What does "blend" control actually do?
Moderator: jingle_jangle
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thornev
What does "blend" control actually do?
Hi. I'm new to these boards and have learned a lot just from reading all the posts. I Just bought a 1966 360/12 and my luthier told me the internal wiring was wrong. He fixed it, but I'm curious... what does the blend control actually do? Thanks.
Thorne,
Here is the official explanation from the Rickenbacker Owner's Manual:
http://www.rickenbacker.com/us/controls.htm
"Many Rickenbacker guitars and basses come with a fifth control knob which provides extra tone adjustment capabilities. It can be used to adjust the volume of the bass pickup in relation to a preselected treble pickup lead volume setting, it can be initially set at the tone which will be most often used, or it can function as an equalization control between bass and treble. To use the fifth knob as a bass pickup volume equalizer, first place both volume and both tone controls on the instrument at their maximum clockwise positions. Then, move the pickup selector to the treble position and set the amplifier to the desired lead sound. Now, switch the pickup selector to the bass pick up. The fifth tone knob can now be adjusted in order to bring the rhythm sound to a volume compatible with the already selected lead sound volume.
To use the fifth knob in a set position, first place both volume controls and both tone controls on the instrument at their maximum clockwise positions, and move the pickup selector to the center position. Now, adjust the amplifier, by setting the gain controls at the desired volume and the bass and the treble controls at their maximum positions. Finally, adjust the fine tone selection knob on the instrument until the tone which will be used most frequently is reached, and leave it in that position. After the small knob has been set, the pickup selector may be moved down for maximum treble or up for maximum bass. The variable volume and tone controls on either the amplifier or the instrument can now be moved to the desired volume and tone settings.
To use the fifth knob as an equalization control, first place both volume controls and the treble tone control on the instrument at their maximum clockwise positions, and move the pickup selector to the center position. Move the bass tone control on the instrument to its maximum counterclockwise positions, and set the volume and tone controls on the amplifier to their desired positions. Now, with the instrument's treble up full and the bass at its minimum, the fine tone selection knob can be used as a tone equalizer, moving the instrument through the entire tonal range without adjusting the amplifier."
Hope that helps!
Here is the official explanation from the Rickenbacker Owner's Manual:
http://www.rickenbacker.com/us/controls.htm
"Many Rickenbacker guitars and basses come with a fifth control knob which provides extra tone adjustment capabilities. It can be used to adjust the volume of the bass pickup in relation to a preselected treble pickup lead volume setting, it can be initially set at the tone which will be most often used, or it can function as an equalization control between bass and treble. To use the fifth knob as a bass pickup volume equalizer, first place both volume and both tone controls on the instrument at their maximum clockwise positions. Then, move the pickup selector to the treble position and set the amplifier to the desired lead sound. Now, switch the pickup selector to the bass pick up. The fifth tone knob can now be adjusted in order to bring the rhythm sound to a volume compatible with the already selected lead sound volume.
To use the fifth knob in a set position, first place both volume controls and both tone controls on the instrument at their maximum clockwise positions, and move the pickup selector to the center position. Now, adjust the amplifier, by setting the gain controls at the desired volume and the bass and the treble controls at their maximum positions. Finally, adjust the fine tone selection knob on the instrument until the tone which will be used most frequently is reached, and leave it in that position. After the small knob has been set, the pickup selector may be moved down for maximum treble or up for maximum bass. The variable volume and tone controls on either the amplifier or the instrument can now be moved to the desired volume and tone settings.
To use the fifth knob as an equalization control, first place both volume controls and the treble tone control on the instrument at their maximum clockwise positions, and move the pickup selector to the center position. Move the bass tone control on the instrument to its maximum counterclockwise positions, and set the volume and tone controls on the amplifier to their desired positions. Now, with the instrument's treble up full and the bass at its minimum, the fine tone selection knob can be used as a tone equalizer, moving the instrument through the entire tonal range without adjusting the amplifier."
Hope that helps!
It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing. - Seneca
Gary: Thanks for straightening this matter out! Kidding aside, I have gone through these options on more than one occasion and I have found the equalization control to be of some use with my 12 string. Perhaps a poll is necessary, but in speaking with a number of owners with regard to this feature, most folks tend to set their amplifier and guitar tone controls to reach a pariticular tonality and then leave things alone. A volume pedal and maybe an effects pedal takes care of the rest.
I am interested in knowing how others use the fifth knob. I remember reading where George Harrison felt that the knob had little purpose. Is the fifth knob a bit like Rick-O-Sound in that it is a feature that hangs on with little application or do players use it? For my 12 string I have found an application, however, for my three pickup Model 350 it was not particularly helpful and in the end I rewired the fifth knob to control the volume of the middle pickup. Now that I like!
I am interested in knowing how others use the fifth knob. I remember reading where George Harrison felt that the knob had little purpose. Is the fifth knob a bit like Rick-O-Sound in that it is a feature that hangs on with little application or do players use it? For my 12 string I have found an application, however, for my three pickup Model 350 it was not particularly helpful and in the end I rewired the fifth knob to control the volume of the middle pickup. Now that I like!
Life, as with music, often requires one to let go of the melody and listen to the rhythm
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thornev
Thanks, Gary. Your explanation confirms that my luthier rewired correctly (someone had rewired the guitar so the volume controls controlled the volume of both pickups at the same time). For me, a guitarist who is used to 2 volume and 2 tone controls (I'm a Gibson man), I doubt I'll use the blend knob too often.
Peter, To answer your question, I've used the blend control to add a little bass end into the mostly-used bridge (treble) pickup. In other words, I like my Ric with both pickups on but with more bridge pickup than neck pickup. And it's nice to get that combination without having to turn any volume controls down (although come to think of it, the blend knob probably does the same thing to the neck pickup volume that its volume control does!).
Peter, To answer your question, I've used the blend control to add a little bass end into the mostly-used bridge (treble) pickup. In other words, I like my Ric with both pickups on but with more bridge pickup than neck pickup. And it's nice to get that combination without having to turn any volume controls down (although come to think of it, the blend knob probably does the same thing to the neck pickup volume that its volume control does!).
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rickplayer
- Veteran RRF member
- Posts: 88
- Joined: Wed May 30, 2001 7:14 am
When I had my 330-6, I used the fifth know to back off the neck pickup in the middle postion. It allowed me to keep the bite of the bridge pickup, but with a little more bottom end. On my 12 string, I feel the neck pickup is a little muddy, so it allows me to add treble to it. Otherwise, leave it alone!