Ric Newbie with PickUp problems. Please Help!

[Callum620]

Hello all, I am new to the world of the Rickenbacker. I just purchased a new 2007 Jetglo 620 6-string, I am noticing that when I play with the selector switch in the middle and bottom positions the guitar sounds great but when I use the up position the signal sounds much much weaker. Is this normal, or may there be a problem? I am also having problems finding strings that will fit this guitar? ( in the grooves near the headstock). I am probably not using the correct terminology but I am new and willing to learn Thanks so much.

[admin]

Welcome to the RickResource Forum Mac. With regard to strings a good quality 10s set from your favourite music store will work fine. 10, 13, 17, 26, 36, 46 is a favourite gauge of mine and will serve you well. You should have no trouble having these strings fitting in the nut slots. Using a slightly lower gauge for the D A and low E string is preferred by some.

Please check back as there will be lots of people assisting you until your troubles are gone!

It sounds as if you might have a dirty switch. Does the switch make a crackling sound when you move it back and forth?

[ken_j]

Welcome to the forum Mac. Try turning the "fifth" knob as it affects the volume of the front pickup.

[Callum620]

Hello and thanks for the replies, this guitar is brand new and I did try using all 5 controls , I do get a signal but it is a much lower volume, as far as the selector switch there is no crackling sound... oh man I hope this is normal

[admin]

We are here for you Mac. Let us know if the problem persists with all knobs turned on full.

[rickenmetal]

I can't believe no one else noticed this: the fifth control actually cuts the neck pickup, so if you have it completely clockwise you hardly get any sound from the neck pickup, fully counterclockwise you get the neck pickup on maximum.

[admin]

Good point, Ivan. Just to confirm your point was mentioned early on by Ken.

Welcome to the forum Mac. Try turning the "fifth" knob as it affects the volume of the front pickup.

I hope that that is the problem as it is an easy fix.

There are Rickenbackers out there without a fifth knob or that are custom wired and for this reason it may not have been the first thing that came to mind for all.

Welcome to the RickResource Forum.

[winston]

Hi Mac,

Welcome to the forum. Three things to consider: First don't panic, your "new" guitar was built by Rickenbacker and therefore was built to the highest quality standards in the industry.

Second as it is "new" it is covered under warranty.

Thirdly we are here to help.

So you see you have all bases covered. Now let's resolve your problem. Please report back on the suggested "fifth knob" fix and if that has not taken care of the volume inconsistency we will explore other potential causes with you. All issues such as this have a very easy fix that can be accomplished by any person who has the power of observation and a small amount of skill using some basic tools. I am getting ahead of myself so please let us know if your problem has gone away at this point.

[rickenvon]

My 6 string ric 330 is noticably weaker sounding on solid state amps and fine on tube amps. I took it to the guitar shop and they said it is perfectly fine. Just turn the volume up.

[doctorwho]

Welcome to the Forum!

As suggested above, you could increase the volume of the amp to the desired level on the front pickup, then back off the volume knob on the bridge pickup to balance the output. You could also lower the bridge pickup a little using the height adjustment screws, which would decrease the output a little; conversely, you could raise the neck pickup a little (of course, making sure that there is sufficient clearance with the strings in either case), or do both.

[Callum620]

Hey thanks so much for the input. To answer the questions above, I have used all the knobs and to no avail. I did notice though that the neck pickup is much lower than the bridge? The foam is compressed quite a bit in comparison. I use a fender deluxe 90... I hate this amp! Just need to save up for a tube. Any suggestions for a tube amp?

[winston]

Hi Mac,

You can increase the height of your neck pickup and it will noticeably increase the volume through the amp. Suggestions for a good amp will be all over the map. Zeroing in on something that will ultimately suit you very much depends on the style of music that you wish to play. If you tell us about the music you play, perhaps we can help you select an amp to try out in your local music store.

[doctorwho]

Mac, there are lots of threads, both past and present, dealing with amp recommendations. As noted elsewhere, I am partial to the new Kustom 36 Coupe, an all-tube amp (6L6 power, 12AX7 preamp) with reverb that can be found on eBay new or used for a really good price.

[grazioso]

amp for rick?

samamp. samamp.com i have vac45 from sam and it rocks especially with 12 string! sound like :1 chanel tweed deluxe, 2 chanel bit like hiwatt.

or aiken invader for plexi/ali sounds.

my third choice would be silverface super reverb or some modern clone like o'brien 50.

d