod wrench! But I love those strings, they are better in my opinion than Pyrimids and they're cheaper!

jeff_ulmer · Post by **jeff_ulmer** » Wed Mar 05, 2003 7:37 pm

Jeffrey, have you through about replacing one of the tone controls with a rotary switch to deal with the capacitor? I did this on my '74, and it still looks stock. You could also simply use a push-pull pot and still have all controls intact, with the addition of the switch. Totally reversable too.

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Thu Mar 06, 2003 1:12 am

I've been searching for a 250K push-pull volume pot to replace the treble volume pot of my 4003, for engaging/bypassing the .0047mfd cap at will. No success yet 'cause the commonly available pots require at least 1 1/8" depth of body cavity. RIC 4001/4003 control cavity is about 1" deep only.

Jeff's rotary switch mod is a good alternative though I'm still looking for a proper push-pull pot before I give up.

Does anyone know where to get them?

fireglo · Post by **fireglo** » Thu Mar 06, 2003 1:23 pm

Dimarzio makes a 250K push-pull pot. I don't know the dimensions though.

Push/Pull potentiometer with integral DPDT switch 250K EP1200PP.

Dimarzio

jeff_ulmer · Post by **jeff_ulmer** » Thu Mar 06, 2003 1:45 pm

Dimarzio's pot may need to be mounted too low due to the shaft length, which is about 3/4 inch of thread. I was looking at a Gotoh one yesterday, but am not sure the actual depth. Its shaft was a little shorter.

admin · Post by **admin** » Thu Mar 06, 2003 1:56 pm

Gene: Why do you prefer Thomastik-Infelds to Pyramids?

squirebass · Post by **squirebass** » Thu Mar 06, 2003 3:26 pm

I just like the way they play better. They feel softer and less stiff that the Pyramids. I went from playing fender flats to Pyramids and although I liked them quite a bit better than the Fenders, they just felt too stiff when compared to the TI. A friend of mine in a Beatles trib band recommended them... He uses them on both his Hofners and his Ricks...

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Fri Mar 07, 2003 7:12 am

Emailed Dimarzio asking for the EP1200PP dimension.
They replied:"The control itself is about 1 1/32", but I assume a little more depth is required for clearance. I do not know of any other push/pull control with smaller dimensions."

The search will be continued...